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PAGE 6 • JUNE 6 - JUNE 12, 2024<br />
WESTSIDE<br />
GAZETTE<br />
NEWSPAPER STAFF<br />
Bobby R. Henry, Sr.<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
Sonia Henry-Robinson<br />
COMPTROLLER<br />
Tawanna C. Taylor<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE<br />
ASST.<br />
Pamela D. Henry<br />
SENIOR EDITOR<br />
Arri D. Henry<br />
CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />
Carma L. Henry<br />
COMMUNITY NEWS<br />
EDITOR<br />
Sylvester “Nunnie’ Robinson<br />
SPORTS WRITER<br />
Elizabeth D. Henry<br />
CIRCULATION<br />
MANAGER<br />
NoRegret Media<br />
WEBMASTER<br />
Carma T. Taylor<br />
DIGITAL SPECIALIST<br />
Eric Sears<br />
IT SPECIALIST<br />
Ron Lyons<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Levi Henry, Jr.:<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
(Emeritus)<br />
Yvonne Henry:<br />
EDITOR<br />
(Emeritus)<br />
WEBSITE:<br />
www.thewestsidegazette.com<br />
Broward County’s<br />
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American Owned and<br />
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Serving<br />
Broward - Miami-Dade<br />
and<br />
Palm Beach Counties<br />
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THE:<br />
NATIONAL<br />
NEWSPAPER<br />
PUBLISHERS<br />
ASSOCIATION (NNPA)<br />
AND FLORIDA<br />
ASSOCIATION<br />
OF BLACK OWNED<br />
MEDIA<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Westside</strong> <strong>Gazette</strong><br />
Newspaper is Published<br />
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CREDO -<strong>The</strong> Black Press<br />
believes that America<br />
can best lead the world<br />
away from racial and national<br />
antagonisms<br />
when it accords to<br />
every person, regardless<br />
of race, color or creed,<br />
full human and legal<br />
rights. Hating no person,<br />
fearing no person, the<br />
Black Press strives to<br />
help every person in the<br />
firm belief that all are<br />
hurt as long as anyone is<br />
held back.<br />
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR<br />
GUIDELINES<br />
We welcome letters from<br />
the<br />
public. Letters must be<br />
signed with a clearly<br />
legible name along with<br />
a compete address and<br />
Trump’s Days of Infamy:<br />
“No one is above the law, not even a former president<br />
or those who give aid and comfort for the commission<br />
of crimes!”<br />
John Johnson II, 06/05/24<br />
By John Johnson II<br />
Justice in America isn’t always blind<br />
or impartial for privileged white people.<br />
<strong>The</strong> privileged treatment afforded former<br />
president Trump is detestable and unlawful.<br />
Consequently, the criminal indictment of<br />
Trump on March 25, 2023, followed by his<br />
guilty conviction on May 30, 2024, are both<br />
dates of infamy.<br />
Trump received an indictment for 34<br />
felony counts. Twelve jurors listened to the<br />
prosecuting attorneys attempting to convince them of Trump’s<br />
guilt while defense attorneys defended his innocence. However,<br />
another element, proving “intent,” constituted another vital<br />
factor in determining the prosecutors’ success.<br />
Trump manipulated campaign financial records in this<br />
illegal scheme. <strong>The</strong> prosecution presented iron-clad exhibits<br />
documenting his role. From the beginning, it looked like an<br />
open and shut case.<br />
<strong>The</strong> seven-week trial was intense and grueling. <strong>The</strong><br />
prosecutors and defense attorneys presented all their evidence<br />
and delivered their closing arguments to the jury. Yet, an<br />
equally crucial step remained: Judge Juan M. Merchan needed<br />
to instruct the jurors on the law.<br />
Once the jurors received their final instructions and analyzed<br />
this overwhelming evidence for two days, they unanimously<br />
found Trump guilty of all 34 felonies.<br />
Pundits like House Speaker Mike Johnson called for the<br />
Supreme Court to “step in.” Republican Senators John Thune<br />
and John Cornyn called the verdict politically motivated and<br />
a disgrace, respectively. Republicans have turned “ law and<br />
order” into “Crimes for Order.” Sen. Rubio denounced Castro<br />
but has continually bowed down to Trump. Have they no<br />
shame? Is Trump threatening to serve them Kool-Aid?<br />
Before Americans can exhale, there remains another date of<br />
Infamy, July 11, 2024, the sentencing date. Republicans and<br />
MAGA supporters have cried out that there should’ve never<br />
been a trial. As a first-time offender, there certainly need not<br />
be any jail time.<br />
Trump is a career lawbreaker. Court records show he paid $25<br />
million in 2018 for duping college students, promising to teach<br />
them the “secrets of success” in real estate. On May 9, 2023,<br />
a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse of Jean Carroll.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s more! On January 26, 2024, a jury ordered Trump to<br />
pay Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation. Currently, he’s<br />
facing three additional cases totaling 54 counts.<br />
Again, Trump isn’t a first-time criminal by a long shot. It’s<br />
his first conviction for violating election finance laws and<br />
attempting to overthrow his government. Had he committed<br />
these crimes during his first term, he would still be in prison.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s no shame in locking up a convicted former president—<br />
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com<br />
FRANKLY SPEAKING<br />
Some things are earned and can<br />
never be demanded<br />
By W. Franl Wilson<br />
In the midst of your plight you have<br />
the additional burden of dealing with<br />
the plot of those who are envious and<br />
who lack understanding of God’s will<br />
I’m fortunate to have a loving family<br />
around me but quite often family<br />
prepares you for dealing with the other haters in the world<br />
Y’all know the story of Joseph and his brothers?<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s nothing like family or church hurt.<br />
Hurt people hurt people and often it’s intentional and then<br />
there’s the other side: folk just not knowing<br />
I am uniquely blessed to have adult children, adult nieces<br />
and nephews, adult grandchildren and cousins who show care<br />
and support;<br />
<strong>The</strong>y call, visit, even cashapp support during trying<br />
times.<br />
Offering to come stay with me after surgery, I am truly<br />
blessed and thankful for this unusual gathering of family<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are those on the outer edges of participation and<br />
care but to borrow a line from the song, Too few to mention!<br />
<strong>The</strong> concern is if I will be able to make the family reunion<br />
in Fort Lauderdale in July.<br />
I have not missed one since I began Wilson Mitchell<br />
reunions in 1995, and it’s high on my 2024 calendar.<br />
I keep reminding all of you: God ain’t ready for me and<br />
the Devil don’t want me!<br />
Favor ain’t always Fair!<br />
Do employers really care?<br />
By Kevin Palmer<br />
Trust the science of the Economic Policy<br />
Institute Budget Calculator to know whether a<br />
business cares for the financial welfare of their<br />
employees.<br />
According to EPI, “<strong>The</strong> family budget<br />
calculator measures the income a family needs<br />
to attain a modest yet adequate standard<br />
of living. <strong>The</strong> budgets estimate communityspecific<br />
costs for 10 family types (one or two<br />
adults with zero to four children) in all counties and metro<br />
areas in the United States.”<br />
According to the budget calculator, in Columbia County,<br />
Georgia a single adult employee with no children will need to<br />
earn $50,084 (24hr) to attain a modest yet adequate standard<br />
of living. In contrast, a single adult employee in Richmond<br />
County must earn $42,079 (20hr).<br />
That means most Richmond and Columbia County<br />
employees live an uncomfortable, less-than-modest standard<br />
of living, while their employers live a comfortable, affluent<br />
standard of living.<br />
Deeply Rooted<br />
www.thewestsidegazette.com<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Westside</strong> <strong>Gazette</strong>, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves<br />
the right to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers that<br />
may not necessarily reflect those of the Staff and Management of<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Westside</strong> <strong>Gazette</strong> Newspaper and are solely the product of the<br />
responsible individual(s) who submit comments published in this<br />
newspaper.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Gantt Report<br />
Black Men Don’t Jump<br />
By Lucius Gantt<br />
Black men don’t jump!<br />
<strong>The</strong>re has been a lot of speculation<br />
about significant numbers of Black voters<br />
appearing to support the Babayka Brigade<br />
in the 2024 Presidential Election.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Babayka, or Russian Bogeyman, is former President<br />
Donald Trump who controls the Republican Party like Calvin<br />
Candy controlled Candyland in the movie “D’Jango”.<br />
It’s no secret that there will always be Black men, and Black<br />
women, who will cast votes for Republican candidates on the<br />
federal, state and local levels.<br />
It is also no secret that some Blacks you see at rallies, on<br />
newscasts, and Blacks eating fast-food chicken on social media<br />
have been paid for their expressions of love.<br />
I don’t have a problem with the political hustlers or the<br />
political professionals who get paid to do the political “wild<br />
thing”.<br />
But I can’t vote for any candidate that disrespects African<br />
Americans and Africans who live in the Motherland.<br />
If you only get your political news and advice from TikTok,<br />
Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and World Star Hip Hop, you<br />
probably don’t know who Donald Trump truly is.<br />
Donald Trump was raised by a father who was an ardent<br />
supporter of the Ku Klux Klan in New York where the family<br />
real estate business was accused of refusing to lease apartments<br />
to Black tenants.<br />
Trump reportedly once said Black people should go back to<br />
their “huts” in Africa. He said five innocent young Black men,<br />
once known as the “Central Park Five” should get the death<br />
penalty for an assault they didn’t commit.<br />
Recently, the impeached, indicted, and accused former<br />
President said he “loves” Black people and that no President<br />
has done more for Blacks than he did.<br />
Donald Trump doesn’t love anyone who has African ancestry.<br />
He doesn’t love democracy, he doesn’t love equality, he doesn’t<br />
love justice, and he hates the “American way”.<br />
Can you imagine the Palestinians having love and support<br />
for Benjamin Netanyahu?<br />
Black voters of all genders should stop falling for the political<br />
okey doke!<br />
Trump wants to be a dictator who seeks a lifetime term as<br />
U.S. President. He wants to be a modern-day wicked Pharoah.<br />
He wants to ban Muslims. He wants to deport immigrants. He<br />
wants to suppress your votes. And, he wants to take away what<br />
few health, protection, and other rights you have.<br />
Black men don’t jump on the Trump political patty wagon.<br />
Donald Trump is pretending to be your friend, posing as your<br />
savior and benefactor, and acting like your comforter in these<br />
times of trouble.<br />
I can’t tell you whom to vote for, but I can tell you Trump is<br />
a political “skunk”, in my opinion.<br />
Kanye West, Ice Cube, and other well-known Black men have<br />
expressed eagerness to talk and work with American politicians<br />
who have been behaving like Russian assets, but I can’t go for<br />
that, no can do!a<br />
DA Fani Willis’ Efforts Reach<br />
New Highs Doing God’s Work<br />
By Roger Caldwell<br />
“I don’t care how many times they threaten<br />
me. I will gladly leave this place knowing I<br />
did God’s Work,” says Fulton County District<br />
Attorney Fani Willis.<br />
In 2024, in the Democratic Primary District<br />
County Attorney Willis won by 89%, and<br />
has not shied away from prosecuting highprofile<br />
cases. In her first campaign in 2020,<br />
she campaigned on the premise of restoring<br />
integrity to the Fulton County district attorney’s office. Once<br />
D.A. Willis won the office in 2020, she was sending off letters<br />
to Georgia officials to preserve documents to attempt to<br />
investigate Trump’s influence in the 2020 election.<br />
When Willis took over the office in 2021, there was a backlog of<br />
thousands of cases, and she was the first Black female district<br />
attorney in Fulton County. From the very beginning of her<br />
administration, she was serious about getting rid of crime, and<br />
it didn’t matter if you were rich, poor, black, white, Democrat<br />
or Republican.<br />
Willis obtained her undergraduate degree from Howard<br />
University in 1992. Howard graduates are given a mission to<br />
change the world, and be ready for a fight if you are right. A<br />
graduate of Emory School of Law in 1996, DA Willis’ father<br />
was a lawyer and Black Panther.<br />
After graduating from Law school, Willis worked five years<br />
in the private sector, until she became an assistant district<br />
attorney for Fulton County in 2001. In 2014, Willis was the<br />
lead prosecutor in the Atlanta Public School cheating scandal<br />
and convicted 11of the 12 defendants. <strong>The</strong> defendants were<br />
charged with racketeering and other crimes.<br />
For this case and for other cases, Willis used the Racketeer<br />
Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO). This law<br />
made Willis famous and she is using the same law to convict<br />
Ex-President Trump.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> indictments are a culminations of an investigation that<br />
has lasted more than two years and has resulted in multiple<br />
charges, including conspiracy and racketeering, which Willis<br />
has a history of successfully bringing against defendants,” says<br />
CNN reporter Shawna Mizelle.<br />
As DA Willis hired Attorney Nathan Wade to manage the<br />
Trump case, there were allegations that the two also had a<br />
romantic relationship. Even though this had nothing to do<br />
with the case, one of the lawyers argued that Willis and Wade<br />
were profiting from the relationship and the entire indictment<br />
should be dismissed.<br />
This relationship turned into a big mess and Mr. Wade was<br />
forced to step down, and Willis had to fight to keep her job,<br />
and the case. “You think I’m on trial,” Ms. Willis said to Ms.<br />
Merchant. Looking toward the defense tables, she added,<br />
“<strong>The</strong>se people are on trial for trying to steal an election.”<br />
As DA Wills has tried to do her job, she has been forced to hire<br />
bodyguards, move out of her home, and received thousands of<br />
violent emails and texts. Violence has become part of the job,<br />
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com<br />
Israel,<br />
Russia, and<br />
International<br />
Law<br />
By Lawrence S. Wittner<br />
International<br />
law―the recognized<br />
rules of<br />
behavior among<br />
nations based<br />
on customary<br />
practices and<br />
treaties, among<br />
them the United<br />
Nations Charter and the<br />
Universal Declaration of<br />
Human Rights―has been<br />
agreed upon by large and small<br />
nations alike. To implement<br />
this law, the nations of the<br />
world have established a<br />
UN Security Council (to<br />
maintain international peace<br />
and security) and a variety of<br />
international courts, including<br />
the UN’s International Court<br />
of Justice (which adjudicates<br />
disputes between nations and<br />
gives advisory opinions on<br />
international legal issues) and<br />
the International Criminal<br />
Court (which prosecutes<br />
individuals for crimes of<br />
genocide, crimes against<br />
humanity, war crimes, and<br />
the crime of aggression).<br />
Yet nations continue to<br />
defy international law.<br />
In the ongoing Gaza crisis,<br />
the Israeli government has<br />
failed to uphold international<br />
law by rebuffing the calls of<br />
international organizations<br />
to end its massive slaughter<br />
of Palestinian civilians.<br />
<strong>The</strong> U.S. government has<br />
facilitated this behavior by<br />
vetoing three UN Security<br />
Council resolutions calling<br />
for a ceasefire, while the<br />
Israeli government has<br />
ignored an International<br />
Court of Justice ruling that<br />
it should head off genocide in<br />
Gaza by ensuring sufficient<br />
humanitarian assistance to<br />
the Palestinian population.<br />
Continue reading online at:<br />
thewestsidegazette.com<br />
Donald Trump<br />
and the Uses of<br />
Violence<br />
By<br />
Andrew<br />
Moss<br />
In a<br />
wideranging<br />
interview with a Time<br />
Magazine reporter this past<br />
April, Donald Trump said<br />
he expected victory in the<br />
coming presidential election,<br />
but he wouldn’t rule out the<br />
possibility of political violence<br />
if victory didn’t materialize.<br />
As he explained, “I don’t<br />
think we’re going to have<br />
that [political violence]. I<br />
think we’re going to win. And<br />
if we don’t win, you know, it<br />
depends. It always depends on<br />
the fairness of the election.”<br />
Mr. Trump’s response<br />
raised another question: what<br />
role would violence play in a<br />
second Trump administration<br />
were he to achieve electoral<br />
victory this November? His<br />
record suggests that the<br />
question isn’t hypothetical.<br />
During his four years in office,<br />
Mr. Trump used violence to<br />
achieve various political and<br />
policy objectives, and that<br />
fact raises critical questions<br />
for citizens considering their<br />
votes this November.<br />
To commit violence<br />
means inflicting harm on<br />
other people, harm that is<br />
manifested in injury, trauma,<br />
or death. But violence is also a<br />
form of power, as author and<br />
nonviolent activist Rev. James<br />
M. Lawson has reminded us.<br />
Continue reading online at:<br />
thewestsidegazette.com