Happy
Holidays!
As I have been around
the community shopping, I have received many
positive comments about this website and the information
provided. Folks have also asked me questions
about:
-
Newark City
Schools and why there are no children of color
depicted in photos of the building groundbreakings.
(Black folks pay taxes too)
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Newark City
Schools and why the board and the superintendent
won't ask my emails. (wimps)
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The sorry Licking
County NAACP and it's leadership. (I get more
questions and negative comments about the shoddy
operations of this "civil rights" organization)
(12-19-2005).
CAUGHT!
Flat Busted!
Why on the Park
National Bank website do they state:
"Want to go
straight to the top? Our top executives are here to talk
to you and will gladly take your calls!"
Well I tried that,
and Dan DeLawder deleted my email without even reading
it. (In my email I attached a return receipt. It
is below!)
Your message
To: Button, Tom
Cc: DeLawder, Dan; Trautman, David
Subject: complaint
Sent: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 11:21:44 -0500
was deleted without being read on Mon, 19 Dec 2005
09:06:27 -0500
I had a complaint. I was treated rudely and
badly by a manager. I wanted to tell somebody. I was having a problem with
the VISA check card that they encourage customers to
use.
I had
called in to speak with a representative because a
merchant that I presented my Visa check card obviously
swiped the card twice. There were two charges on the
card for different amounts. I have always been told
that the bank awaits a hard copy and that in instances
such as this; typically the transaction without the
hardcopy will drop off my account in 3 business days and
they would release MY money. I was told repeatedly
this wasn't the bank's fault. It certainty wasn't
mine.
I penned the following:
Moreover and most importantly, the bank issues the check
card, proudly advertises on the card and one would
expect that the bank would do more to protect the
interest of its customers and provide courteous prompt
assistance in these matters. Park National Bank touts
and encourages customers to use the debit card, but when
things go awry Park National Bank leaves the customer
to fend for themselves. There would have to be an
amicable way to resolve these issues that have to occur
regularly, particularly when the card holder has no
control over the amount entered for authorization or how
many times a card is swiped. It is never
acceptable to place the responsibility on the card holder.
I
am beginning to believe shoddy service is
institutional-wide and very accepted. Heck, I have
penned several letters to the manager of the Southgate
office and bank executive Doug Marston. Neither
gave me the courtesy of a response.
What's up with White men not responding to my emails?
First the Newark City School Board and superintendent
and now the bank! Am I not allowed to ask honest
questions and not expect an answer.
I probably shouldn't expect too much from the
"community's bank." I have been banking with them
for 13 years and have only seen 1 Black bank teller.
What's up with that? Are there really no qualified
Blacks to hold teller positions within Park National
Bank? Maybe the local NAACP should look into this
after they plan their next Soul Food Dinner. Or maybe
Black folks should stop banking with Park!(12-19-2005)
Comments from Rosa
Parks funeral on Wednesday:
-
"It's a given
that I would not be here today were it not for the
small woman. The woman we honored today held
no public office, she wasn't a wealthy woman, didn't
appear in the society pages. And yet when the
history of this country is written, it is this small
quiet woman whose name will be remembered long after
the names of senators and presidents have been
forgotten." ~ Senator Barack Obama.
-
This small woman,
armed with her belief in God and her sense of right
and wrong, stood up and gave meaning to the words
'courage, patriot.' She loved this dream of
our country more than she loved herself." ~ Senator
John Kerry.
I got a response from
the U.S. Department of Education about forwarding high
school students names and contact information to
military recruiters. I'll post the letter
tomorrow. (11/2/2005)
In
Memoriam
If you keep
letting them do what they are doing, then they think you
like it. ~ Rosa Parks.
"America
is freer and a better nation today because of Rosa
Parks," said Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican
National Committee.
We are
saddened by the passing of Rosa Parks. We rejoice in her
legacy, which will never die. In many ways, history is
marked as before, and after, Rosa Parks. She sat down in
order that we all might stand up, and the walls of
segregation came down. said civil rights leader Jesse
Jackson
Sen.
Barack Obama, D-Ill., called Parks an "American hero."
In a statement, he said, "Through her courage and by her
example, she helped lay the foundation for a country
that could begin to live up to its creed."
Mrs. Parks -
Thanks for giving us broad shoulders to stand on.
You have left us with a shining example to
stand up for what is right.
10-25-05
So nice they ran
it twice-
My recent letter to the editor 10-24-05
Safe travels to
those who will be attending the Millions More March in
Washington D.C. on Saturday. The
march will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Million
Man March. It will also set a new agenda for the
Black community, our expectations of the government and
our leaders. I sent my oldest son in 1995. I
wanted him to see the power and strength of strong
dedicated Black men. A few years later, I
attended the Million Woman March with my mom, aunt,
sister and daughter. The March was life-changing
for me. As we embarked on the sea of beautiful
Black women who were waiting to be inspired and
encouraged, I was actually moved to tears. There
were Black women of every economic class, education
level, religion, shape, size and color. There was
a sense of POWER in the park.
Never before
had I been the in the presence of a movement that could
possibly change the world. Winnie Mandela was the
guest speaker. She told those in attendance that
Black women around the world admired and looked up to
African American women. Our struggles in America have
caused others to stand up for their rights as Africans
around the planet and as women.
While
listening to the various speakers, an interesting sound
could be heard. Over the loud speaker, an
announcement kept playing, "Women hold on to your
children! Women hold on to your children!" The
announcement was an effort to help the large number of
children that were being separated from their moms
during the march. Actually, the announcement for
me became symbolic for the crisis in our community. I
strongly believe that what's wrong in the Black
community can be fixed by the Black community. If
Tyrone can't read at school, Tyrone also can't read at
home.
Black
women still need to hold on and protect our children.
If we don't who will? Police still
harass, banks and insurance companies still
redline and the public school systems still don't
educate and encourage our children to succeed. We
have a lot of work to do.
As a result
of attending the march, I came home and began to work in
our community with our children. As we celebrate
the legacy of the two historic marches and the hope of
Saturday's march, I still encourage the women in
our community to "Hold on to your children."
Just my thoughts. 10-13-05
I was going to attend
the Tuesday night NCS board meeting to publicly ask why
my request to have my son's name not provided to the
military for recruiting purposes hasn't been answered
but the Columbus Academy vs. Granville soccer game was
so exciting. The CA Vikings lost, but the final
second goal by my favorite CA player Cyle Barber was
worth sitting in the cold evening air. Go
Vikes!
I find it so
interesting, that like the family who protested the Toni
Morrison book, I too, want to have a say in what my
minor son is exposed to. I am on the DO NOT call
list and my home number is not publicly listed.
I DO NOT want the military contacting my son.
I DO NOT want military information forwarded to my home
via the USPS. NCS catered to the book censoring
family, she was able to transfer classes. Why has my
request has gone unanswered? What's the difference
between the two requests? They don't want their
daughter exposed to in their opinion questionable
dialogue by Toni Morrison, I don't want my minor
son contacted by the military. Again, what's the
difference?
I did contact the
head of the U.S. Department of Education asking her how
may exercise my right as a parent to opt-out of the
military contact list. I'll keep you posted.
10-11-05.
The things I learn at
NHS football games. I heard that the reason why
the superintendent and the elected school board won't
respond to an email I recently forwarded (it is
printed below),
is because it was mandated by the board president Jeremy
Blake that they not.
How spineless are
they? Honest questions require answers
regardless if you like who is asking them. All
parents and taxpayers deserve the courtesy of a
response to correspondence. Personal biases have
no place on the school board!
While Blake may be
trying to damage my creditability he is damaging his own
integrity. Additionally, he and the board are violating
my rights!
My hope is that in the
future, if the board president has personal issues that
it be left out of his official obligations to the
community and those he was elected to serve.
Just my thoughts (10-7-05)
Shame on
the Newark City Schools Board of Education! I penned
a nice and most respectful email to the crew a couple of
days ago. For whatever reason, they haven't
responded. Maybe it is because of the pitiful Board
President or perhaps it is because they haven't adhered
to the federal mandates in the No-Child Left Behind
legislation.
How
interesting, they expect the community to support a
renewal tax levy, but when voters and taxpayers attempt
to correspond with them, they DON'T ANSWER!
Perhaps, I will respond to their inactivity at the
ballot box in November. (Just my thoughts) 10-5-05
Here's a
copy of the letter:
I was
surprised to learn that Section 9528 of the No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001 requires high schools to release
student's private information to military recruiters
unless they and their families opt out in writing.
I understand that Section 9528 also requires schools to
notify parents and students of their right to opt out,
has Newark City Schools done this?
Please advise.
Special note, As a parent, I would like to opt-out my
son, a freshman at Newark High School. How do we go
about adhering to this portion of NCLB?
Best,
Ronda
Someone
asked me my opinion on the recent book banning issue in
Newark City Schools. I am hopeful that the District
won't cave into pressure from parents who are supporting
this issue. I believe that parents do have the
right to have a say in what THEIR offspring are exposed
to, but they shouldn't impose their views on other
families. I have read most of Toni Morrison's
books. (I personally think that she is highly overrated
by academics) The language isn't anything that an
average 10th grader hasn't heard in the hallways of NHS
or at the mall. Additionally any sexual depictions in
the book again aren't anything that the average 10th
grader hasn't seen in magazines, movies or on MTV,
unless of course they have been living in a cave.
Just my thoughts. (9/28/05)
Someone also
asked me my opinion on City Council receiving health
insurance benefits. I believe that serving on
council is a public service. Taxpayers should not
have to provide this "benefit" for those who elected to
serve our community. If other part-time city
employees are not eligible to receive benefits because
of their part-time status, City Council should adhere to
this practice too. Are our City Council members
more privileged than other employees because they write
the rules? But what can we expect, they are the
same bunch that won't protect the health of our
community by banning public smoking. Just my thoughts
(9/28/05)
No child
left behind and Military Recruiting Provisions
FYI...
This text is from section 9528
on pages 559 and 560 of the 670-page reauthorization
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA),
commonly known as the
No Child Left Behind Act of
2001: SEC. 9528. ARMED FORCES RECRUITER
ACCESS TO STUDENTS AND STUDENT RECRUITING
INFORMATION.
(a) POLICY-
(1) ACCESS TO STUDENT
RECRUITING INFORMATION- Notwithstanding section
444(a)(5)(B) of the General Education Provisions Act
and except as provided in paragraph (2), each local
educational agency receiving assistance under this
Act shall provide, on a request made by military
recruiters or an institution of higher education,
access to secondary school students names,
addresses, and telephone listings.
(2) CONSENT- A secondary
school student or the parent of the student may
request that the student's name, address, and
telephone listing described in paragraph (1) not be
released without prior written parental consent, and
the local educational agency or private school shall
notify parents of the option to make a request and
shall comply with any request. Visit:
http://www.rcnv.org/counterrecruit/optout/#one
and
http://www.leavemychildalone.org/ for more
information and forms.
I
recently received this email. Join the Boycott of
Pepsi!
(9-26-05)
Kanye West, former spokesperson for Pepsi, has since lost his
endorsement deal with the soft drink giant due to his publicized remarks regarding the mishandling of the Katrina evacuees/victims. I mean if
you're like me....just SICK and TIRED of being black in America and being mishandled,
then do something. Our parents and their parent's SHUT DOWN an entire bus system
during the Civil Rights era by CHOOSING to do something.
Here is your opportunity's I'm calling a boycott on ALL Pepsi products. If they
want to drop Kanye, how about we DROP them! And as much as I love a good
Pepsi and a bag of Fritos, I'm not buying another Pepsi including any of their family
products (see link below) until a formal apology is given and a donation is
rendered to the Red Cross (or a similar organization) in the sum of the amount
of Kanye's contract with Pepsi. If you're committed to doing something to tell
not just Pepsi but the world that there is power in the Black community,
then pass this along. Because there's POWER in numbers.
Pepsi Products:
Pepsi/Frito Lay/Gatorade/Tropicana/Quaker
See a list of products by clicking here:
http://www.pepsico.com/company/brands.shtml
"Real
integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's
going to know whether you did it or not." Oprah Winfrey
(9-8-07)
Shame on
President George Bush!
As a taxpayer and United States citizen, the federal
government's response to the disaster on the Gulf Coast is
NOT ACCEPTABLE. How is it that he can take Air Force
One to check out the disaster site, but not fill that big
airplane and helicoter up with water and supplies for
delivery to those in need. (He didn't need to
unload the supplies, I am sure others would have happily
helped.) His visit on Friday was moot. If he
wasn't prepared to deliver needed supplies in his government
supplied transportation, he should have stayed home in
watched things unfold on T.V. like all the rest of us.
Food and water should not be a luxury in the biggest most
powerful country in the world. (9-3-05)
Apparently skin tone is
the difference between looting and finding. Check
out the
pictures
below from news reports. Everyone affected is in a struggle
for survival. However, in the media coverage of the aftermath of
Katrina, Black people are "looting" while white people are
"finding" food. (9/1/2005)
Click on photo for larger view.
We
will all be judged by both what we do and don't do;
by what we say and don't say. Stand up for what is
right! (8/25/05)
Interesting reading and I
think I must agree!
Mother deserves meeting, and apology, from Bush
(8/24/05)
FINALLY...I have
questioned and wondered out loud, why the missing pregnant Black
woman from Philadelphia hasn't received the same mass media
attention as the teenager Natalie Holloway or the pregnant Lacy
Peterson. It can't be denied that race does matter.
This is probably why when I called NPD about my daughter, they
never showed up. In a quote from today's
Columbus Dispatch:
A quick Google
search of recent news items featuring Natalee Holloway, the
Alabama woman who vanished two months ago while on vacation in
Aruba, turned up 509 articles.
As of 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Figueroa’s name appeared in 12 Google news hits.
There is a "human
hierarchy which puts white women victims at the upper end," said
Keith Woods, faculty dean at the Poynter Institute for
journalists.
"Racism is somewhere
in the mix, but it isn’t the whole thing," he said.
The class of the
person, police interest and community organization are all part
of the "snowball effect" that builds a local story into a
national discussion, Woods said. (7-29-05)
Hey All! Sorry I
haven't posted in months, but I have pretty much kept my
thoughts to myself. I have been busy. (7-25-05)
-
Had lunch with the
President of Fisk University, Hazel O'Leary. She was
also the Secretary of Energy for my president Bill
Clinton. She is the bomb. She told me that you
haven't done anything on your list of things to do, if you
haven't helped someone else's child.
With that said...
-
Why does the Newark Police
Department actively protect the property of an my old elderly
racist neighbors June and Jim Sachs but refuse to come out to
protect my daughter? I am not sure if they are perverts
or not, but the old wrinkled ones seem to enjoy taking my
family's, including my minor children's photos. Yes,
apparently, I am Newark's local supermodel. (cheese) I
suppose the NPD is getting direction from the corrupt law
director so such is life. I have asked for a copy of my 911
call, but they refuse to release it. More soon...
-
What is going on with the
Castle on the Railroad Tracks? There is supposed to be a
Players Club on site as well as a Teen Cafe and Lounge. I also
hear that they are promoting rap and rap videos. What
adult in her right mind would encourage our youth to
pursue the rap lifestyle and culture. Some videos are
nothing but soft porn. Just ass shaking.
Additionally, they are soliciting the community for funds
to purchase school supplies. Who in their right mind
would give them $30,000? As I have always said, the local
NAACP and its leadership "ain't right." Check the money.
It is a shame the the school district allowed her to fester
within the district and now over $5000 of our precious tax
dollars follow any student that enrolls at hip-hop high.
I told you first.
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