Monthly Archives: May 2008

Jena 6 hearing for Judge J.P. Mauffray postponed until July

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Today a visiting judge was supposed to decide whether or not Jena 6 Judge J.P. Mauffray had been biased in his treatment of the fiver remaining defendants.  That judge has postponed the hearing until at least July.

Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune reports:

  •  Attorneys for the five remaining defendants facing trial in the racially divisive Jena 6 incident in Louisiana presented evidence Friday of what they said was bias on the part of the judge presiding over the cases and sought his removal.

    After more than four hours of testimony, a visiting judge appointed by the state Supreme Court to hear the recusal motion against LaSalle Parish District Judge J.P. Mauffray asked for more evidence and postponed a ruling until at least July.

  • Defense attorneys have long asserted that the white-dominated justice system in the small central Louisiana town was biased against their African-American clients: six high school students who were initially charged with attempted murder in the December 2006 beating of a white classmate.
  • According to those present during Friday’s hearing, defense attorneys testified that Mauffray had made prejudicial comments to them about their clients on multiple occasions. David Utter, an attorney for defendant Jesse Ray Beard, said Mauffray had labeled the Jena 6 defendants “a violent bunch” and had asserted that “crime has gone down” in the months after the youths were jailed on the beating charges.

Read the rest of Mr. Witt’ report here.

Old School Friday – Philadelphia Soul

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The theme for Old School Friday is Philadelphia Soul. Again, this was an easy choice for me. The Real Thing and Ms. Jill Scott is it. My wife and I saw her in concert earlier this year. She was awesome.

I only wish I could have found some video of Only You from The Real Thing Album. I’m not going to be able to make the Essence Festival this year, but if Jill and Mary J. were scheduled for the same night I would have found a way. Enjoy!!!

Dallas South credentialed for 2008 Democratic National Convention

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Well we’re packing our bags and taking this thing on the road.  Thanks God for Technorati, or I may not have known I got it.  It was only when I looked at my recent links that I was directed to the Democratic National Convention site.

There are a few other AfroSpear blogs that I picked up on the official list, Jack and Jill Politics, African-American Political Pundit, What About Our Daughters?, Pam’s House Blend.  I’m not sure if the discussion is over on the list or the access that bloggers will get, but just know that I’ll be there.  And I will also let you all know I’m going to need your help, so stay tuned.

Shawn Williams for Dallas Morning News: The case for UNT-Dallas

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Here’s an article that I wrote which appeared in Thursday’s Dallas Morning News. Thanks to Keven Ann Willey and Sharon Grigsby for the opportunity. The University of North Texas at Dallas deserves more support from our city and more attention from its citizens than it has received thus far. Dallas has a chance to address a shameful civic designation – the title of largest city in America without a four-year public institution of higher learning. We can erase that label by ensuring that UNT-Dallas becomes that first free-standing school as soon as possible.

 

Also Online

 

Read previous editorials and commentary on Dallas’ north-south gap

Given the historic nature of this endeavor and what it could mean for our city, I had figured the school would have gained a higher public profile by now. Sure, there are ancillary billboards about town, but I would like to see an all-out media assault, along the scale of what the Dallas County Community College District has executed in years past.

A new college is not as flashy as a football stadium or a gigantic outlet mall, but its impact would be far greater. We draft ex-athletes and celebrities to help spread good news and drum up support for those arenas and malls, so I propose we do the same for UNT-Dallas. For starters, why not identify and recruit a local personality who can partner with the campus’ CEO, John Ellis Price, to raise community awareness about the school?

Certainly, this school still faces enormous challenges. It was recently announced that UNT-Dallas will not even become a stand-alone campus, independent of the main Denton campus and offering its own degrees, until fall 2010 – at the earliest.

The school was originally set to open in 2007; that date was moved to 2009 when enrollment did not pick up as fast as officials had hoped. Current enrollment stands at 766 full-time students.

While this delay is a prudent move by Mr. Price and North Texas Chancellor Lee Jackson, every effort must be made to ensure that the opening date doesn’t slip further.

I can’t help but wonder if the school’s southern Dallas location has affected its ability to reach its goal of 1,000 full-time-equivalent students. The Houston School Road campus is situated in one of the most scenic parts of Dallas, with great access to Interstates 20 and 35E. Yet this area of southeast Oak Cliff is also one of the most forgotten sections of our city.

In reality, the school’s location presents an opportunity, not a negative, when you consider its proximity to many DISD schools. The state’s Closing the Gap plan calls for getting an additional 500,000 students to participate in higher education. According to the report, “reaching the goal will require increasing participation from every population group, but especially Hispanics and blacks.”

Those two groups make up 90 percent of the DISD student population and would make a solid base for the burgeoning campus. A public school here would help cut down on the expenses of moving away for college or the commuting costs for those looking at Arlington, Denton or Commerce.

Additionally, UNT-Dallas is offering scholarships of up to $2,500 to students who take on a full load of daytime classes. I’d like to see the city match that scholarship for DISD graduates who meet university’s scholarship requirements. Given that finances are generally the major factor for students who are trying to decide between colleges, such aid could be another way to help reach that 1,000-student goal.

The time is now for the people of Dallas to stand behind the University of North Texas at Dallas. State Sen. Royce West mustn’t be the only person in town championing the university. Let’s not squander this opportunity to achieve something so great.

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Dallas South invites you to our 2nd Anniversary Party

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That’s right, it’s been a  year since our last Dallas South Birthday Bash, and it’s time to do it again. We’ll be celebrating at Brooklyn Jazz Cafe next Friday June 6th (5:30 p.m.), the date of the first post for what was known as Dallas South Blog.

Dallas South is turning two years old, which makes it a teenager in internet terms. I hope that many from the Dallas South family can stop by next week to help us celebrate a wonderful year.

Since our 1st Birthday Party, Dallas South has covered the Jena 6, followed the Presidential Election, and been featured as a columnist in the Dallas Morning News.

NBC Nightly News, NPR, BBC, and the Chicago Tribune have all highlighted our little website. And none of it would be possible without you. I hope those of you who live in Dallas will stop by Brooklyn so that I can thank you for helping make Dallas South what it is today.

Click here to view the Evite for this event, or RSVP to me at shawn@dallassouthblog.com

Who: Dallas South and our viewing family

What: 2nd Anniversary Party

Where: Brooklyn Jazz Cafe

1701 South Lamar ST

Dallas TX 75215

When: Friday June 6, 2008

Why: Because there are like 6 gazillion blogs that never made it past 6 months.

New York Times article on Reggie Love, Barack Obama’s “Body Man”

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I ran across a nice article in Tuesday’s New York Times about Barack Obama’s right hand man Reggie Love.  Here are some excerpts from Ashley Parker’s front page piece On the Court and On the Trail.

  • In the last year, Barack Obama has learned a thing or two about running for president, and Reggie Love has learned a thing or two about Barack Obama.  Mr. Love now knows that when it comes to food, Senator Obama “eats pretty much anything, from chicken wings and barbecue and ribs to grilled fish and steamed broccoli.” But when he is campaigning in a small town with limited options, a cheeseburger is always a good bet. (“Cheddar is the cheese of choice,” Mr. Love added.)
  • Mr. Love, 26, is Mr. Obama’s body man, the personal aide who shadows the senator and anticipates everything he needs — and everything he does not need. He is not a bodyguard (security is provided by the Secret Service), but rather the ultimate assistant, rarely more than a body length away from the candidate.
  • Young, eager campaign aides are stock characters in movies and on television, but few have quite the élan of Mr. Love, who, at 6-foot-5, is about three inches taller than the tall candidate, fitter than the fit candidate (he can bench press more than 350 pounds) and cooler than the cool candidate.
  • Mr. Love, who played football and basketball at Duke, usually starts the day with Mr. Obama with a dawn workout in the hotel gym. They end the day more than 15 hours later, often unwinding before bed by watching ESPN’s “SportsCenter” or that night’s big game. (Mr. Obama sometimes flosses his teeth to ESPN while lying down.)
  • Mr. Love said he had been hired with “no job description whatsoever.  It was just like, ‘You just go out there and — Take. Care. Of. Stuff,’ ” Mr. Love said, taking his time with each word.

    Some of the “stuff” Mr. Love takes care of: When Mr. Obama makes calls to woo superdelegates, Mr. Love is at his side with a briefing book, dialing the numbers. When an outdoor speech ended on a windy day in Noblesville, Ind., he appeared behind Mr. Obama as he shook hands on the rope line. “Jacket?” he asked, a coat draped at the ready over his arm.

Sometimes I hear people ask whether Barack Obama has any black folks working in positions of importance in his campaign.  Technically all of the positions are important but I know what they mean.

It’s good to see a young African-American male like Mr. Love have the opportunity to serve in such a lofty position.  Some might think rolling around with a Tide Pen in your pocket is not much to aspire to, but I would beg to differ.

Jena 6 Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. Put on Trial

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From Color of Change.org – I will be updating you on the developments this Friday.

Jena 6 Judge Put on Trial
Lawyers Cite Clear Pattern of Bias, Demand Removal of Judge Mauffray

Jena, LA–Citing powerful evidence of Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr.’s bias against them, five of the African-American youth known as the Jena 6 are back in court next week seeking to remove Mauffray from their cases.

Legal documents filed in the proceedings reveal Judge Mauffray’s personal vendetta against the Jena 6. Among other incidents, Mauffray characterized the young men as violent trouble-makers and confessed his intent to incarcerate one of the youth—regardless of the strength of the evidence. Given Mauffray’s documented inability to preside over a fair trial for these youth, their legal teams have requested that a new judge be appointed to handle all Jena 6 related proceedings.

“Judge Mauffray is the man at the center of Jena’s broken justice system and now he is forced to justify his bias in a court of law with the entire nation watching,” said James Rucker, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org, the 400,000 member group that has advocated on behalf of the Jena 6. “These proceedings are an opportunity to redeem Louisiana’s justice system in the eyes of the nation and provide the Jena 6 with their constitutional right to a fair trial.”

On Friday, all of the remaining Jena 6 defendants will make a united call for Mauffray’s removal from all future proceedings. Judge Thomas Yaeger will preside over this hearing and will hear arguments and evidence from both the Jena 6 legal teams and possibly Mauffray. The hearing should be open to the public and press.

Liz Trotta jumps on assassination bandwagon with Mike Huckabee and she who must not be named

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and now we have what … uh…some are reading as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama …uh..um..Obama….well both if we could [laughing] – Liz Trotta

Man this thing is getting ugly. First we had assassination talk launched by she who must not be named. Now Liz Trotta, former New York bureau chief of the Washington Times jokes that someone should “knock off” Senator Barack Obama. Listen for yourself in the following You Tube clip.

Is this what passes for a joke in America these days? Trotta has already apologized for what she called "a lame attempt at humor."

A couple of weeks ago, Mike Huckabee launched into a disturbing line of stand-up comedy at an NRA get together. He came up with this doozie after a loud noise disturbed his speech.

That was Barack Obama, he just tripped off a chair and someone pointed a gun at him and he dove for the floor.

And let's not forget about the Roswell-Beacon, a newspaper in Georgia that decided this cover art was appropriate for a presidential candidate.

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Then there's the image of Michelle Obama as a victim of the Ku Klux Klan.
This piece of work was given to us by the noted liberal bloggers Daily Kos. With friends like that, who in the heck needs enemies.

michelle-obama-kkk.jpgThere's no place for an image like this, but you'll never find a more unrepentant bunch than the folks at Daily Kos. They did remove the image and the post that accompanied it. This was an attempt to characterize the commercials run by the Tennessee GOP as racist, but this photo crossed the line.

Senator Barack Obama has continued to take the high road through all of this, though he told the Tennessee Republicans to "lay off" his wife. If this is what is reaching the public eye, imagine what is being said behind closed doors, over water coolers, and at family gatherings.

What I know, that many Americans don't, is that this wouldn't be anything new to either Michelle or Barry Obama. Most African-Americans can remember when and where they were the first time that they were called nigger. It's something you never forget, no matter how much you might want to.

Unfortunately the stakes are higher and the loonies are crazier, than in the parking lots, school bus or playgrounds where we first heard this and other racially charged words. There's just no room for joking about such serious matters and all references to assassinations must stop now. It's hard to argue for America's best when people are working so hard to put forth America's worst.