Volume XXII, Number XXXXIII December 6 - 12, 2012 Irving ISD: COVER STORYMoving in the right direction Visit Us Online at www.NorthDallasGazette.com Opportunity and diversity one industry at a time By Benjamin Todd frastructure, the need for The american econ- jealous, naaCP stronger public education, omy has always been PresidenT & Ceo the concentration of wealth strongest when it’s kept the There is a missing com- and the deficit are all chal- middle class within reach ponent to the national dis- lenges to the nation’s econ- for most americans. But cussion concerning how to omy but being left out of with white households strengthen and rebuild the the discussion is the con- holding nearly 20 times the american economy. it is tinued economic marginal- wealth of black or latino true that high unemploy- ization of racial and ethnic households, and with rising Dr. Dana Bedden ment, a weak national in- Ben Jealous, NAACP President & CEO minorities. See DIVERSITY, Page 13 See BEDDEN, Page 9 Free Enterprise is not free! Is Chris Brown another By niCole TiCHon tional corporations are on the cent in income tax, you paid Tupac? He thinks so There's been a lot of talk chopping block. after all, free a higher rate than apple. Pe- For more information see pg. 10 about what we can't afford as enterprise isn’t free. riod. www.northdallasgazette.com a nation and who is getting in the coming weeks Both political parties what "gift" or which free ride. there will be pivotal conver- need to combat the damaging When President Barack sations about how and where effects of the offshoring of Deficits, obama recently met with to tax corporations and how jobs and revenues. our cur- Ceos and chatted with jamie to reform our corporate tax rent system drains our Treas- deceit, and the dimon, we should hope he is- system. don't believe the ury and threatens basic serv- Visit COMMENTARY sued a stern warning that hype that these issues are too ices and national security. NorthDallasGazette.com body politic legal tax avoidance games complicated. They're not. if Citizens get it. according for our 25 Days of By norman and into poverty by rapidly ris- played by banks and multina- you paid more than 1.9 per- See FREE, Page 3 Christmas each day! Velma Hill ing health-care costs. medi- sPeCial NDG caid is a health-care boon to ConTriBuTors americans not yet eligible Criticism of Dutch "Black Pete" tradition grows for medicare, which covers By By ToBy icature of a black person. given a makeover or ban- social security, medi- some 60 million americans. sTerlinG The overwhelming ma- ished from the holiday care, and medicaid are the Because of historical jority of dutch are fiercely scene, seeing him as a blight foundations for the wellbe- and lingering discrimina- amsTerdam (aP) — devoted to the holiday tradi- on the nation's image as a ing of scores of millions of tion, racial minorities in Foreigners visiting the tion of "Zwarte Piet" — bulwark of tolerance. middle- and low-income particular need these pro- grams. overall, they have netherlands in winter are whose name means "Black "There is more opposi- americans. Without social less income and fewer as- often surprised to see that Pete" — and insist he's a tion to Zwarte Piet than you security, 14 million more might think," says jessica low-income americans sets than whites, so a higher the dutch version of st. harmless fictional figure percentage of their retire- nicholas' helpers have their who doesn't represent any silversmith, director of the would be living in poverty. regional anti-discrimina- ment income comes from faces painted black, wear race. But a growing number Because of medicare, 33 tion Bureau for amsterdam. million older people live social security benefits. afro wigs and have thick red are questioning whether also, because they more Black Pete longer, have access to qual- lips — in short, a racist car- Photo by Associated Press "Zwarte Piet" should be See PETE, Page 5 ity care, and are not driven See DECEIT, Page 3 INSIDE... People In The News… People In The News . 2 Op/Ed . 3 Community News . .5 Holiday Events Pages . .7-8 Cover Story . 9 Arts & Entertainment . 10 Business . .11 Classifieds . .12 Career Opportunity . 13 Michelle Williams Rep. Eric Johnson Liza Ellen Church Directory . .14-16 Sister Tarpley . .15 See Page 2 People in the News www.NorthDallasGazette.com Michelle Williams singer and song writer association's blood pressure, diabetes and michelle Williams (formerly Power To end previous heart attack or GmC TV, light records gospel, holy hip hop, praise of destiny's Child), james stroke awareness stroke," said dr. rani Whit- and roland Corporation will and worship music. robinson, president of a&r c a m p a i g n . field, family practitioner and participate in the american Participants, who must at light records, and holy Through Power american stroke association Heart association/american be 18 years or older, may hip hop artist Flame. To end stroke, spokesperson. "That's why stroke association's 4th an- sign up at http://power.wa- The grand prize winner the association it's an important requirement nual most Powerful Voices tchgmctv.com and upload a will be announced april 30 provides cultur- of this competition to receive gospel competition. The on- video or mP3 file by jan. 31. and will receive: ally relevant ev- stroke information and to line gospel singing competi- Family, friends - and fans - • The opportunity to per- ents, tools and re- learn how stroke is largely tion helps the association to have until april 5 to vote for form in the Central Park sources to de- preventable, treatable and educate people about stroke - their favorite artists. Those summer stage Concert in crease stroke beatable." the no. 4 cause of death and who register to compete or new york City with light among afri-can- michelle Williams is in- volved in most Powerful the leading preventable cause vote will receive lifesaving records artists americans, who Voices because it "focuses on of disability in america. stroke information from the • $2,500 for a trip to new are dispropor- two things that i am passion- michelle Williams is in- american Heart associa- york tionally affected ate about - gospel music and volved in the contest, be- tion/american stroke asso- • $1,500 cash and a digi- by the disease. sharing stroke information," cause her family has been af- ciation. tal single on iTunes from prizes. " a f r i c a n - she said. "my father and my fected by stroke. The contest The top 10 finalists will light records most Powerful Voices is americans are especially grandmother suffered from is open to independent artists, be judged by gospel music The top 10 finalists and a part of the american Heart susceptible to stroke due to a groups and choirs who sing industry leaders, including lucky voter will also win association/american stroke higher prevalence of high See WILLIAMS, Page 6 The nBCsl delega- of intergovern- tors. The nBC- Rep. Eric Johnson tion met with President mental affairs sl’s primary mi- obama and a group of his david agnew, ssion is to de- representative eric "i am deeply honored top advisors, which in- and luke Tate velop, conduct johnson (d-dallas) joined to be included in the dele- cluded senior advisor to with the White and promote ed- a delegation of a dozen gation of african ameri- the President and Chair House domestic ucational, rese- members of the national can state legislators who of the White House Policy Council. arch and training Black Caucus of state had the historic opportu- Council on Women and The meeting was programs desig- legislators (nBCsl) in a nity to meet with President Girls Valerie jarrett and held in the roo- ned to enhance meeting with President obama and his advisors special assistant to the sevelt room in the effectiveness Barack obama and key today,” said representa- President for education the White House of its members. members of his adminis- tive johnson. “The Presi- Policy roberto ro- and lasted for representative tration to discuss the fiscal dent wants to make sure driguez. The meeting more than 90 johnson has be- cliff Tuesday at the White our constituents are aware also included Cabinet minutes. en a member of House. it is the first time of what is at stake in this member and Council of Currently the the nBCsl sin- that President obama has fiscal cliff debate and to do economic advisors Cha- nBCsl has a ce 2010 and has met with a group of exclu- all we can to make sure irman alan Krueger, de- membership ros- served on its ex- sively african american that Congress doesn’t puty assistant to the ter of over 600 ecutive commit- state legislators since tak- jeopardize our economic President and director of african ameri- tee since 2011. ing office. recovery,” johnson said. the White House office can state legisla- Liza Ellen liza ellen, an up and ing eP, ‘everything’s through her Fall eP Every- Those interested in book- http: //lizaellen.com/free- gle-head-knockin/. coming music artist, re- okay’ was released on the thing’s Okay. in addition, ing a show can listen to download-my-new-sin- leased her new song, Head same day as her release she is currently in the stu- her sample music tracks party dec. 4. dio working on expanding here: http://lizaellen.com liza ellen her musical collection by /music/. Her music most $69* DIVORCE is recognized releasing an eP every sea- resembles eclectic world as both a poet son.