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NEWS/Xte Clcrlsne $ot
Tuesday, December 1, 2005
Ixmifenders Start over
by sowing Mih Seeds
Continued from page 3A
serious. Faith Seeds started about two years
ago to support “tlie restoration” of ex-offend-
ers back into the society Members of the coali
tion include oflBcials fium churches, social ser
vice and housing agencies - entities that can
provide much needed transitional help for a
person coming out of prison.
Friday’s event, which drew more than four
dozen people to Goler Community
Development Corporation Building, was
designed to spread Faith Seeds’ mission to the
broader community Guests included commu
nity leaders like NAACP President Stephen
Hairston and State Rep. Earline Parmon;
Assistant Police Chief Louis Saunders was
there, too. They and other attendees rotated
from table te table where various topics relat
ed to re-entry were discussed. Unknown to
most of the guests was that many of those
they sat beside at the tables were ex-offend-
ers
Sharon Glover, co-chair of the Faith Seeds
Coalition and its executive council, said pub
lic disdain and prejudice are among the
biggest obstacles that stand in between ex
offenders and a successful life on the outside.
Glover said many are firm believers in the old
adage, "Do the crime, do the time,” but few
truly ever forgive and forget ex-offenders.
“After folks have done their penance, why
do we expect (them to) do their penance for all
of their lives?” she asked Many questions like
that were asked and left for attendees to pon
der. Bruce Ribeiro hopes that each of them
thinks about that question especially hard
Ribeiro says being an ex-offender on the out
side is like wearing a scarlet letter.
“On job applications or apartment applica
tions... my record always comes up,” said
Ribeiro, who completed his most recent - and
he says his last - stint behind bars in 2000.
Ribeiro has survived on the outside, thou^ -
thanks in part to the help he has received
throu^ programs like Faith Seeds. He works
as the ni^t shelter manager at the Bethesda
Center and has a place to call home.
Ribeiro prays that others who are released
will find the help he did because without it, he
doesn’t believe he would be a fi^ man today
"The change in me came fium within, but
without the mentoring and encouragement.
I would have been ligjit back in there,” he
said
Parmon has long been an advocate for help
ing ex-offenders make a smooth transition to
the outside. But those like her are few and far
between in the (Seneral Assembly, where any
talk of starting programs to help ex-offenders
could be viewed as being soft on crime. She
and another legislator tried to push through
legislation that would not require ex-offend
ers to reveal their criminal pasts on applica
tions if they had served time at least 10 years
ago. The legislation got a chilly reception finm
other lawmakers and died a quick death.
Parmon said until the community realizes
that it is more sane and economically sound to
help ex-offenders rather than locking them up
time and time again, lawmakers will never
change their tunes.
Ht has to be an outcry in the communities
across the state,” she said
Glover said ex-offenders are not lookirrg for
handouts, just helping hands that can guide
them along the path that they mrrst follow.
Faith Seeds will provide some of those hands,
but more are desperately needed, she said.
"TTiis is not about giving them something.
This is about creating an opportunity for
them to be successful,” said Glover. ■
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NAACP leader protests innoeenee
Corttinued from page 7A
“I stand behind everything
that I did” Hairston said
about Allen’s charges. “We
answered every question on
her complaint to the nation
al (office). And they are con
ducting their investigation
into it and I feel confident
that we have not done any
thing wrong.”
Because the investigation
pertaining to the building is
ongoing, Hairston said that
he could not comment fur
ther about the building's
acquisition.
Anson Asaka, the assistant
general counsel for the
national NAACP, heads the
investigation and has
declined to comment on the
case.
Hairston did clarify his
position pertaining Allen's
claim of himself and Phillips
doctoring financial records to
the national office regarding
the assessment fee fiom the
2004 Freedom Fund
Fundraiser. The charge is
also under investigation by
the national office.
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Thursday
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512 p.m
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RpniriNAi CitiriQ
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
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Saturday
City
Hi
Lo W
Hi
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W
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City
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Aiken, SC
61
35 8
59
34
S
56
39 sh
59
40 r
Memphis, TN
53
35 sh
52
39
pc
53
46 r
Augusta. GA
62
35 s
60
32
8
57
40 sh
57
42 r
Myrtle Beach, SC
60
39
8
57
36
8
55
42 pc
Charleston, SC
64
39 8
61
36
8
59
42 pc
63
46 sh
Norfolk, VA
52
37
pc
51
32
pc
49
X pc
Coiimibia, SC
62
34 s
59
33
8
56
40 pc
54
37 r
R^eigh, NC
56
35
pc
52
33
8
50
40 pc
Durham, NC
56
35 pc
54
31
S
50
40 pc
46
33 r
Richmond. VA
51
32
pc
51
28
pc
46
27 pc
Greensboro. NC
53
32 pc
52
30
S
50
40 sh
43
31 r
Roanoto, VA
49
32
pc
44
29
pc
45
34 pc
Greenville, SC
58
35 pc
56
33
s
53
37 sh
50
38 r
Savanna, GA
65
37
s
62
39
s
X
46 pc
Knoxville, TN
51
32 sh
50
32
pc
53
36 sh
54
39 r
Wlmington, NC
62
38
$
58
36
s
57
X pc
Lynchburg. VA
46
29 pc
44
24
pc
44
33 pc
43
28 c
Wnston-Saiem. NC 54
33
pc
51
35
s
49
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U.S. ClTIP9
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
City
Hi
Lo W
Hi
Lo
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Hi
Lo W
Hi
Lo W
City
Hi
Lo
w
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Lo
W
HI
Lo W
Atlanta
56
36 pc
56
36
8
53
43 sh
56
45 r
Miami
81
62
pc
79
66
8
79
68 8
Boston
48
36 pc
44
31
sh
42
28 c
42
29 pc
Minneapolis
24
8
sn
18
10
sf
23
12 c
Chicago
34
20 8n«
30
16
sf
32
18 sf
32
22 pc
New Orleans
71
53
pc
68
55
sh
73
58 sh
CleveiarKt
39
24 sn
29
21
sf
32
22 pc
38
27 sf
New >brk City
47
34
pc
44 30
pc
40
X pc
Dallas
64
42 S
64
47
pc
69
50 pc
74
50 pc
Orlando
70
50
8
70
52
s
74
56 s
Denver
42
23 pc
46
26
pc
42
21 pc
30
15 s
Pittsburgh
39
26
sf
33
20
sf
35
22 pc
Detrod
36
22 Sn
32
18
sf
32
22 sf
34
22 c
Phoerwx
72
50
s
73
52
pc
72
49 pc
Houston
71
54 sh
72
56 sh
76
60 pc
76
50 sh
San Franasco
62
50
r
58
45
sh
57
44 pc
Kansas City
36
21 pc
37 23
pc
39
27 sn
39
24 'c
Seattle
36
34
sn
40
36
r
42
34 sh
Los Angeles
66
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66
52 sh
66
49 pc
68
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Washington. DC
46
32
pc
46
X
pc
46
32 pc
VVoRin CiTiPQ
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
City
HI
Lo W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo W
HI
Lo W
City
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo W
Amsterdam
39
34 c
45
39
c
45
39 r
46
39 r
Pans
41
36
c
46
X
r
46
41 C
Bertm
36
30 pc
41
34
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39
34 C
39
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63
71
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74
67 8h
75
68 8
Buertos Aires
67
63 8
73
58
8
77
67 r
75
61 8
Rome
55
43 8h
55
X
8
59
45 r
CaKo
87
64 s
88
66
8
86
62 8
81
59 s
San Juan
85
71
8
85
73
pc
85
73 pc
Jerusalem
79
56 8
81
60
S
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56 pc
74
52 8
Seoul
39
18
pc
34
20
8
X
19 sf
Johanr>esburg
67
52 r
76
52
pc
77
51 pc
74
55 pc
Sydney
63
69
pc
79
64
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79
66 pc
London
50
43 8h
50
43
r
46
41 r
45
37 c
Tokyo
56
45
pc
56
40
pc
52
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MeMcoCrty
72
43 pc
71
44
sh
73
44 pc
73
42 pc
Toronto
36
22
sn
X
17
sf
28
15 sf
Moecow
31
16 sn
30
21
pc-
32
21 pc
30
24 c
Zurich
41
24
pc
39
X
c
46
X pc
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