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Vol. XXXIII No. 33 THURSDAY, April 26, 2007
Couple in
love with
track and
each other
See Page HI
Famed
lawyer will
speak
at gala
Earth Day
observed
at Hill
Middle
Photos by Fclccia McMillan
Emmanuel S. Wettee speaks at Goler Sunday.
Liberians seek
help in battle
for legal
U.S. citizenship
BY DR. FELECIA P. MCMILLAN
THE CHRONICLE
In the early 1990s, the
West African nation of Liberia
was in the throes
of civil war. More
than 150,(XX) citi
zens lost their lives
and more than a
million people
fled the violence,
making their
homes in Europe,
other African
nations and the
United States.
Since 1992, the
estimated 10,0(X)
Libenaiis who fled to the
United States have held a tem
porary protected residency
status that requires them to
petition the federal govern
ment often for extensions to
their residency status.
Libenans living in this coun
try are unhappy with that
arrangement. They work in
this country, pay taxes and
abide by the laws, but none of
that has gotten them any clos
H under
cr to U.S. citizenship.
A rally was held Sunday at
(ioler Memorial A.M.E. Zion
Church to bring attention to
the Liberians' plight and to
gain support tor
their efforts to
become full-fledged
Americans.
Emmanuel S.
Wettee, national
president of the
Union of l.ibenan
Associations in the
Amencas (ULAA),
proclaimed April as
National
Immigration
Advocacy Month. He was
hand Sunday al Goler for the
rally. He urged Libenans and
Americans to support the
Liberian Refugee Immigration
Fairness Act, which if passed
by Congress would take
Libenans in this country out
of residency limbo.
"We are -here 'today to
address the Immigration
(Tiallenge. Within 2(X) days.
See Lihcrians on A 12
Gettin' Dapper
Photo by tjyta Farmer
A local man lakes advantage of free grooming services
offered at Project Homeless Connect last week. Read
more about the event, see A9.
Deputies looking into racist e-mail
Walter Marshall
says message
crossed the line
BY LAY LA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE . . , .
The Forsyth County
Sheriff's Office is investigating
a racially -charged e-mail that is
believed to have been sent by. a
local man to Comity
Commissioner Walter
Marshall.
The e-mail was sent to
Marshall's county e-mail
address April 7 111 die wake of
the comnu ssi oners' prayer
debate.
Tempers have flared and
emotions have run high smce
the ACLU (American Civil
Liberties Union), ui conjunc
tion with the Winston- Salem
Chapter of Americans United
for Separation of Church and
State, filed a lawsuit against
County Commissioners for
opening their meetings with
sectanan prayers. ITie lawsuit
was filed on behalf of several
local residents, who contend
that holding such practices dur
i III I M : 1 1 n 1 1 ; i
f ?# VI Ifi ? \
Walter Marshall
nig governmental proceedings
violates the First Amendment,
and is therefore unconstitution
al.
The suit, which was filed
March 30, lias split county
commissioners down party
luies, with Republicans (ilona
Whisenhut, Debra Conrad, Bill
Whiteheart and Richard
Linville moving to fight die
suit and Democrats Ted
Kaplan, Beauford Bailey and
Walter Marshall opposing a
batde with the ACLU.
"I was against fighting die
See Ivmail on A5
4
' Photo# by Kevin Walker
Mahdi Bray speaks to Rep. I.arry Womhle and City Council Member Dan Besse Saturday at the Annoor Islamic Center.
Muslims seek seat at the table
Local mosque hosts first-ever Freedom Foundation gathering
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
Ever since 19 Islamic extremists
caused death, destruction and havoc
with four hijacked commercial airliners
on Sept. 11, 2001, the (billions of
Muslims who live in this country say
they have been judged by the actions of
others and not the contents of their char
acters.
One prominent U.S. -based Islamic
organizations has spent the years since
9 1 1 trying to build bridges, shatter neg
ative perceptions and gain a voice in a
country steeped in the Judeo-Chiistian
tradition.
"Many of the things that the Muslim
community has faced are things that the
African-American community has
faced, the Jewish community.../' said
Mahdi Bray, head of the Muslim
American Society's Freedom
Foundation.
Bray is a
believer that
shared experi
ences are key to
building coalitions
for the Freedom
Foundation's mis
sion, which
includes secunng
a place for
Radwan Muslims at
America s vast
table of decision-making and opportuiu
ty and fighting to protect the civil nghts
and liberties of Muslim in a post 9 11
world.
Bray was the guest of honor Saturday
at the Annoor Islamic Center in
Clemmons. The mosque held its first
Freedom Foundation dinner, inviting the
community to come leam more about
the foundation and Islam. The event
drew a racially diverse crowd of
Muslims and non-Muslims. Several
elected officials were on hand, including
City Council Member and lieutenant
governor candidate Dan Besse, School
Board Member Elizabeth Motsinger and
State Rep. Larry VYomble. who said that
as a black man, he understands the strug
gles that Muslims now face.
"We too can share in some of these
atrocities," he said. "We can relate."
Many African-Americans have left
their Christian roots to embrace Islam,
See Muslims on All
Affordable housing takes center stage at summit o
HY I .AY I A FARMI R
THE CHRONICLE
Fair and affordable housing
is a hot topic in tins nation, and
as gas pnces nse and out sourc
mg continues, the need contin
ues to grow.
For the past three years, the
City of Winston-Salem's
department of Human
delations lias partnered with a
vanety of other agencies to cre
ate a summit on 'The State of
Fair and Affordable
Homeow nersliip," where pro
fessionals ui tlie housuig ukIus
try can come together and w ork
to bnng about positive change
with respect to affordable hous
uig.
"The Fair and Affordable
Housing Summit is a collabora
tion of housing industry profes
sionals here ui Forsyth County,"
Rkmo by I .ay I a Fanner
HAWS Excutive Director l.arry Woods speaks.
explained City Human
Relations Director Wanda
Allen-Abraha. "We're trying to
bring together all people who
serve the public in the housing
realm, whether it's mortgage
lenders, whether it's bankers,
-whether it's public housing
folks like the Housing Authority
of W inston- Salem, realtors, so
on and so forth."
I*hc 2(X)7 summit, held
Tuesday at the Law rence Joel
Veterans Memorial Coliseum,
was sponsored, in part, by
Piedmont Federal, as it lias been
since its inception. As a finan
cial institution the bank has a
duty to reach out to the public ui
such a way, according to Senior
Vice President J. Robert
Sanders Jr.
"Banks take a leadership
role ui fair housing," he com
mented. "The Community
Reinvestment Act, which was
passed back in 1977, made it
very important for banks to be
aware of all issues involving
See Housing on A 1 1
hrGiuitful MMhmyofthtr
Founders,
Florrie S.Russell and
Carl H.Russell, Sr.
"Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better "
Kits sell fflimintl fflome
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support
[K- ' ' '
N22 C:arl Kusst-ll Avi' .
(i?t Martin Luther Kinn I)r.)
WinNtim-Salcm, NC 27IO!
722-3459
Fa* (336) 631-8268
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