Approaching the June 14 Saturday celebration of Juneteenth downtown in Clinton Square, voices in the local communities of color range from resigned to resolute, and many are choosing to share their concerns about the affair only in private. On May 21 the annual festival’s board of directors voted unanimously to return the event to the site where last year a wave of disappointment settled over the crowd forced to leave before the scheduled finale when police called a halt to the evening’s concert due to outbreaks of violence. Approaching this year’s event, board members had faced a loss of sponsors contributing to last year’s $80,000 budget, but a campaign among local churches raised $8,000 and a radiothon sponsored by Clear Channel and Destiny brought in more than $20,000...

CATEGORY: General Society

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Samadee looked at his pocket calendar book. Almost five months until November 4. He cringed. What would the newschannels find to fill their time? The almost non-existent differences between Hillary and Obama had not been a problem for commentators, who had so much else to focus on. Since unraveling the minutiae of their respective health care plans for comparisons might well have stumped a rocket scientist, the most contentious clip of the primary campaign was probably Hillary demanding that Obama denounce, rather than reject, an endorsement by Minister Farrakhan. Actually Hillary’s ending her campaign and endorsement of Obama really bummed out those who relish their roles in defining the nation’s perception of reality...

CATEGORY: General Society

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