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[VOLUME 93-NUMBER7
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014
TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE:
Blacks in Florida Victimized
By 'Stand Your Ground
By Freddie Alien
NNPA Washington Correspondent
WASHING ION (NNPA) - I wo wars ago, 14-war-okl I ras yon
Martin was returning from a trip from a nearby 7-Klewn store in
Sanford. I la. to purchase a bag of Skittles and a can of Arizona lea
when he was confronted by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood
watchman.
Instead ol making it back to the house to watch the tip-off of an
NBA All-Star game, the unarmed black teenager was fatally shot
in the heart by Zimmerman, who was later acquitted of first-degree
murder charges.
I he not guilt) verdict triggered protests across the count rx and
calls for a review of Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law
that justifies the use of dead!) force by anyone who believes their ac
tion was necessary to prevent 'imminent death or great bodily harm'
to them. I he killer gels a free pass ev en if the person on the recciv ing
Seated from right to left at 50th anniversary of
March on Washington: Attorney Ben Crump,; Syb-
rina Fulton, victim’s mother; Tracy Martin, father,
and Jahvaris Fulton, brother (NNPA Photo by Fred
die Alien)
end ol a deadly bullet is unarmed, liven if that person is not breaking
any laws, liven if that person happens to be a frightened black teen-
ager. I .specially if that person is a frightened black teenager.
Wednesday. I cb. 26. will mark the 2-year anniversary of fray von
Marlin s death. Iwo years after the fatal slaying. Florida and more
than 20 other states still have Stand Your Ground statues in place,
which have let! to other incidents w iili racial overtones.
Standing on Morida's Stand Your Ground law. Zimmerman, who
identified himself as Hispanic, was acquitted July 13. 2013 of fu st-
degree murder.
On Saturday. si\ months later, a jury failed to reach a first degree
murder verdict against Michael Dunn, a white computer program
mer. in connection with the death of Jordan Dav is. a black teenager,
al a Jacksonville. I la. convenience store. Upset over the loud mu
sic coming Irom of a vehicle occupied by 17-ycar-old Davis and
his friends - whom Dunn instantly characterized as "gangsters" anti
"thugs" -an enraged Dunn lired 10 shots into their Dodge Durango
SUV. He continued to shoot into the vehicle even after it sped away,
according to w iincsscs.
A jury composed of four white males, four white females, two
black females, a Hispanic male and an Asian female found Dunn
guilty on three attempted second-degree murder charges, which could
land him in jail lor al least 60 years. However, a verdict could not be
reached on first-degree murder charges, the most serious offense.
AI Sharpton called for the civil rights community lo redouble its
ellorls in I lorida. a stale he described as "ground zero" for the battle
against Stand Your Ground laws. Sharpion staled. "I rom I ray von
Marlin lo Jordan Dav is enough is enough."
But the Slant! 'tour Ground law in I lorida is not enough when the
assailant is black.
for example, in 2010. a year before I ray von Marlin was killed by
Zimmerman. Michael Giles, who was on active duly with the U.S.
Air force, anti some I riends were attending a parly al a local night-
club in lallahassec when a light broke out between I lorida A^M
University fraternities.
(files, who was licensed lo carry a concealed weapon, went lo his
vehicle anti retrieved a pistol, anti stuck ii in his pants pocket. Giles
testified - anti other w iincsscsconfirmed - that he was punched in ihe
lace. I y ing on the lloor anti fearing lor hr life. Giles drew his gun
(ConiinueiH in Page 2)
Wendell M. Davis
Wendell M. Davis Named
Durham County Manager
Why Rev. Chavis’ Bid For
NCDP Director Was Blocked
By C ash Michaels
Special to the NNPA pom The (\irolmion
[RAI.I.Kill. NC | I he lallout Irom the badly mishandled nomination ofihe Rev. Dr. Benjamin 1 . ( hav is. Jr. Iasi week lo the post of
executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP). is still unknown
But the behind-the-scenes movement among Democratic rank-and-file members io ensure ihai Dr. C havis, a veteran civil rights
leader and member ol the W ilmington len. was stopped, is something that may giv e African- American v oters in North ( arolina pause come
the critical 2014 mid-term elections, especially w ith I IS Senator Kay I lagan s re-election on the line.
As in 2010. when the Republicans dominated the congressional anil stale legislative races to claim a solid hold on both the I S House
.and the NC General Assembly. NC Democrats have their work cut out for them this lull conv incing black voters that they deserve to return
power. With a lack ol fundraising and little energy on their side, stale Democrats are almost wholly depenikni on outside nonpartisan
movements like the NCNAACP's "Moral Monday" and "Historic I housands on Jones street" demonstrations.
I Ihe Chavis episode, as it played out last week, will not help those efforts.
It all started when NC DP I xeculive Director Robert Dempsey, who hail joined the stale party last spring, was summarily lired Sun j ..
I eh. 9th by NC DPC hairman Randolph Voller. Sources say Voller had become disappointed in Dempsey, and fell n was lime for a cha
An oiler to Dr. Chav is to lake the position, given that the civ il rights leader had been planning lo return lo his home stale alier v cars u^ux.
Fas tendered by Voller. and alter much thought, accepted by Chavis. Voller became acquainted with ( hav is during the 2o|2 WPA-lcd
campaign to gain pardons of innocence for the W ilmington len. .
(her that weekend Chav is iweeled that he was coming back lo North Carolina lo .. 1 ■ icmocrais in 2«>' I. w nhoui sax ing how, or in
^hal capacity. Il was not the first time Dr. Chav is has mentioned intentions of being involved in North ( arolina politics, hav mg contemplated,
just a few years ago. a run for a state House seal from his native Granv ille ( ouniy.
Voller retweeted Chav is’ message, and once word of Dempsey ‘s dismissal went public, die frenzy among local media and N( rank-and-
lile Democrats began. It didn’t lake long for adversaries of Chairman \oiler in the party. of w Inch there arc man si”, c ihe beral leader
edged out moderate competition in 2013. lo begin drumbeats ofdisionicni about Dr. ( hav is.
I l ocal media began reporting negative stories about C hav is' past membership in the Nation of Islam in ! 95 Incline immediate allegations
ol anti-Semitism: and rehashing old stories of sexual harassment alienations aeainst ( hav is in 1994 when he helmed 1... s \A( Pas executive
felirevtor. '
hi virtually every false local media report Feb. 10"' and I Ith. there was no mention that in court papers. ( hav is has never admitted any
Pill in the NAACP sexual harassment case, even though he tried lo settle il quietly for lear that il would hurt the civ il rights organization.
Nor was there any reporting that Chav is hail left the Nation of Islam in the laic 2000N. and has been an ordained ( hris" m minister, anil
member of Oak Level United Church of Christ in Manson. NC for many years.
And there was certainly no reporting about what Dr. Chavis’ productive activities since 1994-95 have been, which include:
■ * * serving as president of the education (inline Serv ices ( orporation. an online prov ider of higher education male,rials for I IBCl s.
* President CFO and cofounder of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Summit
■ * * ( ofounder of the I Jiamond I mpovv erment Fund w hich supports scholarships in \ frica.
■ ■ Sy ndicated columnist for the National Newspaper Publishers Association, read by 2o million readers
Nothing was reported about his ministerial doctorates or other degrees from schools like I hike. I N( - ( hatiollc and I toward 1 niversity.
‘Hid Ihe question was never even raised publicly il Dr. Chavis had the requisite experience lo even funciion well in the position of N( DP
executive director.
Instead, as Republican oliicials watched in glee, and the media focused primarily on any negative allegations they could die up. Democrats
Rik to social media lo quickly sin up opposition among the moderate base.
K Gary Pearce, who served as press see reiary to Gov. Jim Hunt in l97Xwhcn Hum denied pardons io Chav is and the rest of the Wilmington
^n. look to his "Talking About Politics’ online blog and. strongly relerring to Dr. Chavis wiilio a ever using his name, chided ( hairman
roller for wanting to appoint "...the most div isive. controversial figure he can find "
Bearce, who is a loyalist of the so-called moderate ml laciion" ol the Democratic Pa: which has reportedly vehemently opposed
I roller's administration, later did make direct reference to ( nav is by name, writing. " And may hi ‘ publicans w ill gel so fixated on making
^ovisand William Barber i ihe leader ol the NUN \ \( P’s Moral Monday movement Mho laces ol the Demouain Party mai they II forgei
X ’'il education." t oniinued (’n Page 2 •
On Monday. February 10, the Durham Board o'
Count} Commissioners named Wendell M. Davis as thi
new Durham Count} Manager. He replaces Mike Ruilm
who retired on Jamjar} 31st.
Da\ is is current!} Vice Chancellor for administration
and Finance at North Carolina Central University. Prioi
to joining NCCU. he served as Durham ’s Depute Count'
Manager from October 1999- Ma\ 201 I.
"We are excited lo have Wendell return lo our orga
nizalion with his experience and commitment lo count'
go\ernmenl." said Chairman Michael I). Page of the ap
pointment ol'Davis. "Ilis vision and passion directed to
wards building an efficient governmenl will allow us to
serve our citizens more effective!}. We look forward to
his leadership as we embrace innovalive opportunities t■
build our s} stem."
"I am humbled lo have this opportunit} to return to
leadership in Durham Count}, a prime eommuniiv in out
region.” said Dav is following his selection. "W bile there
are challenges ahead ol us. I look forward lo partnering
with the Board of Count} Commissioners, citizens and
institutions throughout Durham, the region and the state
lo keep this eommuniiv. Illi, eommuniiv lo live, work
and pla}."
Officials al NCCU lauded Davis’ interpersonal com
municalions which enabled him to establish a collabora
tive and congenial working relationship with peer vice
chancellors. General Administration, slate officials and
kev internal constituents. Being new to academia and de
scribed as an outsider with exceptional anal} licai skills,
he spent his first six months listening a great deal and
building critical relationships with kev Universitv con-
sliluents that helped his effectiveness in redesigning ad
ministrative processes and making improvements that
benefited the campus.
Ben. ( hav is