FROM THE WINGCOM LTD VAULT - Bill Cosby

 

Bill Cosby’s parenting initiative falls short of scapegoating

By Tomi Morris Johnson 

tomij@wingcomltd.com    ©2004 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.

Commentary: Parenting advice based on ethical principals has existed from the earliest of times. Racism, injustice and poverty, however, are powerful influences that can obliterate best intentions and limit opportunities for all but the privileged.  

November 18, 2004, Atlanta, GA…You probably have heard it all before - that black children are going to hell in a hand basket, that 58% of youth admitted to state adult prison are African American, and that the stupor black students find themselves in while using drugs and listening to rap music is eradicating the future of Black America. Yet, according to Dr. Bill Cosby, there still is hope for black youth if parents take more responsibility for their human legacies.

Cosby, a 67-year old doctoral funny man known for his television series’ Fat Albert and The Cosby Show and the film Lost, Stolen or Strayed, mixed humor with straight talk in Frederick Douglass High School’s gymnasium before a standing room only crowd of parents and mentoring groups. Security was tight, with a helicopter circling outside and dozens of uniformed and plain-clothes police all over the place. 

(Photo courtesy Bill Cosby)

A product of Philadelphia projects, William Henry Cosby, Jr. began his educational career as a failing dropout. He admits to being a poor student because he focused his energy on sports. Repeating the 10^th grade, he exited high school and after joining the Navy earned his high school diploma. Discharged in 1961, he attended Temple University but dropped out his sophomore year to pursue a comedy career. Later, he earned his BA in Radio/Television/Film from Temple, a Masters degree, and PhD in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amhurst. Today, Cosby’s net worth is estimated at $500 million. He and wife Camille have four daughters. Only son Ennis was murdered in 1997.

Bill Cosby is a survivor who has made it and sees no room for excuses.

Cosby’s tour, an initiative to help black youth, rolled into Atlanta after several black leaders criticized the “Cos” for previous statements he made which slammed black parent’s buying habits.  The educational entourage appearing onstage with Cosby included students, principals, and detention supervisors.  Platform guests made statements ranging from how we treat each other to the definition of “acting black”. 

One speaker said students should not connote “acting black” with dropped pants, provocative language, and poor school performance. “Some of our most talented students won’t carry books because they are afraid they’ll be teased for ‘acting white’. Academic excellent is consistent with being black and is something we should want to celebrate. It’s not a true statement that black parents don’t care about education, but we must voice and demonstrate it.”

Wearing a hoody and a scowl, Dr. Bill Cosby offered free parenting advice to 3,500 people atFrederick Douglass High School in Atlanta

.

Cosby is adamantly helping black youth by purporting to educate parents. “The public school system is not in the business of parenting. The teacher cannot touch your child or impose his or her will.  Teachers are underpaid, and they cry in the daytime because they see children who haven’t eaten, used soap, or been hugged.”

Asked about his bluntness, Cosby responded, “You’re damn right…how can some of you call yourself Christians when you’ve done what you’ve done in raising your child? You’re giving God a hernia asking him to help you out,” he remarked.

Dr. Cosby’s verbose image of playful and robust elementary school children turning into medicated, lackluster, teary-eyed victims by the end of high school presented a chilling warning.  “Our children are trying to tell us something, and we are not listening,” Cosby said.  “And it’s not all the white man’s fault.”

Cosby said an alarming number of children are not being tucked into bed at night because their fathers are behind bars. A great storyteller, he recounted asking a young boy, “When was the last time you saw your father?” “In court,” the child said. “And what did he say to you?” “Nothing.” Cosby said that children have pain, but few tears. Tears have been replaced by profanity, the type that embarrasses old people.

At home, Cosby said kids are seeing and hearing sex, crack heads, fighting, arguing and cursing and cannot do anything about it.  “They are being bribed by their mama’s boyfriends who give them change from $20 to go buy a carton of cigarettes…I’m troubled by people who want you to stay a sad victim because they’re making money off you being a victim. You’re a worse victim if you don’t get up and move,” Cosby continued.

“Victims are people who can’t help themselves.”

                                                    Bill Cosby

Amidst criticism from critics who say he is blaming the victim, Cosby said his mission is to help not harass, and in the long run to resuscitate the African American community. Some consider “blaming victims” scapegoating, a system of manipulation by the powerful which increases trepidation, avoids serious analysis of problems, and directs loathing toward powerless minority groups.  

Cosby’s self-help message seems uncomplicated, however, it’s easier for parents to be first-rate child stewards when they have jobs and are not living in poverty.  According to a report issued by the government and reported by Reuters in August 2004, “some 1.3 million Americans slid into poverty in 2003 as the ranks of the poor swelled to 35.9 million, with children and blacks worse off than most… The poverty line is set at an annual income of $9,573 or less for an individual, or $18,660 for a family of four with two children. Under that measure, a family would spend about a third of its income on food.”

“…we have been, by our oppressors, despoiled of our purity, and corrupted in our native characteristics, so that we have inherited their vices, and but few of their virtues, leaving us in character, really a broken people.”

                                                                 Martin Robinson Delaney, 1812-1885

Those leaves little cash for the poor to purchase $500 designer sneakers, which Cosby suggested was despicable in a previous speech, or save for college. CNN Money reported that the average tuition for undergrads attending four-year public universities jumped 10.5 percent this year. The average price of attendance, including room, board and fees, is $11,354. The average tuition at a four-year private college is $27,516. 

And not too many grandparents can help black kids out when it comes to financing college. According to Medical News Today, the median net worth of older white households ($205,000) was five times larger than for older black households ($41,000).

“If we have any courage, we'll fight for a just society instead of bash our powerless neighbour.”

http://www.bctf.bc.ca/LessonAids/online/la2030/blaming.html

Cosby told parents to participate more in the PTA, insist children do four hours of homework each night, and use the X Box as an example of what can be invented with an aptitude in algebra.

According to a study conducted by the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, “the most important reason for educational inequality between Blacks and Whites is socioeconomic. Differences in family background consistently account for about one third of the test score gap and for almost all of the inequality in rates of college entry and graduation among Black and White high school graduates.”

“Unfortunately, the cumulative disadvantage of minority youth will continue to spiral as states continue to pass more punitive laws allowing youth to be charged as adults and, therefore, subject to adult sanctions such as prison and the death penalty.”

Eileen Poe-Yamagata 

Cosby’s “what not to do” list of parenting skills included not letting just anybody come into your house.

 

Parenting advice based on ethical principals has been with us from the earliest of times. Proverbs 22:6 teaches “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Parents set examples, and children tend to become like their parents. A child skilled in wisdom and discipline will become a decent adult if not prevented by outside influences. Racism, injustice and poverty, however, are powerful pressures that can obliterate opportunities for all but the privileged few.

Racial discrimination still exists, yet Cosby suggested parents and students look back at history for lessons in black achievement. “Beat back bigots with good grades. Frederick Douglass bartered for his education. You won your quest against Lester Maddox. How did you beat him back? It’s not too late.”

“Circumstances can surely limit what even the most responsible family can achieve, but no family is really every excused from the responsibility of imaginatively fighting difficult circumstances.” 

                                                                            Shelby Steele, Educating Black Students

                                          http://www-hoover.stanford.edu/publications/books/fulltext/ed21st/93.pdf

When asked why Cosby was using the same ‘ole rhetoric while the plight of black youth seems to be worsening, Cosby’s publicist Joel Brokaw from the Los Angeles-based Brokaw Company said, “We’re trying hard to change all that.” When asked could Cosby help a poor person obtain a teaching certificate, Brokaw responded, “That’s what the Bill Cosby Foundation is for.” The Brokaw Company has been representing Cosby for 20 years.

SIDEBAR: Here are some parenting tips from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Guide to African American Parents:

Inspire hope	Make plans for emergencies
Be still and listen	Develop self-esteem
Comfort	Monitor television watching
Give information that is age appropriate	Share your faith
Help your child feel safe	Identify and avoid stress

The information in this article is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.

FROM THE WINGCOM LTD VAULT

Part II – Racial Reconciliation Series

Ahmadiyya Muslims host special event -
"Divine Leadership in the Latter Days” 

April 6, 2008, Norcross, GA…With “Love for all, hatred for none” as the centerpiece of its message, the Muslim Community hosted a special event in three ballrooms at Hilton Atlanta. Men congregated in one room, women in another, children in another. The overriding theme, peace and love, permeated the quarters, and guests who were not part of the organization were treated with respect, smiles, and gifts. All questions were answered sincerely and directly. 

“You should choose a religion which makes you feel most comfortable,” said Arrifah Khan who formerly attended a Presbyterian school and sang in a church choir. Now a Trinidadian housewife with two grown children, she came to the US recently to care for a sick niece and will return home next week. Khan seemed not to mind that she was listening to men’s speeches via a video feed to the women’s ballroom. “I am very comfortable with Islam,” she said. 

Leaders Interview

Following the informative affair, Tomi Johnson sat down with four of the organization’s leaders: Nafis Rehman, President of South East Region of Ansarullah, Atlanta, GA; Spokesman Zaki Kauser, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, Silver Spring, MD; Imam Daud Hanif, VP and Missionary In-Charge – USA, Bait-ur-Rahman Mosque, Silver Spring, MD; and Jamat President Hazeem Pudhiapura, Norcross, GA. 

Johnson: This whole gathering was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of your religious leader. Is that correct? 
Kauser:  It was actually to celebrate his successors over that last 100 years. 
Johnson: Leadership is very pivotal to what happened here today. There’s a saying in the black community that when a man can’t find a job or gets out of prison, the best job he can get is to become a preacher. How are Islamic leaders called to preach? 


Hanif: Becoming a preacher means you learn the religion and what you are going to tell the people. First, you have to understand it, learn it, and then convey it simply to the people. This is how you become a leader. But now, there are leaders who become life devotees, those who devote their lives to the service of God, and they undergo training for some years. We have seven years training, and when we complete that training, we are at the disposal of the Ahmadiyya Movement, who is the supreme head of the Ahmadiyya community, and we call him the Calipha of the Messiah. He can post us anywhere in the world. So wherever he posts us, we are tasked with giving education to the younger people and relaying the message of our group. 
 
Listen to the entire interview here 

FROM THE WINGCOM LTD VAULT - Haki Madhubuti

 

Black History Month Salute

Haki R. Madhubuti - a paradoxical, unpredictable oasis

By Tomi Morris Johnson 

 

Madhubuti teaching Johnson during interview in 1978. Photo by Phil Groshong

 

I have never met a person exuding uncompromising love and hate, showering love on his community-building protégés while shouting revolutionary hatred against racism and complacency, like Haki R. Madhubuti. Through a love/hate dichotomy, he chastises and creates.  Maneuvering hurtful and destructive actions of white perpetrators into passionate, life-giving/life-saving service, Haki has found his purpose – confronting negativity with the establishment of workable black institutions. His distain for white exploiters propels him to awaken the consciousness of his people, aspiring them to take control of their own environments though self-love, self-knowledge, and liberation. What a fantastically unpredictable brother!

My first evaluation of Haki in the ‘70’s was, “He has a furious hatred of white injustice, but smiles lovingly. Surely he can’t survive dueling emotions without exploding. Certainly he can’t deem American History a lie, constantly questioning established academia, and survive without becoming paranoid.” I was naive, yet awed with this intense, loud yet soft spoken, 27-year old, ex-military, conservatively dressed, guest speaker at Indiana University where I was a student.  His discourse weighed white bigotry against black consciousness and was held at the IU School of Business auditorium, of all places, in Bloomington where 50 years earlier 150 KKK horsemen reportedly rode down Kirkwood Avenue, around the courthouse, and into cross-burning backwoods.

I watched him move quickly to a folding table at the rear of the auditorium where he sold copies of his OWN books.  He was charismatic and industrious. He was self-published and self-promoting. How could this be, especially after he talked so bad about white folks in public? He was a professional. I was forever floored.

I gladly handed over two dollars and two quarters for Book of Life.  “Beware of quick smiles and fast words. One who smiles overmuch mis-uses his face...” was Haki’s proverb on p. 58.  His voice and eyes thanked me for the cash. The book’s cover was bathed in red, black, green and gold. Inside, some poems were too deep for me to comprehend. I copied others and slipped them into personal correspondence, always giving him credit.  Over the years, his power and message never diminished.

Seven years later, Haki accepted my invitation to preach/teach at my wedding.  I really didn’t think he would show up, him being the poet/writer/god that he was, but he did. I sent him a round trip plane ticket, and he gave me the return fare back as a wedding gift. What other celebrity would do that?

He wore an African robe and hat to the ceremony held in a black Methodist church. The officiating Presbyterian minister seemed puzzled over Haki’s inclusion. I was nervous and crying but stopped being emotional when Haki told us, the wedding couple, “Stay together, no matter what the white man does to you.”  Haki had insight because on our honeymoon, my husband’s boss threatened termination because of improperly completed leave paperwork.  Haki’s advice has followed us through 22 years of marriage.

The last time I saw Haki was the last time I worked for a major corporation.  I sort of snuck him into the manufacturing plant on a visitor’s pass. I got into trouble because the place was being robotized (de-humanized), and I didn’t get “proper approval.” Could they have known Haki or his views on technology? The last time I communicated with him (last month), he answered the telephone saying, “I’m not talking to any Negroes today.” He must have known it was me calling! He never forgets to ask about the children.

Even though he’s now “Dr.” Madhubuti he’s still Haki, a paradoxical oasis overflowing from the grassroots community he loves, a leader who cannot be properly summed up in 500 words or less. Some may say he only showers black people with love, but he does not discriminate in his hatred of joiners, non-readers, mass media addicts, elitists, artificial environmentalists, neo-racists, pacifists, euro-centric imitators, neutralizers, de-educators, and false image-makers. His life mirrors that of other strong, black, freedom fighters in our history - oases of love springing from a world of revulsion.

 

All rights reserved. All information is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be deemed libelous.

Please email comments to Tomi Johnson tomij@wingcomtld.com.

 

FROM THE WINGCOM LTD VAULT

U.S. Senator Max Cleland: running/standing while sitting down By Tomi Morris Johnson Digital images by Kurk D. Johnson tomij@wingcomltd.com. ©2002 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.

 

October 27, 2002, Smyrna, GA…Attending a political rally for Senator Max Cleland, one is uplifted by the enthusiasm and Herculean spirit that drives this career politician. A Vietnam veteran hurt during war and left with one arm, no legs, an extremely quick mind and no visual bitterness, Cleland is running another senatorial race from the seat of his wheelchair, proving that if enough people believe in what you stand for, anything can happen, God willing.

 

U. S. Senator Max Cleland (D-Georgia)	Some of the biggest names in Georgia politics supported Sen. Cleland at his 2002 kickoff campaign in Atlanta.

 

“We’re standing with Max Cleland all the way,” was the pitch made by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin at Cleland’s kickoff campaign in Underground Atlanta.  “Stand up for the people who stand up for us,” is the campaign slogan on mailers sent out by the Georgia Democratic team of Barnes (for Governor)/Cleland (for Senator)/Taylor (for Lieutenant Governor). Cleland’s past successes prove that political stature is not determined by physical height or balance, but by popularity and donations.

 

Cleland’s story is not news to Georgians.  Born and raised in metro Atlanta, Cleland volunteered to join the Army in 1967. At age 25, Cleland was injured by an explosion while picking up what he thought was his own grenade. He was decorated as a war hero. After receiving what he deemed undeserved accolades came the struggle to repair his life and the choice to represent others. He wore prosthetic devices for a while, but gave them up for a wheelchair. The wheels of his mind and chair, wheels within wheels, seem linked in constant rotation.

 

Cleland has missed out on a lot because of that explosion, but he’s found a higher calling – representing people without voices in governmental forums. Cleland never married, but he has lived out a politician’s dream of working in the Georgia State Senate and on Capitol Hill. In a 1999 Esquire Magazine article focusing on how Max Cleland lives, Charles Bowden wrote that he works “the soul and what remains of the muscle.” He has a strong body despite disability.

 

Incumbent Cleland and his campaign staff have the power necessary to raise more than twice as much money as his Republican opponent, Saxby Chambliss. In the 2002 campaign, 74% of donations have come from individuals, 21% from PAC, and 4% from others, according to The Center for Responsive Politics (http://www.opensecrets.org). Like Chambliss, Cleland contributed none of his own money to his campaign. Cleland’s top 2002 corporate contributor was BellSouth Corp ($56,050).  Top industry donations were received from lawyers ($832,915).

 

With the untimely death of Sen. Paul Wellstone from Minnesota who was described as “a friend and a champion of working families, the poor, the disenfranchised and the disabled” by former President Bill Clinton, many will be looking to Cleland to bring sensitivity and equilibrium to the Senate when it comes to issues of everyday citizens.

 

After being inspired by Senator Cleland at President Georgia W. Bush’s “Teach for America” address in Atlanta, David Scott’s campaign fundraiser, and the Cleland kickoff celebration, WingcomLtd’s Tomi Johnson decided it was time to ask him some questions, not related to HIS life, but concerning a senator’s responsibilities to citizens.

 

Johnson:  This might seem elementary, but I think a lot of our readers would like to know your comments. Why is your job important, and why are you running again for the U. S. Senate?   Cleland:  The job is important because there are only 100 members of the United States Senate. The job of the Senate is to give advice and consent to the President in terms of ambassadors, the generals who run our military, supreme court justices, federal justices who sit on the federal bench, plus all the legislative initiatives that are encountered - every issue that pertains to the quality of life of people here in Georgia.  That includes the quality of water, education, and roads. It’s all about the quality of life that we have.   Since I’ve been in politics for thirty-two years, as state senator, as head of the Veterans Administration under President Carter (and we are very proud of him for winning the Nobel Peace Prize), as secretary of state, and now as a U.S. senator for six years, I’ve been devoted to representing people and improving their quality of life. That’s what it’s all about for me, and that’s the reason I’m running for re-election.

 

Johnson: You mentioned two other things that I want to talk to you about. One was the water issue. There was a recent report in the Financial Times newspaper that said Georgia will be out of quality drinking water by the year 2005. What is being done to turn that around?

 

Cleland:  I don’t think it’s 2005, maybe by 2050…

 

Johnson: I stand corrected.

 

Cleland:  What we have to do is get the governors together. The governors are authorized by the United States Congress to enter into a water compact. The governors of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida are working on this problem. I think they are somewhat near a solution because they have been working on it for several years. It will come back to the Congress to ratify that compact or agreement.

 

Water is key to our life. Quality drinking water is key to our health. I have supported environmental protection and other measures to keep our water clean and safe. Only God Almighty can make more water, so we must conserve the water that we get.

 

Johnson:  I know that we have a Disabilities Act, but I am not too sure about what is protected in that Act. What would you as a senator like to see as far as improvement in the quality of life for disabled citizens?

“I’ve been devoted to representing people and improving their quality of life. That’s what it’s all about for me, and that’s the reason I’m running for re-election.” Senator Max Cleland   Portion of campaign flyer mailed to registered voters.►

 

Cleland:  I wrote the law in Georgia opening up access to public buildings built with public funds to the handicapped. That was in 1972 and was signed by then Governor Jimmy Carter. Since then, I’ve supported the Americans with Disabilities Act which is the federal law which basically makes reasonable accommodations for disabled people so they can work, go to public places, and participate in life and society as other people do. I think that has opened up a lot of avenues in employment, for well-being, and quality of life that disabled people didn’t have before. I’ll continue to argue that cause in the next term of the United States Senate.

 

This information is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.

©2002 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.

 

FROM THE WINGCOM LTD VAULT - Andrew Young

Advice from Andy Young:  Soar Like Eagles

By Tomi Morris Johnson.  

tomij@wingcomltd.com

©2002 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission from Tomi Morris Johnson. 

 

February 17, 2002, Atlanta, GA…New Hope A.M.E. Church in Buckhead hosted its annual Black History Month Celebration Sunday with Rev. David R. Bishop, IV, senior pastor presiding. The theme was “Remembering Our Past, Rejoicing in Our Present, and Relying on God for Our Future.” 

 

The Rev. Andrew Young was guest minister.  Young is a former adviser to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., former Ambassador to the United Nations under President Jimmy Carter, former Mayor of Atlanta, and presently is Chairman of GoodWorks, International, a strategic services consulting group. He was accompanied by his wife, Carolyn.

 

In his opening remarks, Young compared New Hope to his home church, a small but refreshing change from mega-churches.  Introduced by Celebration Co-Chairman Vince McFarlane as “one of the greatest and most humble workers in the history of mankind,” Young approached the podium and read from Deuteronomy 32:10-12 concerning the Song of Moses and God’s deliverance- saving power over Jacob and his people:

           

“He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.”

 

Young said Moses realized he was not going to reach the Promised Land, but he was comforted and reminded of his heritage. That is what Black History Month is all about – remembering that God can make a way out of no way.

 

“The purpose of an eagle is to fly,” said Young.  “In order to do that, he has to trust currents of air and the strength of his own wings. One problem with our community is that we don’t let our children fly. When you allow them to fly, you allow Our Heavenly Father, the Great Eagle, to catch them in His pinions if they fall. They learn to trust the unseen.”

 

Young remarked that he has a Good Father in Heaven, but his earthly father was not supportive of his work.  He said his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps by becoming a dentist and playing baseball.  Instead, Young became a minister and fighter for human rights. Young said while he was working with King, he was satisfied with staying in the background and whispering advice into King’s ears.

 

“MLK didn’t know what he was doing either,” he said of his early leadership years.  “He was only 29 years old, the same age as my son is now, and very immature when he started in the Civil Rights Movement. He was afraid.”

 

“He liked to swim, shoot pool, and play basketball even though he was only 5’6” tall, but he could shoot with both hands!  He learned that at the Butler Street YMCA.  He liked to talk trash, too. We were the ‘get down brothers’ that just happened to be in the right place at the right time and had courage enough to do the right thing.”

 

Young said King would have called him a fool if he had told him in 1968 that he would one day become a U.N. ambassador or mayor of Atlanta. “He would have told me I didn’t have good sense,” Young added.  “People do change.” He remarked that Americans have learned a diversified workforce aids economic development. Young said God allows a crisis to stand in our way, but we can overcome anything with amazing grace.  

 

He said America was plagued by a moral heaviness before 9/11.  “Sometimes we get too fat to fly.  That’s what September 11 taught us.  Before then, people were making money so fast that they got heavy materially and began to worship the stock market, cars, homes and even family.” Young added that tithing and putting God first will lead to prosperity and less waste. 

 

“You’re simply a steward,” Young said.  “God stirs up the nest and creates a crisis to help us understand that through adversity, we must strengthen ourselves and believe in Him.”  

 

Young said that one of the darkest times in his life happened when President Jimmy Carter removed him from the United Nations. “I’ve been laid off.  I came back home broke.  I had no interest in leaving the U.N.” He said he was discouraged from talking to highly educated middle easterners, “terrorist” prisoner Nelson Mandela and his followers, and South African Bishop Desmond Tutu.

 

“Less that a month later, I was asked to run for mayor, proving that as one door closes, another one opens.”  He said he inherited Atlanta's messed up finances similar to ones inherited by present Mayor Shirley Franklin. He ended his remarks by saying, “God’s way is always the right way. He is the powerful Eagle of our lives.”

This information is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.  

FROM THE WINGCOM VAULT - Ellen Sirleaf

Liberian president briefs countrymen in Atlanta Millions of dollars and lives at risk

---

By Tomi Morris Johnson 
Photos & web design by Kurk D. Johnson 
© WingcomLTD 2007 All Rights Reserved.

May 20, 2007, Atlanta, GA…When Liberian President Ellen Johnson–Sirleaf was asked what she expected from Liberians living at home and abroad, she answered firmly, “Commitment, honesty, hard work, peace.” This drew applause.

Johnson-Sirleaf’s progress report, announced by a talking drum, was made in an uncomfortably hot, luxury ballroom in the opulent Four Seasons Hotel – in a room with 132 chairs, 12 unseated members of the press, local dignitaries, and an overflow crowd of beautifully attired and well educated Liberians. Event planners underestimated the president’s popularity, the crowd’s need for answers, and failed to provide adequate security services usually afforded heads of state. H.E. Johnson-Sirleaf, 68, appeared composed, seasoned and serious.

 

Standing for hours, journalists were not allowed to ask Johnson-Sirleaf questions, including those referring to the expiration of U.S. Temporary Protective Status (TPS). Status exclusion could force over 350,000 Liberians back to a republic ill prepared to receive them at 12:01 a.m., October 1, 2007. 

An uplifting moment occurred at the end of the briefing when three verses of the Liberian National Anthem were sung in unison and sustained harmony, emphasizing the belief that God will defend and help Liberia when man fails.

Response

Walter B. Skinner, Treasurer of the Liberian Association of Metro Atlanta, said the informative, frank update given by Johnson-Sirleaf gave Liberians hope. “I don’t see anyone here who is really ready to go back in the fall. Most people are willing to go back at their own pace, but not to go back because they have to.”

The initial mission of Skinner’s organization was to help Liberian students in the U.S., but it has expanded “to galvanize community support of Liberian citizens at home and to make more people aware of the relationship between Liberia and the U.S.,” Skinner said.

“China is bringing a lot of economic expansion into Liberia. With economic expansion, security is boosted. People who are going back to work won’t have time to be thinking maliciously. Economic recovery will reduce the current security risk tremendously,” Skinner added.

Dr. Walter Young is Honorary Consul General to Liberia. “President Johnson-Sirleaf gave a very excellent briefing and covered the present situation in Liberia very adequately. Isaiah 35:1 basically states: ‘The people will rejoice, and the desert will blossom like a rose.’ Before the President came, Liberia was…a forsaken, difficult place. She has revived it,” Young stated.

Good governance must improve economy.

Comments were also solicited from CPA Robert Kilby, a native Liberian now living in metro-Atlanta. Kilby is an expert on Sarbanes-Oxley, a law passed in response to a number of major U.S. accounting scandals. Kilby stated that although Johnson-Sirleaf has strong international support, she must defend her administration against corrupt individuals who are making concerted efforts to regain employment in the present government and others who have begun to infest the psyche of the Liberia people with counter productive; socialist views. Kilby added that the Johnson-Sirleaf administration "should devise both short and long range plans for building the country’s technology infrastructure, tax base, revenue generation, and business development programs. A viable roadmap towards this end is to begin an initiative that will enable the government to meet the economic criteria mandated by the Millennium Challenge Corporation." (See www.mcc.gov for details).

CPA Robert Kilby said Johnson-Sirleaf has a challenging, surmountable job ahead of her.

Room Accommodations

Johnson-Sirleaf’s speech to a brimming crowd gave the appearance of enhanced popularity and an important agenda, but safety comes first. In a room with movable walls, fire code regulations, and excessive numbers of people, venue coordinators should have rectified the unsafe condition, especially since the president of a country was a guest.

Deemed an impromptu, town hall meeting, the scene mirrored the close proximity one would expect in a can of sardines…space was at a premium.

At high profile events, hotel employees should be proactive and compromising instead of apologetic in hindsight. When Four Seasons’ representatives were asked about the overcrowded accommodations, they replied “planning was last minute,” and “although food was not being served, catering was responsible for making empty, adjoining rooms not paid for available for crowd overflow.” Our capacity concerns were referred to Jolinda Cohavi, director of hotel sales, who did not return our call.

Security and courtesy lacking

President Johnson-Sirleaf, also known as “Iron Lady,” “Titanium Wonder,” and “Superwoman Wannabee,” survived a fire at her presidential palace on Independence Day 2006. The fire was rumored to have been set by rebels, yet Johnson-Sirleaf was not afforded appropriate presidential security at the Four Seasons.

WingcomLtd reporter Tomi Johnson pictured with Johnson-Sirleaf.

Although some say Madame President deems herself infallible, the prospect of an injurious stampede arising from a security breach was evident. To add insult to injury, security personal occupied seats which should have gone to women left standing in the hall’s periphery. Had “southern hospitality” and respect for international leadership suddenly gotten amnesia? Johnson-Sirleaf, a stunning role model for millions, deserved better.

According to her government’s website, Johnson-Sirleaf’s travels benefited the republic $141 million in 2006.

Stakeholders

Event sponsors included the Carter Presidential Center, Georgia Tech’s School of Social Work, Emory University, the Apex Museum, and a host of Liberian support organizations.

The United States is not the only nation helping Liberia. The European Union, China, Nigeria, Libya and Cuba have made significant contributions for reasons ranging from humanitarian to economic. According to the online CIA World Fact Book, Liberia is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, climate favorable to agriculture, raw timber, rubber, palm oil and diamonds. Only 10% of the land is being used. Tourism could boom if peace and security is restored. This could take years and will surely be undertaken by future administrations.

What’s next for Liberia?

President Johnson-Sirleaf can make significant contributions to Liberia if she accepts technological challenges, surrounds herself with the right people; and takes advantage of the World Bank’s Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP) and the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The political system must also groom a successor.

GEMAP controls financial abuse by placing internationally recruited financial controllers in the Central Bank, National Port Authority, Forestry Development Authority, Roberts International Airport, and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company. MCC reinforces and provides aid to countries who maintain good governance, economic freedom and investments in people based on 16 independent and transparent policy indicators which leads to eligibility for Compact Assistance.

Liberian Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Bropleh (r), accompanied Johnson-Sirleaf on her trip.

Notes from Presidential briefing: 

• Security – Old Army dismantled. 1st recruits including nine army officers graduated after U.S. contractor training. Objective: 2,000 member army. 13,000 UN peacekeepers in place. Robbery, theft from transport containers, and land snatching is a problem.

• Economy – Next harvest should guarantee enough food for population. $7 billion investment over 7 years in mining sector. Western Mining Process revised. Kimberly Process guidelines met – diamond sanctions lifted. Fisheries need control; no coast guard. $4 billion in external debt. Bob Johnson business initiative a plus. Recent fundraising trip to Atlanta raised $350,000. Duty free shipments a problem. 80 contracts cancelled. Need business development.

• Infrastructure – in process of building new roads. Many citizens still without electricity, land lines and cell phone service. IFC to go private. President’s former employer, World Bank, has committed to Transition Support Fund (TSF) to improve infrastructure, but will require more debt.

• Tourism – hoping to work out deal with Delta Airlines so tourists can take advantage of beaches and rain forest.

• Employment – 17,000 ghost names removed from government payroll. Civil servants are being paid.

• Human Rights – legislation need.

• Health – 70% of health services previously provided by humanitarian efforts may soon be lost.

• Governance – definition of “city” needs clarification. Census (not taken in 20 years) in planning stage. Need Land Reform Commission to manage ownership disputes.

The information in this article is the opinion of the author based on known facts and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.

 

FROM THE WINGCOM VAULT - Bill Dickey golf

 

Raise your G.P.A. - lower your handicap: Dickie and Disney sponsor adolescent golfers who excel academically, socially, and athletically By Tomi Morris Johnson. Photos by Kurk Johnson tomij@wingcomltd.com.  ©2002 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.

 

June 22, 2002, Lake Buena Vista, FL…It’s nice being able to learn the game of golf – knowing how to hit little balls off Ts, flying them straight, and having the finesse and aim to make balls drop into holes.  In addition, it is especially nice to win. Sometimes, however, winning a game of golf is secondary to playing for keeps. Coupled with academic aptitude and relationship building, you can use golfing skills to win on and off the golf course. That is just what William “Bill” Dickey and the 3^rd Annual Invitational Junior Golf Championship held June 22 at Walt Disney World ® emphasized.

 

		“It takes brain power to play golf,” said Bill Dickey, founder and president of the National Minority Junior Golf Scholarship Association (NMJGSA) who started playing golf rather late in life compared to some of his program’s participants. “I started playing at a local club in Phoenix, AZ in 1946,” Dickey said. “As I got near retirement age, I knew I wanted to start a national golf program for African Americans and minorities. It was easier to get kids involved because with adults, you run up against big egos. Moreover, many adult golfers back then faced segregated clubs.
			“Golfing breeds character, honesty and develops life skills,” Dickey said. “Some people give up on golf because it’s tough, however, one lesson that I’ve learned is that CEOs hear about an employee’s game, play him or her, and the next thing you know, that golfer has moved up the corporate ladder.” Dickie, a retired 74-year-old real estate and insurance executive, has three daughters, four grandsons, three great grand children, and is married to Alice Dickie.   Bill Dickey talks to Tomi Johnson about young golfers.

 

“In 1981, when I was President of Western States Golf Association, we had our first tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona with132 youth players and raised $1,500. The second year, we raised $5,000. In 1985, our first NMJGSA scholarship recipient went to Prairie View A & M.  For this year’s tournament, we’ve raised around $250,000 for scholarships from corporate sponsors and individual players.” Since 1984, NMJGSA has awarded over $1,200,000 in scholarships to over 700 minority students nationwide.

 

Dickie is often regarded as a celebrity. When approached at the Championship’s opening reception by a bartender with a MIKE nametag on his jacket that said, “It’s sure a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Dickie,” Bill beamed with appreciation.  “When you start playing golf and seeing that other minorities can also play, it opens you up and lets you build lasting relationships,” Dickie said. “People respect that.”

 

The NMJGSA was established to provide minority youngsters exposure to the fundamentals of golf. Its mission is to increase the participation of them in the sport, provide financial assistance, and encourage their professional development.  The association focuses on scholarships, grants, internships, and employment opportunities.  Awards range from one-time grants of $1,000 to four-years worth as much as $6,000 annually. Awards are based on academic achievement, entrance exam scores, financial need, references, evidence of community service, and golfing ability.

 

Founder Dickey was the first African American to receive the Distinguished Service Award for the Professional Golfers Association (PGA). He also received the United States Golf Association (USGA) 2001 Dey Award, given in recognition of meritorious service to the game as a volunteer. Dickie is a past board member of the American Junior Golf Association, the National Minority Golf Foundation, and serves on the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship selection committee.

 

Greg Marshall, executive director of NMJGSA, described Bill Dickey as a powerful force of nature: a constant, focused, single –minded individual with a real concern for people. “I admire what he has created to help kids. He takes my breath away!. He’s not the kind of guy who goes left on Thursday and then right on Friday. He was helped himself by the late Dr. Lincoln Johnson Ragsdale, Sr., an entrepreneur and civil rights leader, who was his role model.”     (L to R) Greg Marshall, NMJGSA executive director; Hardy Dorsey, Consultant; Bob Billingslea, NMJSA Board Member, Walt Disney World Resort; & Jonathan Jones, Member, NMJSA Board of Directors & British Open Sponsor.

 

Marshall said Dickey started NMJGSA in Arizona, which is one of the greatest places to golf because of its sunny climate with rare rainfall.  NMJGSA has offices in Phoenix and Austin. Unfortunately, the 2002 Championship at Lake Buena Vista, Florida is scheduled every year in June, the height of the rainy season. The courses, however, are some of the finest in the country and include Bonnet Creek Golf Club, Osprey Ridge, and Eagle Pines.  According to Monica Smith, mother of youth golfer Doug Smith, II from Versailles, KY, “They’ll play either rain or shine.” The golfer’s curfew was 11:00 pm; the wake-up call was 5:30 am.

 

Andrea Van Leesten from Los Angeles, CA and Monica Smith from Versailles, KY accompanied their children to golf Dickey tournament. Youth golfer Derrick Carrington (ctr.) says the sport puts minorities in a “better light.”     This year’s championship players included the top golfers from all minority junior golf programs and tournaments held around the USA. Forty single-digit handicap, high school players, ages ranging from 15–18, competed in the 54-hole medal play tournament.  Eleven girls played in the invitational this year. Golfer’s G.P.A.s ranged from 2.5 to 5.2.

 

Derrick Carrington is a 17 year old from Cleveland’s Warrensville Heights High School. He likes movies and basketball, but he wants to play college golf and aspires to make the PGA Tour.  “ Right now, I’m here to help Bill Dickie out,” Carrington said laughingly, but added, “I think he’s a really good guy.  I also want to bring minorities into a better light.”

 

Erica Battle, who has placed first in many golf challenges and has a 4.2 G.P.A. from Irmo High School in Columbia, SC added, “It’s not all about playing golf…it’s about the relationships you make.”

 

Going into the tournament, the clear leader was Teddy Collins, a 16-year-old from Manlius, New York with a driving range of 260 yards and a 5.2 G.P.A. (And that’s no error!) His credentials include 1^st place in the 2001 PGA Junior Series, the 2001 Pro Link Upstate Men’s Open, 2001 Yaz Consalvo Match Play Qualifier, and 2001 Central New York PGA Junior Tour.  Collins is also an advanced chess player who wants to obtain a chemical engineering degree from Stanford, Duke or Penn State. Collins ended up winning the 3-day tournament, which only lasted two days because of rain.  The winning female was Lauren Espinosa, 16, from Irving, Texas who also placed 1^st in the 2001 Callaway Junior All-Star Championship.

 

Steve R. Hogan, president and CEO of Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes Foundation, runs a golf facility and learning center in Omaha, Nebraska.  “Bill Dickey is my role model.  Because of his inspiration, I started helping three kids and it has turned into helping 650 golfers. Now it’s up to us to follow his example.  Golf is good because it’s the hook to a better future.”   Steve Hogan poses with youth golfer Doug Smith, II.

 

And what has Tiger Woods done for the game of golf? Do these young golfers see themselves as the next Tiger Woods? “Tiger came along and created a great interest in the game and made it highly visible,” Dickie said.

 

“Tiger is a universal person,” said Gregory Hunt of Chesapeake, Virginia, who accompanied his son, 15-year-old son Gregory, to the tournament. “Tiger has tweaked the game to its finest. Some of the best players can’t understand the game he plays.  He has elevated golf to a new level, he’s very approachable, and he’s also tight with his money.”   Tiger Woods was presented on a NMJGSA film during opening reception of Dickey golf tournament.

 

“Golf has been a great experience,” said Hunt, taking out a picture from his wallet of him and Tiger.  “We’re with the South East Junior Golf Academy, which has about 60 world-class golfers.  Keeping the interest up in minority kids for playing a non-traditional sport is a problem.  This is a new experience for them. Once they reach the level of taking the game seriously, I say around 2017, we may have two or three on the PGA tour, but that will require a lot of dedication, concentration, skill, and $50,000 in the bank.  Kids can play on the tour as young as age twelve, but at 18, they can go unchaperoned.”

 

(L to R)  Mike Van Leesten, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Mashantucket, CT; Michele and Mark Sebastian, Nantucket, CT; and Richard Butler, Nantucket, CT accompanied their children to golf tournament.

To learn more about the NMJGSA, go to http://www.nmjgsa.org/.        

This information is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.