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March 19, 2014 ^orilanî» (Obstruer Page 7 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. My Brother’s Keeper: Thank You, Mr. President Changing lives for the better BY THE R ev . B entley de B ardelaben Recently, Presi d en t O b am a a n n o u n ce d a new White House initiative to benefit young men and boys of color named “My Brother’s Keeper.” This program is aimed to create and expand opportunities in the lives of these young men while minimizing harsh realities which often adversely affect them. Based in part on a program created by former New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, the Obama administration hopes to assist young men through a vari ety ofbenchmarks, including part nerships with local businesses that would train and hire these young men. In a very candid conversation in front of the media, Presi dent O bam a shared- his motives for the creation of “My Brother’s Keeper.” P erhaps som e o f the reaso n s w ere p erso n al. Some may have been political. N evertheless, the form ation of such a program can and will be advantageous to the group of young men and boys for whom it was created. At least, that is my hope since, I, too was such a young black male growing up in a hom e w ithout a father in the urban com m unity. As a teen ag e boy w hose parents had recently divorced, I was angry, confused, and uninterested in the “new ” life that was thrust upon my sib lings and me. Fortunately, there were people in that com m u nity, such as teachers, pastors and neighbors, who saw gifts and possibilities w here I could not. D espite th e ir co n stan t push for me to not give up, the outcom e looked bleak. I was ready to drop out o f school, possibly even life. As it had been foretold, an opportunity arose. I was of fered a full academ ic scholar ship through A Better Chance to attend a private high school in W isconsin. The m ission of B etter C hance has been to “ s u b s ta n tia lly in c re a se the number o f well-educated young people o f color who are ca pable of assum ing positions of responsibility and leadership in A m erican society.” If it w eren’t for this fortu itous occasion provided me, as well as the many people who prayed for, encouraged, and financed me, I absolutely would not be a man “o f leadership and responsibility” that I am today. Thus, it is from a deeply personal place that I com m end this new initiative from the W hite House. G ro w in g up in M id d le A m erica during the 1960s and 70s had its challenges for a young man o f color such as m yself. U nfortunately, grow ing up in to d ay ’s society, with all o f our progress since the passage of the Civil Rights Bill o f 1964, is still tough for young men and boys o f color. Any program slated to help them achieve their hopes and dreams is an added bonus. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of m u tuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. W hatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” President Obama understands this as do many others. I am grateful that he assembled a task force to help pay forward the many blessings afforded him. This program may radically change their lives (and this nation’s) for the better. It is with a humble heart that I say, “Thank you, Mr. President.” The Rev. Bentley de Bardelaben is executive fo r administration and communi cations fo r the United Church o f Christ’s Justice and Wit ness Ministries. Conservatives Finally Wake Up to Prison Reform Skyrocketing incarceration rates not sustainable by J udge G reg M athis A recent column in W ashing ton, D.C.-based paper The Na tional Journal describes in detail how prison reform is becoming a key theme among conservatives. The Heritage Foundation, an ultra conservative think tank funded heavily by the Koch brothers, is now aligned with a cause Democrats and minority grassroots organizations have long cham pioned. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is now a supporter of pending legislation in the U.S. Senate that am ends mandatory minimum sentencing laws to give judges more flexibility and several Republican leaders have joined him to support simi lar reforms. I have consistently said that reforming our nation’s prison system is the right thing to do morally. In addition, research shows that investing in comprehensive prison reforms will save tax-payer dol lars and improve outcomes for ex-of- fenders. Traditionally, Democrats have made up the majority o f policy-makers calling for legislation to reduce incarceration and re-arrest rates among inner-city and low -incom e youth. However, now - faced with increasingly strained state In 2008, President George W. Bush and federal budgets — Republicans are signed the Second Chance Act into law. starting to realize that we must change This law written by Democratic Rep. the way our nation's prison systems are Danny Davis and Republican Sen. Rob run. Portman offered federal grant funding to M andatory m inim um sen state and local government agencies and tencing has contributed to a steep nonprofit organizations to support inno rise in our federal prison popula vative efforts to reduce re-arrest rates tion. More than 14 percent of and overall prison populations. Americans are behind bars and In my home state, the Michigan Pris the federal prison system has oner Reentry Initiative expanded its pa more than quadrupled since role programs and invested in transition Mandatory minimum sentencing has contributed to a steep rise in our federal prison population. More than 14 percent o f Americans are behind bars and the federal prison system has more than quadrupled since 1980. America has one o f the highest incar ceration rates o f any industrialized na tion in the world and leaders in both parties are beginning to realize that this trend is not sustainable. States across the country are running programs similar to M ichigan’s and they have witnessed comparable results. Some politicians have been reluctant to support programs helping ex-offend ers, because they want to be tough on crime. During election cycles being "soft on crime" is never a good thing. How ever, the facts show that our current policies on crime are not effective and far too expensive. Our public officials need to be smart on crime and invest in programs that will allow our prison systems to offer true rehabilitation. This includes career de velopment and mentoring to help ex offenders readjust to society and avoid being arrested again. It also includes investment in youth violence prevention with similar programs focused on educa tion, job training, and mentoring. As Republicans are beginning to real ize, these commitments will ultimately lead to less Americans behind bars and long-term cost savings. 1980. First time non-violent drug offend- plans that included employment guid- ers can often serve long-term prison ance, mentoring and counseling services sentences with no option for parole. for ex-offenders. Between 2005 and At the recent Conservative Political 2011 Michigan saw 5,000 fewer ex- Action Conference, Sen. Paul acknowl- offenders return to prison. In addition, edged drug-related sentences “dispro- between 2002 and 2008 M ichigan’s portionately affect African-Americans.” prison population fell by over 12 percent Black and Latino-Americans make up and the state closed more than 20 cor- over58 percent o f ourprison population, rectional facilities. Judge Greg Mathis is known fo r his despite being only 25 percent of the Compelling research that proves in- advocacy fo r equal justice. His inspi American population. However, the true vestment in prison reform and ex-of- rational life story o f a street youth rallying point for many conservatives is fender reentry pays off is an attractive who rose from jail to Judge has pro the reality that these long-term prison sell to budget conscious Republicans vided hope to millions who watch him sentences and a growing prison popula- who were previously tone-deaf to wide- on the award-winning TV court show tion are not helping to reduce crime. spread dysfunction in U.S. prisons. Judge Mathis.
