Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 5-19-17

Fighting Racism Is A 365-Day A Year Job
TAMPA -- It was inter- esting to note the number of officials who responded to the Florida Legislature’s recent acknowledgement that racism in the 1940s cut a deep wound into this state’s history.
And while I applaud Florida lawmakers’ recent apology to the families of the Groveland Four (young Black men who were falsely imprisoned in 1947, tor- tured and in one case mur- dered), this and a few other high-profile acts of delayed justice don’t cancel out the centuries of prejudice, racism, discrimination and violence Black people still endure.
From 1992 to 2007 my office reviewed over 2,000 discrimination complaints based primarily on race (Black) filed with the City of Tampa Department of Community Affairs. This represented only charges of differential treatment by businesses and housing providers within the Tampa city limits and did not include similar com- plaints filed (or that could have been filed) by citizens and residents against busi- nesses and residences lo- cated in Plant City, Temple Terrace, Carrollwood, Brandon, Palm River, Lutz, Town ‘N Country, Riverview, Gibsonton, Ruskin, Upper Tampa Bay and other communities in unincorporated Hillsbor- ough County.
It’s a safe bet that at least another 2,000 dis- crimination complaints met the criteria to be filed in those jurisdictions dur- ing that 15-year span. And where is the evidence that racism no longer is a major problem among employers and housing providers in this community?
Yes, I believe it’s noth- ing more than a cop-out to pile on people like former Florida State Senator Frank Artiles, who stepped down from his office when his “offensive remarks” di- rected at a Black female lawmaker and other Black legislators went public. And when State Sen. Den- nis Baxley (who supports preserving artifacts from the Confederacy) chaired a committee that shot down a
Florida House proposal for a Florida slavery memorial he became an easy target for people who are eager to find a scapegoat or two for a problem that is much larger than a few high-pro- filed individuals.
I submit, that for every person who becomes a lightning rod for contro- versy around the issue of racism in America, there are many, many more problems that are systemic, cultural and endemic in our society.
So what should the proper response be?
We must head racism off at the pass. We must stay informed about the de- cisions our government and big business make every day where our future is concerned. We must be- come readers. We must be- come more pro-active in affairs that impact us and our neighbors.
How do we do this?
We must attend local planning meetings that im- pact our neighborhoods, while encouraging our elected and appointed offi- cials to use every tool at their disposal to open up more opportunities for ed- ucation, training, employ- ment and small business growth.
Let’s organize churches, civic associations and so- cial organizations and ro- tate attending local planning meetings.
I recently attended a public meeting where the future of Tampa’s trolley system was the topic. But of the seventy-five attendees there only five were people of color. And this was at a meeting that was open to the public and well publi- cized.
So ladies and gentle- men, if shiny new trolley cars one day extend into West Tampa and there is no trolley stop on Main Street/Moses White Boule- vard -- where a large Black population has historically been present – don’t blame people like Frank Artiles or Sen. Baxley. You and I would deserve much of the blame!
FRED HEARNS, City of Tampa Department of Community Affairs Director, Retired
Local
Rep. Shaw To Host Rights Restoration Clinic Saturday
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Florida State Represen- tative Sean M. Shaw (Dis- trict 61) in conjunction with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) will be host- ing a Rights Restoration Clinic on Saturday, May 20, 2017.
This first annual clinic will be held at Middleton High School, 4801 N. 22nd St. (Tampa 33610), 9 a. m. until 2 p. m.
Former felons and their families are invited to take part in the clinic, where they can have access to resources to help on their paths to the restoration of their rights.
“I was raised in a nation of second chances and the citi-
REP. SEAN SHAW
zens of this community de- serve the same,” Rep Shaw said. “I am aware of the hoops and hurdles of the rights restoration process and that is why I wanted to host this clinic to make resources like the State Attorney’s Office, Clerk
of Courts Office, and the Com- mission on Offender Review more accessible to the public.”
Rep. Shaw is pleading with former felons and family members to take advantage of the information that will be delivered at this clinic.
“This is important for our community, this is important for our families. I want to see people get back to work, pur- sue higher education, and have their rights restored. This clinic will help to get people started on the track to those things,” he said.
For additional information or questions of concern, please contact Jasmine Mattear in Rep. Shaw’s office, (813 224- 1947 or jasmine.mattear@- myfloridahouse.gov.
Pressure Washer Dies After Falling Into River
A Tampa man died Monday after falling into the Hillsborough River. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
According to the Tampa Police Department, 53-year-old Johnnie Norton was employed by C & W Services. The company was subcontracted to pressure wash the docks outside the Tampa Convention Center.
At approximately 11 a.m., Tampa Police responded to the Convention Center after witnesses said Norton was pressure washing the side of the dock when he fell into the water.
The Tampa Police Department’s Divers responded and searched the water for several minutes before finding Norton. He was transported to Tampa Gen-
JOHNNIE
NORTON eral Hospital, with life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is continuing.
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2017