Monthly Archives: November 2007

UIL Director said to have apologized for his role in Channel 8/Brett Shipp smear campaign

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Dallas South was told that UIL Athletic Director Charles Breithaupt has sent a letter to South Oak Cliff and others apologizing for his role in the Channel 8 News story accusing the school of playing an ineligible player.  The letter supposedly says that Brett Shipp's report took the UIL boss' comments out of context and makes them appear to refer to SOC when he really wasn't.

That was the first thing that I thought when I saw Dr.Breithaupt speaking on the Channel 8 report.  He never addresses South Oak Cliff by name.  It's Brett Shipp who voices accusations then attributes them to Dr. Breithaupt.

If I am able to verify or obtain this letter, I will make that known as soon as I can.

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Pregnant woman Tasered

Thanks to Electronic Village for hipping the AfroSpear to this story.

November 29, 2007 TROTWOOD, Ohio — The FBI is investigating after a Trotwood police officer used a Taser on a pregnant woman. Trotwood Public Safety Director Michael Etter said the incident happened on Nov. 18. He said the woman arrived at the police department asking to give up custody of her 1-year-old son. Etter said an officer spoke with the woman as she held onto the child outside the police department. “(He) attempted to obtain information on both the mother and the child, at which time the mother refused to give any information and became very agitated,” Etter said. Surveillance video from the police department shows the woman trying to leave with the child. The officer then grabs her coat in an effort to get her to stop.

Etter said the officer was doing what he thought was in the best interest of the boy.
The video shows the woman struggling with the officer, who then takes the child from her and gives the boy to another officer. The first officer then forces the woman down on her stomach, and he then uses a Taser on her neck. Etter said the officer did not know the woman was pregnant.

“She did not disclose, even after she was arrested, that she was pregnant,” Etter said. He said the woman was wearing a large winter coat and had her child on her lap when she was talking to the officer. Etter said the department is cooperating with the FBI investigation, and there is also an ongoing internal investigation to see if the use of force was warranted for the situation.

Etter said the officer involved is still on duty. Trotwood’s policy on use of force states that officers should “greatly evaluate each situation with discretion when anticipating the deployment of the Taser on young children, elderly persons and pregnant females.”

The woman involved in the case declined to make a statement, saying only that she feels “unjustly served,” the television station reported. Officers said the 1-year-old boy was put into the custody of a family member after the incident.

Informal Survey – Dallas Morning News portrays blacks as athletes, homeless, bank robbers, suspects

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On Thursday I opened the Dallas Morning News and flipped through the front of each section.  I started looking at the color images on the front of the main pages.  

Then I began to think about my claims, and others, on how African-Americans are portrayed in this paper and media outlets across the country.  I did an informal survey of the Thursday paper, and extended it to Wednesday and Friday to get more data.

What's listed below are the images on the Front Page of the major sections of the Dallas Morning News: Front Page, Metro, Sports, Business and Guide Live.  I wouldn't consider HS Gametime major but I did include it from Thursday.  Here are some observations from this rudimentary survey:

  • The images of African-Americans for the three days all had to do with Sports with the exception of Norma Adams Wade – Metro columnist, bank robbers, an accused principal, and homeless veterans. 
  • There are a lot of White columnist writing for the Dallas Morning News
  • Zero images of African-Americans on front of Business section

What does this speak to?  Does it speak to the way The News chooses to portray blacks and others?  Are African-Americans just not present in the fields of acting, business, music, education, government and other vocations?  Is this more and American problem than a media problems?  I'd like some feedback on this one.

WEDNESDAY

Front Page 

Terrell Owens and Ray Sherman, Cowboys receiver and receivers coach, both Black

Helio Castroneves, and Dancing w/the Stars partner Julianne Hough (Helio is from Brazil, partner is Anglo)

Santiago Morales, Mexico – immigration story

Dr. J Robert Cade, Anglo – Gatorade inventor 

Metro 

Alphonso Warfield – Black Asst. Principal accused in fake badge case

Tom Leppert, White Dallas Mayor

7 Bank Robbery Suspects – 3 Black, 3 White, 1 undistinguishable

Norma Adams Wade – Black Columnist (article on page 7B)

Amber Twiss, White, and other nameless Black Homeless Veterans 

Sports

Tim Cowlishaw – Anglo Columnist

Owens and Sherman again

Sean Taylor – Black football player killed earlier this week

Jeremy Maclin – Black U of Missouri football player

Business 

Cheryl Hall – White business columnist

Guy Kerr – Belo Corp (Co that owns the Morning News) Executive

Guide Live

Emily Gray, Davide Fluitt, Sara Lovett – White actors

Trisha Miller Smith, Justin Flowers, Dana Schultes – White Actors

Castoneves and Hough

Michael Jackson – uhhhh, take your pick

THURSDAY

Front Page 

1129vb.jpgShannon Hawari – White (I think) volleyball player at Plano West

Greg Gunderson and John O'Neill – White Green Bay Packer Fans

Tony Romo – Anglo/Hispanic quarterback Dallas Cowboys

Metro

Legs of White skater at Katy Trail

Steve Blow  – White Columnist

Rick Walden and sons Jay and Trey – White complainants over school paddling 

Hector Montenegro – Hispanic candidate for Arlington Superintendent 

4 white females – Duncanville Women's Club

Sports

Dirk Nowitzki – White Dallas Maverick

Tim Cowlishaw – White Columnist

Tony Romo

Bret Farve – White Green Bay QB

Bob Knight – Texas Tech B-Ball coach in verbal dispute

Art Briles – New Baylor football coach

Business

Pat Snuffer -owner of burger franchise

White male on Wall Street holding up peace signs

Karen Harvey – White flight attendant unloading bags 

Scott Burns – Business Columnist

James Moroney III and Skip Cass – Belo Corp. executives

Guide Live 

Jeff Griffith – White country music singer

Lynn Alvarez – Hispanic playwright

Elena Hurst – Actress, not sure by maybe Hispanic 

High School Game Time 

Cousins Tim and Garry Jefferson – Black South Oak Cliff Football Players

Shannon Hawari, White Plano VBall

FRIDAY

Front Page

Terrell Owens getting his popcorn ready (Black, Cowboys)

Ben Bernanke – Federal Reserve Chairman, Jewish

Metro

Jacquelyn Floyd, White Columnist

Amber Terrace, White elementary teacher in DeSoto

Laura Burks, White Stepmother of soldier slain in Iraq 

Sports

1130cc.jpgTony Romo

Curtis Lofton, Black Oklahoma Football Player

LaDonna Fuston, Loftin's mom in prison from 1992-2004

Delora Terrell, Loftin's grandmother who raised him

Vincent McNeil, Jarvis Phillips, Troy Soudermire, Garry Jefferson – Black DISD QB's 

Jerry Stackhouse, Black Dallas Mav 

SportsDay II

Tony Romo and Anthony Fassano, White Cowboys Tight End

Jean-Jacques Taylor, Black Columnist

Tim Cowlishaw, White Columnist

Rick Gosselin, NFL Beat Reporter (understatement) 

Brett Farve

Guide Live

John Gorka, White Director/Producer

Carson Daly, White Television Host 

Business 

Caricature of Larry King, Jewish TV Broadcaster

Steve Brown, White Columnist (Real Estate) 

Latasha Norman, Jackson State University student missing for two weeks

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l-norman.jpgLatasha Norman, who is a student at Jackson State University, was last seen Nov. 13 in one of her classes. Her car was left on the campus, and the 20-year-old never returned to her dormitory room.  

According to the Associated Press, those who know Latasha Norman describe her as a serious, smart student who was seen around Jackson State with pad and pencil, covering stories for the campus newspaper.

latashacolorphoto.jpgBlack and Missing but not Forgotten reports that Jackson Police Chief Malcolm McMillin said Norman's disappearance should get "the same kind of concern" as that of Stacy Peterson, 23, a white woman from suburban Chicago who has been missing for three weeks. 

"As far as the interest by the national media in the story, I think race probably had an impact," said McMillin, who is white. "It's a small college in the South. It's the daughter of simple people who maybe are not important outside of their circle, and maybe we don't attach the same importance to them that we do for other people."

Jackson State's Office of University Communications has sent out a series of press releases since Norman's disappearance.   According to their website, Ms. Norman is an accounting major from Greenville, Miss., is of medium-brown complexion, stands approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs between 115 and 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

To report information regarding Latasha Norman's whereabouts, call one of the following numbers:

JSU Public Safety, 601-979-1659
JSU Public Safety, 601-979-2580
JPD Missing Persons Bureau, 601-960-1210
Jackson Police Dept. 601-960-1234

Bill Cosby’s new book “Come On People” pointed in right direction but misses the mark

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In 2004, Bill Cosby sent shockwaves through the black community after a speech that he made at Washington D.C.'s Constitution Hall.  During his talk, Cosby seemed to lash out at Black America in general, poor black people in particular.  

In response to Cosby's speech which was reported on by the Washington Post, Michael Eric Dyson wrote a book titled Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?  Dyson highlights some quotes from Dr. Cosby's speech that made national headlines and angered a certain number of black folks.  

From Is Bill Cosby Right?

The venerable father figure also lambasted black parents who give their children "names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Muhammad and all that crap.."

It (black children) can't speak English.  It doesn't want to speak English.  I can't even talk the way these people talk. (Cosby)

cos-book.jpgFast forward to the recent release of Come On People:The Path From Victims to Victors by Bill Cosby and Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D.  Dr. Cosby's website refers to book as "a powerful message for families and communities as they lay out their visions for strengthening America, or for that matter the world."

It goes on to say "they address the crises of people who are stuck because of feelings of low self-esteem, abandonment, anger, fearfulness, sadness, and feelings of being used,undefended, and unprotected."

My quick take on Dr. Cosby's book:

Pros

  • The problems addressed are real issues in the Black Community
  • References small but important issues like TV's in bedrooms, dental health, and media influences
  • Words from people who attended Cosby's Town Hall Meetings 

Cons

  • Written in first person plural voice
  • Over 125 sub-chapters
  • Authors seemed ashamed of and removed from intended audience

cos-and-poussaint.JPGI could never get past the fact that Cosby and Poussaint literally co-wrote the book.  There were sentences stating your authors did this, we think this or that, we feel one way or another. This Come On People line of thinking is attributed to Bill Cosby, and I wanted to know that Bill Cosby was telling me what I was reading.  That wasn't the case in this book.

When listening to Cosby in sound bites over the last few years, my problem has not been his message.  When Cosby speaks, I cannot hear love in his voice, all I hear is disdain and disgust.  Disdain for our brothers and sisters is not going to solve the problem.

That voice his toned down in the book, and I don't know whether that's Dr. Poussaint's influence or response to public reaction.  But there are enough jabs at the expense of Black America to keep this from being a work born out of love.  I'm still unable to tell where all this is coming from.  The message is loud and anything but clear.

I was however able to get through the book, which is more that I can say for Dyson's work.  Dr. Dyson's Is Cosby Right seemed to blame everyone else for the problems without asking for enough responsibility from the African-American community.

The problems highlighted in Come on People are real, and are evident in black nieghborhoods all across the country. What I like about Come on People is summed up in a paragraph at the beginning of Chapter 4.

…On our path to victory, we have wandered off course.  We were so busy worrying about the white man, we stopped paying attention to the black man.  We remember the injustice of how slavers brought our people to America, but we have forgotten the brilliance of our response-how we sneaked around late at night and taught ourselves to read, taught ourselves secret signals to resist, taught ourselves pride and will and love.  We have to draw on that history of persistence. 

cosby.jpgBut far too often the authors talk down to their readers.  Using words like stupid, shameless, these people, and pathetic, over and over and over again.  We get it, the behavior is irresponsible, but enough with the insults.   

There is great advice in this book on parenting, maintaining good health, slowing violence and a number of issues.  There are also examples of how the country has victimized Black Americans in instances like the Tuskeegee Experiment.  Sometimes those examples seem a little contrived.  

The book is choppy with its 125+ subchapters, many of them covering basically the same topics.  Another presentation style would have worked much better.

I wouldn't say Come on People is a must read, but I will say it's a decent read.  Were Dr. Cosby able to find a better way to put his message, like similar books written by Tavis Smiley, he may have had a classic. 

As I've said on this site before, and will say again, the truth spoken out of season bears no fruit.  Dr. Cosby needs to find the proper season for his message.  The fruits of Love, Patience, and Kindness would also benefit the group he says he wants to help. 

Sweeps Week attack on South Oak Cliff/James Mays II par for the Belo 8 course

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shipp.jpg

I am not trained in the ways of journalism, but I have a question for Brett Shipp:  When did taking a few pieces of paper from former employees running copies become investigative reporting? I had respect for Brett Shipp's work in the past, but his ambush of Coach James Mays and Donald Moten last week should not be tolerated.

Brett Shipp entered South Oak Cliff high school through a back door under false pretenses in order to obtain footage for a smear piece that he did for Channel 8.  When entering the South Oak Cliff campus, visitors are supposed to enter the front door, go through a security screening and then sign in with school personnel.  I know because I witnessed a SOC practice about a week before Shipp and a camera man broke into the school.  I followed the rules.

I'm sure Coach Mays was shocked to see the cameras because in the 3 years that SOC has won state championships no one from the station has set foot on the campus.  The basketball team was referred to as a "dynasty" in a later piece.  Well Channel 8 must have just found out because this is the first I've heard of them reporting on the Golden Bears.

I'm not going in to great detail about Shipp's investigative prowess, but the report seemed to center on a couple of documents.  His report made it seem like Coach Mays signed a form to transfer the student in question, when in reality, he signed the paper saying that it was O.K. for the student to enter the athletic period.  A coach would not have the authority to change a student out of any class, nor into the "Reconnection" program that the story mentions.

Brett Shipp repeatedly asked Coach Mays did he cheat.  His story made it seem as if Mays was avoiding questions when in reality coach was asking Shipp and his crew to follow school protocol.  Apparently Shipp thinks having a camera gives you the right to circumvent the rules.

I've known Coach James Mays for about 6 years.  Coach Mays and I have attended the same church and men's fellowship with him throughout that time.  Each year, as soon as basketball wraps up, Mays begins meeting weekly with the men of the church.  He is in attendance every week into the Fall school semester rolls back around.  Once school kicks off and he begins to prepare for the basketball season, Mays bids us farewell until after the season (usually following a state title).

Even though we don't see Coach on Monday night, he is still present every Sunday.  Coach Mays is part of our church's Safety ministry, making sure those who attend service get around the building alright as well as helping to maintain the security of the building.  Coach Mays serves our pastor and our church faithfully in this post every Sunday. 

Back on the subject of the Men's Ministry, some of the other local coaches took note of Coach Mays' weekly routine.  2 other coaches began to attend the Monday night Men's meetings after last basketball season.  I guess they said if you can't beat them, join them.

In the same spirit, Coach has brought players from his SOC basketball team to church throughout the season to promote solidarity.   The week before the Channel 8 story, 4 other coaches met Mays' challenge and brought their players to Friendship-West as well.  What a sight it was for the congregations to see 5 teams of  young men standing with their coaches.

Coach James Mays II is much more about building men than he is about winning.  I have heard of Coach Mays sitting players who were passing classes because their grades were slipping though not failing.  I haven't done the investigative work of Brett Shipp, but my sources tell me that 36 or 36 seniors who have played under Coach James Mays have graduated from high school and received a scholarship to play basketball in college.  "Changing the grades" of one student athlete and putting the rest of the players at risk is way out of character for Mays.  

There have been some great story lines to come out of SOC Basketball.  There are players who have won state championships whose parents also won state championships at SOC.  There's last year's team who won despite losing one of the nations best players to graduation.   

This is the reason Dallas South Blog exists for instances such as this. All that is known is that SOC is accused of what I see as some trumped up charges.  None of this has been proven.  But all of the good news of the basketball team, players and coaches in the prior three years goes unreported in the mainstream media. 

Allegations of racism against head football coach Todd Dodge at UNT have yet to be substantiated.  But the Dallas Morning News was quick to solicit quotes -not ambush video after a game while they were still sweating- in support of the former Southlake Carroll coach and his staff.  And why has there been no "investigation" in this case?  The News, also owned by Belo, gave Mays no such opportunity in the story they ran regarding Channel 8's accusations.

Channel 8, your trash journalism has sickened me.  I'm not surprised by Dale Hansen and his comments, but I expect better out of Brett Shipp.   I hope Shipp and his bosses have their ducks in a row.  An apology won't suffice if Coach Mays is AGAIN cleared of wrongdoing in this matter.

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams to host series “African-American Women:Where They Stand”

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New York, N.Y. – November 15, 2007 – Throughout the week of November 26, "NBC News With Brian Williams" will take a look at the issues facing African-American women across our nation in a new series "African-American Women: Where They Stand." The series will cover a wide-range of issues from their role in the '08 Presidential race, to the increased health-risks that they need to be concerned about.

Monday's installment will discuss African-American women's progress in the education field. Nearly two-thirds of African-American undergraduates are women. At black colleges, the ratio of women to men is 7 to 1. And that is leading to a disparity in the number of African-American women who go on to own their own businesses. Rehema Ellis will talk to educators, students and businesswomen about why this disparity exists.

Tuesday

Ellis will look at relationships within the African-American female community. Many agree the gender disparity in education and business among African-Americans is having an effect on relationships that African American women have. Some even say the implications could redefine "Black America's family and social structure." In the past 

fifty years, the percentage of African-American women between 25-54 who have never been married has doubled from 20% to 40%. (Compared to just 16% of white women who have never been married today). Ellis sits down with the members of a Chicagobook club and talk about this difference and how it impacts them.

Wednesday

Dr. Nancy Snyderman will discuss the increases risks for breast cancer for African-American women. Mortality rates for African-American women are higher than any other racial or ethnic group for nearly every major cause of death, including breast cancer. Black women with breast cancer are nearly 30% more likely to die from it than white women. Premenopausal black women are more than twice as 

likely to get a more aggressive form of the disease. And, not only are African-American women more likely to die from breast cancer, but they're less likely to get life-saving treatments. Dr. Snyderman will profile one of the only oncologists in the world who specializes in the treatment of African-American women with breast cancer.

 
Thursday

Ron Allen will take viewers to South Carolina — the first southern primary state — and ask the question: Will race trump gender or gender trump race? In South Carolina, black women made up nearly 30 percent of all democratic primary voters in 2004. This year, polls show a significant number are undecided, torn between choosing the first African-American or first female Presidential candidate. Allen talks with the undecided, as well the state directors for the Clinton and Obama campaigns, who happen to be African-American women.

Friday

Dr. Snyderman will raise the frightening statistic that African-American women are 85% more likely to get diabetes, a major complication for heart disease. And, like breast cancer, more black women die from heart disease than white women. Dr. Snyderman will profile a leading expert and a unique church-based outreach program in South Carolina that seeks to spread the word about heart disease risks to black women congregants.

Mara Schiavocampo, Digital Correspondent for "Nightly News," will address two hot topics in the African – American community: interracial dating and the impact of hip hop music on black women. Interracial dating is a growing trend in the African – American community. An Essence.com < http://essence.com/> poll found that 81% of participants approved of black women dating non- black men. 

According to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2000, 95,000 black women were married to white men. In 2005, that number increased to 134,000.  Schiavocampo will talk to experts about the trend and discuss how this defines the "Black family" of the future. Schiavocampo will convene a panel of leading black men and women from the hip-hop industry for an engaging discussion on whether hip hop lyrics and videos positively or negatively affect black women. The roundtable also will address how these portrayals are affecting relationships between black women and black men.

Consumers can go online to join the discussion and share their thoughts on message boards. They can also read and respond to blog entries at http://www.nightly.msnbc.com/

Alexandra Wallace is the executive producer of "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams." Bob Epstein is the senior broadcast producer, and Rich Latour is the senior producer for this series.

Thanks to Sylvia and Black Folks Live Journal for the update. 

Chicago Tribune and other media win suit to open Jena 6 case to public

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See News media win suit to open Jena 6 case, an article that appeared in Thursday's Chicago Tribune. 

Some of the highlights from the Howard Witt article:

  • A judge ruled Wednesday that the public and the news media should have full access to all legal proceedings involving Mychal Bell…whose prosecution had been shrouded in secrecy on orders of the trial judge.
  • …Rapides Parish District Judge Thomas Yeager ordered that Bell's upcoming criminal trial, as well as any pretrial hearings, must be open to the press and the public. Yeager also ordered that the court record and transcripts of any closed proceedings held so far be made available to the news media, and that attorneys for Bell be released from the trial judge's gag order…
  • It was the second major setback for Mauffray in the Bell case. Last June, Mauffray presided when Bell was convicted as an adult on the battery and conspiracy charges. An appellate court later vacated that conviction, ruling that Jena District Attorney Reed Walters and Mauffray had improperly tried Bell as an adult rather than a juvenile.
  • "It's not discretionary, it's mandatory," Yeager said. "[Mauffray] should open the proceedings and he should open the court records. It's not a confidential case."

There is no doubt that the justice system in Jena is trying to railroad these young men.