june 24 - july 4 2013

MINORITYREPORTER
from information to understanding

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rulings by supreme court

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In This Issue:
vol. 6 no. 26

CALENDAR

MINORITYREPORTER
from information to understanding

june 24 - 30 | 2013 www.| minorityreporter .net june124 www.minorityreporter.net - 30 2013

june
Washington Square Garage and streets surrounding those areas. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for more comfortable viewing of the fireworks show and concert and to refrain from bringing pets for everyones safety. 7 GOING FOR BAROQUE Time: 1:00pm & 3:00pm Location: MAG, Fountain Court Aaron James, a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music, gives a 25-minute presentation and minirecital on the Italian Baroque organ. Included in Gallery admission. 11 MAX AT THE GALLERY TAPAS NIGHT Time: 5:008:00 pm Location: At The MAG, Vanden Brul Pavilion Every Thursday night, youre invited to visit the Gallery (half price admission from 5 to 9 pm), listen to live music, and enjoy wine, beer and tapas plates for purchase. No reservation necessary! 11 MAG HIGHLIGHTS TOUR Time: 6:30pm, Location: At The MAG, meet at Admission Desk This docent-led tour of the collections is included in Gallery admission. 12 Rochester SummerFest Time: 7:30pm-10:00pm Location: Auditorium Theatre Rochester SummerFest features a weekend of City-sponsored musical entertainment paired with a basketball tournament and social events! 12 -Aug. 9 Bands on the Bricks Time: 6:00pm-10:00pm Location: Rochester Public Market One of Rochesters most popular concert series, Bands on the Bricks brings the Rochester Public Market to the evening set with live music through the summer months! 2013 Bands on the Bricks will be run on Fridays, July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2 and August 9.Gates open at 5:30p.m. and the music runs 6 - 10p.m. 14 WHATS UP Time: 2:00pm Location: At The MAG, auditorium Artists and RIT professor of art Alan Singer speaks on the Print Club of Rochester and the Memorial Art Gallery. Included in Gallery admission. Offered in conjunction with the MAG Centennial.

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24 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival Time: 5:00pm-11:00pm Location: Downtown Rochester Celebrate the 12th edition of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, featuring musicians gathered from around the world to perform in more than 250 concerts!

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{COVER

PG 8 - 9

Landmark Rulings by Supreme Court

{LOCAL

PG 4 - 7

Lovely Warren Speaks Out on RCSD Graduation Rights Howard Eagle & RonaldHall Launch Campaign for School Board Bullied NY Bus Monitor Karen Klein, One Year Later RCSD Fails to Shine with Lowest High School Graduation Rates

{state

PG 10 - 12

Upstate NY Man Charged After Confing in Closet 4 Boys Caught Vandalizing His Home NY Legislature to Require Heart Screens of Babies Senate Approves Upstate Casinos, Blocks Abortion Bill

26 Food Truck Rodeo Time 5:00pm-9:00pm Location: Rochester Public Market Food Truck Rodeo brings our communitys eclectic array of mobile food stands together at the Rochester Public Market. The 2013 rodeo will run on the final Wednesday of each month. Its fun on four wheels with over 23 vendors serving up their unique cuisine on paper plate.Just about everything and anything that is served from the back of a truck will be featured from food vendors including La Petit Poutine, The Sammich Guy, Cheese & Confused, Potatoes to Go ... and many more! Beer will be provided by Rohrbach Brewing Company, as well! In addition, enjoy some local tunes from local talent each Rodeo night. July 4 July 4th Celebration and Fireworks 7:30pm-10:00pm Celebrate Independence Day with your family and friends at the Citys July 4th Celebration,on the Main St. Bridge. Fabulous fireworks over the downtown skies at 10 p.m.! 7:30 p.m. Jimmie Highsmith Experience with vocalist Fatima 9:00 p.m. - Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra 10:00 p.m. - Fireworks Recommended fireworks viewing areas: Main St. Bridge, Broad St. Bridge, Chestnut St. near the
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Putin Says No to US Request to Extradite Snowden

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PG 14-15

African-American Actors Take Center Stage at 2013 TONY Awards By marc morial

Minority Reporter, Inc. is a family of publications and other media formats committed to fostering self awareness, building community and empowering people of color to reach their greatest potential. Further, Minority Reporter, Inc. seeks to present a balanced view of relevant issues, utilizing its resources to build bridges among diverse populations; taking them from information to understanding. Minority Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject content submitted. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Minority Reporter does not assume responsibility concerning advertisers, their positions, practices, services or products; nor does the publication of advertisements constitute or imply endorsement. Minority Reporter invites news and story suggestions from readers. Deadline for all copy is Tuesday at noon. Call 585-301-4199 or email info@minorityreporter.net.

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Rochester Delivers for National Fresh Fruit & Veggie Month

by Bonnie DeVinney, Vice President and Chief Program Officer, Greater Rochester Health Foundation June is a time when most Americans can look forward to finding plentiful produce ?fresh, in-season and less expensive. But families who live in cities can have a much harder time finding fresh fruits and vegetables close to home. Organizations throughout the city are helping bring fruits and veggies to families throughout Rochester. For instance, Foodlink is bringing its Curbside Market, a truck full of fresh fruits and veggies, to 26 different locations throughout the city each week, and is also encouraging city corner stores to sell fresh produce. North East Area Development ?through its Freedom Market on Webster Avenue ? is also making important strides to offer healthier foods, including fresh fruits and veggies, to the neighborhood. As always, the Rochester Public Market is a great place for families to buy fresh produce, and groups like ABC Headstart are holding events and tours to encourage more families to shop there. Its so important that groups like Community Place of Greater Rochester and Foodlink are hosting farm stands right in our neighborhoods. Whether its Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month or any other month of the year, the Health Foundation believes that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day is vital to a healthy lifestyle. We are thrilled that our community has found even more ways to make fresh produce available to everyone throughout the summer, and we hope all families in the city of Rochester get out to one of the many stores, stands or trucks now offered in your neighborhood. Find a list of great places to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at www. BeAHealthyHero.org

ADOPT
Gail

Birth Date: February, 1996 is an eager-to-please young lady. Talkative and sweet, she likes to spend her time playing basketball and practicing hair and makeup. Gail is in 11th grade and has educational supports. She does well in school and hopes to be a cosmetologist in the future. Gails favorite class is writing. She also likes dogs and would welcome Photograph by Teri Barlow a home with pets. Gail has siblings with whom she would like to maintain contact. Gail is open to adoption and hopes to meet her forever family soon.
If youre interested in learning more about Gail or other waiting children, visit: www.ChildrenAwaitingParents.org or call 585-232-5110.

4 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4| 2013

Lovely Warren Speaks Out on RCSD Graduation Rates

By Delani Weaver The Rochester City School District is not only dead last on the states list of graduation rates; it has also dropped to a 45.5 percent in the overall graduation rate for the 2007 freshman class. In response to the June 11 the State Department of Education report, City Council President Lovely Warren expressed her opinion: Once again Rochester is the worst performing urban district in the state and our graduation rates are declining, Warren said. Once again parents and taxpayers are being told to stay the course, that a one or two percentage change in the graduation rate is not important, we need to stick with what we are doing, to maintain the status quo. Graduation rates were gathered from five school districts in the state: Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, New York City and Yonkers. Rochesters graduation rates dropped from a 46.1 to 45.5 percent rate for the 2007 freshman class. Warren, a candidate for the mayor, points out that graduation rates have dropped while current Mayor Thomas Richards has been in office. I strongly disagree with the mayor that a single digit drop in the graduation rate is insignificant, she said. As a school district and as a community, we must be accountable for the success of every single child. Mayor Richards continues to deny the accountability data that clearly shows that student achievement has declined across the board during his time in office. Rochesters children deserve an honest discussion about student outcomes, not false assurances. The report also shows that out of the 45.5 percent of graduated high school students, only 5.8 percent received a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation; again, the lowest percentage out of the five districts. Warren says that RCSD has to change. The continued decline in the Rochester School districts graduation rate, the dismal college and career readiness rate all point to the need for change, she said. We cannot ask parents to sacrifice their childs future for the sake of maintaining jobs at the city school district. We need bold new leadership. We need a mayor with a vision for our childrens future. Warren explains what she would change in the school districts if elected. Under a Warren administration, my education plan will call for giving each and every parent in the city a choice as to where and how to educate their child. As a community we must look at the cold hard facts and be willing to make tough choices. This includes working with parents so Lovely Warren that they understand that they play an important role in their childrens academic success and providing every child with access to a great city school, a high performance charter school or an affordable private school. We must work collectively to make sure that every child gets an opportunity to succeed in life.

LOCAL

stAAr Leaders of rochester, Inc.

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2013 scholarship Awards dinner

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Empowering Our youth through Education
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Friday July 26, 2013 rochester Museum & science center

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5 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4 | 2013

6 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4| 2013

Howard Eagle & Ronald Hall Launch Campaign for School Board
Rochester City School Board Candidates Ronald Hall (left) and Howard Eagle Standing in front of All City High School with a backdrop of schoolage children, Howard Eagle and running mate Ronald Hall held a press conference Saturday announcing the launch of their campaign for election to the Rochester City School Board. We sincerely hope that Rochester City School District parents, grandparents, guardians, and the general, tax-paying, public is ready to join us in declaring, and proving that enough is enough, Hall said. We have out-worked (in the streets) and out-organized the DemocraticParty-Machine, and defeated it in the past. Indeed, we did so in 2011. It is our plan and intentions to do the job twice as well in 2013, Eagle said. Hall is a local resident and RCSD parent. Eagle a retired RCSD teacher and founder of the Community Education Task Force, is no stranger to the campaign trail. Eagle has run unsuccessfully in several school board races. To see a video of the press conference go to: www.minorityreporter.net/ fullstory/fullstory.php?id=870

LOCAL

Ronald Hall and Howard Eagle

Bullied N.Y. Bus Monitor Karen Klein, One Year Later

Local resident and retired bus monitor Karen Klein, who was given a life-changing sum after a school bus bullying episode seen around the world a year ago, says she really hasnt changed all that much. Im just a regular old lady, she added with a laugh. 25-year-old Canadian Max Sidorov saw the video and was so moved that he took up an online collection to send her on vacation, more than 32,000 people from 84 countries responded, pledging $703,873 in donations. Its just the way it hits them, I guess. I dont know. I dont know, Klein said, still unsure of why it all happened. Klein, 69, who drove a school bus for 20 years before spending three years as a monitor was seen in a 10-minute cellphone video of her being ridiculed, sworn at and threatened by a group of seventh-graders last June. They poke at her hearing aid and call her names as she tries to ignore them. Unless you have something nice to say, dont say anything at all, Klein says calmly a few minutes in. One boy taunts: You dont have a family because they all killed themselves because they dont want to be near you. Kleins oldest son committed suicide more than a decade ago. The video was recorded by a fellow student and then posted online. It was viewed more than 1.4 million times on YouTube. Klein has been criticized by those who say she didnt do her job that June 2012 afternoon and by others who think she sought out fame and fortune. They make it sound like I did this on purpose, Klein said. She didnt even know the incident had been recorded until being called in to school by administrators and the police. She didnt ask for this, Klein-Romig said. Klein has met with one of the boys who bullied her. He and his parents came to her home to apologize. The other three sent typed apologies, which she said struck her as less sincere. I hope they learned a lesson; they probably didnt, Klein says, shrugging. It might have been a big joke to them. Klein says she used $100,000 as seed money for the Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation, which has promoted its message of kindness at concerts and through books. Most recently, the foundation partnered with the Moscow Ballet to raise awareness of cyberbullying as the dance company tours the United States and Canada. Theres a lot I wish I could be doing, but I dont know how to do it, Klein said. She has spent some helping family members and friends, and the rest is under lock and key for retirement, and Karen Klein maybe a motor home to do some traveling, she said. She wants to get back to her crafts, fix some things around the house, maybe get new carpet and furniture, and take it easy, especially since having a pacemaker implanted in March. There are other people who it would probably change dramatically, said Kleins daughter, Amanda Klein-Romig. But for her, no, everythings the same pretty much. Its not like shes jaunting every weekend to a different place. Klein has been to Boston, Toronto and other cities to promote her foundation. She participated in a WNBA antibullying event with the New York Liberty in Newark, N.J., and has been invited to appear on Raising McCain, a cable television series launching this summer starring Arizona Sen. John McCains daughter, Meghan. Theres a lot of nice people out there, I have learned that, Klein said. And to ignore the negative people.

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LOCAL
By Delani Weaver The Rochester City School District disappoints in graduation rates when compared to the four other largest school districts in the state. On June 11, the State Education Department released high school graduation rates for students who entered 9th grade in 2007. The data shows that New Yorks overall graduation rate continues to rise slowly over time, however Rochesters rates have not. The data also shows that in both the graduation rate and the performance measures, theres a gap between white students and minority students. New Yorks overall graduation rate has improved, but nearly a quarter of our students still dont graduate after four years, said Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch. And too many of those students who do graduate arent ready for college and careers. These numbers make clear that we need to continue to pursue aggressive reforms in our schools including a new, richer curriculum and implementation of the new teacher evaluation law in districts across the state, she said. Graduation rates for Rochester, Buffalo, New York City, Syracuse and Yonkers were all gathered showing that in all school districts mentioned, Rochester is the only school district whose graduation rates have dropped since the 2006 class, from 46.1 to 45.5 percent. RCSD Superintendent Bolgen Vargas said: Graduation rates for our students who entered high school in 2008 are painfully unacceptable. The fact that the district has predicted a decline this year, because of more stringent Regents requirements and more accurate data, is no comfort to the majority of Rochester families whose children are failing to graduate. Chancellor Tisch does not exaggerate in calling this an ongoing tragedy. The report also shows that graduation rates are significantly different ethnically as well. Statewide, the report shows that from the previous year, graduation rates for black students rose from 57.7 percent to 58.4 percent. Hispanic students rate rose from 57.3 percent to 58 percent. The 28 percent difference between the graduating black and graduating whites last year has changed to 27 percent for 2007 freshman class. For Hispanic students, the 30 percent difference for 2004 has decreased to a 27 point difference for 2007. The percentages show more black and

7 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4 | 2013

RCSD Fails to Shine With Lowest High School Graduation Rates

PUZZLES

RCSD Superintendent Bolgen Vargas Hispanic students earn diplomas than white students. We are moving with relentless focus to improve student achievement, Vargas said. We are focused not just on high school, but also on the early grades where the seeds of success or failure are planted. Every effort in which we are engaging staff, families, and the community is aimed directly at boosting achievement and graduation rates. Three of the most critical are improving attendance, increasing instructional time, and implementing a more rigorous curriculum at all grade levels based on the common core. In 2005, the Board of Regents implemented graduation requirements that were more demanding than previous requirements. Previously, general students or students without any disabilities would earn a local diploma. Since 2005, students are required to pass five Regents exams in their core courses with a score of 65 or better and earn all required credits. Doing this would earn the students a Regents Diploma. Once again, Rochester was at the bottom of the totem pole with 5.8 percent of the 2007 freshman class graduating with a Regents diploma with Advanced Designation, when compared with an overall graduation rate of 45.5 percent. Statewide, 43.3 percent of the 2007 freshman class who graduated with a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation were white students, 11.9 percent were Hispanic students and 9.5 percent were black students. These results should serve only as a reminder that we must move with tremendous urgency to reverse past practices and transform the Rochester City School District, Vargas said. We must end the sad reality that Rochester students receive the least instructional time of any students in Monroe County, when arguably they need and deserve the most. Parents must ensure that every child attends school every day, beginning in kindergarten. Our district must work aggressively with families and the community to improve literacy and help all students achieve at grade level.

Across 1. Strip 5. TBS rival 8. Junk pile 12. It may be guided 13. Lucy in the ___ with diamonds (Beatle song) 14. Compound 15. Voice level 16. Hasten 17. Mention 18. Fair 20. Winged 22. Mix breed dog 23. Thanksgiving spud 24. Renders unclear 27. Anticipate 31. Going on in years 32. Crowd disapproval sound 33. In shock 37. It might be cut by a politician 40. Another name intro 41. Street abbr. 42. Player on the links 45. Dictator, e.g. 49. Rephrase 50. Do-it-yourself ___ 52. Still-life piece 53. Hubs 54. Roger Clemens statistic 55. ___ the Nation 56. Remnant 57. Misty May obstacle 58. Kindergartener

Down 1. Impale 2. Droop 3. Hatchback 4. Denver player 5. Bridal party members 6. Word with mask or doo 7. Nautical response, ____ captain (2 words) 8. Pack up your tent and leave 9. Division 10. Speck of dust 11. Implored 19. Turned over ground 21. Calif. airport 24. Slithery creature 25. Common street name 26. Federal health agency 28. Go back 29. Gentle sound 30. Large weight 34. Rubenesque 35. Live on the edge of existence 36. Shade 37. Short taps (2 words) 38. Brown, e.g. 39. Made desolate 42. Neuter 43. ___ Eaters 44. Human parasite 46. Traveling 47. Throat 48. Yard shader 51. Infuriate

8 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4| 2013

COVER STORY

rulings by supreme court

Supreme Court strikes federal marriage provision

WASHINGTON (AP) In a major victory for gay rights, the Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a provision of a federal law denying federal benefits to married gay couples and cleared the way for the resumption of same-sex marriage in California. The justices issued two 5-4 rulings in their final session of the term. One decision wiped away part of a federal anti-gay marriage law that has kept legally married same-sex couples from receiving tax, health and pension benefits. The other was a technical ruling that said nothing at all about same-sex marriage, but left in place a trial courts declaration that Californias Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. That outcome probably will allow state officials to order the resumption of samesex weddings in the nations most populous state in about a month. In neither case did the court make a sweeping statement, either in favor of or against same-sex marriage. And in a sign that neither victory was complete for gay rights, the high court said nothing about the validity of gay marriage bans in California and roughly three dozen other states. A separate provision of the federal marriage law that allows a state to not recognize a same-sex union from elsewhere remains in place. President Barack Obama praised the courts ruling on the federal marriage act, which he labeled discrimination enshrined in law. It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people, Obama said in a statement. The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he was disappointed in the outcome of the federal marriage case and hoped states continue to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The ruling in the California case was not along ideological lines. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Antonin Scalia. We have no authority to decide this case on the merits, and neither did the 9th Circuit, Roberts said, referring to the federal appeals court that also struck down Proposition 8. In the case involving the federal Defense of Marriage Act, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, joined by the courts liberal justices. Under DOMA, same-sex married couples have their lives burdened, by reason of government decree, in visible and public ways, Kennedy said. DOMAs principal effect is to identify a subset of state-sanctioned marriages and make them unequal, he said. Some in the crowd outside the court hugged and others jumped up and down just after 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday when the DOMA decision was announced. Many people were on their cell phones monitoring Twitter, news sites and blogs for word of the decision. And there were cheers as runners came down the steps with the decision in hand and turned them over to reporters who quickly flipped through the decisions. Chants of Thank you and USA came from the crowd as plaintiffs in the cases descended the courts marbled steps. Most of those in the crowd appeared to support gay marriage, although there was at least one man who held a sign promoting marriage as between a man and a woman. Kennedy was joined in the DOMA decision by the courts four liberal justices. Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, and Scalia dissented. Same-sex marriage has been adopted by 12 states and the District of Columbia. Another 18,000 couples were married in California during a brief period when samesex unions were legal there. The outcome is clear for people who were married and live in states that allow samesex marriage. They now are eligible for federal benefits. The picture is more complicated for samesex couples who traveled to another state to get married, or who have moved from a gay marriage state since being wed. Their eligibility depends on the benefits they are seeking. For instance, immigration law focuses on where people were married, not where they live. But eligibility for Social Security survivor benefits basically depends on where a couple is living when a spouse dies. The rulings came 10 years to the day after the courts Lawrence v. Texas decision that struck down state bans on gay sex. In his dissent at the time, Scalia predicted the ruling would lead to same-sex marriage. Massachusetts was the first state to allow gay couples to marry, in 2004. When samesex unions resume in California, there will be 13 states representing 30 percent of the U.S. population where gay marriage is legal. The other 11 are Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Outside the court, gay marriage proponents celebrated both wins. May the marriages begin, said the Human Rights Campaigns Chad Griffin, who helped spearhead the lawsuit challenging Proposition 8. The two same-sex couples who sued for the right to marry also were at the court Wednesday. In New York Citys Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn, where a riot in 1969 sparked the gay rights movement, erupted in cheers and whooping. Mary Jo Kennedy, 58 was there with her wife Jo-Ann Shain, 60, and their daughter Aliya Shain, 25. She came with a sign that could be flipped either way and was holding up the side that says SCOTUS made our family legal. They have been together 31 years and got married day it became legal in New York. The broadest possible ruling would have given gay Americans the same constitutional right to marry as heterosexuals. The justices said nothing on that topic in either case. The decisions Wednesday have no effect on the roughly three dozen states that do not allow same-sex marriage, including 29 that have enshrined the bans in their constitutions. The federal marriage law, known by its acronym DOMA, had been struck down by several federal courts. The justices chose for their review the case of 83-year-old Edith Windsor of New York, who sued to challenge a $363,000 federal estate tax bill after her partner of 44 years died in 2009. Windsor, who goes by Edie, married Thea Spyer in 2007 after doctors told them Spyer would not live much longer. She suffered from multiple sclerosis for many years. Spyer left everything she had to Windsor. Windsor would have paid nothing in inheritance taxes if she had been married to a man. And now she is eligible for a refund. ___ Associated Press writers Connie Cass, Jessica Gresko and Bethan McKernan contributed to this report. McKernan reported from New York.

9 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4 | 2013

COVER STORY

A deeply divided Supreme Court on Tuesday halted enforcement of the federal governments most potent tool to stop voting discrimination over the past half century, saying it does not reflect racial progress. In a 5-4 ruling, the court declared unconstitutional a provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act that determines which states and localities must get Washingtons approval for proposed election changes. President Barack Obama, the nations first black chief executive, issued a statement saying he was deeply disappointed with the ruling. The decision effectively puts an end to the advance approval requirement that has been used, mainly in the South, to open up polling places to minority voters in the nearly half century since it was first enacted in 1965, unless Congress can come up with a new formula that Chief Justice John Roberts said meets current conditions in the United States. Roberts, writing for a conservative majority, said the law Congress most recently renewed in 2006 relies on 40-year-old data that does not reflect racial progress and changes in U.S. society. The coverage formula that Congress reauthorized in 2006 ignores these developments, keeping the focus on decades-old data relevant to decadesold problems, rather than current data reflecting current needs, Roberts said. Obama was sharply critical of the ruling and called on Congress to reinvigorate the law. While todays decision is a setback, it doesnt represent the end of our efforts to end voting discrimination, the president said. I am calling on Congress to pass legislation to ensure every American has equal access to the polls. That task eluded Congress in 2006 when lawmakers overwhelmingly renewed the advance approval requirement with no changes in the system by which states and local jurisdictions were chosen for coverage. And Congress did nothing in response to a high court ruling in a similar challenge in 2009 in which the justices raised many of the same concerns.

Tuesdays decision means that a host of state and local laws that have not received Justice Department approval or have not yet been submitted will be able to take effect. Prominent among those are voter identification laws in Alabama and Mississippi. Going forward, the outcome alters the calculus of passing election-related legislation in the affected states and local jurisdictions. The threat of an objection from Washington has hung over election-related proposals for nearly a half century. At least until Congress acts, that deterrent now is gone. That prospect has upset civil rights groups which especially worry that changes on the local level might not get the same scrutiny as the actions of state legislatures. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, joined by her three liberal colleagues, dissented from Tuesdays ruling. Hubris is a fit word for todays demolition of the law, Ginsburg said. She said no one doubts that voting discrimination still exists. But the court today terminates the remedy that proved to be best suited to block that discrimination, she said in a dissent that she read aloud in the packed courtroom. Ginsburg said the law continues to be necessary to protect against what she called subtler, second-generation barriers to voting. She identified one such effort as the switch to atlarge voting from a district-by-district approach in a city with a sizable black minority. The at-large system allows the majority to control the election of each city council member, effectively eliminating the potency of the minoritys votes, she said. Justice Clarence Thomas was part of the majority, but wrote separately to say again that he would have struck down the advance approval requirement itself. Civil rights lawyers condemned the ruling. The Supreme Court has effectively gutted one of the nations most important and effective civil rights laws. Minority voters in places with a record of discrimination are now at greater risk of being disenfranchised

than they have been in decades, said Jon Greenbaum, chief counsel for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Todays decision is a blow to democracy. Jurisdictions will be able to enact policies which prevent minorities from voting, and the only recourse these citizens will have will be expensive and time-consuming litigation. Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said, This is like letting you keep your car, but taking away the keys. The decision comes five months after Obama started his second term in the White House, re-elected by a diverse coalition of voters. The high court is in the midst of a broad re-examination of the ongoing necessity of laws and programs aimed at giving racial minorities access to major areas of American life from which they once were systematically excluded. The justices issued a modest ruling Monday that preserved affirmative action in higher education and will take on cases dealing with antidiscrimination sections of a federal housing law and another affirmative action case from Michigan next term. The court warned of problems with the voting rights law in a similar case heard in 2009. The justices averted a major constitutional ruling at that time, but Congress did nothing to address the issues the court raised. The laws opponents, sensing its vulnerability, filed several new lawsuits. The latest decision came in a challenge to the advance approval, or preclearance, requirement, which was brought by Shelby County, Ala., a Birmingham suburb. The lawsuit acknowledged that the measures strong medicine was appropriate and necessary to counteract decades of state-sponsored discrimination in voting, despite the Fifteenth Amendments guarantee of the vote for black Americans. But it asked whether there was any end in sight for a provision that intrudes on states rights to conduct elections, an issue the courts conservative justices also explored at the argument in February. It was considered an emergency response when first enacted in 1965.

The county noted that the 25-year extension approved in 2006 would keep some places under Washingtons oversight until 2031 and seemed not to account for changes that include the elimination of racial disparity in voter registration and turnout or the existence of allegations of race-based discrimination in voting in areas of the country that are not subject to the provision. The Obama administration and civil rights groups said there is a continuing need for it and pointed to the Justice Departments efforts to block voter ID laws in South Carolina and Texas last year, as well as a redistricting plan in Texas that a federal court found discriminated against the states large and growing Hispanic population. Advance approval was put into the law to give federal officials a potent tool to defeat persistent efforts to keep blacks from voting. The provision was a huge success because it shifted the legal burden and required governments that were covered to demonstrate that their proposed changes would not discriminate. Congress periodically has renewed it over the years. The most recent extension was overwhelmingly approved by a Republican-led Congress and signed by President George W. Bush. The requirement currently applies to the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. It also covers certain counties in California, Florida, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota, and some local jurisdictions in Michigan. Coverage has been triggered by past discrimination not only against blacks, but also against American Indians, Asian-Americans, Alaska Natives and Hispanics. Towns in New Hampshire that had been covered by the law were freed from the advance approval requirement in March. Supporters of the provision pointed to the ability to bail out of the prior approval provision to argue that the law was flexible enough to accommodate change and that the court should leave the Voting Rights Act intact. On Monday, the Justice Department announced an agreement that would allow Hanover County, Va., to bail out.

10 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4| 2013

Upstate NY Man Charged After Confining in Closet 4 Boys Caught Vandalizing Home
A man who says he caught four boys vandalizing his father-in-laws home has been charged with child endangerment after corralling them in a closet until police arrived. Jesse Daniels was arraigned on four counts of endangering the welfare of a child after authorities say he interrupted the vandalism at the empty home in the Wayne County village of Clyde, midway between Rochester and Syracuse. Daniels, 53, said that he heard pounding coming from the home next door the night of June 8. The house is empty while Daniels renovates it for his father-in-law. When he went to investigate, his wife was dialing 911. He said he found four boys, ages 8 and 10, inside with hammers. He took a hammer from one, then stuck the boys in a closet until officers arrived, he said. Their parents said Daniels handled the boys roughly and threatened them with the hammer. I was fortunate that they were in that room that had a closet, so I put them in the closet, he said. I said, Listen, you guys are staying here until the police come, period. The damage to the home included holes in the walls, broken windows and graffiti derogatory to women spraypainted on walls. Daniels estimated that the damage to his father-in-laws property exceeds $40,000. He said he believed the boys committed the vandalism in retaliation for Daniels wife telling them earlier in the day to stay off the couples property. The boys have been charged with burglary and criminal mischief. Their cases are being handled in Wayne County Family Court. Paul Bowler, the father of two of the boys, told the station that there are no excuses for his sons actions. I understand they were in the wrong, but there are other ways to handle it, he said. He (Daniels) knew who the kids were. Its not like they were strangers. And send the kids home and call the cops then. You dont sit there and torment them and tell them youre going to bash their skulls in with a hammer. Jesse Daniels Bowler said Daniels grabbed the neck of one of his sons and left a mark. He said that his boys are traumatized and that Daniels should have faced more charges. Daniels counters that he was just trying to protect his family. Daniels is due back in court later this month. It wasnt immediately clear if he has a lawyer. Wayne County District Attorney Richard Healy told the station that the incident is still under investigation.

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12 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4| 2013

STATE
NY Legislature to Require Heart Screens of Babies
Newborns will be required to be tested for congenital heart defects under a new, quick screening process that New York lawmakers agreed to Wednesday. If signed into law by Govenor Andrew Cuomo, the measure would require all birthing facilities to administer the test called pulse oximetry screening. The one-minute procedure provides early detection of heart defects that could be addressed quickly by surgery, potentially saving babies lives. The process involves taping a small sensor to a newborns foot as light is beamed at the foot to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. The screening is more effective than more common tests. Congenital heart disease hits seven to nine of every 1,000 newborns in the United States, according to the Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, a Democratic representing Orange and Sullivan counties. She co-sponsored the bill and said it will replace the current method involving ultrasound screenings and repeated examinations. By performing this simple test, doctors can take the appropriate and necessary steps to ensure that newborns get the care they need, should they have heart defects, said Sen. William Larkin, an Orange County Republican who co-sponsored the bill. Simply, this measure will save lives. Kelsey Thomas of Syracuse said the test saved her sons life by detecting low oxygen in his blood a day after he was born. Jacob had surgery eight days later and now is healthy at 14 months old. Its a little test that can give a big result, a saved life, Thomas said. The Senate approved the measure Wednesday. The Assembly approved it in May. It now goes to Cuomo, who said he will review the measure. Thirteen states require the screening. It would be paid for through insurance

or through government health care programs for parents who lack insurance.

Senate Approves Upstate Casinos, Blocks Abortion Bill

A senior Cuomo administration official says Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders struck a late night deal to authorize four upstate casinos and to allow votes on 10 separate womens rights bills including an abortion proposal that appeared to have been blocked in the Senate. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal was scheduled to be announced on Wednesday. Legislative officials immediately disputed some elements of the agreement. Michael Whyland, spokesman for the Assemblys Democratic majority, says the chamber still plans to vote and approve all 10 items as a single bill. Senate Republicans refused to pass the abortion proposal they considered an expansion of abortion. A Senate Republican official late Tuesday night said there was no commitment to bring the abortion bill to the floor.

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13 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4 | 2013

NATIONAL
Putin says no to US request to extradite Snowden
MATTI HUUHTANEN and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin bluntly rejected U.S. pleas to extradite National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden on Tuesday, saying Snowden is free to travel wherever he wants and insisting that Russian security agencies havent contacted him. Snowden is in the transit zone of a Moscow airport and has not passed through Russian immigration, Putin said, meaning he is not technically in Russia. After arriving Sunday on a flight from Hong Kong, Snowden booked a seat on a Havana-bound flight from Moscow on Monday en route to Venezuela and then possible asylum in Ecuador, but he didnt board the plane. Snowdens whereabouts since then have been a mystery, and Putins comments were the first time Russia has made clear it knows where he is. Speculation has been rife that Russian security agencies might want to keep Snowden in Russia for a more thorough debriefing, but Putin denied that. Our special services never worked with Mr. Snowden and arent working with him today, Putin said at a news conference during a visit to Finland. Putin said that because there is no extradition agreement with the U.S., it couldnt meet the U.S. request. Mr. Snowden is a free man, and the sooner he chooses his final destination the better it is for us and for him, Putin said. I hope it will not affect the business-like character of our relations with the U.S. and I hope that our partners will understand that. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that though the United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, it wants Moscow to comply with common law practices between countries where fugitives are concerned. Putins staunch refusal to consider Snowdens extradition reflects the Russian presidents readiness to further challenge Washington at a time when U.S.-Russian relations are already strained over Syria and a Russian ban on adoptions by Americans. A Kremlin decision to provide even temporary shelter and safe transit to Snowden would embarrass Washington. And despite Putins denial, analysts believe Russian special services wouldnt miss the chance to question the man who is believed to hold reams of classified U.S. documents. Russia also relished using Snowdens revelations to try to turn the tables on U.S. criticism of Russias rights record. Putin compared Snowden to WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, who has been provided asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, saying that both men were labeled criminals but consider themselves rights activists and champions of freedom of information. Ask yourself a question: should people like that be extradited so that they put them in prison or not? he said. In any case, I would prefer not to deal with such issues. Its like shearing a piglet: a lot of squealing and little wool. In an apparent reference to claims that Moscow could have played a role in Snowdens exit from Hong Kong, he said that his arrival was a complete surprise and dismissed accusations against Russia as ravings and sheer nonsense. He doesnt need a visa or any other documents, and as a transit passenger he has the right to buy a ticket and fly wherever he wants, Putin said. Russian news media had reported Snowden remained in a transit zone of Moscows Sheremetyevo airport, but journalists there havent seen him. Legally, an arriving air passenger crosses the border after clearing immigration checks. Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected the U.S. push for Snowdens extradition earlier Tuesday, but wouldnt specify his whereabouts, saying only that he hasnt crossed the Russian border. We consider the attempts to accuse Russia of violating U.S. laws and even some sort of conspiracy, which on top of all that are accompanied by threats, as absolutely ungrounded and unacceptable, Lavrov said. There are no legal grounds for such conduct by U.S. officials. U.S. and Ecuadorean officials had said they believed Snowden was still in Russia. Kerry called for reasonableness. calm and Russia and had applied for asylum in Ecuador, Iceland and possibly other countries. A high-ranking Ecuadorean official told The Associated Press that Russia and Ecuador were discussing where Snowden could go, saying the process could take days. He also said Ecuadors ambassador to Moscow had not seen or spoken to Snowden. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Ecuadors foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, hailed Snowden on Monday as a man attempting to bring light and transparency to facts that affect everyones fundamental liberties. Were following all the appropriate legal channels and working with various other countries to make sure that the rule of law is observed, President Barack Obama told reporters. The Kremlin has previously said Russia would be ready to consider Snowdens request for asylum. Snowden is a former CIA employee who later was hired as a contractor for the NSA. In that job, he gained access to documents that he gave to newspapers the Guardian and The Washington Post to expose what he contends are privacy violations by an authoritarian government. Snowden also told the South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong that the NSA does all kinds of things like hack Chinese cellphone companies to steal all of your SMS data. He is believed to have more than 200 additional sensitive documents in laptops he is carrying. Some observers said in addition to the sensitive data, Snowdens revelations have provided the Kremlin with propaganda arguments to counter the U.S. criticism of Russias crackdown on opposition and civil activists under Putin. They would use Snowden to demonstrate that the U.S. government doesnt sympathize with the ideals of freedom of information, conceals key information from the public and stands ready to open criminal proceedings against those who oppose it, Konstantin Remchukov, the editor of independent daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta, said on Ekho Moskvy radio. Putin has accused the U.S. State Department of instigating protests in Moscow against his re-election for a third term in March and has taken an anti-American posture that plays well with his core support base of industrial workers and state employees. ____ Huuhtanen reported from from Naantali, Finland. Michael Weissenstein and Gonzalo Solano contributed to this story from Quito, Ecuador.

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We would hope that Russia would not side with someone who is a fugitive from justice, Kerry said at a news conference in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. has revoked Snowdens passport. A representative of WikiLeaks has been traveling with Snowden, and the organization is believed to be assisting him in arranging asylum. Assange, the groups founder, said Monday that Snowden was only passing through

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14 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4| 2013

FROM THE BOYCE BLOG

OPINION/EDITORIAL
Comedian Bill Maher is the liberal that people love and hate at the same time. He has an opinion on nearly everything and has enough money that he doesnt have to care what you from the south born before the civil rights movement, but even asked if rap records should be banned because hip-hop artists also use the n-word. Im never really sure what to think about Bill Maher. He comes off as the white guy with a very narrow definition of blackness that tends to include a whole lot of thuggin, smoking, drinking, shooting, and other ignorant, stereotypical stuff. Ill never forget when Maher asked Dr. Cornel West if he was getting b*ooty calls on Saturday nights, and said that the first black president is someone he expected to shoot a BP executive for spilling oil into the Gulf of Mexico. As to his point about Paula Deen, I tried to hear where Maher was coming from. My friend Roland Martin made a similar argument, stating that we cant get angry at Deen for using the n-word, given that so many rappers use it without consequence. I would also be included, by some, to be part of the Paula Deen forgiveness camp after my recent comments about Paula to Anderson Cooper earlier this week. To be honest, I dont consider Paula Deen to be the poster child of American

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

Bill Maher Defends Paula Deen and Says Shes No Worse than a Rapper
racism. The most devastating racism in America is structural, and has little to do with white people who call me a n*gger. The root of black oppression doesnt lie with people calling us dirty names, but instead lies with universities that wont admit black students unless they can throw a football, corporations that dont hire black managers, or prisons that have become blacker than most HBCUs. Paula Deen is the least of our concerns. But while Paula Deen shouldnt be crucified entirely, the truth is that she represents a part of American history that cannot be tolerated. My perception of Deen is that she could actually be a decent human being, but the idea that she hasnt yet been challenged to improve her racial sensitivities and cultural competence over time is entirely unacceptable. In some ways, she reminds me of the college students here at Syracuse University (where I am on the faculty) who did a racist newscast a few years ago. Their racial ignorance was allowed to fester because our country puts little effort into teaching people about the value of racial respect and equality. Now, back to Maher. Because Bill is such a cool white guy, I suspect that some negro has given him an honorary black card at some point that he loves to pull out of his behind whenever he needs it. You know, this is the kind of license that allows him to speak on issues in the black community as if hes one of the brothas (Bill Clinton has one too). In fact, I dare say that Maher probably thinks hes blacker than me because I am a nerdy college professor and he dated video vixen Karrine Steffans (who also dated Lil Wayne and pretty much everyone else in the hip-hop music industry). Bill makes a good point that black people regularly overlook the disrespect shown to them by toxic and negative hip-hop music. Its very similar to the way we overlook violence against black men if it comes at the hands of another black male. Had Trayvon Martin been shot by a black man, no one would be talking about his case right now. Hip-hop has to be confronted, which is part of the reason I helped to push Mountain Dew to end its relationship with Lil Wayne a month ago. We can never accept the glorification of genocide, addiction and incarceration. But one thing that must be admitted is that there is a very big difference between a rapper using the n-word and an old white woman from the south saying the same thing. The meaning of words often change due to the context and character of the commentator. Thats why the Chinese word ma has a whole host of meanings, depending on who says it, when they say it, what part of the country they are from and the inflexion in their voice. In this regard, there is merit to those who argue that the word n*gga has a different meaning from the word n*gger, or that the phrase wussup my n*gga? used by a black man in New York can have a different meaning from the very same phrase being stated between a Crip and a Blood in South Central Los Angeles. But these nuances are also stated with the understanding that were better off not using the phrase or any variant of it in the first place. However, we can also say that Paula Deens use of the word DOES INDEED have a very different meaning from the rapper Young Jeezy. You might hate having to admit this, but you cant argue that Paula and Jeezys use of the n-word means the same when they say it. At the same time, this subtle variation is too difficult to explain to white people, which is why we probably need to stop using any form of the word in any context. Another point about Paula Deen that we have to understand is that Paula was not taken off the air by black people. It wasnt the outrage in the black community that led to the loss of her show. Actually, it was the discomfort of (mostly white) executives at the Food Network, who didnt want their brand to be associated with a person with such a complex and tarnished

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Recently, Maher spoke about the racial controversy involving cooking queen Paula Deen. Unless youve been on vacation to Mars, you probably heard that Deen lost her show on the Food Network after admitting to the use of racial slurs in the past. Deen is a white woman born in Georgia in the 1940s, so we have to admit that her admitting that shes used the n-word falls under the no duh category. Nearly everyone in Georgia, at that time, referred to black people as n*ggers, we just have to accept that. But Maher went a step further, not only stating that Deen should possibly be given a pass for being a woman

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15 www.minorityreporter.net | june 24 - july 4 | 2013

OPINION/EDITORIAL
TriceEdneyWire. com) - Im the sole surviving member of my immediate family. Ive asked myself over and over again why. I now know why. Cicely Tyson, 2013 Tony Award, Best Actress in a Play in the Sun. Viola Davis won in 2010 for her role as the wife of Troy Maxson as played by Denzel Washington in the Broadway revival of August Wilsons Fences. In a career that has spanned more than half a century, this was Cicely Tysons first Tony Award. It came after a 30-year absence from the Broadway stage. In accepting her award she expressed her gratitude for being able to fulfill a burning desire to do one more great role. Her award not only caps a career that includes awardwinning performances on the stage, screen and television, it confirms the fact that Black is Back on Broadway. On Tony night, Cicely Tyson shared the spotlight with three other African American actors who took home Tony Awards: Billy Porter, Best Actor in a Musical -- Kinky Boots; Patina Miller, Best Actress in a Musical - Pippin; and Courtney B. Vance, Best Actor in a featured role -- Lucky Guy.

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

African-American Actors Take Center Stage at 2013 Tony Awards

In addition to cheering the achievements of Ms. Tyson and the other African-American Tony winners, we should also celebrate the fact that African-American actors continue to make great strides on Broadway. In fact, over the years the Great White Way has featured and recognized many more Black performers than Hollywood. In 1950, Juanita Hall became the first Black entertainer to win a Tony Award for her portrayal of Bloody Mary in South Pacific. Since then, 49 Tony Awards have been awarded to Black actors and actresses, compared to only 14 Academy Awards for Black actors and actresses since 1939. Broadways racial maturity has not come easy. From 1890 to 1910, most of the Blacks on Broadway were featured in African American minstrel shows, playing to all-white audiences. It was not until the 1935 production of George Gershwins Porgy and Bess that African Americans really hit it big on Broadway. The momentum has continued to build. The late August Wilson has a theater named after him. Audre McDonald has won five Tony Awards, tying her with Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris for the most in a career. And like Cicely Tyson, more Black actors and actresses are being cast in roles originally written for white performers. It should also be noted that Ron Simons was the fifth African-American to win a Tony this year as Producer of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which won the Tony for Best Play. We congratulate all of this years African American Tony winners. We hope their success will bring more Blacks to Broadway both in the audience and on the stage.

marc morial

On June 9th, Cicely Tyson became only the third African-American woman in the 67-year history of the Tony Awards to win top honors for Best Actress in a Broadway play. She won for her mesmerizing portrayal of Carrie Watts, a widow in search of her past in The Trip to Bountiful. In 2004, Phylicia Rashad became the first African American woman to win Best Actress for her portrayal of the matriarch, Lena Younger, in a revival of Lorraine Hansberrys classic, A Raisin

Bill Maher Defends Paula Deen and Says Shes No Worse than a Rapper
FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
public image. So, Maher cant blame black people for Deens removal or somehow make the argument that getting rid of Paula Deen should mean that all rappers should be censored. The censorship of an artist is very different from telling a cook to get a show on another network. Were comparing apples and oranges. In fact, I dare say that black people have almost no say in any of this. The Food Network didnt remove Deen because we were offended. They removed Deen because some white people got offended. We also have no say on what happens at Universal Records or any other hip-hop music label when it comes to the artists whose music floods the brains of our children. In fact, nearly all of the programming decisions at Radio One, BET, Clear Channel, etc are being made by white people. This, my friends, is the root of American racism. It is the creation of a world where black people have no say in the shape of the environment around them because, for 400 years, white people have hoarded all of the wealth, power and influence. Thats why Bill Maher has a show on HBO, and I probably never will (unless I morph myself into Kevin Hart or something). The bottom line is that this incident can be used as a teaching and learning opportunity for everyone involved. Paula doesnt have to be crucified, but she cant be let off the hook. The Food Network should be challenged to consider adding a more diverse set of decision-makers to their staff to produce shows that are more reflective of the American melting pot. Paulas fans should be given the opportunity to love their favorite cook, but to also be encouraged to grow in their racial understanding. But as far as considering the Paula Deen controversy to be a meaningful forum on race in America, we havent even scratched the surface. Dr. Boyce Watkins is the author of the lecture series called Commercialized Hip-Hop, the Gospel of SelfDestruction.

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