Florida Sentinel Bulletin

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

When U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced earlier this week that he was taking proactive measures to address the issues of prison over-crowding and the racial disparity that exists between the sentencing of Black and white defendants by minimizing the application of minimum mandatory statutes inside the federal guidelines, there was a collective sigh of relief felt throughout the federal system. But when federal inmates began to realize that Holder’s statement didn’t directly apply to those already incarcerated, there was an equal amount of collective disappointment. That is because most of them missed the bigger picture.
For federal inmates and their families, Holder’s speech was a very big deal. The mere fact that he mentioned “circumventing” the current system by going to his prosecutors around the country and directing them to discontinue the triggering of mandatory minimum mechanisms when writing indictments for low level drug offenders, spoke volumes.
By Holder admitting that he purposely chose not to go through the tedious process of attempting to have laws changed, which could take years while a bill works its way back and forth between the House of Representatives and the Senate, he, in essence, was saying that the situation is so critically important that it warrants immediate action. And with the federal system currently operating 40% over capacity and costing upwards of $80 billion-a-year to maintain, just slowing down the number of individuals being sentenced to ridiculously long amounts of prison time will only solve a portion of the problem.
In prioritizing the issue publicly and taking the first step toward making changes, the Attorney General made it safe for legislators and members of the sentencing commission to follow his lead by getting behind other prison reform legislation like the 65% good-time bill and the removal of the stacking of 924c penalties, which has grossly caused the over sentencing of many first-time offenders. All of these issues gain traction when the country’s top cop, who also happens to be President Barack Obama’s right-hand man, comes out and says that things have to change.
For men and women in state prison, this should be viewed as good news as well. Since states, particularly Florida, have often followed the feds example it’s not a stretch to believe that Florida, with its own financial issues, could soon join the trend.
Of course, for the dummies who may look at the fed’s softer stance as an opportunity to jump off the porch, they may want to think again. Like I said, the law hasn’t actually changed. Federal prosecutors still have the power to knock a person’s top off at will.
Even though they’ve been advised by their boss to fall back, I’m sure they’ll still find a way to make an example of any Billy-bad-a–wannabe-kingpin who pisses them off. And since your everyday average dope boy won’t be a priority anymore, I suspect they’ll also train their focus on new prey. Gang bangers, terrorists, tax frauders and gunrunners, you’re officially on the clock.
Holder’s move was just the first stage in what will probably create a steady flow of second chances for the truly deserving. How they handle the opportunity? Only time will tell.
Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

The Worse Is

Yet To Come

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

Like most people, I imagine, there are times when I watch the news and observe things going on that make me wonder where we’re headed as a society? Times when I sit in stunned silence and think to myself, “there’s no way this is really happening?’

A few days ago I had one of those “WTF?” moments when I caught a news story about a man named Derek Medina, who murdered his wife and then proceeded to post a picture of her dead body on his Facebook page. The photo was accompanied by a message to his friends saying that he had “done something terrible” and that he would “miss everyone” when he’s gone.

The craziest part was that, in the four days that the picture was displayed before it was taken down by the site, some people actually continued to communicate with Medina while posting comments about the photograph. As if a man killing his wife and confessing the details online is a completely normal occurrence.

The entire time I watched the news anchors break down Medina‘s life and his obsession with social media outlets like Twitter and Instagram, the image of Jim Carrey in the movie The Truman Show continued to flash across my mind. While Carrey’s character in the movie had his entire life documented and broadcast without his knowledge, today it seems as though people are getting a kick out of trumanizing (a term I just coined) themselves as unwavering attention becomes the new drug of choice.

Of course, this kind of Narcissistic behavior is nothing new. Human beings have been seeking some form of celebrity and visualizing themselves as the center of the known universe since the kings of ancient Kemet (Egypt) had their images carved into 100-ft blocks of stone.

Modern technology has just made it possible for even peasants to get into the act. But, instead of monuments of stone to mark their legacy, web pages and You Tube clips are used to help immortalize an individual’s life with the click of a mouse.

The amazing thing to me is how unfiltered the information is that these individuals are willing to share with their so-called “friends” in cyberspace.

From gang rapes of drugged high school students and boastings about proceeds derived from criminal activities, to the brazen butchering of a British soldier on a London street earlier this year, people appear to care less about what they’re willing to expose about themselves.

It is as if their desire to make their lifestyles as interesting as possible to those watching, trumps any repercussions that may come from their extremely over-the-top antics.

Unfortunately, it was that continuous cycle of providing more and more spectacle to set himself apart that, more than likely, led Medina to raise the bar to an entirely new level. I mean, after you’ve seen a freshly murdered body slumped inside of a kitchen and have the opportunity to text an uncommonly accessible and communicative killer, where do you go from there?

The answer, I hate to admit, is obvious. The next time we hear about one of these stories it will probably involve a visual of the person in the actual act of taking a life. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he or she is texting for suggestions during the process.

The road we’re currently on definitely seems to be heading into that direction. And the main thing we should all be wondering is if there’s an exit up ahead?

Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

On ‘Butt Out…’

I’m not sure of the origin of saggin’. According to Judge Greg Mathis saggin’ came from a prison culture that restricts imprisoned persons from having belts so they won’t use them as weapons. People also propose saggin’ originated in prisons as a sign that homosexual activity was welcomed (in that area).

Understand, I’m not writing this piece to judge or condemn anybody. I only mention the above in case it’s true, so would be saggers are aware of the “come and get my booty” message they may be broadcasting.

I’m also not one of those folk who attribute or connect the social and political struggles young African people in this country face to their saggin’ pants.

History doesn’t support that line of thought. Medgar, Malcolm and Martin all young, African men who were assassinated for taking on many of the same problems we are dealing with right now, had their pants pulled up around their waists when they were shot down.

Saggin’ was the style when I began buying my clothes. I’ve worn my jeans a little below my waistline for as long as I can remember. “A little below my waistline,” like maybe an inch; that’s saggin’.

This other thing, though, wearing (more so carrying) pants midway to the butt cheeks or all the way below the buttocks, so that almost your entire butt is out, is something completely different.

My criticism of the ass out style, for lack of a better word, isn’t an attack on the fad fashion or anyone’s freedom of expression. It’s an attack on sensibility.

Carrying your pants as you walk around makes about as much sense as: wearing shoes that don’t have soles, sitting in chairs with no seats, a pigeon walking up steps, having friends you can’t trust, chewing your food, but not swallowing it, sitting in a classroom for hours, but not paying attention, getting on the Howard Frankland with your gas needle on “E”, owning a racehorse with no legs, buying a vacuum that doesn’t suck, drying your clothes before you wash ‘em…

I’m not a fashion critic. Don’t desire to be one. So, I won’t attempt to criticize the fashion aspect of the ass out style. I am a man, though, a man who associates with stand up men from the block to the boardroom and in between. That qualifies me to say these two things.

Having your ass out ain’t the most masculine look. And the slightest possibility that that look could be a “come and get my booty” invitation is more than enough reason for any man who isn’t homosexual not to want to be ass out.

Salute!

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It Will Take More Than Stevie

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

I read in the paper where an extensive list of entertainers, led by Stevie Wonder, were preparing to boycott any performances in the State of Florida as part of a protest over the “Stand Your Ground” law. It is an admirable gesture. But it’s one that, I doubt, will make a significant difference alone.

Considering the fact that the individuals who benefit most financially from these events are private promoters, vendors and the artists themselves, the only people negatively affected will be the actual fans. I could be wrong, but I just don’t see Governor Rick Scott or any of the other legislators who support SYG being moved to change their positions because Usher or Madonna won’t be appearing at the Ice Palace anytime soon.

There are only two things that get a politician’s undivided attention: money and votes. Anything less and you might as well be attempting to tickle a Blue whale with a water gun.

It would be a much different scenario if, let’s say, an online petition were started that was signed by millions of people across the country promising to boycott visiting Florida all together.

No vacations at Disney theme parks. No reservations to beach resorts. No national conventions. Not as much as trips across state lines by people from dry counties in South Georgia trying to purchase alcohol on Sundays. Nothing. A potential billion dollar loss in tourist revenue.

Something like that would get the phones of lawmakers ringing as some of the biggest campaign contributors in the state inform their puppets in Tallahassee how much they can’t afford to take that kind of hit to their pockets.

Couple that fallout with a grass roots movement by anti-SYG registered voters and the gun lobbyists on the other side who helped to usher in SYG from the beginning, would find their influence on a slippery footing.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an easy task to accomplish (Something similar to finding a Major League Baseball all-star who’s never used steroids). But, unless flying to Atlanta or Charlotte to see your favorite artist perform or the thought of more young Black men being blown away by trigger-happy yahoos doesn’t bother you, it’s something that most definitely should be done.

Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

Some Things Never Change

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

Allow me to let everyone in on what I imagine is supposed to be a little secret. Whenever there are no Black people around or when a Black person becomes the focus of a white person’s anger, white people seldom have a problem with peppering their conversations with the infamous “N-word.”
Oh. This isn’t news to you huh? And this information doesn’t come as some astonishing revelation that sends shock waves throughout your body? Then why is the media playing with our intelligence by attempting to convince us that Riley Cooper, the NFL wide receiver who was recently caught on camera telling a Black concert security guard that he would kick his “nigger ass,” did something so incredibly out of the norm happen?
I get that the story is newsworthy because the statement was made by a professional football player who makes a living working around a majority of Blacks. But the idea that everyone is so appalled and surprised by what they saw and heard on the video, to me, seems somewhat disingenuous.
I say that because I don’t think there’s a Black person reading this who doesn’t already believe that Cooper’s rant couldn’t have been vocalized by any of a number of white guys they’ve encountered over the years. Including the talking heads on television pretending to act offended.
If everyone, Black and white, would be honest with themselves they would admit that it really isn’t that uncommon to hear derogatory comments made in reference to members of ethnic groups outside of their own on a regular basis. Especially when there’s a moment of frustration involved. Cooper just had his moment recorded and played for the entire world to witness.
Personally, I wasn’t mad at Cooper for what he said. As far as I was concerned, it was just him finally taking off his helmet and revealing his true self. And how can you be angry with a snake who taps you on the shoulder to let you know he’s there?
I was more upset about how he handled the situation afterwards. His apology by the numbers might as well have included the obligatory “I can’t be a racist because..” qualifiers like, “my dog is black,” “my car is black,” “even my neighbor is Black.” Everything bigots usually say when, well, they’re caught being bigots.
When it all boils down, I think it was a good thing that this happened. As a people, we have a tendency to allow ourselves to be rocked to sleep believing that it’s all good because we’re able to afford a certain lifestyle or find ourselves romantically linked to members of an opposite race.
But it takes people like Cooper, liquored up and in their rawest form, to shake us from our slumber and remind us that just beneath the surface, we’re still America’s most hated.
Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

The Fire Next Time

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

If you find yourself stilled riled up over the Trayvon Martin travesty every time you see someone who resembles George Zimmerman, you might want to begin bracing yourself for even more anger.

Sometime in the next few weeks another trial will begin in Jacksonville involving yet another trigger-happy white guy who also gunned downed an unarmed Black teenager. And, arguably, the facts behind that case are even more tragic than in the Martin killing.

This time it wasn’t a hoodie that made a young Black male a target for death. It was his loud music.

According to police reports, 17-year-old Jordan Davis and his friends were sitting inside of a Dodge Durango listening to music outside of a convenience store when a man named Michael Dunn and his girlfriend pulled into the parking space beside them. While Dunn’s girlfriend went into the store to buy some wine, Dunn took it upon himself to tell Davis and his friends to turn down their tunes.

Of course, Dunn’s audacious command didn’t sit well with the teens who responded to Dunn’s bold request by turning their music up even louder while telling Dunn, in not so pleasant terms, to “beat it.” At that point an enraged Dunn (who would later tell police that he had no choice but to react the way he did after they “defied my orders”) retrieved his Taurus PT 9mm from his glove compartment and proceeded to fire ten shots into the truck, hitting Davis in the chest and killing him instantly.

In the aftermath Dunn would invoke the infamous ‘Stand Your Ground’ law as his defense saying that he feared for his life after seeing what he believed was a shotgun being raised by someone in the backseat. A claim that even Dunn’s girlfriend says he never mentioned to her the night of the incident.

The problem with Dunn’s story is that the police were on the scene within minutes of the shooting. And when they searched the truck the teens were driving, not only did they not find a shotgun, there wasn’t a weapon of any kind in the immediate vicinity around the vehicle.

Jordan Davis and his friends weren’t street thugs cruising for trouble as Dunn’s lawyer would assert during a press conference. They were 4 regular middle-class kids coming from the mall, listening to the music they loved, who decided to stand up to a bully who tried to impose his will on their freedom of expression. For that, one of them was murdered.

The thing that really stands out to me about Dunn, as with Zimmerman, is the similarities in the casual comfort both men displayed after their horrific actions. Zimmerman’s nonchalant way of having his wife informed that he shot someone was echoed in Dunn’s arrogance during his conversation with authorities who he initially told that he didn’t need a lawyer; as if his whiteness and the victim’s Blackness automatically made the shooting justifiable to the point where an investigation would be a waste of time.

The fact that these two men, separated by almost 20 years in age (Zimmerman is 28 Dunn is 45), each felt emboldened enough to take a Black life without much concern for the consequences, to me, speaks volumes on how the dehumanizing of Blacks still seems to be a very large part of the rearing process at the root of White American culture. I mean, let’s be honest, they had to learn it from somewhere.

But, even with that being the case, it’s hard for me to imagine Dunn receiving the same walking papers as Zimmerman. For starters there was no physical altercation. Secondly, there were a number of eye witnesses in a well lit area. And lastly, the man emptied a clip into a retreating vehicle occupied by unarmed, high school kids with spotless records. I just don’t see enough ground for him to stand on.

When it’s all said and done (no pun intended) Dunn should be heading to the same place where Zimmerman was supposed to go. Of course this is Florida and anything is bound to happen. But if another jury sees fit to set him free as well, then all I can say is Heaven help us because what would transpire next surely won’t be pretty.

Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

A Black Man First

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

Just when I thought that President Barack Obama was on cruise control, basically easing through his second term in office trying not to break a sweat, he did something that let me know that he was still willing to mix it up a little bit.
I couldn’t help but take pride in the President last week when he made it a point to address the controversial “Not Guilty” verdict following the George Zimmerman murder trial. He could have easily avoided the issue or gone the typical politician route by releasing a stale, pre-fabricated statement. But that’s not what happened. Instead, he threw himself directly into the fray by choosing an actual side.
During an unscheduled, unrehearsed, impromptu press conference, President Obama seemed to express controlled anger and clear disappointment at the decision to free Zimmerman while refusing to shy away from the racial element of the issue by comparing himself to the teenage victim Trayvon Martin. Though his gestures were subtle and his words were carefully chosen, there was no mistaking his underlying tone that spoke volumes about his identity awareness and how he understood that it could have just as well been himself or one of his children who were slaughtered by an individual like Zimmerman.
For me, it was refreshing to see a Black man in a position of power and influence unafraid to stand by and acknowledge how controversial topics directly affect him as an individual. It was a rare sight in this post Michael Jordan era where a host of athletes and celebrities make it a habit of tap-dancing away from trouble because of their fear of being ostracized by the white establishment.
While I was watching President Obama speak, I couldn’t help but think about how incredible it would be if more Black men and women in positions to make a difference could exhibit that type of courage. Refusing to be whitewashed and getting a kick out forcing others to deal with their presence.
Just making it means nothing if you’re not willing to use your authority to affect change. I think we all know a few individuals, principals, police officers, judges, office managers, and teachers who could really benefit from mastering that lesson.
Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

When It All Falls Down

BY CLARENCE BARR, II

21 years. When someone hears that number in reference to a person’s prison sentence the first question they usually ask is, “who did they kill?”
It is a perfectly appropriate question considering common sense would dictate that any length of incarceration over 20 years should be reserved for the worst of the worst offenders in society. But, unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
When it comes to the federal government a 20-year sentence is close to the average for anyone who either didn’t cooperate, had the nerve to take them to trial, or simply pissed them off. That is why, when I received an email about Rashia “The First Lady” Wilson being hit with that amount of time for tax fraud and being a felon in possession of a firearm, it was a little surprising but not totally unexpected.
I say that because I knew it was only a matter of time before the feds found someone to make an example of in their quest to turn off the notorious “Drop” scheme that’s been a king sized thorn in their side. And it’s hard for me to imagine them wanting any other model for their “We’re not f—ing around” poster than the self-proclaimed Michelle Obama of tax scams.
The thing she didn’t realize is that it isn’t always about what you do. Sometimes it’s just about how you do it. And from the time Ms. Wilson decided to boast about her illegal activities on her Facebook page while daring the feds to indict her, there was little doubt that, sooner or later, her name and picture would be laminated and hung from a U. S. attorney’s wall.
What she did was the equivalent of robbing the biggest, meanest dude in the neighborhood without a mask and then driving away slowly while giving him the finger. Until this day I still don’t understand how she thought she was going to get away.
When you’re operating on the wrong side of the law the worst thing you can do is draw unnecessary attention. Thumbing your nose at the people who control the keys to cell blocks always ends badly. People like Nicky Barnes, John “Teflon Don” Gotti and Demetrious “Big Meech” Flenory all learned that lesson the hard way.
Now, unfortunately, “The First Lady” will have to add her name to the list of those who did it big but ultimately fell under the weight of their own success and ego. I just hope for her mental sake that, when she thinks about the experience and what it cost her, she at least believes it was worth every minute she’ll now have to spend reminiscing on how she once had it when she was on the other side of the fence.
Anyone wanting to contact Clarence Barr can reach him at: Clarence Barr, II, 43110-018; P. O. Box 7007; Marianna, FL 32447-7007. Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bulletin Publishing Company.

Something To Consider –

BY BRO MOORE

All Things. Love, God

I share the sentiment and anger of those who were heartbroken by what many may call the trial of the 21st Century. Because I wish to honor his life and testimony, I will not say his name or speak casually about his death – you know who I am talking about.
All praise goes to the God of us all, for He knows exactly what He is doing. God bless the soul of the young man, and I also pray for the man acquitted in this; in the great scheme of things, he may be the biggest victim.
In Romans 8:28, the Apostle Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” I want to highlight the phrases “all things” and “love God.” Be it life or death, good or evil, beautiful or ugly, “all things” means what it says. God means us well in all He does and allows. As difficult as it may be, even our suffering produces in us the type of character necessary for God’s children – representatives of Christ.
To the phrase “love God,” let it be understood that God is not mocked, and the foolishness of God is wiser than men. We can say that we love God, and we can rest on the soft pillow, “God knows my heart”, but Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
True, God does know my heart, but He knows that He has put His Word in my heart, and that He has commanded me to be obedient to His word; hence, faith without works is dead. Will I stumble, will I fall, and will sin be my faithful enemy? Yes! But I will not take preconceived sinful measures to avoid my call to righteousness. I love Him, so I strive to obey, not outwit God.
So, as the world drastically changes and goes the way of the wicked, remember that your citizenship is in Heaven, not on earth! How painful this all feels, yet it is a sobering reminder to never put your trust in man but in God alone. This is not about race, for “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.” This is about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of Almighty God – prevail!