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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (July 6, 2016)
Page 2 The Skanner July 6, 2016 ® Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now Bernie Foster Founder/Publisher Bobbie Dore Foster Executive Editor Jerry Foster Advertising Manager Christen McCurdy News Editor Patricia Irvin Graphic Designer Arashi Young Reporter Monica J. Foster Seattle Oice Coordinator Susan Fried Photographer 2015 MERIT AWARDS WINNER The Skanner has received 20 NNPA awards since 1998 The Skanner Newspaper, es- tablished in October 1975, is a weekly publication, published every Wednesday by IMM Publi- cations Inc. 415 N. Killingsworth St. P.O. Box 5455 Portland, OR 97228 Telephone (503) 285-5555 Fax: (503) 285-2900 info@theskanner.com www.TheSkanner.com The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Association and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. ©2016 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission prohibited. Local News Paciic NW News World News Opinions Jobs, Bids Entertainment Community Calendar RSS feeds BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION #SkNews Opinion What Comes Next, After Jesse Williams’ BET Speech? M ore than a couple of million folks have re- sponded to the words spoken by Jesse Wil- liams, which points out the fact that many Black people are mesmerized by words that excite us and stimulate our emotions. Rather than initiat- ing practical and appropriate actions as a result of words that make us feel good, we usually end up celebrating, espousing, regurgitating, and discussing, ad nauseam, those words instead of implement- ing strategies that make us “do good.” The speech by Williams was important and relevant, especially to Black people. I appreciate his words and his willingness to make his statements on such a widely viewed stage. He used his fame and the very popular BET Awards Show to put forth a message that has been spoken and written by others before him, but also one that we need to hear over and over. Seems to me that when someone fa- mous says the same things other non-famous folks have said, it takes hold quicker and our light bulbs come on fast- er. Questions: “How long will the message last, and will we act upon it? Jesse Williams’ back- ground, political ailiations and motivations notwith- standing, his message was James Clingman NNPA Columnist more important than the mes- senger. But since we are so attuned with what our celeb- rities say, he had instant cred- ibility with many young and older folks alike. This is not to “ dope – Up with hope!” “No justice, no peace!” “Yes we can!” and all the other words we have heard and chanted millions of times? I’d rather we follow words from Richard Allen, “To Seek for Ourselves,” Marcus Gar- vey, “One God, One Aim, One Destiny!” and Elijah Muham- mad, “Do for Self.” I chose to hear some of those words in Williams’ speech, and I give him credit for speaking on the subject. Emotional catchwords and phrases are leeting and seldom cause any improvement in our well-being suggest that we discriminate against a message because of its messenger. A moron can bring a valid message. Sup- pose Clarence Thomas had said the same thing Williams said. Would we reject that message? My point is that Black folks should be able to discern a positive message that comes from any messenger, so that we can know “why” the mes- sage is being promulgated and be able to respond ap- propriately to that message. Emotional catchwords and phrases are leeting and sel- dom cause any improvement in our well-being. Remember: “I have a dream!” “Down with It’s on Mr. Williams now to show us what he meant by putting his words into action; and it’s up to the rest of us to develop strategies and initia- tives that will move our peo- ple forward. Jesse Williams spoke on is- sues that I have written arti- cles about as far back as 1994, more speciically, one titled, “The Young and the Relent- less,” in which I described how many young Blacks were be- coming entrepreneurs. Rath- er than falling for the okey- doke of buying and wearing someone else’s brand, they were developing, marketing, and selling their own brands. Unfortunately, many of our young entertainers had suc- cumbed to the lure of “OPS” (Other People’s Stuf ) e.g. Adi- das, Nike, Tommy Hiliger, etc. rather than “OPM” (Other People’s Money). Will Jesse Williams’ com- ments simply become last month’s shining moment for Black folks, or will his mes- sage inally be transformed into real economic progress for our people? Will his two minutes of enlightenment and in-your-face rejoinder to our plight make their way into the pantheon of speeches by our learned elders, or will they drit of into oblivion never having gained traction or made a signiicant difer- ence in our lives? Will Jesse Williams’ one shining moment become acti- vated within us to the degree that we begin to coalesce and collaborate to build an eco- nomic foundation from which we can truly have an impact? We must have action. We must have a critical mass of Black people who are willing and able to work to make our economic and political em- powerment a reality. Jesse Williams’ speech was a shining moment. Will its sheen fade to black, or will that moment turn into mo- mentum for Black progress? Remember: A moment is not a movement, but a moment can start a movement. Black and Latino Leaders for Stronger Payday Loan Regulation F or more than a decade, civil rights organiza- tions, labor, clergy, and consumer advocates have fought to end triple-digit interest rates on small dollar loans. Whether it was a high- cost installment, payday or car-title loan, the push has been to free America’s work- ing families and consumers of color from fees that can dou- ble, or even triple the amount of money borrowed. Now, ater years of research, public hearings and advisory forums, on June 2 the Con- sumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a long-awaited proposed rule. Speaking before a public hearing in Kansas City, Rich- ard Cordray, CFPB’s director, spoke to the ultimate consum- er goal tied to the proposed rule. “Our proposed rule is de- signed to ensure more fair- ness with these inancial products by making systemic changes to steer borrowers away from ruinous debt traps and restore to them a larg- er measure of control over their afairs,” said Director Cordray. “Ultimately, our ob- jective is to allow for respon- sible lending, while making sure that consumers do not fall into situations that un- Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist dermine their inancial lives.” For Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, a hearing speaker, pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Jeferson City, Mis- souri, and executive director of Missouri Faith Voices, “all inancial products are not “ ers trap them with systematic callousness and cycles of debt for their own gain,” added Rev. Gould. The centerpiece of the CF- PB’s proposal establishes an ability-to-repay principle based on income and expens- es, covering both short-term and long-term loans — but with exceptions. Early reactions to the pro- posal were as swit as they were strong. “Low-income people and people of color have long been targeted by slick advertising All inancial products are not equal and payday lending is a scourge on minority communities equal” and payday lending is “a scourge on minority com- munities.” “Families need credit but not all products help despite illing that need,” testiied Rev. Gould. “I am reminded of the people in Flint. They need- ed water because we need it to survive, but the water they received was deadly. Payday lending is toxic; it equates to the water in Flint, it does more harm than good.” “Instead of inding ways to help people in desperate eco- nomic times, predatory lend- and aggressive marketing campaigns to trap consum- ers into outrageously high interest loans,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Con- ference on Civil and Human Rights. “That’s why the civil rights community wants to see predatory payday lenders reined in and regulated. The power to lend is the power to destroy.” Recent research by the Cen- ter for Responsible Lending (CRL) found that payday loans drain $4.1 billion in annual fees from consumers living in one of 36 states where the loans are legal. Similarly, car title loans ofered in 23 states account for another $3.9 billion in fees each year according to CRL. For these borrowers, car repossession, not repay- ment, is a common result that ends mobility for working families. Depending upon available alternative trans- portation options that can jeopardize employment. Nearly half of these com- bined fees — $3.95 billion — come from only ive states: California, Illinois, Mis- sissippi, Ohio and Texas. Each of these states loses a half-billion or more in fees each year. “These loans oten come with outrageous terms, such as interest rates that can top 1,000 percent, and trap mil- lions of Americans a year in a cycle of debt that many of them are never able to exit,” said Congresswoman Max- ine Waters. “I applaud the CFPB for their proposal and I will continue to work with the CFPB and consumer ad- vocates to stop the debt trap once and for all.” Read the rest of this commentary at TheSkanner.com
