News
Jesse Jackson to Gov. Rick Perry:
No Apology for Comments
By Gary Fineout
The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Civil
rights activist Jesse Jackson isn’t backing
down from comments he made comparing
Florida’s struggle with the Trayvon Martin
case to the civil rights clashes with police
during the 1960s in Selma, Ala.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday
demanded that Jackson apologize for his
comments calling the state the ``Selma of
our time.’’ He also said Florida has been an
``apartheid’’ state.
But Jackson, in an interview with The
Associated Press, defended his remarks. He
cited the state’s voter laws and incarceration
rates of blacks versus the general population
as examples of ``apartheid like conditions.’’
Jackson made his original remarks while
taking part in a protest at the Florida Capi-
tol. He joined a group upset that George
Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting
death of Martin.
Jackson spent the night with protesters
upset that George Zimmerman was found
not guilty of second-degree murder in the
shooting death of Martin. They’ve refused
to leave the Capitol until Scott calls a spe-
cial session to have legislators overhaul the
state’s self-defense laws.
Jackson called Florida the ``Selma of our
time’’ and even compared Scott to former
Alabama Gov. George Wallace. While he
was governor, Wallace famously stood in
the door at the University of Alabama to try
to block the entry of two black students.
Scott so far has refused the request and
the protest has dragged on for more than
two weeks. The protesters have gotten
national media attention and won support
from celebrities such as entertainer Harry
Belafonte and others who have urged peo-
ple to boycott Florida.
Scott in a release blasted Jackson’s com-
ments as ``reckless’’ and ``divisive’’ and
said that he should apologize to residents.
``It is unfortunate that he would come to
Florida to insult Floridians and divide our
state at a time when we are striving for unity
and healing,’’ Scott said.
But Bishop Tavis Grant, national field
director for the Rainbow PUSH coalition
started by Jackson, said there was no need
for an apology.
“The governor has a deafening ear to the
cries of those asking him to take a moral
stand, not a political stand,’’ Grant said.
Jackson left Tallahassee earlier Wednes-
day and wasn’t immediately made available
to comment.
Grant, though, said Jackson made his
comments not only in response to the Zim-
merman verdict but because of the case of
Marissa Alexander.
Alexander, who is from Jacksonville, was
sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a
bullet at a wall to scare off her husband
when she felt he was threatening her. A
judge refused to let her use a ``stand your
ground’’ defense.
Grant said that thousands of Floridians
support Jackson and agree that the state’s
``stand your ground’’ law is egregious.
Services for Teddy Peoples,
1949-2013
Services for Teddy James Peoples are Aug.
9 at 11a.m. at the Community AME Zion
Church, Vancouver, WA. Interment is Aug.
12 at 10 a.m. at the Tahoma National
Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th St. Kent, WA.
A repast is Aug. 12, from 4-7 p.m. at the
Royal Esquire Club, 6016 Rainer Ave.,
Seattle.
He was born June 14, 1949, in St. Louis,
Mo.. to Dorothy Peoples and William
Bruce. Teddy met Shirley King (Peoples) in
1969 and later married; the were together
for 25 years.
Peoples enlisted in the United States Marine Corp and received an
honorable discharge in 1969. In 1979 Teddy moved to Seattle, WA to
work at Boeing Aircraft for 25 years as a machinist. He and Shirley
operated the kitchen at The Royal Esquire Club. They owned and
operated Scotia Best Catering. Teddy was in partnership of the Hollywood
Underground Club and Restaurant downtown Seattle. He loved fishing,
boating, hunting and camping.
Teddy passed July 31, 2013.
Arrangements by Dayspring-Fitch Funeral Home.
But that view isn’t shared by Scott or
other Republican leaders in the Florida Leg-
islature. Senate President Don Gaetz earlier
this week that while he understands that
some people are ``frustrated’’ with the ver-
dict that doesn’t mean the law should be
changed.
``In our system, a verdict is not then
referred to a referendum of the people who
are interested in the issue or who are pas-
sionate about the issue,’’ Gaetz said. ``A
verdict is a verdict.’’
The protesters, many of whom belong to a
Check Out
The Skanner News
Turn-the-Pages WebPaper
Go to www.theskanner.com home page
and click on ‘Turn the Pages’ button to
view our complete newspapers, exactly
as they are printed,
but on-line!
Just click to turn
the pages and
click to zoom.
Page 8 The Seattle Skanner August 7, 2013
group called the Dream Defenders, want the
special session to consider changing state
laws to repeal Florida’s ``stand your
ground’’ law and to end racial profiling and
zero-tolerance policies in public schools.
Protesters this week started their own
mock session in the Old Capitol. They also
are trying to urge 32 legislators to ask for a
special session. Under Florida law, if 32
legislators make that demand, then the
Department of State must poll the Legisla-
ture. If three-fifths of lawmakers agree, then
a special session must be called.