7A
NEWS/tEIie Ctatlotte
Wednesday, December 31,2003
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Bush pressed to create coimnissioii on black males
By James Wright
THE AFRO NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON - U.S.
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IU.)
has issued a call for
President Bush to launch a
national commission to
study the problems of the
African American male.
Davis says that a commis
sion is needed because of
concerns that were raised at
the recent Status of the
African American Male
Initiative recently held in
Washington.
"Based upon statistical
data, it is my contention that
conditions relating to African
American males are continu
ing to decline and thereby
require intervention,” the
letter said. “’For example, the
unemployment rate among
African American males is
approximately 31.9 percent,
which is triple the national
average. AMcan American
males make up six percent of
the total population and
account for 48 percent of the
prison population.
"According to the Census
Bureau 30 percent of African
American males under 18
live below the poverty line.”
Marc Morial, former
mayor of New Orleans,
noted at the initiative event
that "black men lead eveiy
negative aspect of almost
any statistics compiled.”
Black men earn less, are
deeper in debt, save less, are
less educated, and tend to
lack employable job skills, he
said.
Morial’s solution was for
the government and the pri
vate sector to come together
to solve these problems.
In the letter, Davis urged
Bush to charge the commis
sion to look at disparities in
the health system, criminal
justice system, school
dropout rates, economic
opportunities and cultural
trends. Davis said, "It is our
hope that the commission
will identify causes and rec
ommend both short-term
and long-range policy and
programmatic directions for
positive change.”
A commission to study the
problems of black men is not
new on the state and local
level. Washington has a com
mission to study the prob
lems of black men and boys
in the city that was set up by
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes
Norton (D), and is set to
issue a report in 2004.
Indiana, led by Jose Evans,
established a commission
several years ago, and has
become a model for others to
follow.
For example, in Indiana,
each major city has a com
mission of activists and con
cerned citizens set to moni
tor the progress of black men
in employment, the criminal
justice system and teduca-
tion.
With the support of the
Congressional Black
Caucus, NAACP, National
Urban League, Association
of Black Psychologists,
National Organization of
Concerned Black Men and
National Black Chamber of
Commerce, Davis has orga
nized a group of cities where
discussions will be taking
place, at various times,
regarding the status of black
men.
The cities are Los Angeles,
New York, Chicago,
Houston, Memphis, Miami,
Detroit and Atlanta.
After the discussions, the
CBC will issue a final report
on the problems of black
men and urge the govern
ment to take steps.
Davis said that this is the
only way to make black
males’ lives in America more
pleasant.
"We are losing far too many
African-American males to
drugs, gangs, homicides and
an overall sense of helpless
ness and hopelessness. If we
are to reverse these trends,
special efforts must be put
forth and we believe that a
national look at these issues
and problems could provide
realistic problem-solving
approaches,” said Davis.
Homelessness on rise throughout U.S.
By Hazel Trice Edney
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
PUBUSHERS ASSOCIATION
WASHINGTON - Despite
recent reports of an
improved economy, hunger
and homelessness are on the
rise, according to a study of
25 major cities by the U. S.
Conference of Mayors.
“This survey rmderscores
the impact the economy has
had on everyday
Americans,” says conference
president James E. Gamer
of Hempstead, N.Y. “The face
of homelessness has
changed and now reflects
who we least suspect.”
For example, 61 percent of
people requesting emer
gency food assistance in the
cities surveyed held jobs.
The annual “Hunger and
Homelessness Survey,”
reports that requests for
emergency food assistance
increased by an average of
17 percent over the previous
year, and requests for emer
gency shelter assistance
increased by an average of
13 percent.
“It is disheartening and
disturbing to leam that so
many of our fellow
Americans are in desperate
need of shelter, food, clothing
and the other basic necessi
ties of hfe,” says Richard
Macedonia, chief operating
oflBcer at Sodexho U.S.A., a
leading provider of food and
facihties management in the
US. “In nearly every major
U. S. city, the problem of
hunger and homelessness is
steadily growing.”
The survey was released
only days before the U. S.
Department of Commerce
released its third and final
estimate of the nation’s eco
nomic performance for the
third quarter of 2003. The
agency estimated that the
gross domestic product (out
put of goods and services)
grew by 8.2 percent in the
three-month period that
ended Sept. 30, more than
doubling the growth rate of
the previous three months.
The unemployment rate also
held steady in November at
5.9 percent with a 1.3 per
cent drop in the black rate
from 11.5 to 10.2 percent.
Yet, there was little to
cheer for during the hohday
season.
Among the most glaring
trends was an 11 percent
leap in families with chil
dren requesting food to 59
percent in 2003; a record 56
percent of cities having to
tmm people away without
help from food assistance
programs, up 24 percent
over the previous year and
the highest percentage since
six years ago when 71 per
cent was recorded; and 84
percent of cities having to
turn away people from
homeless shelters because of
lack of space, up 38 percent
over 2002 and the largest
percentage in seven years.
The conference is the offi
cial organization of U.S.
cities with populations of
30,000; there are 1,139 cities
in that category. One
Carolinas city participated
in the smvey: Charleston,
S.C.
The data was collected
Forecast for Charlotte, NC
Local 7-Day Forecast
Wednesday
-J
Sunny and
pleasant.
60
Wed. night
Mainly clear.
34
Thursday
Mostly sunny:
warm, nice.
64/40
Friday
A chance of
rain.
60/42
Saturday
Warm with
some sun.
60/42
Sunday
Mostly sunny
and warm.
62/43
61/41
Tuesday
Warm with
sun and
clouds.
63/31
The Week Ahead
The Week Ahead
Precipitation
U.S. Traveler’s Cities
The National Summary
Today
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
city
HI
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
HI
Lo
W
HI
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Atlanta
56
40
s
64
42
s
62
46
c
62
46
pc
64
46
pc
Boston
45
32
pc
46
30
s
36
30
pc
42
34
c
46
32
c
Chicago
42
26
pc
42
32
c
46
34
c
44
28
c
41
27
c
Cleveland
46
30
pc
42
36
pc
50
40
c
52
38
c
44
33
pc
Denver
50
32
pc
54
28
pc
56
30
pc
58
28
s
44
12
c
Des Moines
31
23
pc
43
32
pc
48
32
pc
47
32
c
41
10
c
Detroit
42
26
pc
40
30
pc
44
34
c
46
33
pc
43
31
pc
Houston
68
56
pc
72
58
c
70
56
c
72
58
pc
74
56
pc
Indianapolis
46
30
pc
44
35
pc
50
40
c
50
36
pc
50
35
pc
Kansas .City
42
30
pc
53
37
c
56
35
pc
48
28
pc
32
18
pc
Los Angeles
66
46
pc
63
46
s
62
46
c
63
44
pc
61
42
c
Miami
79
65
pc
78
65
pc
79
64
pc
79
66
pc
79
64
pc
Minn.- St. Paul
26
14
c
32
22
c
40
26
pc
36
21
c
24
-2
c
New Orleans
65
53
pc
71
55
c
71
57
c
71
56
pc
71
50
c
New York City
46
38
s
49
32
s
38
35
pc
46
40
c
51
39
c
Omaha
32
23
pc
44
32
pc
50
30
pc
49
25
c
37
0
c
Phoenix
68
46
c
62
42
pc
64
44
s
62
42
c
62
38
pc
San Francisco
54
42
pc
55
47
c
55
44
c
51
44
c
52
38
c
Seattle
41
36
c
38
32
c
36
30
c
41
33
c
41
29
c
Washington
49
36
s
52
34
s
48
36
pc
52
42
c
56
40
pc
Cold air will press southward into
the Rocky Mountains and the Great
Basin during the period.
Temperatures from Montana to
northern Arizona will average 10 to
15 degrees below normal. Storms
will bring rain and mountain snow to
the Northwest. Unseasonably mild
weather will cover the Southeast,
Tennessee Valley and the Middle
Atlantic.
WQgLEjEMikiSii.flBii=
Today
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
city
HI
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
■W
HI
Lo
W
HI
Lo
W
Amsterdam
34
28
s
42
32
sn
40
27
c
36
27
sn
31
24
sn
Berlin
31
22
pc
32
20
c
33
19
sn
27
19
sn
31
24
sn
Buenos Aires
71
54
s
77
61
s
84
66
pc
84
70
pc
93
74
pc
Cairo
73
53
s
77
55
pc
68
44
s
65
46
pc
65
45
s
Jerusafem
63
46
s
69
53
s
63
43
pc
62
44
pc
58
41
pc
Johannesburg
77
55
r
79
58
pc
77
54
c
80
55
pc
79
54
pc
London
41
40
pc
45
36
sh
46
37
c
45
32
pc
33
26
c
Madrid
48
37
c
56
43
pc
58
42
pc
59
40
pc
47
29
c
Mexico City
65
43
c
71
46
pc
72
48
s
73
50
s
74
49
s
Moscow
27
21
sn
29
18
sn
21
10
sn
13
2
c
7
•2
sn
Paris
32
27
pc
46
34
pc
43
31
c
45
30
pc
31
22
c
Rio de Janeiro
84
67
t
75
62
r
71
60
pc
73
58
pc
73
62
pc
Rome
48
36
r
47
36
pc
47
34
c
53
36
c
44
36
c
San Juan
82
71
pc
82
71
pc
83
72
pc
83
70
pc
82
70
pc
Seoul
. 39
20
pc
37
17
pc
30
15
s
32
14
pc
28
11
s
Sydney
90
72
c
87
65
pc
84
65
s
87
68
s
88
72
pc
Tokyo
49
40
r
52
42
s
54
39
pc
49
38
s
44
31
pc
Toronto
42
30
c
36
26
pc
40
32
c
44
30
c
43
28
c
Winnipeg
13
1
sf
28
13
c
27
11
c
20
2
c
7
-11
c
Zurich
27
22
sn
36
30
sn
40
27
sn
38
28
sn
29
19
c
Weather (W): 8-sunoy, pc-partly doudy,
c-cloudy, sh-showers. t-thunderstorms,
r-rain, st-snow flurries, sn-snow, l-ice.
Sun & Moon
Sunris^'*^ SunsefrL
Wed., Dec. 31 ....7:32 a.m. 5:21p.m.
Thu., Jan. 1 7:32 a.m. 5:22 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 2 7:32 a.m. 5:22 p.m.
Sat, Jan. 3 7:32 a.m. 5:23 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 4 7:32 a.m. 5:24 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 5 7:32 a.m. 5:25 p.m.
Tue., Jan. 6 7:32 a.m. 5:26 p.m.
Moonrise Moonset
Wed., Dec.31 ..12:57p.m. 1;12a.m.
Thu., Jan. 1 1:23 p.m. 2:09 a.m.
Fri., Jan. 2 1:51p.m. 3:07 a.m.
Moon Phases
First Full Last New
c o (J •
Dec. Jan. Jan. Jan.
30 7 14 21
from the cities between Nov.
1, 2002 to Oct. 31, 2003.
Among other findings:
• Twenty cities reported
that unemployment and
unemployment-related prob
lems were the leading causes
of hunger. Overriding causes
of hunger in 13 cities were
attributed to low-paying jobs
and in 11 cities, rising hous
ing costs;
• 56 percent of cities
reported that people in need
were turned away with no
help because of lack of food
and resources. More than 14
percent of requests for food
assistance are estimated to
have gone unmet;
• Fifty-nine percent of
those requesting emergency
food assistance were mem
bers of families with chil
dren;
• Twenty-three cities said
the lack of affordable hous
ing contributed to homeless
ness. Other major causes'
included low-paying jobs,
lack of needed services, men
tal illness or substance
abuse problems.
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heat thy wounds,
saith the Lord.'' - Jeremiah 30:17
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