Topic: Discrimination

Home vandalism stirs alarm in Jackson, TN; incident viewed as ‘hate crime’

By Turner McCullough Jr. | April 28, 2008 |

Racial epithets amid high dollar vandalism alarms citizens, but not police

Vandalism of a Dorothy Cove home in Jackson has caused alarm and distress. The Jackson Police Department (JPD), is investigating the vandalism as a property crime. The damage has been estimated at between $8,00 and $10,000. However the Jackson-Madison County Branch of the NAACP has said it views the incident also as a hate crime. Police have not denied that racial epithets were found at the home last Tuesday, as part of their investigation.

Harrel Carter, president of the Jackson-Madison County NAACP Branch issued a press statement denouncing the hate crime. He based the characterization on the presence of racial epithets found in the home on Dorothy Cove. Carter held a press conference in the lobby of the Jackson Police Department, 234 Institute St.

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Native Cultural Circle members confer with state legislators

By Turner McCullough Jr. | April 26, 2008 |

NCC members meet with State Senator Rosalind Kurita. (l-r) Dr. James Cossingham-member; Virginia Moore-Secretary; Senator Kurita; Virginia Moore-Secretary, Doug Kirby-President. (Not shown- Turner McCullough Jr-member/photographer)

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NAACP Springfield reactivation underway

By Turner McCullough Jr. | April 21, 2008 |

Clarksville Branch officials support neighboring branch efforts

The NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Springfield Branch is currently undergoing a reactivation and reorganization effort. The branch had lapsed into an inactive status. However, citizens recently have expressed their desire to see the branch once again active and engaged in local affairs as an advocate and watchdog for their civil rights.

Rev. Gardner with Terry McMoore and Jimmie M. Garland Sr. of Clarksville Branch NAACP.

Rev. James Gardner, president of the Springfield Branch, conducted the meeting. The reactivation meeting was attended by more than sixty citizens. He thanked those attending. He stated that the main objective at this point is to increase the membership level to the critical threshold for activation as a viable branch. Due to recent constitution changes, branches are now required to have a minimum of 100 members for activation.

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Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon at APSU

By Debbie Boen | March 27, 2008 |

“Everybody gets several opportunities in life to risk everything they have to become what they can be.”

– Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon

Dr. Jill Eichhorn of Women’s Studies, APSU, told me that she didn’t know exactly what Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon would do for us, but guaranteed that whatever she brought to us would be “great.” Since Jill knows well my interest in civil liberties, and since CO author Terry McMoore had published a story about Dr. Reagon coming here on March 19, I knew I had to see this.

Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon is Professor Emeritus of History at American University. She recently retired after 30 years from performing with Sweet Honey in the Rock, a cappella ensemble she founded in 1973.

APSU President Tim Hall said he knew how music has the capacity to make us listen. It arrests and challenges us. Growing up in a family whose father led singing in the car after church, Hall couldn’t think about war without hearing the song in his head, Where have all the flowers gone by Peter, Paul, and Mary. When civil rights issues surface his mind visits the song, We shall overcome. So it was that he welcomed with utmost respect the civil rights leader, speaker, singer and composer, Bernice Johnson Reagon, to speak. «Read the rest of this article»

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Iowa court ruling: No tax dollars to be spent on prison rehab rooted in religion

By Charles Moreland | January 27, 2008 |

The State of Iowa captured the attention of the nation recently with the vigorous political campaigns within their borders.

Day after exhausting day this mid-western state was daily on TV and in the news. It overshadowed and neglected a recent but equally newsworthy event, yet this eclipsed event deserves an equally careful hearing and analysis.

The issue: a judgment by the 8th Circuit Court.

Americans United [for Separation of Church and State] won a lawsuit in federal court challenging the Iowa Corrections Department’s support for Charles Colson’s InnerChange, a prison program that trains inmates in evangelical Christianity.

“Faith-based” initiatives, which propose turning the provision of social services over to religious groups, threaten individual rights and could lead to taxpayer support of religious ministries. In those cases where religious groups want to take tax aid to provide relief, they should first agree to run secular programs and drop all forms of religiously based discrimination from their hiring policies.” – Americans United for Separation of Church and State

This Iowa court rendered a profound, sharp and ringing endorsement on on religion and the use of tax-dollars to support and subsidize the “Inner Change Freedom Initiative” [ICFI] in Iowa prisons. «Read the rest of this article»

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day events

By Jimmie Garland, Sr. | January 18, 2008 |

The Clarksville Branch of the NAACP #5582 will host its annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative celebration starting with a Sunday January 20th worship service, which will be held 5:00 pm, at Greater Missionary Baptist Church.

The guest speaker will be Chaplain Alvin Miller, Pastor of the South Chapel located on the Fort Campbell, KY military base. Both churches’ choirs will be combined for this occasion in order to perform the music for the service. Refreshments will be served.

On Monday January 21st from 9am-noon will feature a poster contest, educational classes, and informative seminars for all ages, starting at 9am at Burt Elementary School located in downtown Clarksville. These programs are sponsored by local sororities and other civic organizations.

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorative march through the city will leave Burt School around noon.

The NAACP extends an open invitation to everyone regardless of their ethnicity to participate in these events.

The mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. For questions or more information please call Elder Frank E. Washington at (931) 980-1918.

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MLK Day: A day we should celebrate all year

By Scott Beasley | January 16, 2008 |

January 21st is Dr. Martin Luther King Day,

Dr. King was an American leader, not solely a leader for African-Americans. He taught us to fight racism and bigotry with intelligence, knowledge, and education, not violence. He wanted people of every color to have the same rights and opportunities, and tremendous progress has been made in those arenas for which he is directly responsible.

Sadly, we still have a long way to go and I’m not sure some will ever view others as equals because of their skin color. Skin color is a descriptive characteristic holding no more importance than eye color or height. Unfortunately, no matter how people are viewed, some only see the differences among ourselves in a negative way. «Read the rest of this article»

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‘We’re all in this together,’ OR are we?

By Turner McCullough Jr. | October 23, 2007 |

Mayor’s denial raises concerns

The recent discord over the makeup of the City Charter Review and Revision Committee has revealed a most unpleasant undercurrent in our government and our community. The fact that this committee, which will revise the city’s primary policy document, lacks any minority participation has caused many to question the selection process and the fairness of the results. «Read the rest of this article»

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