Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 12-22-15 Edition

Editorials
Signs Of Significance
Corporate Mergers: Good Or Bad For Diversity?
When A Black Cop Kills A Black Man
By now, who doesn’t know that the trial where Balti- more Policeman William O. Porter was charged with the death of Freddie Gray ended in deadlock? The next
question is will the officer and his fellow officers be tried again for the same indictment.
Somewhere in the annals of civil law we believe to have read that a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice... not unless that person is someone like O. J. Simp- son.
Yet, another issue looms even more divisively over the recent Freddie Gray versus the Baltimore Police Depart- ment case. Simply put, it asks, “In an American society still defined by color-difference, if at all, how should the public respond when both the man who is killed and the police officer charged with taking part in killing him are Black?”
Ask any historian, collegiate law professor, or police trainer what one issue causes a bigger lump in the throat, and they’ll no doubt tell you. Nine times out of ten, the topic not talked about is centered on the question “Why is it that Black police officers aren’t as violent or trigger- happy as their Caucasian counterparts?”
And then comes the movie Training Day starring Black actor Denzel Washington who plays the role of a psychopathic Black policeman... and then comes the pic- tures of the Baltimore cops , not all white, who were in- dicted for killing a (fellow?) Black Baltimorean. And the skunk is out of the box. What’s race got to do with it?
Yes, it’s easy to protest police brutality when you are Black and the police are white. But what happens when you’re both the same color? Some say it doesn’t matter, for, the Law is colorblind. But such is the fascinating fact about race-hate and mob-logic. They don’t always play by Robert’s Rules of Order.
“The spirit of Christ- mas needs to be super- seded by the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christ is a divine person. That makes all the difference in the
world.” -Stuart Briscoe
Empowered Greet- ings. People everywhere enjoy the giving of gifts and family gatherings during Christmas Holiday season. While gifts and gatherings are great, take time this holiday season to focus on the signs of significance. Create a family tradition of sharing the reli- gious meanings of traditional holiday decorations because they are signs of significance.
Marc H. Morial President and CEO National Urban League
“Our workforce and our en- tire economy are strongest when we embrace diversity to its fullest, and that means opening doors of opportunity to everyone and recognizing that the American Dream ex- cludes no one.”
U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez
The issue of diversity with respect to corporate mergers usually is discussed as a po- tential drawback – the clash between cultures is some- times cited as a reason such mergers fail.
Often, however, such mergers present an opportu- nity to expand ethnic and cul- tural diversity in the workplace and create eco- nomic opportunity. The re- cently-approved merger of AT&T and DirecTV requires the merged company to make available an affordable, low- priced standalone broadband service to low-income con- sumers in its broadband serv- ice aria. Furthermore, due to the strong advocacy of the National Urban League and other civil rights organiza- tions, the merger extended
This column I want to share some signs of signifi- cance with you. It is my prayer that you will share them with others.
The Christmas tree is in the shape of a triangle and points toward heaven. This is a sign of significance because the triangle represents the trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Light of the World, thus giving us the significance of the lights on the tree. The tree is topped with a star, which is significant as it was a star that guided the wise men to the Christ child. The gifts that are given are a sign of charity and love.
The wreath is significant for a couple of reasons. The circular shape represents the divinity of God. Like God, it has no beginning and no end. Wreaths made with Ever- greens are a sign of growth
AT&T’s diversity strategic plan to DirecTV’s hiring, pro- curement, programming and philanthropy.
Similarly, we worked with NBC Universal and Comcast on a groundbreaking memo- randum of understanding to insure that the 2011 merger would provide for a variety of diversity initiatives, including establishing a $20 million venture capital fund boosting opportunities for minority en- trepreneurs in digital media, eight new independently owned and operated networks offering substantial participa- tion by minorities, the cre- ation of Diversity Advisory Councils, and the increase of minority participation in news, public affairs program- ming and jobs.
There is, of course, the danger that a merger could work in the opposite direc- tion. If the merger between pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Allergan is completed, the merged company will be headquarter in – and pay its taxes to – Ireland. The deal allows Pfizer to take advan- tage of Ireland’s tax rates while skirting U.S. rules aimed at curtailing tax inver- sions.
Will the loss of corporate tax revenue exacerbate in-
and everlasting life. While wreaths that are made using Holly branches, which have thorns, are significant because they represent the crown that was placed on the Jesus’ head. The red holly berries symbol- izes the blood of Jesus that was shed on Calvary.
The shape of the candy cane is a sign that symbolizes a Shepard’s crook. This is sig- nificant because it reminds us that the Lord is our Shepard. The white strips on the candy cane signify the purity of Christ and the red ones repre- sent the His healing stripes and His red blood that cleanses us of our sins.
These are just a few signs of significance for you to re- member this holiday season. Keep Christ in Christmas and have a Blessed holiday.
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come inequality in the United States or will it, as Pfizer’s CEO insists, allow the com- pany to create more jobs in the United States?
As the merger would create the world’s largest drug man- ufacture, assurances on diver- sity – not just in hiring and procurement, but in research and development – could not be more vital and essential.
While Pfizer has provided some transparency about its employment diversity, sup- plier diversity track record and C-suite diversity, less is known about Allergan and very little is known or under- stood about which companies practices will survive once Pfizer becomes an Irish com- pany.
The pending merger of The Dow Chemical Company and DuPont USA poses similar questions. Both Dow and DuPont have established ef- fective diversity and inclusion policies, but unless a reten- tion or expansion of those policies is a specific condition of the merger, it could repre- sent a step backward.
In the rush to satisfy ac- tivist shareholders, the diver- sity policies that made these companies strong in the first place must not be overlooked or diminished. The National Urban League believes that diversity is in the public inter- est and a compelling 21st Century necessity. Regulators who oversee these companies must evaluate diversity and ask the tough questions and the National Urban League and other civil rights leader- ship organizations will do the same.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5
Leading Against Hate
Talking about leading by example, amidst growing Is- lamophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric that crowds the morning and evening news, Tampa’s Mayor Bob Buck- horn made an executive decision that in one breath chal- lenged every Tampa Bay citizen and every fellow American whoever held anti-Islamic sentiments. But it was more than what he said. It was what he did that gar- nered our congratulations.
Mayor Buckhorn backed up his words by visiting an Is- lamic mosque to serve as an example for people who, in Buckhorn’s words, “hate or distrust people because of who they are, not anything they did or would ever do.”
Stating that “there is a difference between Muslims who live in harmony among us and terrorists who live only to kill,” Tampa’s leading spokesman did what he has done and continues to do in the Black community; he visited a worship center of people of a different religion. We cheer Buckhorn for his show of support for law abiding citizens who have been unfairly singled out simply because of their religious creed.
Perhaps, other local, state and national leaders should follow the Mayor’s lead. After all, hate is based upon fear of the unknown, stoked by assumptions of difference, and bolstered by ignorance. If no one speaks against it, hatred wins. Even though Buckhorn expected and did indeed, re- ceive hateful emails, telephone calls and comments, he stood his ground, not for what was politically correct, but for what he believed.