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2A mmo NEWS^l^e Clarlotte $0S2 Thursday, June 22, 2006 Have some decaf and healthy debate at Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum Continued from page 1A mittee, depaitnient or pro gram is about, as well as, an opportunity to inform the community of issues and con cerns.” Stevenson has been a regu lar since black elected offi cials hosted the first forum in 1980 at the YWCA on East TVade Street. The forum has moved several times, includ ing the former McDonald’s Cafeteria, Renaissance Place in Center City and the pubhc library on LaSalle Street. Her job is to keep the con versation moving and civil, especially during emotional ly-charged confiuntations. “The forum does not take positions of specific issues,” she said. “But we will take information to otiiers, mainly to inform.” Following the opening prayer, Bolin McClung, for mer Chai'lotte City Council member Malachi Greene, and Richard McElrath took the lead to discuss where the School Building Solutions committee stands and what’s next. Most of the audience is familiar with each other, as there is a good deal of good- natured ribbing. When McClung finishes, hands go up almost immediately The first is City Council Member Susan Burgess, who announces her support and issues a sv^gestion. Buigess’ obvious knowledge about the subject is cut short, as forum rules allow one minute to ask a question, comment or pro vide clarification. Meetings usually run 90 minutes or so, Stevenson said, but “at 10 o’clock we have to kick people out.” Time passes fairly quickly and before things are com pletely wrapped up, Greene tak^ an opportunity to com mend those in attendance and the forum’s depth of diverse opinions. “This has been the most wide ranging and insi^tful conversation about this issue that I’ve had thus far,” he said. “This is why people want to come here...because they can come and learn.” As the forum closes, the floor is open for annoimce- ments, which include Friday night movies at Freedom Park until August 25, a call for volunteers by the NAACP for voter registration activi ties at Friday's “Tbm Joyner Sky Show,” and an invitation to the Dillehay Coiort Community Festival on Jffiy 1. “I try to come every Tuesday” said NAACP Executive Committee mem ber Rodney Moore. “I find [the forums] very informa tive...and they provide an opportunity meet people who have influence...get positive feedback, and action fiom other individuals.” Though no one expects everyone to make every foinom, once was all it took for TValada PumeU to become a regular. “I started coming during the primaries, to meet the candidates, and I was hooked,” she said. “There’s always stimulating converea- tion. It doesn’t take a lot of people to make a difference, just those who want to work.” Greene complimented forum participants, yet admonishes what he consid ers apathy in the community as a whole. “Fifty-six people showed up for the (school btiilding) meet ings we had,” he said. “People complain about taxes arid what schools are doing...but how can they com plain if they aren’t involved? ‘Makes me think we’re just jiving. I think all the com plaints are just a way to mask the fact that we aren’t involved.” The small group was notice ably deficient of your^ partic ipants, but Stevenson explained the make-up is dif ferent depending on the week and subject. • “When there is a big pro gram, [we] move into the gymnasium,” she , said. “There is no attendance requirement; people can come to any event they choose to.” Next week’s meeting with attorney and historian David Erdman wiLL focus on reuse of the Grace AME Zion Church budding on Brevard Street doNvutown “This event has been going on every Tuesday, except Election Day and Christmas, for almost 30 years,” Huff said. “What other activity do you know of that has gone on that lor^ consecutively, that people were not paid for?” Changing Lives by Changing Faces Come meet and hear Ursula Dudley-Oglesby, Harvard Undergraduate and Esquire, share how she chose to change lives in the living room instead of the court room. Learn how to “Manifest Economic Success for Yourself* Tuesday, June 27th, 7pm Dudley Beauty College • 1950 Bishop Madison Ln. For further information call: 704-392-2565 T-SHIRTS for 4.32 $ One Color, One Sided on White Shirts Contact: Wes James at 704.331.3000 Jefferson’s removal shows division Continued from page 1A most loyal voting blocs enough to say, ‘We will at least stand by him until there’s a conviction or there’s an indictment or something of that nature.”’ 'Ibdd continues, ‘What mes sage this sends to Black vot ers and A&ican:Americans throughout this country is that they must become self ish with their vote and not support these parties think ing that the parties are going to redpixxiate.” Thtid declined comment on the merits of the case, “But, in teims of strippir^ him of his committee, there’s no doubt in my mind that the precedent that’s being set here would not have been set had he not bear black,” he says. A1 Sharpton, a former Democratic candidate for president, agrees. “So, we are now in a party that, if you are now under investigation, asks you to step aside. Suppose — if they’re not smart - the whole Black Caucus was under investigation. Are they going to be asked to step aside?’ Sharpton. “ I think it raises a very seaious legal precedent. And a congressional prece dent that we should fight and we should resist.” The Jefferson debacle threatens Democratic harmo ny between Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and mem bers of the CBC as they stiuggle for at least 15 seats to win control of the House in November elections. Sharpton says he has been campaigning to help the Democrats win, but he bdieves tihey have gone too far. “There’s no one that wants to see them win more than me,” he says. “But that stiU doesn’t mean Fm going to drop my principles in order to win.” Sharpton and other Democratic activists, have repeatedly accused Democrats of taking Blacks for granted. During the 2004 presidential primaries, he said the Democratic Party was dating blacks and not talking marriage. Democratic party leaders in the Senate came under fii-e last year after it cut a deal with Republicans to appoint Ihree conservative federal judges that civil rights groups had opposed. Pelosi has said she is not considering guilt or innocence in the Jefferson case, but the appearance of ethics viola tions. However the Ethics Committee of the House has not investigated Jefferson.' Pelosi says some members of the CBC, including Congressman John Lewis, who made the motion to oust Jefferson, ai-e supporting her. On June 16, the morning after the Democratic Caucus voted 99-58 on Lewis’ motion to suspend Jefferson finm the committee, the full House agreed “without objection”. 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June 22, 2006, edition 1
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