^ J J o r tln n b CObseruer luly 21. 2004 PageA5 Pardon Sought for Boxer Imprisoned by Racism Jack Johnson was first heavyweight champion (AP) — Researching a documen tary on Jack Johnson, filmmaker Ken Bums decided that racism, not justice, sent the first black heavyweight box ing champion to jail nearly a century ago. Bums decided to seek a presiden tial pardon to right the wrong. Last week, civil rights leaders and Sens. John McCain and Orrin Hatch joined Bums to announce the filing of legal Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns talks about his next film, ‘Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall o f Jack Johnson’ - the story o f a boxer wrongly papers with the Justice Department imprisoned for a relationship with a white woman. (AP photo) seeking the pardon. The petition argues that Johnson’s America’s resolve to live up to its came the first black army officer. 1913 conviction under the Mann Act, noble ideals of justice and equality.” Johnson became the first black a law passed three years earlier than Hatch, R-Utah, said: “This man was champion when he stopped Tommy bans the interstate transport of women flamboyant. But there was a reason Bums in Australia in 1908. Two years for immoral purposes, unfairly pun for the flamboyancy: he was taking on later, he defeated challenger Jim ished him for a consensual relation the world and fighting to give African- Jeffries, who had come out o f retire ship with a white woman. Americans a chance.” ment as the “Great White Hope” to “A gross and grave injustice was Johnson died in a traffic accident in beat the black man. done to Jack Johnson where a law 1946 at age 68. If granted, the pardon Johnson’s victory, in an era when was perverted to send this decent would be only the second awarded Jim Crow laws and segregation ruled, American to jail,” said McCain, R- posthumously. The first was Presi sparked race riots in parts o f the coun Ariz. “Pardoning Jack Johnson will dent Clinton’s 1999 pardon of Henry try. But it was not just the champion serve as a historic testam ent o f O. Flipper, a former slave who be ship that made many white Ameri Dear Deanna! Real P eo p le, R eal Advice t» advice column kuoyea for its fearless approach lo reality based subjects! My husband of 15 years had a mid life crisis and decided to find a 20- year old mistress when he was age 40 and got herpregnant. This woman took me through many changes like calling on the phone with explicit details o f the affair. Now he has to pay a huge chunk o f child support and has asked for my forgiveness. Considering all she put me through, I find it hard to deal with this out side child syndrome because I’m reaping from his sins. How can I deal with this? --Barely Hanging On; Tampa, Fla. Dear Barely Hanging On Deal with this by avoiding the gold digging child w ho’s trying cans hate him. In a 1983 biography of Johnson, Randy Roberts wrote that the boxer was proud of his conquests among white women. Prosecutors moved against him in 1912 by arresting Johnson on the charge o f abducting Lucille Cameron. Johnson was indicted, but the gov ernment lost Cameron as a witness when she became the second white was invoked to invade the privacy of consenting adults. The district attorney at the time, Harry Parkin, called the conviction "the foremost example of the evil in permitting the intermarriage o f whites and blacks,” which Bum s’ petition said revealed the extreme prejudice at the time. McCain and Hatch said they plan to ask other senators to join in a resolu ' Johnson’s victory, in an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation ruled, sparked race riots in parts of the country. But it was not just the championship that made many white Americans hate him. % woman to marry Johnson; a wife can not be forced to testify against her husband. The prosecution came up with a witness. Belle Schreiber, also white and a former mistress. Her testimony led to Johnson’s conviction, and he served a 10-month sentence. The petition fi led Tuesday contends the conviction was legally unfounded, the first trial in which the Mann Act to bring you dow n. T w o w rongs ev eryb o d y and you sh o u ld ’ve d o n ’t m ake a right and you should been m ore supportive o f her d e tune out the b a b y ’s im m ature cision. T h ere’s nothing w rong m other and let G od lead you whi le w ith th e life sty le she ch o se. su p p o rtin g y o u r h u sb an d and —Kim M cConnell; Bronx, N.Y. heal your m arriage. Yes, your Dear Kim: husband w as ju st as w rong, but T elling this w om an she was co r the baby is innocent and d id n ’t rect in getting o ff the path o f ask to com e here. Seek faith based G o d ’s plan w ould be the sam e as co u n selin g and rep resen t your wom anly strength by dem onstrat telling you to go play in traffic. Sim ply insane. U n fortunately, ing love and forgiveness. people like you and others co n Dear Deanna! tinue to enjoy feel good honesty In response to the w om an who w hich sim ply m eans a lie. A gain, chose a non-traditional partner, I if a person selects an alternative think y o u ’re either hom ophobic lifestyle and they c a n ’t handle or d o n 't have com m on sense. You the pressure, ridicule, dram a and ju d g ed her w hen you told her she taunting that com es w ith it, then needs to select a man. G od loves they need to get back to basics tion urging that Johnson be pardoned. Other supporters include Sen. Ed ward Kennedy, D-Mass.; Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill.; boxers Sugar Ray Leonard and Vernon Forrest; and actor Samuel L. Jackson. Bum s’ documentary on Johnson, titled “Unforgiveable Blackness: The Rise and Fall o f Jack Johnson,” will air on PBS in January. and keep it m oving. ues that will make your life better when y o u ’re released. Stay posi Dear Deanna! tive and encouraged and y o u 'll I’m in prison and I read your co l be able to stay on the right path umn every w eek. I’ve looked at w hen you get back into society. p eo p le’s lives and situations and Besides, crim inals and inm ates realize my life w asn’t that bad and are still people and need love and I m essed it up w ith stupidity and support too. crim e. I’m also glad to see you d o n ’tjudge the inmates and crim i Ask Deanna is written by Deanna nals that are locked up and help M. Write Ask Deanna! Email: us as well. W hen I get out. I’m a sk d e a n n a l @yahoo.com or staying out o f trouble. —C hris; write: Deanna M, P.O. Box 88847, Raleigh, N.C. prison Los Angeles, CA 90009. Website: Dear Chris: www. askdeanna. com A mind is a terrible thing to w aste if idle and it’s good to see y o u ’re reading w hile in prison. C ontinue to receive w isdom from all ven Now the savings are in the Card! ALL LIMITS ARE PER HOt'SEHOU) PERDA»