National
Dr. William R. Hite Jr., from the Prince George's County Public Schoools system in Maryland, has been appointed superintendent and CEO of the School District of Philadelphia, the School Reform Commission (SRC) announced Friday.
Hite was one of two finalists for the job. The other, Pedro Martinez, has been named superintendent of Reno, Nevada-based Washoe County School District, that district's Board of Trustees announced Friday.
However, even before the Martinez's announcement, Hite seemed the obvious choice.
He met this week with school and city leaders and was endorsed by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, chairman of the education committee, and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson.
While in Prince George's County, Hite oversaw the nation's eighth-largest school district, one that educates 135,000 students and contains 200 schools.
His resume also includes a stint as assistant superintendent for Atlanta's Cobb County School District before his PGCS appointment, where he was responsible for 15 schools and 18,000 students.
The Philadelphia school district has over 160,000 students.
In Prince George's County, Hite was known for his work on Intensive Support and Intervention Schools to support the most needy schools and at-risk students, while forging a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh.
He also led PGCS through a massive reorganization, a skill on which Hite will need to rely heavily as Philadelphia's superintendent.
Announcing the SRC's selection, Chairman Pedro A. Ramos said, "Today, we take a giant step toward providing safe, high quality educational opportunities for all Philadelphia children. Dr. Hite is an eminent educator and a proven transformative leader."
Mayor Michael Nutter stated, "I was very impressed with Dr. Hite's passion and commitment to educating children, support for the professional development of teachers and principals, and his dedication to working with the broader Philadelphia community. He understands that a high performing, high expectation system of schools is critical to the future of the City of Philadelphia. I would like to thank Wendell Pritchett for leading this effort by chairing the search committee and to all of the members of the community who attended meetings, offered advice and were involved in this thorough process."
For a decade, Philadelphia's school superintendents have been lightning rods for criticism.
Hite's immediate predecessor, Arlene Ackerman, left last year under a barrage of controversy, with criticism from parents, the mayor and City Council for her handling of items ranging from school reform to budget negotiations with the city.
The new superintendent will be faced with a growing budget crisis and ongoing reform efforts.
With a budget deficit that is now poised to jump from $218 million to more than $270 million, the SRC will either have to implement another round of cuts, on top of already deep cuts, or borrow to close its spending gap. Already the district, its students and parents are dealing with several rounds of layoffs and furloughs.
Martinez' sudden exit from the running came early Friday with a statement from the Washoe County School District.
"We are excited to welcome Pedro Martinez to the Washoe County School District. In addition to strong leadership, Pedro brings a tremendous amount of passion for high-quality education, our 63,000 children, and this community. As we continue to move our school district forward, we know Pedro will continue the important work in our strategic plan and will do that work by talking with everyone in our schools and community," said Board President Ken Grein in a statement released by the WCSD. "We are thrilled to welcome him, and we know our successes will continue as he assumes this critical role."
WCSD has 63,000 students and includes schools in Reno, Incline Village, Gerlach and Wadsworth.
Martinez and Hite Jr. survived an extensive vetting process that included more than a dozen other candidates. By the time it was all over on Friday, Hite said he was happy to have been chosen.
"Philadelphia is one of America's greatest cities, and I am excited about the opportunities that it offers. I look forward to working with the leaders and families of this city as we work to improve the lives of our youth," said Hite.
While details surrounding the transition are still being determined, Search Team Chair and SRC Commissioner Dr. Wendell Pritchett reiterated the SRC's commitment to an open and transparent process. "We will make Dr. Hite's contract public as soon as it is finalized," said Pritchett.
Rodney King Remembered as 'Symbol of Forgiveness'
Rodney King, who suffered a brutal beating in 1991 at the hands of four Los Angeles police officers, was laid to rest Saturday following a public memorial. His burial which captured by news cameras, took place at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, Calif.
King was found dead in the swimming pool at his home in Rialto,Calif., on June 17. The death has been ruled as an accidental drowning and authorities are still waiting on the results of an autopsy report.
"I will remember his smile, his unconditional love," King's daughter Laura Dene King, 28, said. "He was a great father, a great friend; he loved everyone. People will just have to smile when they think of him."
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy, described King as a symbol of forgiveness, who bore the scars of his infamous beating with dignity.
He also said during a news conference prior to the funeral that King never showed bitterness to the officers who beat him.
"People should not be judged by the mistakes that they make, but by how they rise above them," Sharpton said. "Rodney had risen above his mistakes, he never mocked anyone, not the police, not the justice system, not anyone."
King, who was 47, was also most famously known for his plea, "Can we all just get along?" He filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles in 1992, which later netted him a settlement in excess of $3 million.
Work of CBC Foundation to be Highlighted during Four-Day Session
WASHINGTON - The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) will host its 42nd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) from September 19-22 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. This year's conference theme is "Inspiring Leaders| Building Generations." U.S. Representatives Gwen Moore of Wisconsin and Andre Carson of Indiana are serving as honorary co-chairs of the conference.
ALC provides an outlet to highlight the mission of CBCF - to develop leaders, to inform policy and to educate the public. It also provides dozens of forums to address the critical challenges facing the African-American community. The Foundation will offer numerous session tracks to present high level, thought-provoking, engaging and useful information. The town hall discussion will center around conversations about voting rights and voter suppression. The third installation of the research report Breaking Barriers 3 will be released during ALC and further define academic success for school-aged African-American males. CBCF Fellows will return to present their popular Alumni Series and the popular Black Party networking affair will return.
In addition, scholarship recipients in the performing arts will be recognized during the Celebration of Leadership, and CBC members and spouses will join together for a community outreach project. The conference will culminate with its awards/fundraising dinner. Proceeds from ALC are used to fund educational opportunities and program outreach.
"The Annual Legislative Conference brings together policy-makers, educators, business and industry leaders, celebrities, media, emerging leaders and everyday Americans to discuss and solve issues that are important to all Americans," said Elsie L. Scott, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer for CBCF. "The conference is recognized as one of the most important gatherings of African-American leaders in the nation. In addition, attendees recognize the importance of what CBCF accomplishes in the community and have supported our efforts to provide scholarships, internships and fellowships, and to improve economic parity and reduce health disparities."
House Republicans essentially ignored the Congressional Black Caucus' (CBC) vow of a boycott Thursday, having proceeded with a vote to hold U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in criminal contempt for terminating the "Fast and Furious Operation," described as an unfortunate operation that began under the Bush Administration.
In an expression of its opposition to partisan activity aimed at Holder, the CBC which had the support of other Democrats as well as Hispanic, Asian Pacific American and Progressive caucuses, maintained that Congress's decision to forge ahead with a vote, had been regarded as a "political stunt," and that a contempt hearing would distract both the Congress in its duty to pass legislation as well as interfere with the Department of Justice in its duty to investigate and pursue real crimes.
The precedent-setting vote -- marking the first time a sitting Cabinet member has been held in contempt -- came after Holder had adamantly refused to hand over nearly 8,000 documents related to the botched gun-tracking operation.
The CBC comprises more than 40 members. Its boycott was reminiscent of similar action taken in 2008 by Republicans after Democrats -- then in control of the House -- voted to hold two top Bush Administration officials in contempt of Congress.
In a letter to supporters this week, the CBC had sought wide-spread unity in its pursuit of justice for Holder, saying that over the past 15 months, the Justice Department had cooperated with the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's requests for information on "Fast and Furious."
The CBC's letter stated in part that:
"In its history, the United States House of Representatives has never held a United States Attorney General, or any other Cabinet official, in contempt. "
Prior to Congress's vote, the CBC had insisted that instead of Republicans being focused on holding Holder in contempt, their time would be better spent creating jobs.
Bernette Joshua Johnson, an associate justice on the Louisiana Supreme Court for nearly two decades, is poised to assume the post of chief justice early next year when the current judge Catherine D. Kimball, retires in January.
But Johnson, who was first elected to the state's highest court in 1994, is the second longest serving jurist on the bench and is next in line for the post, faces opposition.
Kimball has not only called for a hearing to determine her successor, she has also issued an order recusing Johnson from sitting on the panel that will determine how the issue will be resolved.
Ron Wilson is one of the attorneys who successfully sued Louisiana in 1986 for Voting Rights Act violations surrounding the state's manner of selecting Supreme Court justices. "The constitution says who the chief justice will be, not the state Supreme Court," Wilson was quoted as saying a National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) report.
Marc H. Morial, National Urban League president and an original plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed on Johnson's behalf, has likewise responded saying any efforts to derail Johnson's a appointment is an affront to the Voting Rights Act.
Another plaintiff, Ron Chisom, stated his support.
"Justice Bernette Johnson isn't a token judge; she's a real judge," Chisom said in the NCBCP report. "I'm honored to play any role in fighting for her."
Meanwhile, Johnson just one of just a few African-American jurists to serve on Louisiana's high court. The others include Justice Jesse Stone who was appointed to briefly serve in 1979 and Justice Revius Ortique, who was elected to a seat on the court in 1992.
There is a three year gap between Black and White students. Many people love to believe it's due to income, fatherlessness, educational attainment of the parent and lack of parental involvement. I believe that a major reason for the gap is that we continue to close school for the summer – as if we were an agrarian economy. And I doubt that many Black youth will be farming this summer. If you multiply three months by 12 years you will see the three year gap. It is my opinion that Black youth would have fewer academic challenges if their schools remained open during the summer and/or their parents kept them academically engaged.
Middle-income parents who value education enroll their children in some type of academic experience during the summer. They also visit libraries, museums, zoos and colleges. Other parents allow their children to sleep longer, play more video games, watch more television and play basketball until they can't see the hoop. These students will have to review the same work they had mastered in May, when the school year begins in September.
Black parents cannot allow their children to lose three months every year. Black parents should not say they cannot afford to take their child to the library. It's free! Most museums have discounted days. A male friend of mine shared his experience with me when he took his family to the museum. He wondered why so many people were staring at him. His wife and children had to tell him he was the only Black man in the building! I am appealing to every father to take his children to the library this summer, and to include a visit to the museum, and the zoo. And I am appealing to every mother to make other arrangements, if the father cannot or will not take the children.
We need for every parent to make sure that their child reads at least one book per week and to write a book report. I am reminded of the formula Sonya Carson used to develop Ben Carson to become the best pediatric neurosurgeon. This low-income single parent, with a third grade education, had enough sense to tell her sons to turn off the television, read a book and write a report that her sister would grade!
I have a theory. I believe that I can go into your house and within five minutes tell you the type of student who lives there and predict his/her future. I believe that the items needed in the home of engineers, doctors, lawyers and accountants are very different from the ballplayers, rappers, and criminals. I am very concerned that when I visit a house that has more CDs and downloads than books. My company African American Images has designed a special collection of books for boys. The specific set that I am referencing is titled, Best Books for Boys. We also have one for parents and teachers. We have found the sets to be very resourceful since research indicates that one of the major reasons why boys dislike reading is because of the content.
Let's work together to close the gap. I look forward to your children's teacher asking them how they spent their summer ... and your children proudly answering by saying that they went to the library, museum, zoo, colleges and other great educational institutions.
Enjoy your summer!
Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu is the author of more than 35 books including, "There is Nothing Wrong with Black Students and Raising Black Boys."
For additional information, contact 1-800-552-1991, Fax# (708) 672-0466. P.O. Box 1799, Chicago Heights, IL 60412. Website: http://www.africanamericanimages.com, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Elaine Anderson has been following the fallout from the hazing death of a 26-year old Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University [FAMU] drum major with increasing dismay.
Anderson, a 49-year-old Tallahassee real estate broker and mother of two, said Robert Champion's death was totally unnecessary and as details of his death emerge, has cast a pall over two renowned institutions: the university and the famed Florida A&M Marching 100.
"It's disappointing first and foremost because someone died," she said. "But it's very disappointing that an HBCU [historically black college or university] was involved. And it's not just that, but it's also because the Marching 100 is a classic. The repercussions go far beyond the school and will likely affect different elements of the institution for years to come."
Champion, an Atlanta resident, died last November after what police described as an incident of hazing. He died after witnesses said he ran a gauntlet where he was beaten with drum fists, bass drum mallets and drumsticks. Champion is alleged to have entered a bus in a parking lot in Orlando at the Florida Classic football game in the hopes of gaining his peers respect by enduring the abuse.
Called the "cross over," successful completion of the ritual – making it from the front to the back of the bus – meant full initiation into the band. Champion died later on the night of November 19 from the complications of blunt force trauma.
A criminal investigation into Champion's death led to the arrest of 13 band members. Eleven of them were charged with felony hazing for allegedly beating him to death. A judge set the trial date for October.
The Marching 100 has a storied past with invitations to perform at lavish events and ceremonies, several Super Bowls and presidential inauguration ceremonies.
Champion's death has pulled back the curtain and exposed a culture of hazing, a pervasive practice that has been a not-so-secret part of the marching band for decades.
Yet even as band members past and present detailed examples of beatings and physical violence, school officials from the president on down, claim no knowledge of the band members' activities.
Sharon Saunders, FAMU's chief communications officer, said two investigations are still underway. One is being conducted by the Florida Board of Governors concerning the administration's response to hazing reports and institutional controls to prevent hazing. And the other, a criminal investigation, is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement related to the use of band finances.
Since Champion's death, FAMU President James Ammons has been buffeted by criticism and endured increasing calls for him to step aside. Despite a recent vote of no-confidence by FAMU's Board of Trustees, Ammons refuses to resign promising that he will fix the problems.
The 8-4 vote reflects the trustees' displeasure with Ammons' handling of the hazing death, and concerns about his management of a range of issues, especially what board members see as a lax attitude toward band management prior to Champion's death.
Ammons, a FAMU alumnus who served as provost and assumed the presidency in 2007, remains defiant.
"This is my university. Until the final bell rings I am going to serve as president of Florida A&M," he said, according to published reports.
James W. Haskins, Jr., a retired Professor Emeritus in Journalism, said the decent thing for Ammons to do is to step aside.
"People who say they didn't know are lying. I support the notion that the buck stops with the president," said Haskins, 79, who began teaching at FAMU in 1980. "You can't haze someone without someone saying something. The ultimate responsibility is his. There's no way around it. I think he should resign. Other key players were forced out. There's more than enough culpability to go around."
Haskins described FAMU as a fine institution that unfortunately is "full of deadwood" and plagued by pockets of nepotism, incest, mediocrity and an unwillingness by those who run the university to make the hard choices.
"FAMU really is an outstanding institution because they understand survival in a white world with white people," he explained. "But FAMU continues to fuel its own downfall. Too many people have no backbone or integrity. They see racism and don't understand it, won't stand up and fight this racism and discrimination, won't fight it and seem to busy driving around in their Lexuses, demanding to be called, 'Doctor, doctor ..."'
Ammons suspended the band last year and announced recently that the band would remain off the field through 2013. Other casualties include longtime Band Leader Julian White who was forced out after more than 40 years at the helm; and two music department professors who stepped down earlier this year when allegations surfaced that they were present while band fraternity pledges were hazed. And as the investigation deepened, university officials eventually admitted that 101 of the 457-member marching band were not FAMU students.
In response to the band's problems, the FAMU Board of Trustees has revised its anti-hazing regulation. An anti-hazing plan has been developed by the university at the direction of the trustees. Elements of the plan include the creation of an Anti-Hazing Special Assistant to the president, with broad-ranging authority to address hazing issues throughout the university; the establishment of a FAMU Compliance Officer for the Music Department, with direct reporting to the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing; the re-organization and expansion of staff in the Office of Judicial Affairs to facilitate the adjudication of hazing issues and other matters pertaining to the student code of conduct. After input by trustees, the university will implement the plan.
Saunders acknowledged that it is "particularly challenging ... to stop [this crime] because of the conspiracy of secrecy and silence between the perpetrator and the 'victim.' However, because of the special nature of this crime, FAMU is putting anti-hazing initiatives in place to help rid the campus of hazing."
"We also know that stamping out hazing requires a personal commitment from our students to treat themselves and their fellow students with respect and dignity," she added.
Saunders said many students have expressed concern about the attention this matter has received and remain committed to leading the national effort to reduce the incidents of hazing.
School-wide, the university has lurched from scandal to scandal, including financial mismanagement, faulty audits, countless examples of poor judgment, a series of ethical lapses and allegations that minors at the university's Developmental Research School were sexually assaulted.
Anderson fears that with all this turmoil, FAMU may be mortally wounded.
"We stand to lose an icon of our culture," she said. "It's very sad to see that happen. It points to the sloppiness in some black institutions and corruption which seems to be unending. They shoot themselves in the foot and more dirt is exposed even as they are trying to escape a financial crisis."
"We can't blame white people. We really have to look at who we are as a people. We just don't seem to have a sense of discipline and dignity. School officials should have had enough respect for what they had achieved and guarded it more carefully."
Haskins, an Ohio native, recalls pledging Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and when he was attacked as a part of the pledging ritual, he struck back.
"I had people flying all over the place like they were Superman," he said with a chuckle. "They knew my name after that."
Haskins questioned why anyone would subject themselves to the type of abuse he knows is part and parcel of rituals in the band, sororities, fraternities and other campus groups and organizations.
Although he worked with the Atomic Energy Commission as an astrophysicist, with Dupont as a senior public relation practitioner and in a range of other jobs, he chose to teach at FAMU for a specific reason.
"I thought maybe I could be instrumental in changing some young minds," he said. "But most kids weren't as sophisticated or cared what was going on. They were like their parents: Talk [stuff] and do nothing. I have no intimate knowledge, but FAMU stayed in trouble because Negroes stole the money."
"FAMU could have been a fantastic thing, a break from the past. I know many talented people who could have come here, wanted to come in and shake out things. But their biggest opponents were those holding onto the status quo. I've had a good look at the problems at FAMU. I can't believe I came here 32 years ago and it's the same. It's a damn shame."
The National Newspaper Publishers Association has announced the appointment of William Tompkins to the post of president and chief operating officer of the 69 year-old trade organization. The appointment was made last week during the NNPA's annual convention in Atlanta.
The selection of Tompkins culminates a nine-month search conducted by Carrington & Carrington, Ltd.
According to criteria that circulated throughout the industry, the new president will be charged with developing a new vision for the organization and implementing strategic plans and programs that serve the needs of the more than 200 Black community newspapers represented by NNPA. The trade group is commonly referred to as The Black Press of America.
Tompkins, 55, currently heads his own consultancy firm, Williams Tompkins Associates, in Los Angeles.
Before starting his company, Tompkins held positions at Eastman Kodak, including General Manager and Vice President of the Motion Picture Film Group and Chief Marketing Officer for the company's Entertainment Imaging division.
Prior to joining Kodak, Tompkins spent 19 years at The Washington Post, last serving as vice president of Marketing. Tompkins has a degree in economics from Tufts University, where he graduated magna cum laude and also earned an M.B.A. from Harvard University.
Tompkins will report to Clovis Campbell, publisher of the Arizona Informant and chairman of the NNPA board.
Jerry Sandusky, the former head coach at Penn State who was convicted this weekend on 45 counts of child molestation, has been placed under a suicide watch, according to reports.
The 68-year-old Sandusky, who was revered as a pillar of the Penn State community, was jailed immediately after the jury delivered its verdict on June 22. He was found guilty of molesting at least eight boys over a 15-yer period, and could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
"It's hard to judge character on the stand, because you don't know these kids," one of the jurors said in an interview. "But most were very credible – I would say all. I looked at him during the reading of the verdict and just the look on his face. No real emotion," the juror continued, "because he knew it was true."
Among the boys who accused Sandusky of sexual abuse was his adopted son, Matt Sandusky.
"During the trial, Matt Sandusky contacted us and requested our advice and assistance in arranging a meeting with prosecutors to disclose for the first time in this case that he is a victim of Jerry Sandusky's abuse," Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici wrote in the statement. "At Matt's request, we immediately arranged a meeting between him and the prosecutors and investigators."
Sandusky is scheduled to be sentenced in about three months. But his attorneys plan on appealing the convictions, saying they didn't have adequate time to prepare their case.
President Barack Obama surprised the nation and did an end-around on the Republicans last Friday when he announced an executive order that protects young, undocumented immigrants from being deported.
The decision is not a blanket amnesty for the nation's more than 12 million unauthorized immigrants, but provides those between the ages of 16 and 30 the opportunity to avoid becoming enmeshed in the immigration apparatus. The executive order affects undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. before the age of 16; who have resided continuously in the country for at least five years preceding the date of the Department of Homeland Security [DHS] memorandum and those present in the United States on the date of this memorandum.
"Effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people," Obama said during a Rose Garden press conference on June 15.
"Now, let's be clear – this is not an amnesty, this is not immunity. This is not a path to citizenship. It's not a permanent fix. This is a temporary stop gap measure that lets us focus our resources wisely, while giving relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people."
"These young people study in our schools, they play in our neighborhoods, they're friends with our kids, they pledge allegiance to our flag. They are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. They were brought to this country by their parents – sometimes as infants – and often have no idea that they're undocumented until they apply for a job, or a driver's license, or a college scholarship."
The decision has left immigrants generally joyous, cautious and hopeful but some advocates feel that Obama hasn't done enough and they are demanding that he end the deportations and push through comprehensive and far-reaching legislation in Congress.
Undocumented immigrants must be currently in school, have graduated from high school, obtained a GED certificate, or be honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States to be considered. They cannot have been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety; and they cannot be above the age of 30.
Michelle Mittelstadt of the Migration Policy Institute [MPI] and Mark Lopez of the Pew Hispanic Center said their research indicates that about 1.4 million undocumented immigrants under the age of 30 are affected. Some are already involved in removal proceedings or could be at risk of being deported in the future.
Janet Napolitano, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has directed the department's personnel to exercise prosecutorial discretion on a case-by-case basis using the criteria outlined in the executive order.
"This is only really a temporary gaining of status for this population," said Mittelstadt, MPI's director of communications. "Under the announcement, there is a certain defined population ... they will be protected from deportation for two years. It's not conveying legal status on this population. Anybody who meets the criteria and who comes up against immigration authorities will be considered."
"This obviously in the lives of these people is a tremendously important action. They don't have to look over their shoulders, they can get work permits and be able to work legally."
Another MPI official elaborated.
"This action by the administration will have a measurable effect on the lives of many immigrants at a time when Washington is deadlocked on making necessary reform to the immigration system," said Muzaffar Chishti, director of MPI's office at New York University Law School. "However, a program of this scale will present significant implementation challenges and will need to be addressed with increased capacity, training and oversight."
Unauthorized immigrants who are 15 and older will have to present themselves to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and substantiate the deportation-relief criteria the authorities seek. Homeland Security will have to determine the eligibility of about 890,000 people while the agency processes the more than 5 million applications for immigration benefits it handles annually. In addition, DHS will have to lay the groundwork for and execute a comprehensive, multilingual media and public outreach campaign to educate immigrant communities on the details of the deferred action and, in a later phase, how to apply for employment authorization, MPI officials said.
Of course, there is little that occurs in Washington that isn't deemed political, overt or otherwise. It didn't take long for Republican challenger Mitt Romney to subtly criticize Obama's move, although he wouldn't say if he would reverse the decision. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, however, were more pointed in their criticism, with Brewer calling Obama's decision "outrageous."
Conservative Congressional Republicans and supporters of rigid immigration enforcement accused Obama of overstepping his authority and they condemned the plan as "backdoor amnesty." Republican leaders are also left to worry about being boxed into a corner and they are concerned that Romney's position on immigration leaves them vulnerable with Hispanic voters. Romney has advocated some draconian positions with regards to immigration. He called for the erection of more fences on the border, promised to veto the "Dream Act" and has as an immigration advisor one of the people responsible for crafting some of the toughest crackdowns against immigrants.
Avis Jones-DeWeever called Obama's action a commonsense move.
"I definitely think that this was a direction that needed to be taken," she said. "It was an issue of who was savvy enough to push the button. It could have been Rubio. He [Obama] tried to pass the 'Dream Act' but faced tremendous resistance from Republicans. This, in particular, is really at the root of justice ... it's commonsense and the country will ultimately benefit. This is an opportunity to legitimately give back."
"Although it's stereotypic that this will only benefit Latinos, it will benefit all immigrants who've made their way to these shores. The immigrant community is much broader and more diverse. It's not limited to one particular or specific community."
Several analysts and political pundits credit Obama with seizing the immigration initiative and outsmarting and outmaneuvering the GOP.
Jones-DeWeever, executive director of the National Council of Negro Women and a policy and political analyst, agreed.
"This move is consistent with his past actions. It is not a shallow act," she said during an interview on Monday. "The president faces a concerted challenge. They [the Republicans] have done a tremendous job, a calculated one, then the Citizens United case allows them to spend unlimited amounts of money. They are very strong and very disciplined with their legislative and PR strategy and have opposed everything the president has put forward while creating a false crisis about the deficit which has taken people's eyes off job creation."
The GOP has not helped its case by choosing to pursue "a two-pronged approach of appealing to a monolithic community while engaging in voter suppression and purging voter rolls [of Hispanics, young people and other minorities]," Jones-DeWeever added.
Lopez, the center's associate director, said his fact tank's findings indicate considerable support among Hispanics for a more permanent immigration plan.
He said surveys conducted by the center indicate that 60 percent of Hispanics expressed disappointment at the Obama Administration's handling of deportations. To date, about 400,000 Hispanics have been forcibly removed from the U.S. and sent back to their respective countries. Approximately 90 percent, however, support a federal act like the Dream Act, he added.
Southern Baptists will make history if on Tuesday they elect Fred Luter Jr. their first black president.
This could be a monumental shift for the church, whose beginning in the mid-1800s included a split from the First Baptist Church in America over support for slavery. Northern Baptists believed that God disapproved of racial superiority notions, while Southerners believed that segregation was of God.
Luter, a pastor from one of America's biggest melting pots, New Orleans, said that his church, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, shares in his joy for the presidential possibility.
"I'm really pumped about this," Luter told Reuters. "My church is so excited man because they know my common background. They know where I came from. ... I'm really excited for them." The Southern Baptist Convention has over 16 million members and was established in 1845.
Luter is credited with growing a post-Hurricane KatrinaFranklin Avenue Baptist Church to the denomination's largest church in Louisiana.
Luter was the first African American elected to the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention in 1992. Nearly a decade later he was also the first African-American to preach the Southern Baptist Convention message.
These feats could underscore a shift in Southern Baptists toward inclusivity as the United States' demographics change. Census estimates reported that for the first timemore babies of color were born in the US than non-Hispanic white babies.
One of the nation's most important institutions, religion, must keep pace with the nation's composition.
Southern Baptists are the largest Protestant denomination. When they originated the focus was on "eliciting, combining, and directing the energies of the Baptist denomination of Christians, for the propagation of the gospel, any law, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding," according to the Southern Baptist Convention charter in 1845.
While spreading Christianity was the goal, a noted practice of excluding people of color was the reality. Although the religious group continues to make efforts to separate its present and future from a racist past, Southern Baptists continue to face controversy.
Church officials said that race relations were negatively impacted earlier this year when Ethics Chief Richard Landaccused U.S. black leaders of attempting to use the killing of black teen Trayvon Martin by white and Hispanicneighborhood-watch self-appointee George Zimmerman for political benefit.
Despite Land's ire-earning commentary on the Martin killing, he also spoke out about division to the New York Times and has historically addressed racism.
"(Southern Baptists) were a segregated, virtually all-white denomination as late as the 1960s," Land, who co-authored a 1995 resolution apologizing for slavery and racism, said.
The move to diversify is publicly supported throughout the group.
First Baptist New Orleans Pastor David Crosby will nominate Luter for president. Crosby said that the move will show "we not only love people of color, we want them in our leadership."
Religious leaders express hope and skepticism.
Danny Akin, president of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina is not convinced that Luter's nomination will rectify history, but he said that it is a step forward for a denomination now seeing growth among people of color.
The vote will occur Tuesday during the annual Southern Baptist convention meeting in New Orleans. Luter is expected to remain unopposed.
Police in Rialto, California are still trying to determine the facts surrounding the death Sunday of Rodney King.
Following a call made to 911 around 5:25 a.m., June 17 by King's fiancé Cynthia Kelley, police responded to the home the couple shared, where they found his body at the bottom of their swimming pool. After several attempts to revive King, 47, he was pronounced dead. No evidence of foul play was discovered, but an autopsy was scheduled.
Now, friends of King who shot to notoriety in 1991 after suffering a brutal beating in Los Angeles at the hands of police officers, aren't buying Kelley's story.
According to a report , the friends claim that each time they hear Kelley's recount about incidents that led up to King's death, the facts change, which leads them to believe she is covering something up.
Kelley reportedly stated that after she had a conversation with King, she heard a banging on the window of their home in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Kelley then allegedly said that after the window rapping, she heard King fall in to the pool.
The report further states that two of King's friends have taken their suspicions to police detectives, who in turn, told them that they would be in touch.
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