Volume 96 Number 36 | APRIL 24-30, 2019 | MiamiTimesOnline.com | Ninety-Three Cents 2020 PRESIDENTIAL RACE Messam getting Photo illustration by Mitzi Williams-Ogburn Photo illustration by messy Will confusion end mayor’s ambitious White House bid? NYAMEKYE DANIEL [email protected] Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam’s American Dream may have been deferred as his presi- dential campaign has reportedly erupted in chaos with money at the center of his troubles. The two-term mayor’s campaign staffers have scattered from the nest after Messam missed payroll, first reported by The Miami New Times. Reports from the road say rallies have been sparsely attended. Now, Messam is mum, referring people to his legal counsel. Labeled a long shot by mainstream media, it FLYING ON THE LEGACY OF wasn’t only name recognition and fund-rais- ing progress that stood between him and the Photo: A+E Networks White House. He entered into the Democratic race, with an active ethics probe and a re- straining order looming over his head. So far, 19 Democrats have said they plan to seek the party’s nomination for the 2020 presidential election. Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is expected to announce his candidacy this week and is polling in the high 20 percentile. Messam is a part of a diverse poll of candi- BESSIE dates, which includes six women, five peo- ple of color and one member of the LGBTQ community. Long shot was a titled the Messam campaign embraced. He continually branded himself as a child of Jamaican immigrants, who just wanted the same piece of the American pie afforded to Air expo highlights the legacy of famous Black stunt aviator ColemanFELIPE RIVAS [email protected] lmost two decades before the Tuskegee Airmen were called to the line of battle during World War II, a valiant woman civil avi- ator was paving the way for Black pilots in the United States. Bessie Coleman,a daughter of slaves, was the first American to Ahold an international pilot license in 1921, during a time where there were no flight training opportunities for women or Black people. Her legacy will be remembered opportunities. An animated film Miami Times File Photo/ Carol Porter this week during a women’s aviator on Coleman’s legacy will also be Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam, far day at Florida Memorial University featured. right, kicked off his presidential cam- and a flight expo at the Miami In order to fulfill her dream of paign at Florida Memorial University in Opa-locka Executive Airport. becoming a pilot, Coleman trav- Miami Gardens on March 30. He received Complete with flight simulators, eled to France where she trained the support of his wife, Angela Messam, short flights with a flight instruc- and achieved her pilot license, be- second from right, twin daughters, center, tor and interactions with industry coming the first American to earn professionals, the day dedicated international acceptance to fly and son, far left, on stage after his first Ato flying will offer an inclusive look an aircraft from the Federation speech following his announcement. into the different aviation career SEE BESSIE 6A everyone else. Messam made his official presidential an- nouncement on March 28, promising a share of the American pie to all. "America belongs to all of us," said Messam in the video."The promise of America belongs to all of us.” ALREADY A WINNER Messam had a fresh taste of victory before his national debut. He appeared to run a solid campaign that led to his re-election as The air is the mayor on March 12. He won by a landslide 86 percent of the votes. His opponent was Josue only place free Larose, a pop-up candidate who is notorious for being fined $513,000 by the Florida Ethics from prejudices. Commission for more than 2,000 counts of election violations in 2012. —Bessie Coleman Messam did not think Larose was qualified to run in his territory. He sued Larose and Broward County elec- tions supervisor Peter Antonacci on Jan. 29 to remove Larose because he believed his op- ponent had not lived in Miramar for more than one year. Larose counteracted with a restraining order against Messam. Both cases were dismissed. The restraining Photo: Mamizi order case was closed on April 3. Messam was dubbed a “little-known SEE BID 6A BUSINESS ................................................. 8B YOU & YOURS ............................................ 7D Today CLASSIFIED ............................................. 11B FAITH CALENDAR ................................... 8D Drink rum while 83° IN GOOD TASTE ......................................... 1C HEALTH & WELLNESS ............................. 9D you dance LIFESTYLE HAPPENINGS ....................... 5C OBITUARIES ............................................. 12D 8 90158 00100 0 INSIDE and wine 2C Editorials Cartoons Opinions Letters VIEWPOINT BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY | APRIL 24-30, 2019 | MiamiTimesOnline.com MEMBER: National Newspaper Periodicals Postage EDITORIAL Credo Of The Black Press Publisher Association paid at Miami, Florida (ISSN 0739-0319) The Black Press believes that America MEMBER: The Newspaper POSTMASTER: Published Weekly at 900 NW 54th Street, can best lead the world from racial and Association of America Send address changes to Miami, Florida 33127-1818 national antagonism when it accords Subscription Rates: One Year THE MIAMI TIMES, Investigations shouldn’t Post Office Box 270200 to every person, regardless of race, $65.00 – Two Year $120.00 P.O. Box 270200 Buena Vista Station, Miami, Florida 33127 creed or color, his or her human and Foreign $75.00 Buena Vista Station, Miami, FL Phone 305-694-6210 legal rights. Hating no person, fearing 7 percent sales tax for Florida residents 33127-0200 • 305-694-6210 derail only some no person, the Black Press strives to H.E. SIGISMUND REEVES Founder, 1923-1968 help every person in the firm belief that GARTH C. REEVES JR. Editor, 1972-1982 GARTH C. REEVES SR. Publisher Emeritus all persons are hurt as long as anyone political careers RACHEL J. REEVES Publisher and Chairman is held back. ver the weekend, reports surfaced that Broward County’s only Black presidential candidate for Gun ownership doesn’t have to be free O2020’s campaign was imploding. Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam was a media darling last DAHLEEN GLANTON, columnist, Chicago Tribune month, garnering interviews on national news programs It’s just a fact of life that checks for firearms to re- even before he officially launched his bid for the Oval -Of handguns are now perma- quiring voters to show photo fice. nent legal fixtures in the identification at the polls. That was last month. American landscape. We The American Civil Lib- have to live with that. erties Union calls voter ID This month, anonymous sources told reporters the cam- But the freedom to own a laws a solution in search of paign missed making payroll and many people resigned. firearm doesn’t mean it has a problem. The only type of There was a suggestion that campaign funds were now un- to be free of charge. It doesn’t fraud photo IDs could pre- der the control of Angela Messam, the mayor’s wife. mean that owners can’t be a vent is where someone votes It’s a litany we see way too often: a charismatic Black can- tiny bit inconvenienced. And while pretending to be some- someone’s right to own a gun one else — something that is didate with good ideas, zeal to serve and love for people certainly does not trump the extremely rare. rise and then take a sometimes fatal political fall. safety rights of the rest of us. The comparison should The disturbing pattern was detailed in The Miami Times’ This is what the pro-gun be particularly offensive to April 17 edition’s cover story, “Black Mayors: Plagued by people don’t seem to under- Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune racial minorities, who over- Probe.” The eloquently and thought-provokingly written stand. A man holds letters to people letting them know their whelmingly are the targets of firearm owner's identification cards had been revoked piece outlined a pattern of meteoric rise to popularity and The Second Amendment such stringent voting laws. allows people to legally ac- in front of confiscated weapons on display at the Cook In a country with a history fame. Black communities revel in the national attention quire a handgun. The Su- County sheriff's police headquarters in Maywood on of Jim Crow laws that specifi- their mayors draw. Pathways to governorships and Con- preme Court has made that Feb. 22. cally targeted African-Amer- gress and the White House are explored, even sought. And clear. Why would anyone, es- icans, suggesting that then the investigative arm of the government takes an in- pecially the many law-abid- But who says that the peo- their freedom. gun-owners, who are mostly terest, some times in the form of ethics probes. Other times ing gun owners who go ple who choose to own fire- There’s nothing wrong white, are a targeted because through the proper channels arms shouldn’t have to go with forcing the people who they choose to own guns is as, in the case of former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, to obtain their firearms, have into their pocketbooks every like guns to kick in the extra another lame argument for the FBI subversively dangles carrots seeking to tarnish and a problem with closing loop- now and then? Gun own- costs for law enforcement reverse discrimination. plant blemishes on stellar records and backgrounds. holes? ers have no problem shell- officials to run the program The operative phrase here It’s not as if these politicians were known to physically “It’s unfair.” “Everybody’s ing out $600 for the latest properly. is “choose to own guns.” Ra- hurt people or suborn or commit treason so that resources picking on us.” “It wasn’t Smith & Wesson.