Bottom Line

BOTTOM-LINE… Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

The nation was shocked with the recent release of a video depicting New York police chocking a Black man to death. As the impact of that visual was fading from the front pages, yet another incident was reported on the alarming news of a police shooting and killing an unarmed Black male in Missouri. Several days later the Los Angeles Police Department shot and killed a Black male and one day later on August 12, a San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff electrocuted a Black Male by tasing him multiple times.

These police killings, though shocking to all, still represent old news to many in the Black community. As the Black Male body count continues to climb, social media and internet journalism push today’s speedy flow of information, giving a new focus to the police killing spree.  As heart wrenching and predictable as the years of police killings of Black males can be, the fact is that society has reacted as if each killing is an isolated event; however, social media and the general press’ struggle to deliver “breaking news” have caused “real time” response to the killings allowing the public to see the frequency of police killings.

I regard the police killings of Black men as a symptom of the “State of Emergency” that exists in America. America’s potential has been warped since her birth, resulting from being nursed by the lie of white supremacy.  Some of us realize the great human potential that is sacrificed in the name of racism. That racism starts to express itself in pre-school, and is documented in the disproportionate statistics that describe dropout rates, unemployment rates, and ultimately the incarceration rates for Black Males. If the white population matched the dropout, unemployment and incarceration rates of Black Males, a “State of Emergency” would surely be instituted, and solutions solicited.

Today’s racism is an echo of the past. A past, not forgotten, and certainly, not corrected. The stain is deep in the fabric and therefore the fabric needs deep cleaning.  We need to do as much to change it as we did to arrange it. What was targeted for destruction must now be targeted for construction!  Any true depiction of America’s history will show the consistent rate of contribution by Blacks to America’s growth and development, from Crispus attucks to Barack Obama.  The bulk of those contributions were made despite race-based barriers.  Trading Black male potential for a few jobs in jails and correctional institutions is a bad investment, especially when one considers the social benefit that comes when race based barriers are replaced with efforts to target Black men for development.

Racism has isolated and targeted Black males for destruction and all of America is suffering for it. There are things that can be done to change the potential of Black men, and thus the potential of America.  There are some quick fixes as well as long term projects and campaigns that I will suggest in this as well as in future writings.  There is a tendency among people who know that they have been maliciously mistreated to want to “get even”.  I submit that, “You cannot get ahead if your goal is to get even”!

One quick fix that has long term benefits is, ‘Public Service and Safety Training.’ All citizens,      Black men in particular, should be given the opportunity to learn to become first responders.  We cannot predict who will be in a position to provide first response care at an emergency; therefore, training first responders is a public benefit.  Status and self esteem is a personal upgrade for the trainee and a societal asset in case of emergency.  Businesses can sponsor public safety teams as a means of advertising and public relations.

This is not the greatest idea in the world, but it is based on “getting ahead” as opposed to “getting even”.  What do you think?  Please write me at walleniv@yahoo.com.

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Another Black man killed by police. At the time of this writing, the dead Black man I am talking about has possibly or probably been joined by another. At first thought I felt that I should honor the dead by naming them; however, my long-term thought is that by naming them I am trivializing the overriding long-term issue that Black men are a police target in America regardless of their name rank or serial number.  The only group that kills more Black men than police is, of course, Black men.

The obvious question is, why Black people get mad enough to riot in the streets when police kill a Black man, yet, though angered by Black-on-Black killing, there is not the display of anger and frustration that occurs with a police shooting.

For those who really are possessed by that question, let me give you the obvious answer.  Police shootings reflect the final attitude of a society that displays its fear and distain for Black males at first social sight. From Pre-school, Black males are disproportionately identified as troublemakers and treated that way regardless of name, rank and serial number. That is documented in the number of school detentions and discipline referrals handed to Black boys. The disproportionate unemployment and incarceration rates for Black males reflect the penalty for the Black male that refuses to “play ball” in the “change the rules anytime” game that marginal Black Males are restricted to.

We Blacks know that many of our young gangsters are a result of customs and laws that push Black families apart. Laws that remove the parental power of discipline that ultimately marginalize and compromise the value of young black lives. So, we understand and are thoroughly pained by Black on Black crime, and in general attribute it to self-hate generated by America’s long-term love-affair with racism. Thus, the shootings done by the police are the “final straw” acts that activate the “time to raise hell button” in Black Communities.

I, like many of you, look forward to when we who promote good over evil are able to provide enough protection and access to resources, opportunity and guidance for our children to truly empower them to excellence despite racism.

Is AA Consumerism a tool for improving AA quality of life?

Should African-Americans use their communal spending power (one trillion dollars plus annually, Nielson Co.) to influence how corporations and small local businesses treat them? Jobs and contracts for services could be a goal of negotiating consumer support for one company instead of another. My focus is on providing support for businesses that you like because of how they treat your community, as well as realizing the power of “selective spending”, when done by a group.

It is common knowledge that the more units that one purchases, the greater the potential discount. Think about “fleet sales” in the auto business or insurance for a group that represents the million, plus people in your national religious and social organizations. Think about the development power of a one thousand people (we have churches larger than that) whom each pledge to spend $50 a month with a small business. Choosing the business each month could be based on shared economic and social values. I would be concerned about hiring practices and general support/giving back to the community.  Local small businesses would be elated to receive that business support.

So two thoughts, first consider the national power that could be generated by focusing/negotiating one trillion dollars for increased delivery of products and services as well as jobs and contracts, and second, create small spending focus groups designed to empower small businesses that help train and employ our children as well as support community activities. Let’s talk about it. Email me at walleniv@yahoo.com.

BOTTOMLINE: Publisher’s Commentary…By Wallace J. Allen

If you are a business person, you are possibly able to supply a service or product to one of the countries in Africa. Africa is host to six of the top ten fastest growing economies in the world! Almost all goods are imported in Africa. You do not have to manufacture in order to be a supplier. You can learn the export process and meet people that you can do business with by attending the Summit.

Africa is looking for American companies to do business with; for example, there is a 7 billion dollar funding initiative to help double power generation capacity in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, which includes oil and gas funding support in Uganda and Mozambique.

The African Global Economic & Development Summit 2014 is featuring the following industries: Power Generation; Mining; Renewable Energy; Oil and Gas; Bio Fuels; Finance; Agriculture; Telecommunications; Building Construction and Development; Environmental Remediation; Medical Facilities; Education; Public Works; Hospitality; and Wastewater Treatment.

If you are interested in doing business in Africa, you are encouraged to attend the summit on Thursday, August 7 at 7 a.m. to Saturday, August 9 at 5 p.m. The event will be held at the University of Southern California (USC)/ (Hedco Auditorium – Seeley G. Mudd Building) located at3620 McClintock Avenue in Los Angeles (90089). Use entrance 6 off of Vermont Avenue and 36^th Place.

For more information, call Mary Flowers at (909) 396-5141.

BOTTOM-LINE…Commentary By WallaceJ.Allen 

A billionaire, White man’s response to seeing his Black girlfriend with a Black man has caused more references to the “horror of racism” than the disproportionate number of Blacks kicked out of school, the disproportionate number of Blacks that are poorly educated when in school, the disproportionate number of Blacks that are unemployed, the disproportionate number of Blacks that are jailed, that live in poverty, that are without health insurance, the disproportionate number of Blacks that are homeless veterans, and the list goes on.

We cannot transfer America’s race relations problem and remedy to the Donald Sterling saga. Can everyone that is condemning Sterling pass the Michael Jackson test? The test that requires one to “look at the man in the mirror”? America’s racism is documented in our institutions. The reality of the race-problem is trivialized by the concept that an illegal tape recording is needed in order for the problem to be seen. Do we need to destroy our privacy rights to justify punishing acts of racism?

An illegal taping was used, again, to give us information that no matter how incriminating, is not new. How exclusive are the feelings expressed by Sterling? Are we satisfied that he is the only “rich White man in charge” that has made racist remarks or even performed racist acts?  As we place cell phone cameras and recording devices throughout society, do we want to simply trust that our privacy is respected?   So, as we joyously embrace the illegally taped “redundant evidence” of Donald Sterling’s racist views, do we also tighten the noose that is chocking the life out of our privacy rights?

The “last straw” concept is valid but how many straws do we ignore before one qualifies as the last? There were enough straws polluted in public by Sterling to have done something about him long ago. I am among the elated regarding Donald Sterling’s come-up pence, however, I think we all should be concerned about the tendency to sneak up and record a person in their private moment. WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Respond to walleniv@yahoo.com.

Publisher’s commentary, by Wallace J. Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. National Security Agency has been gathering nearly 200 million text messages a day from around the world, gathering data on people’s travel plans, contacts and credit card transactions, Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday.
Code-named “Dishfire,” the NSA program collects “pretty much everything it can,” the Guardian said, citing a joint investigation with the UK’s Channel 4 News based on material from fugitive former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
The above information is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the news stories that BRING TO QUESTION, Can the  NSA actually prevent terrorism or even identify and capture terrorist after the fact, as a result of the “Dishfire” spy program?
The NSA has the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of their infamous spy program… Catch the terrorist hackers that targeted TARGET CORP! Minneapolis-based Target Corp first disclosed the data breach DURING the holiday shopping season. It said then that debit and credit card data from up to 40 million customers were compromised. It later said on January 10 that a separate attack stole data from up to 70 million additional customers.
I cannot see how having access to every phone call and email and text message, as well as every tweet and attempt at social networking, will help prevent a terrorist action. There is too much information to filter as fast as needed to prevent something, but to find out who actually did something (not going to do but did it!) seems to be the least that you could expect from this “all-everything-information-pool”.  If the NSA cannot locate, capture and punish those terrorist who hacked TARGET STORES, then they are truly wasting time and resources with their “Dishfire” project.

Publisher’s commentary, by Wallace J. Allen

We all know the general effect when a driver “sees” a police car. The driver tends to “check” himself in terms of speed and general alertness.  As we all agree with that statement, pay particular attention to the fact that the police car could be empty.
We can provide the same effect with Police Trainee’s patrolling and adding to the visual police presence in our cities. This would create a means to place additional, low or no cost uniformed bodies in, for instance, the city of San Bernardino.  They are not full-fledged police officers, but who can tell that from a distance? Patrolling and calling in could be an additional deterrent as could other citizen-plus duties that they could perform.
Though this idea works conceptually, the specifics will have to be negotiated.  The negotiation could be made much easier if the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy would add an internship component to its training curriculum. This would give the trainees an obvious benefit to have a real on-the-streets experience to increase his/her value for their future job search;  It would also give added value to the academy training reputation and resulting appeal to potential students as well; and additional value will be created for cash-strapped cities like San Bernardino whose Public Safety Budget would find relief in both providing and paying for Public Safety by utilizing the intern-officers.

Tyrone Jones helped establish the Westside Nubians in 2007 to help stop the violence in his San Bernardino West Side community. The Nubians patrolled the streets, gave block parties and held community meetings with the goal of helping to keep the peace among the area’s youth. About six weeks ago, on October 14, Jones was shot while sitting in the carport of his home.  According to the police report, the killer leaned over and looked into Tyrone’s face before shooting him in the back of the head.  He is described as about 5 feet 8 inches tall, stocky, approximately 200 pounds and was seen wearing a black t-shirt and camouflage shorts. Tyrone stood up for his community. It is now time for someone to stand up for Tyrone!
If you have or think you have any information that can help capture Tyrone Jones’ killer, contact Sgt. Gary Robertson at the San Bernardino Police department.

The San Bernardino City election is partially over and there is the expected run-off for mayor; however, City Council members have been selected. Don’t “hate” on the winners, especially if your chosen candidate did not win. The election is not about creating a winning candidate. It is about electing a candidate that will make the city a winner. If your candidate did not win you still have a representative that needs your input, not to just complain, but to help with solutions.  Regardless of who is in City Hall, we each have the ability to help the City of San Bernardino.
I suggest that we start with the one thing that we each can control, which is our individual attitudes.  Our attitudes are truly the only thing that we should expect to control.  We cannot control everything that happens, but we can control how we respond.  It is not important that you did or did not vote for the winning candidate, what matters in that you dedicate yourself to being properly served.  Write and congratulate the winner and explain how anxious you are to help. Request a written list of priorities and at the same time make your suggestions as what should be on the list.  If you don’t know what you want, how will you recognize it?
The city of San Bernardino will ultimately survive and thrive. Will you be a benefit to its rise from the ashes or will you be attracted to the distractions and eventually give up your stake to the benefit of some opportunistic interloper?  I say, “Don’t give up on Berdoo!”

Publisher’s commentary, by Wallace J. Allen

Citizens of the city of San Bernardino will elect a new city government on Tuesday, November 5th. The city has not handled its financial stewardship responsibly and is in bankruptcy.

San Bernardino is a gateway city to Southern California. It is beautifully located as the world class panoramic view from all points in the city will attest to. There is a world class airport waiting to be properly utilized, world class schools and hospitals are close enough to be claimed and used by Berdoo-ans.

There is a downtown hotel and convention center attached to a mall that is waiting to be reclaimed to the benefit of the city. There are businesses that are anxious to move into a low cost atmosphere where city policies and procedures make it simple to set up and operate. With a beautiful freeway system, hot water springs and a railroad inter-modal system, San Bernardino is a jewel in need of polishing.

Which candidates should/will be elected? There are some who are equipped to do a better job than others; however, I do not think that the election winners will make that much difference if we the public don’t change our ways. We need to become informed and more active as to how our local governments are run.

I invite you to join in a pledge to embrace whomever the people are that become the newly elected Council members, City Attorney and Mayor of San Bernardino. Pledge to embrace them and support the quest for excellent government by providing solid civic oversight.

We need to encourage our newly elected to seek expert advice and guidance. We need to know what we want them to do. We need to push them in the right direction, regardless of who is seated. Regardless of who is seated, we will need to stand up!!