Page 2 The Skanner May 11, 2016
Challenging People to Shape
a Better Future Now
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Opinion
DeRay’s Mayoral Bid a Victory for Black Lives Matter
B
lack Lives Matter ac-
tivist DeRay Mckesson
deserves high props.
The young man used his
activism as a platform to run
for Mayor of Baltimore, and
he placed better than expect-
ed in the April 26 election.
Initially projected to get just
one percent of the votes, he
ended up with two percent, or
3077 votes.
That’s a miniscule number
when compared to the more
than 45,000 votes garnered
by State Senator Catherine
Pugh, the winner with 37 per-
cent of the votes, or with the
42,000 plus votes (34 percent)
scored by her key challenger,
former Mayor Sheila Dix-
on. Mckesson placed sixth,
which isn’t bad for someone
who entered the race last (in
February) and without prior
political experience. He is to
be congratulated, and encour-
aged to continue participat-
ing in electoral politics.
Social change happens from
both inside and outside. In-
side, legislators and leaders
make public policy that her-
alds change, albeit slowly
and imperfectly. On the other
hand, from the outside, peo-
ple can yell, scream, march,
write, and influence.
The Black Lives Matter
folks have been instrumental
in this Presidential campaign
Julianne
Malveaux
NNPA
Columnist
in forcing Democrats Hillary
Clinton and Bernie Sanders
to deal with race in ways they
might not have. Neither of
them has gone far enough,
although both have conceded
some attention to reparations
issues, and talked more ex-
plicitly about racial economic
“
him as a meaningful voice in
Baltimore politics. Presump-
tive Mayor Catherine Pugh
should figure out a way to use
his talents (perhaps on the
Police Commission) as Balti-
more continues to heal.
“While we did not win to-
night, what we did was very
important, and I want you
to be as proud of our work
together as I am,” Mckesson
wrote to his supporters. “We
did something very special,
and it sets the table for what
else is possible.” Almost any-
thing is possible for Mckes-
son and the Black Lives Mat-
Social change happens from both
inside and outside
justice.
Mckesson says he “chal-
lenged the status quo of Balti-
more’s politics,” and in many
ways he did. He and his team
took the pain of the Freddie
Gray murder and turned it
into the power of a galvaniz-
ing campaign. His scant 3,077
votes (with 99 percent of the
votes counted) underestimate
the impact of his race in that
his race is empowering for
other young people. Espe-
cially young people who are
considering electoral poli-
tics, and his race establishes
ter activists. It is my hope that
these activists connect the im-
mediate reality of anti-Black
violence in law enforcement
with the more systemic real-
ity of structural anti-black
violence that manifests itself
through economic oppres-
sion, political subjugation,
and social inequality.
Even with an African Amer-
ican president activists need-
ed to assert that #BlackLives-
Matter because the Obama
presidency offered no pro-
tection for Tamir Rice, Eric
Garner, Michael Brown and
so many others. The myth of
postracialism is insufficient
to quell structural and per-
sistent anti-black violence.
Hopefully Mckesson will
not be the last Black Lives
Matter activist to involve
himself in electoral politics.
This 2016 Presidential season
has been great in illustrating
some of the shortcomings of
our electoral system, but also
some of its strengths. That
Bernie Sanders could enter a
race with just a 3 percent ap-
proval rating and amass a war
chest $27 at a time is amazing.
That he could seriously rival
the presumptive front-run-
ner and push her agenda to
the left is commendable.
That
DeRay
Mckesson
could go from outside agita-
tor to inside candidate is a
measure of what is possible.
Imagine what would happen
if there were more voter par-
ticipation and if more people
understood how we could
accomplish so much more by
working inside and outside of
the political system.
Julianne Malveaux is an au-
thor, economist and Founder
of Economic Education. Her
latest book “Are We Better Off?
Race, Obama and Public Pol-
icy” is available to order at
www.juliannemalveaux.com.
Follow her on Twitter @drjlast-
word.
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The Battle Over Paisley Park is Going to Be One Big Mess
P
erhaps one of the great-
est entertainers of all
time suddenly left us
April 21. Kay and I were
on a plane heading to Los An-
geles when it came across the
screen. I was in shock and it
wasn’t but a few minutes be-
fore tears came into my eyes.
This guy was supposed to live
many more years. But noth-
ing in life is guaranteed.
It was clear to everyone in
the music business: Prince
was a genius. He left this
earth with thousands of un-
released songs in “the vault.”
That will become one of the
many “crystal balls” that will
come into play while family
members try to figure out just
how much money and value
he has left. Since his death
over 4 million albums have
been sold. On the same day
as his death 239,000 albums
were sold and over 1.034 mil-
lion song downloads were
tracked by Nielsen. His estate
is growing larger and larger
by the day.
How do we total it? It is a
moving target and the courts,
IRS and countless attorneys
will be tussling with this big
behemoth for years to come.
First off, there doesn’t ap-
pear to be a will. Prince has
one full sibling — his sister,
Tyka, who is stepping up to
help get a handle on this sit-
Harry C.
Alford
NNPA
Columnist
uation. There are three half
siblings one his father’s side
from after the divorce of his
parents. His mother, likewise,
produced three half siblings.
Right now, they all seem to
be talking to each other and
“
growing day to day. His assets
such as his recording studio/
mansion Paisley Park are ap-
preciating assets. The whole
compound may become a
tourist attraction the same
way “Graceland” for the Elvis
Presley estate, which delivers
millions of dollars to the Pres-
ley estate each year.
His catalogue will be al-
most priceless — especially
with the thousands of songs
they have yet to release. This
will be the key to all interest-
ed parties. Let me make this
[Prince’s] catalogue will be almost
priceless – especially with the
thousands of songs they have yet
to release
have not “lawyered up.” Tyka
has employed a reputable
attorney and has agreed to
Bremer Trust Bank to manage
the estate funds. Prince had
used them for his financial af-
fairs so that makes something
consistent here.
Then there will soon be a
bunch of “baby mamas” claim-
ing to have delivered a child
of Prince’s. DNA tests will be-
come an ongoing thing.
If one hits that will throw
another monkey wrench in
the process of dividing up the
estate that is at least worth
over $500 million and is
clear: the most interested and
consistent party will be the
Internal Revenue Service.
The federal estate tax will
clock about 40 percent of all
perceived value and the state
of Minnesota will come in and
snatch another 16 percent.
Yes, the government will be
a very active “partner” claim-
ing value and assessing taxes
every step along the way of
settling the estate of Prince
Rogers Nelson. There will be
many skirmishes in the courts
as different parties will have
different assessments.
Prince was very philan-
thropic, but he kept his dona-
tions a very big secret. Will
those entities, who have been
quietly and consistently re-
ceiving funding start speak-
ing out and claiming a piece
of the future growth? Who
will have the authority to de-
clare the price on “name and
image?” Michael Jackson’s
estate has much activity, be-
tween Michael’s mother and
the IRS. Sometimes they are
miles apart on each assess-
ment. Keep in mind, Michael
had a very thorough will, but
debate still lives in the matter
of his estate.
Get ready. The saga of the
Prince estate will become
historic. Maybe as they drill
holes into the stored vault in
his recording studio an au-
thentic will may come to light.
I doubt it. It was just Prince’s
style to be mysterious and
cause a little “Controversy,” as
documented in one of his first
hits.
I envision Prince going be-
fore St. Peter and shouting,
“Baby, you’re much too fast.”
Harry Alford is the president,
CEO and co-founder of the Na-
tional Black Chamber of Com-
merce® (NBCC). For more infor-
mation about the NBCC, visit
http://www.nationalbcc.org or
e-mail Harry at halford@na-
tionalbcc.org.