Monthly Archives: April 2008

Time for Jeremiah Wright T.V. to come to an end

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On Friday, Dr. Jeremiah Wright gave an insightful interview with Bill Moyers that I thought helped to better explain the basis for some of the “controversial” comments that he made which had been taken out of context. Sunday night, CNN gave Dr. Wright a forum to express himself uncut and unedited as he spoke at an NAACP banquet. And then on Monday, all hell broke loose.

To step back for a moment, Sunday morning at my church, I could hear the hurt and betrayal Dr. Wright felt for all of the entities who canceled his speaking engagements after the Fox News ambush. Dr. Wright listed the Urban League as well as a number of black colleges who had uninvited him. It must hurt to see those you’ve spent a career advocating for turn their back on you due to nothing that you have done.

But now we are at a new place and playing by a new set of rules. It is my belief that the media laid a trap for Dr. Wright on Monday. A trap which he sprung very much to their liking. I heard Dr. Wright answer questions posed to him before the National Press Club on Monday. In real time it didn’t sound all that bad. But in reality he was creating a whole new set of sound bites for Barack Obama’s opponents to use against him.

There’s not doubt people are mad. Black folks are upset with Dr. Wright for choosing now as the time to fight this battle and launch into this conversation. I understand the frustration. As Tavis Smiley and many politicians have found out, the African-American community doesn’t appreciate anyone who may slow the momentum of Obama’s White House run.

The timing is no doubt odd. I get that. But don’t lose sight of the true disconnect here. As Father Michael Pfleger mentioned in a recent interview, Dr. Wright’s sermons were delivered in a family atmosphere that a church congregation provides. The words have a whole different feel outside of the church house, especially in the antiseptic unforgiving land of television.

Though Dr. Wright had been off the scene since the madness broke out, there was a slow process of healing and understanding going on behind the scenes. A website popped up called The Truth About Trinity United Church of Christ. It was there that I learned that Dr. Wright was an ex-Marine, having cared for President Lyndon Johnson during a hospital stay. It was The Truth About Trinity where I saw a picture of Dr. Wright and President Bill Clinton. Wright was at the White House at a prayer breakfast during Clinton’s time of need.

Bloggers have been working behind the scene, disseminating the information to those who seek to get a better understanding. Of course there will always be people who will never change their view. But the conversation was moving to a place where all parties were beginning to at least engage one another.

People had found a 21st century means of combating the 20th Century attack that had been launched against the good Reverend Wright. A 21st century strategy is the only path to victory, as a draw will not do in this case.
Dr. Wright is going to have to trust those around him to take up his cause. None of us want to have to call on others to fight our battles. But at this point that’s what he is going to have to do. Barack Obama has further distanced himself from his former pastor as was to be expected.

What’s most important here is the outcome. Not so much a Barack Obama presidency, which I believe is still wholly possible. But the deliverance of African-Americans from our status in this nation, and the hope of reconciling this nation’s past with its present and future.

In a sense, Barack Obama was right. The Jeremiah Wright we see on the T.V. screen is not the man that most of us know. It’s because the man who speaks five languages and has four earned degrees cannot be comprehended in that medium. That medium does not understand what “Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian” means.

The Dr. Wright that most of us know is the one who stands boldly in the pulpit proclaiming the Word of God. We know him as a teacher of African history. Others know him as a father figure with a brilliant smile and gentle demeanor.

The man we see on T.V. is none of that. And as long as the powers that be pull the strings we will never have the chance to see the Jeremiah Wright we’ve all come to love so much. I’m saddened by what this is doing to Obama’s presidential bid, but it pains me even more to see Dr. Wright allow the media to further distort his legacy. He did not ask for this burden, nor does he deserve it. And he doesn’t have to bear it alone.

So now is the time. The time for Dr. Wright to put this conversation on hold, and allow the people of America -all of its people- to get back to the issue that is at hand. He should trust that those he has groomed for a time such as this -Barack Obama, Frederick D. Haynes III, Rev. Otis Moss, III- can pick up where he has left off, and further the cause he has worked so diligently towards.

A friend of mine shared a proverb with me once. He said “the truth spoken out of season bears no fruit.” This is not the season.

Miley Cyrus photos in Vanity Fair of same ilk as LeBron James in Vogue

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Earlier this month I got in a dust up with readers over a Vogue magazine cover featuring LeBron James. People tried to get me to believe that Vogue had no clue that the cover would bring thoughts of King Kong and Fay Wray.

I guess those same people will try to get me to believe that this photo of Miley Cyrus in Vanity Fair was made with the best of intentions. Yes it’s Billy Ray’s job to protect Hannah Montana from sexual predators like Vanity Fair. It’s hard to believe he would participate by posing for a photo like this one of he and Miley. But there is something larger at work here.

Back to the broader point, these photographers and magazines know exactly what they are doing. How do I know this? Because Annie Leibovitz shot the Lebron James cover and the photos of Miley Cyrus. The popular media is trying to do everything that they can to shock us. And it pays real good.

The news that we’re being fed is not meant for our benefit. Whether it’s LeBron Kong, a backless Hannah Cyrus, sound bites followed by an overdose of Jeremiah Wright, or a fictional presidential race, the media is showing their hand daily basis. We are being fed a steady diet of crap, and no one is saying anything about it.

At least Miley now knows she was taken advantage of. Brother James still doesn’t have a clue.

Have you read this connection anywhere else? Those who want the truth have to search for it. The answers always lie below the surface. In the words of the great Jedi Master Yoda: “You must unlearn what you have learned.”

A Brief for Whitey by Pat Buchanan

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A Brief for Whitey – HumanEvents.com

 

By Patrick Buchanan Posted: 03/21/2008

 

How would he pull it off? I wondered.

How would Barack explain to his press groupies why he sat silent in a pew for 20 years as the Rev. Jeremiah Wright delivered racist rants against white America for our maligning of Fidel and Gadhafi, and inventing AIDS to infect and kill black people?

How would he justify not walking out as Wright spewed his venom about “the U.S. of K.K.K. America,” and howled, “God damn America!”

My hunch was right. Barack would turn the tables.

Yes, Barack agreed, Wright’s statements were “controversial,” and “divisive,” and “racially charged,” reflecting a “distorted view of America.”

But we must understand the man in full and the black experience out of which the Rev. Wright came: 350 years of slavery and segregation.

Barack then listed black grievances and informed us what white America must do to close the racial divide and heal the country.

The “white community,” said Barack, must start “acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination — and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past — are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds … .”

And what deeds must we perform to heal ourselves and our country?

The “white community” must invest more money in black schools and communities, enforce civil rights laws, ensure fairness in the criminal justice system and provide this generation of blacks with “ladders of opportunity” that were “unavailable” to Barack’s and the Rev. Wright’s generations.

What is wrong with Barack’s prognosis and Barack’s cure?

Only this. It is the same old con, the same old shakedown that black hustlers have been running since the Kerner Commission blamed the riots in Harlem, Watts, Newark, Detroit and a hundred other cities on, as Nixon put it, “everybody but the rioters themselves.”

Was “white racism” really responsible for those black men looting auto dealerships and liquor stories, and burning down their own communities, as Otto Kerner said — that liberal icon until the feds put him away for bribery.

Barack says we need to have a conversation about race in America.

Fair enough. But this time, it has to be a two-way conversation. White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to.

This time, the Silent Majority needs to have its convictions, grievances and demands heard. And among them are these:

First, America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known.

Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American.

Second, no people anywhere has done more to lift up blacks than white Americans. Untold trillions have been spent since the ’60s on welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs designed to bring the African-American community into the mainstream.

Governments, businesses and colleges have engaged in discrimination against white folks — with affirmative action, contract set-asides and quotas — to advance black applicants over white applicants.

Churches, foundations, civic groups, schools and individuals all over America have donated time and money to support soup kitchens, adult education, day care, retirement and nursing homes for blacks.

We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?

Barack talks about new “ladders of opportunity” for blacks.

Let him go to Altoona and Johnstown, and ask the white kids in Catholic schools how many were visited lately by Ivy League recruiters handing out scholarships for “deserving” white kids.

Is white America really responsible for the fact that the crime and incarceration rates for African-Americans are seven times those of white America? Is it really white America’s fault that illegitimacy in the African-American community has hit 70 percent and the black dropout rate from high schools in some cities has reached 50 percent?

Is that the fault of white America or, first and foremost, a failure of the black community itself?

As for racism, its ugliest manifestation is in interracial crime, and especially interracial crimes of violence. Is Barack Obama aware that while white criminals choose black victims 3 percent of the time, black criminals choose white victims 45 percent of the time?

Is Barack aware that black-on-white rapes are 100 times more common than the reverse, that black-on-white robberies were 139 times as common in the first three years of this decade as the reverse?

We have all heard ad nauseam from the Rev. Al about Tawana Brawley, the Duke rape case and Jena. And all turned out to be hoaxes. But about the epidemic of black assaults on whites that are real, we hear nothing.

Sorry, Barack, some of us have heard it all before, about 40 years and 40 trillion tax dollars ago.

A day of Jeremiah Wright: In Dallas church this morning, Detroit NAACP Banquet Sunday evening

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I guess it’s because I have seen Dr. Jeremiah Wright preach so eloquently for so long, I just don’t totally see the need for the media circus that took place today. As a member of Friendship-West Baptist Church the last ten years, I’ve heard my fair share of what some may deem as “socially charged” messages from my own pastor. But I am willing to take a step back and try to understand why others may have views that differ from my own regarding Dr. Wright’s preaching.

Dr. Wright closed out a month long celebration of the 25th Pastoral Anniversary of Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III by preaching at both the 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. services. At the first service Dr. Wright preached from John 5:1-13 with the subject When the Lord Stars in Your Story. In the second service Dr. Wright chose as his text Judges 19:22-30 and used as a subject “When the Church Fails its Women.” It was a timely sermon regarding domestic abuse of African-American women.

Sam Hodges, Bud Gillett, The Associated Press, Debbie Denmon, and I’m sure many other media types came out on Sunday to see what Dr. Wright would say. It was more than just the media. And a number of my white brothers and sisters found their way to 2020 Wheatland Road today. This was a noticeable difference from an average Sunday, with many of those who visited bringing their children.

There were more people at the 1st service than I have ever seen for 8 am, and combined, I think it was the most that we’ve had at our church on a single Sunday. The C.M.E. crowd gave us an extra Sunday this year. You know…Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Easter (see ya’ll again in a couple of weeks).

A friend and I were talking earlier this week about the fact that there would be no video cameras allowed on the property today. “We’re on Streaming Faith (internet broadcast) every Sunday,” the friend said. “You know they have the technology to slice and dice that feed in a few minutes.” He was right. Video of today’s service was splattered all over the nightly news.

So let’s fast forward to this evening and Dr. Wright receiving an award from the Detroit branch of the NAACP. The event is billed as the largest annual dinner in the world where they serve over 10,000 paid guests. That’s a lot of chicken dinners.

Dr. Wright was also the keynote speaker for the event which was carried live on CNN. Their coverage was more thorough than most talks given by the president. It seemed a bit much, but in fairness to CNN they said that they were trying to present a picture of Dr. Wright that was more than a 30 second sound bite. To that end I have to give them credit.

Rick Sanchez anchored the coverage, with commentary by CNN contributor Roland Martin and anchor Soledad O’Brien. As I listened to the way Sanchez relayed the events, I thought about how white viewers who were watching may have viewed the broadcast as compared to African-Americans. In NAACP banquet presentation, I saw some familiar slices of Black life.

Speaking of black life, my wife and I were at a friends house watching CNN over a game of spades. Parenthetically I remember the first time I realized that black folks and white folks play the game of spades differently. There are 3 main differences in the black and white versions of spades.

  1. Black folks take out the 2 of diamonds and 2 of spades and play with the jokers as extra trump cards. White folks don’t play with jokers.
  2. At the end of a round, white folks call the cards played “tricks.” Black folks refer to the cards as “books.”
  3. White folks bid “nil” or “nello” when they have a bad hand. If they get don’t turn any “tricks” after bidding nello, they get a bonus. In a game of spades at a black home if you have zero…that’s too bad.

And so we watched part of Dr. Wright’s address to the NAACP live, and saw a subsequent replay of the speech along with the introduction. I have to first start by saying I’ve been to a number of NAACP dinners, including many in my hometown of Paris, Texas. Ten thousand or two hundred, I didn’t see much difference.

Dr. Wright was introduced by Rev. Wendell Anthony, who is President of the NAACP’s Detroit Branch. CNN’s Sanchez described the introduction as one of “the most passionate we’ve seen.” Rev. Anthony was fired up, I’m sure from the excitement of the evening and the magnitude of the event. But I found myself thinking how some of my white friends may view his words.

There’s no doubt Anthony’s intro was passionate -and long-, but that’s kind of how black folks are. We can be loud at times; especially in our preachers. But loud and angry just aren’t the same thing. Were white viewers asking themselves why was he so angry?

When Dr. Wright approached the microphone to speak he said words that were familiar to anyone who has ever attended a black church with any regularity (yes even CME Christians): “The door’s of the church are now open.” Do they say that at white churches?

Well that phrase is a staple at black churches as an invitation to Christian discipleship and uniting with a church. On top of that, Dr. Wright was joking that Anthony had already preached a sermon.

So then Dr. Wright gave his address to the NAACP. Mr. Sanchez acted as if he were surprised that Dr. Wright used the words Jesus Christ in his speech. Imagine that… a preacher. “I’ve been running for Jesus for a long time, and I’m not tired yet,” Dr. Wright said. Words from a familiar gospel song that I’ve heard at least a million times.

Dr. Wright spent much of his time speaking the talking about the difference between Eurocentric culture and Afrocentric culture. “African music is different that European music,” he said. It is not deficient, just different.

He went on with what I’ve heard described as an “entertaining” speech that had attendees “doubled over with laughter.” Even though this was not a church I must expose a shocking fact: black people do laugh during worship service. As a matter of fact, like every Sunday. And if a black preacher takes over a congregation is not somewhat entertaining, he or she should make sure to keep their resume current.

The paralysis of analysis followed with experts and pundits. I think Soledad O’Brien made the best point when she said that Dr. Wright will remain a story throughout the election cycle. I agree with Soledad that it is better to meet the story head on than to let others create the story for you.

And with all that I heard of Dr. Wright today, two sermons and a banquet address, my thoughts have not changed.

  • Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s homiletics are unsurpassed and in the tradition of the greatest preacher of the Christian faith.
  • Black preachers have always spoken truth to power. There are some who continue to fill that needed role and there are others who feel that time has passed.
  • Many Americans will not be able to appreciate the value of Dr. Wright’s words -especially to the African-American community- because they are unwilling to acknowledge the inherent differences between churches with predominantly black congregations and those with mostly white parishoners.

What’s news to some is another day at church for others. I wish it would all go away, but I know that it won’t. I’m glad that Dr. Wright has the courage to stand up for what he believes in, and fight against this unfair, undeserved portrayal of his ministry. There are a lot of people who are learning more about others through what has been a painful process. What man meant for evil, God meant it for good.

Photo by KATHLEEN GALLIGAN of the Detroit Free Press

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Dr. Frederick D. Haynes honored with reception, Dr. Jeremiah Wright surprise guest

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On Friday evening Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III was honored with a reception in celebration of his 25th Anniversary as Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church.  There were tributes, gifts, music, and an overall festive atmosphere at the event held in the Friendship-West Narthex.

Among the many well wishers present was Dr. Haynes’ mentor and friend Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr.  When Dr. Wright was introduced to the five hundred plus that were gathered, he was greeted with enthusiastic applause.  It was good to see Dr. Wright with a smile on his face, and in an environment with people who  love and appreciate him.

Also there to wish Dr. Haynes and Sister Debra Peek-Haynes well were Rep. Maxine Waters, State Senator Royce West, Pastor Curtis Wallace of Pilgrim’s Rest in Dallas, Dr. Haynes’ mother Lynetta Haynes-Oliver, and a host of other ministers, relatives and friends.  Pastor James Fitzgerald served as emcee for the evening and the event was organized by Mrs. Brenda Kirk who lead a reception committee.

Dr. Haynes thanked those in attendance and invited everyone to come up so he could show his appreciation to them.  “I just love to shake hands with ya’ll,” Dr. Haynes said.  And he did just that, shaking hands with everyone who came through the receiving line, just like he does each Sunday.

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Old School Friday – Men With Perms: Michael Jackson

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The theme for Old School Friday is "Men With Perms." Mike had a curl then, but a perm now. This one goes out to Michael Jackson in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Thriller. This is a trip down memory land for many of us.

Make sure to check out these other great Old School Friday posts:

Electronic Village - Chatting Over Cocktails - Ms Grapevine - Quick - Marcus LANGFORD - Cassandra - Danielle-Lisa C -Chocl8t - DP - Kreative Talk -MarvalusOne - Regina - LaShonda -AJ - Sharon - Invisible Woman - Rosemarie-Dee - SJP - sHaE-sHaE - Songs In the Key of Life - Shawn - Hagar’s Daughter - freshandfab

New York detectives found ‘not guilty’ in shooting death of Sean Bell

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bell.jpgIs anyone surprised? As reported by the New York Times, “Three detectives were found not guilty Friday morning on all charges in the shooting death of Sean Bell, who died in a hail of 50 police bullets outside a club in Jamaica, Queens.” Hours before his wedding this young life was taken. And apparently it was nobody’s fault.

McCain out to capitalize on Clinton campaign disrespect of black voters

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Everyone is pulling at the racial heart strings of America, except for the black candidate. Obama can’t bring up race -because his race is a negative in the eyes of American voters- but Hillary Clinton is now playing to females, because it’s a positive. Positive because females make up 54% of the population and 55% of registered voters.

McCain made an odd trip to Selma last week, but his stroll down the streets of the lower 9th ward in New Orleans brings his strategy into focus. McCain called the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina “a perfect storm” of mismanagement at the federal, state and local levels. “Never again, never again, will a disaster of this nature be handled in the disgraceful way it was handled,” McCain said.  McCain is after black voters.

While Hillary Clinton and her campaign continue to demonize Jeremiah Wright, Fmr. President Clinton stokes the racial flames in his own right. “No. I think that they (the Obama campaign) played the race card on me. And we now know, from memos from the campaign and everything, that they planned to do it all along,” Clinton told a Philadelphia radio station.

I think black folks feel strongly that that this is a strange way for President Clinton to show his appreciation. Rep. James E. Clyburn

What’s worse than Hillary Clinton’s gutter tactics is the Democratic “leadership” allowing it to happen. That goes for from party chairman Howard Dean and the uncommitted “super delegates.” Leaders wouldn’t stand around idle and watch while “the chosen one” works to erode the party’s most trusted voting block.

John McCain is not sitting idle. McCain sees an opportunity if Hillary Clinton is able to steal the nomination. Selma, New Orleans, Memphis, the man is not stupid. The only people acting like they don’t have a clue are the “leaders” of the Democratic Party. McCain and Clinton’s moves are caluculated while Dean watches and begs.

“Black people are incensed over all of this,” says Representative James E. Clyburn, an undeclared superdelegate from South Carolina. Clyburn had more to say in his interview with the New York Times on Thursday.

james_e_clyburn_4829.jpgMr. Clyburn said Mr. Clinton’s conduct in this campaign had caused what might be an irreparable breach between Mr. Clinton and an African-American constituency that once revered him. “When he was going through his impeachment problems, it was the black community that bellied up to the bar,” Mr. Clyburn said. “I think black folks feel strongly that that this is a strange way for President Clinton to show his appreciation.”

Tami, blogging at What Tami Said in Indiana, is tired of the narrow portrayal of black voters. She is frustrated by the assertion that Barack Obama has the majority of the black vote because he is black. Here’s more of Tami’s analysis of the subject.

Yes, Barack Obama has the vast majority of black support TODAY, but it was not always so. It is interesting to Google “Barack Obama” and “black vote.” Results include:

Obama’s Appeal to Blacks Remains an Open Question (Jan. 2007)

Can Barack Obama Win the Black Vote? (Feb. 2007)

So Far, Obama Can’t Take Black Vote for Granted (Feb. 2007)

Barack Obama’s Black Wakeup Call (October 2007)

Why Barack Obama is Losing the Black Vote (October 2007)

Black Voters See New Generation Gap (Jan. 2008)

Here’s what Maureen Dowd says about the kitchen sink strategy employed by the Clintons.

…the Democrats watch in horror as Clinton continues to scratch up the once silvery sheen on Obama, and as John McCain not only consolidates his own party but encroaches on theirs by boldly venturing into Selma, Ala., on Monday to woo black voters.

They also cringe as Bill Clinton continues his honey-crusted-nut-bar meltdown. With his usual exquisite timing, just as Pennsylvanians were about to vote, he became the first person ever to play the Caucasian Card.

Guess what: Black folks in America may be forgiving, but we are not as dumb as Bill and Hillary are playing us for. In an October interview with The Politico, I was characterized this way.

“I’m unaffiliated with any party but find myself voting for Democrats (for President).” He’s leaning toward voting for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president.

I point that out to show that even the most loyal of Obama supporters had to see where he stood on the issues important to us before throwing our support behind him. Back then I didn’t know who I would vote for in the primary and was fully willing to throw my support behind Senator Clinton. I think that goes for many (not all) of the 90% + of African-Americans supporting the junior Senator from Illinois.

No longer is that the case. The Democratic leadership needs to make their position known one way or the other. But instead they sit in silence as John McCain becomes the one who challenges conventional wisdom. Don’t mistake the kindness of the African-American voter for weakness.

Photo from L.A. Times

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Businesses coming and going (and going) in Camp Wisdom area

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We’ve had a great new addition to Southern Dallas in recent weeks. Back in March, the first tenant of Wheatland Crossing (Target) opened their doors for business. Wheatland Crossing is a retail development just north or Interstate 20 and just west of Hampton Road.

red-bird-019.JPGBut as I drive around the “Red Bird” area, and especially Camp Wisdom Road, I wonder is Wheatland Crossing masking a significant net loss of businesses in the area. A number of tenants at Wheatland Crossing are simply packing up and moving down the street.

red-bird-013.JPGThe blame does not lie with the companies who are moving. The shopping experience at Target has been greatly enhanced since leaving the store that for years has been located at Cockrell Hill. But one has to wonder what will happen to the strip center that the store anchored – which is already only half to 2/3 occupied. The recruitment of new businesses to the area is key, but let’s look at those who had invested in the area and are continuing that investment.

Moving Over

I remember a couple of years back when Chili’s at Camp Wisdom and Highway 67 was open one day and closed the next. It dealt the casual dining choices a real, leaving Cheddars as the lone choice for many casual diners. Yes there’s Red Lobster and Olive Garden down the street, but they are both in Duncanville.

red-bird-029.JPGIt will be good to have Chili’s back in the neighborhood when they open May 1st. Mike Davis (Dallas Progress) talked to me about how this is the best case scenario. “Chili’s took a while, but they (eventually) moved and South Dallas Cafe comes in and backfills the space with something positive,” he said. “It happens all over Dallas.”

Mike makes an excellent point. I drive around every corner of Dallas in my job and in every corner there are abandoned grocery stores and shopping centers all over town. Yet the situation around the mall -empty office buildings, oil change stands, the vacant Petco- seems more desperate than in other parts of town. Mostly because the only noticeable new entrants in the area have been Golden Corral and a Check Cashing store.

red-bird-028.JPGIn addition to Target; Office Depot will probably close their Camp Wisdom store when they open a location at Wheatland Crossing. I’d assume Ross will do the same thing, and Chick-Fil-A will close their Southwest Center Mall location once their stand alone location is built at Wheatland Crossing.

Moving Out

red-bird-015.JPGThere are also those stores who have left the area never to return. It’s been years since Best Buy shut down their Gannon area location and moved to Cedar Hill. They have opened a store at Pinnacle Park off I-30, but I tend to head south to Cedar Hill rather than north for my electronic needs. red-bird-008.JPGSpeaking of moving to Cedar Hill, a Family Christian Store has opened (near Half Priced Books) as one has closed in a Camp Wisdom strip.

There needs to be special attention paid to this Camp Wisdom area. The infrastructure is there (with the exception of a Camp Wisdom exit heading north on Hwy 67) and with a little vision, this strip could return to its heyday of the 1980′s .

There are many troubled apartment complexes in the area especially east of 67 and south of Camp Wisdom. Demographics is a challenge that also exists. Choice Homes has started a new single family community on Westmoreland, but others like it must come on board to truly sustain the area economically.

I often ask myself who’s leaving next. Toys R Us? Chuck E. Cheeses? Party City? I believe in the market, yet I also believe that if the city and the community ignore what’s going on there could be a gaping hole in the area.

And then there’s Southwest Center Mall….

Faith Formula Human Services Corporation will host its Third Annual Faith Summit on Poverty on Friday

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Land Development, Homeownership, Juvenile Justice System, Substance Abuse and the Return of New Orleanians on Summit Platform

Dallas, TX – April 18, 2008 – Faith Formula Human Services is poised to keep the focus on poverty conditions in America. To this end, United States Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Dr. Frederick Douglas Haynes III, Senior Pastor of the Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas will join forces again to host the 3rd Annual Faith Summit on Poverty, April 25th and 26th , 2008 at the Friendship-West Worship and Conference Center, 2020 W. Wheatland Road; Dallas. The central theme and goal is to engage, enlighten and equip citizens to mobilize their city, state, county and federal elected officials, and community stakeholders to promote positive public policies geared to fight the War on Poverty!

Opening political forum and workshops set a three fold agenda: (1) to take a microscopic look at America’s “Cradle to Prison Pipeline”; (2) to discuss openly and directly the causes of substance abuse and lack of treatment and recovery centers in the southern sector; and (3) to investigate the realities of land development in distressed communities.

On Friday, a community job fair with over thirty-five employers will be on site to offer employment opportunites for job seekers including the formerly incarcerated. In addition , a special focus will be on foreclosures, first time buyers and New Orleanians who wish to return home at the Town Hall Meeting and Homeowner Workshop set for Saturday.

DA Craig Watkins, Senator Royce West, Judge Cheryl Shannon, Father Michael Pfleger – Chicago: St. Sabina, and Wendell Pierce – HBO hit series The Wire are among the local and national guests who will participate in this year’s summit.

Register, get involved and be a part of the solution today. Go to www.friendshipwest.org.

Cost: Free

Time: Friday, April 25th –

                        Registration 9:15 a.m.

                        Opening Political Forum 10:00 a.m.

Luncheon 12:00noon

Workshops 2:00p.m.

Community Job Fair 10:00am – 2:00pm

Saturday, April 26th

Town Hall Meeting 9:00am

                        Homeowner Workshop 10:30

                        Community Resource Center 10:00am – 1:00pm

We invite you to be a part of progressive dialogue and action!