CASH IN THE APPLE
By Cash Michaels
A
MIGHTY CHAMPION – Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week I spent covering
the 74th Annual Convention of the NCNAACP at the Raleigh Convention
Center (and just to make sure this doesn’t get missed, the very NEXT NCNAACP
Convention will be IN WILMINGTON IN 2018, dates to be announced, so circle your
calendar, Port City).
The
one takeaway from the confab I can claim is that we need our NAACP more than
ever before. It is, in North Carolina, as it was when the world’s oldest and
boldest civil rights organization was founded during the early 1900’s –
diverse. Blacks and whites working together for a better, fairer, an more just
America.
The
commitment and courage of NAACP members, particularly during this “age of
Trump,” is without equal. That they continue to fight for freedom, justice and
equality after so long in the trenches, is inspiring. And that fact that many
of the brave “warriors of justice” that I saw and met are Life members is
equally impressive.
I
feel I must warn the NAACP, though…even though there were a large number of
young people present at the convention per the Youth Division, we still need to
see more young people out front taking leadership roles. Yes, there are some,
but you don’t get that impression on first look. That needs to be addressed.
Fortunately,
for the NCNAACP, and for us, Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II, now president
emeritus for life of the state conference, has been moving firming in that
direction since he took office as president back in 2005. Saturday night, as
the rank-and-file membership voted in a dynamic new president, Rev. Dr. T.
Anthony Spearman, Third Vice President of the NCNAACP, Dr. Barber closed out
his tenure during the annual Freedom Fund Banquet (keynoted by radio/television
commentator Roland Martin) reminding everyone of what a true leader should be.
I’ve
known Dr. Barber actually even before he became NCNAACP president, and he’s
always had huge presence, both literally and figuratively.
Barber
has never displayed fear about speaking truth to power, and being led by him
indomitable faith in GOD. A young man in his mid-fifties, born just a few days
after the historic 1963 March on Washington, Dr. Barber has faced his personal
health challenges with amazing courage and dignity.
In
the beginning of his tenure, he had trouble walking because of a debilitating
disease. Today, while he’s still managing aspects of his affliction, this bold
leader is leading marches and rallies literally all over the country in the
name of justice.
Dr.
Barber has been hailed as recently as this past weekend by none other than the
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Sen. Cory Booker (who, in my estimation, SHOULD run for
the White House in 2020 – he’s got all of the boxes checked, in my opinion, to
qualify for top national leadership) as one of our generation’s most
outstanding national leaders on the scene today. And the beauty of it all is
that we all have worked with him here in North Carolina, grow, and flourish
against tough, tough odds.
The
list of Dr. Barber’s accomplishments as president of the NCNAACP are long and
auspicious, if not extraordinarily impressive. But clearly, his leadership and
advocacy in the mid-2000’s for One Stop/early voting and same day voter
registration (which ultimately helped a young black man named Barack Hussein
Obama make history as the first African-American ever to be elected as
president of the United States), and then Barber fierce, nonstop battle against
the Republican-led legislature passed restrictive voter suppression laws, along
with illegal, unconstitutional legislative voting districts that
stacked-and-packed African-Americans into a handful of minority-majority
districts in order to limit their overall influence in races, have to stand out
as among Barber’s greatest achievements.
In
closing, having known Dr. William Barber for many years, the one thing I’ve
always appreciated about him is that as mighty and principled as he was and is,
there is a big part of the man that is humble, and loving, and obedient to the
cause. Dr. Barber prides himself on being a “servant-leader,” and most people
don’t realize that sometimes it would be at the risk of hi own life. The many
threats he’s faced, and the vile nature of them, would astound you.
So
we say “Thank You” Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II, now president-emeritus of
the NCNAACP, and permanent member of the NCNAACP Executive Committee. Your
legacy will inform historians, and inspire freedom fighters, for generations to
come.
And
on a personal note, GOD bless you and your family, my Brother. Job well done!
Onward!
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NEW NCNAACP PRES. REV. DR. T. ANTHONY SPEARMAN
REV. DR. T. ANTHONY
SPEARMAN
ELECTED NEW NCNAACP
PRESIDENT
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
[RALEIGH]
The NCNAACP elected a new president last weekend to touts, “I’m woke, and I
ain’t skerd,” letting advocates and adversaries alike know that just because
Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II has finished his 12-year tenure as leader,
doesn’t mean the state’s oldest civil rights organization will cease it’s
aggressive battle for freedom, justice and equality.
“If
we’re going to be a justice organization, we’re going to be a justice
organization,” the new president Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, said to
applause.
“We’ve
got work to do, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and do the work fighting
the real adversaries and enemy.”
Rev.
Spearman, who is also senior pastor of St. Phillip’s A.M.E. Zion Church in
Greensboro, and president of the NC Council of Churches, thanked Dr. Barber for
his leadership, calling the president emeritus, “ My predecessor, my friend and
my mentor.”
“And
thank you to the NCNAACP for your vote, [and] your overwhelming support of me
to serve as your state conference of branches president.”
Rev. Spearman, the NCNAACP’s Third
Vice President for the past six years, hailed his opponent, Rev. Dr. Portia
Rochelle, longtime president of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP.
When
he gave his acceptance remarks at the Freedom Fund Banquet, Rev. Spearman
embraced Rev. Rochelle onstage, and remarked with pride how they both ran clean
campaigns to win. However, Spearman also took time to publicly chastise, though
not by name, several NCNAACP members who apparently worked behind the scenes to
undermine the two candidates.
“There
are some of us who are in here tonight, who did their best to divide us, and
cause a whole lot of hatred to permeate the NCNAACP,” Rev. Spearman admonished.
“And I’m here to tell you all that I will not stand for that on my watch! You
know who you are, and I want you to know that I know who you are too!
The
hundreds in attendance at the banquet wildly applauded.
Prior
to the election, Dr. Spearman vowed that he will continue down the path Bishop
Barber set in terms of challenging
the state legislature over what he sees are repressive policies hurting
the poor and communities of color.
Also
honored Saturday evening was the Greensboro NAACP Chapter, led by Branch Pres.
Rev. Dr. Cardes Brown.
Other
74th Annual NCNAACP Convention highlights includes an appearance by
veteran civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson, keynote remarks by Sen.
Cory Booker (D-NJ), whose parents hail from Hendersonville, NC, Freedom Fund
Banquet remarks from national radio /television personality Roland Martin, and
a poignant final “State of the State of Civil Rights address by outgoing
president Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II.
Next
year’s NCNAACP Convention will be held in Wilmington in October 2018.
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KEEP HOPE ALIVE - As outgoing NCNAACP Pres. Bishop Dr. William Barber listens, veteran civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson exults the audiences last weekend at the 74th Annual NCNAACP Convention in Raleigh. {Cash Michaels Photo]
KEEP HOPE ALIVE - As outgoing NCNAACP Pres. Bishop Dr. William Barber listens, veteran civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson exults the audiences last weekend at the 74th Annual NCNAACP Convention in Raleigh. {Cash Michaels Photo]
ACTIVISTS WARN ABOUT
JUDICIAL
REDISTRICTING SCHEME
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
At
last week’s 74th Annual NCNAACP Convention in Raleigh, legal
activists fighting against illegal North Carolina voting laws and
redistricting, warned that Republican-led legislative leaders are moving
steadily, especially after they commenced their second Special Session last
week, to establish judicial redistricting, and also merit selection.
The
warnings came as the NC House last week passed a law eliminating the 2018
primaries for all judicial seats across the state. Gov. Cooper vetoed the law
Monday, but Republicans plan to override the Democratic governor’s veto.
“It’s
not just about Trump,” outgoing Pres. Dr. William Barber warned those gathered
for the Voter Mobilization and Registration Session Friday. “The worst stuff
happening is happening in our state Capital.”
Over
the strong objections of judges, attorneys and citizens statewide, the NC House
passed House Bill 717 last Thursday night to redistrict all judicial officials
in the state, including prosecutors.
The
state Senate prefers appointing judges as opposed to judicial elections through
merit selection.
Isela
Gutierrez, Associate Research Director with the non-partisan, nonprofit Democracy North Carolina, charged that
judicial redistricting isn’t just about getting more Republican district and
superior court judges elected to the bench, but, just as with legislative and
Congressional redistricting, lessen the influence of black voters in overall
elections.
With
the passage of HB 717, was also a new judicial redistricting map that Gutierrez
alleged takes resources away from large black communities in Durham,
Mecklenburg, Forsyth, Guilford, Northhampton, Granville and Robeson counties.
Judges are taken from these areas, and they’re being moved to white communities.
According
to Gutierrez, judges of color are being targeted.
Plus,
32 percent of all District Court judges are double-bunked, meaning that when
elections are held, two judges – mostly Democrats – will have to run against
each other. Fifty-three percent of black judges are District Court judges.
And
in addition, the 2018 judicial primary elections were canceled, giving both
legislative houses a chance to fine-tune their respective plans in time for
January 2018.
But
schemes to change the way judges are either elected of appointed to the bench
are just the beginning,” legal activists warned. On the horizon from the
Republican-led legislature, they say, is a “voter ID constitutional amendment.”
Anita
Earls, executive director of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and
lead attorney in the Covington lawsuit which overturned the 2011
unconstitutional legislative redistricting maps (she has since argued that the
redrawn maps still harbor racially
gerrymandered districts and should be thrown out again), warned at the NCNAACP
Convention that the GOP is relentlessly pursuing more measures to gain tactical
voting advantage while they still hold legislative majorities, with the voter
ID constitutional amendment, “…possibly on the ballot in 2018.”
“That’s
going to take some rigorous fighting because we think they are going to combine
it with a bunch of other constitutional amendments…”
However,
Earls warns that the voter ID amendment will be packaged with other, more
popular amendments on the ballot, making it difficult for people to vote
against it.
“They
might have a constitutional amendment that says, “Let’s get rid of the literacy
clause in our state constitution. We all like that idea. They’re going to have
a “Vote yes on all” campaign, and in addition to voter ID, they’re going to
take away your right to vote for judges,” attorney Earls charged.
“They
want to have merit selection on the Constitution as a constitutional amendment
in May, so that by 2018…November 2018, you will not be able to vote on which
judge should sit in [NC Supreme Court Justice] Barbara Jackson’s seat.
Justice
Jackson, who is a registered Republican elected in 2010, is up for reelection
in 2018. Her term ends December 2018. If merit selection is approved, voters
would only get to vote “yes” or “no” on her reelection, no other choice
allowed.
Again,
this method was thrown out in 2016 as being unconstitutional, by state Senate
GOP leaders are hoping to figure a way around it.
Attorney Earls reminded all that it
wasn’t too long ago that GOP legislative leaders plotted to gain some advantage
of the stare Supreme Court.
“Originally
they passed a law that had appointment and retention elections, but that was
declared unconstitutional, but the legislature can’t change the Constitution.
So Judge Michael Morgan (a Democrat) was elected to the state Supreme Court.”
“Then they tried the court-packing
plan,” Earls continued. “That was pushed back against. And now they’re trying
to take away our rights by having a constitutional amendment.”
“So with stealth, and step-by-step
quietly, [Republican state lawmakers] are maneuvering to take away your right
to vote."
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 10-12-17
POSSIBLE RUNOFFS FOR
MAYOR IN RALEIGH, DURHAM
[RALEIGH]
Voters in Raleigh and Durham are likely to be heading back to the polls on Nov.
7th to decide who will serve as their next mayor as candidates in
Tuesday night’s mayoral election failed to garner the 51 percent threshold
needed to win outright. In Raleigh, at press time, incumbent three-term Mayor
Nancy McFarlane was waiting for challenger Charles Francis to call for a
runoff. McFarlane garnered over 48% of the vote versus 36 percent for Francis. Francis
told supporters Tuesday night that he wanted to wait until all of the votes
were counted before calling for a runoff, but most observers believe that he
will by the end of the week. A third candidate, a conservative Republican,
finished third with just 14 percent of Tuesday’s vote.
In
Durham, the Nov. 7th runoff is automatic, as the top two
vote-getters for mayor, Councilman Steve Schewel, with over 12,000 votes, and former City Councilman
Farad Ali, with over 7,000 votes, will faceoff next month. Musician Pierce Freelon came in third with just over 4,000 votes. The
ultimate winner will succeed outgoing Mayor Bill Bell, who has served since
2001.
SEN. CORY BOOKER IMPRESSES MANY WITH NCNAACP
LUNCHEON SPEECH
[RALEIGH]
He hasn’t announced yet, but after a stirring keynote address during the 74th
Annual NCNAACP Convention Political Action Committee Luncheon last Friday, U.S.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) impressed many to the point that there was little doubt
he may be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, if
not later. Sen. Booker has North Carolina roots – his father was a native of
Hendersonville, NC, and graduated from North Carolina Central University.
Booker urged luncheon attendees not to be dismayed by the political turmoil in
Washington, DC with the Trump Administration. “If this country has not broken
your heart you don’t love her enough,” Booker said. He urged the audience to stay determined to make America
what it should be – just to all, regardless of race, creed, gender or national
origin.
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