JUSTICE AND JUST-US: A BROTHER'S DAY IN COURT

A friend of the court: DC Superior Court Judges Luke Moore and Eugene Hamilton

Justice in most American courts still seems to lean in the direction of Just-Us when it comes to minorities. All the good lawyers I know are dead, Thurgood Marshall, Johnny Cochran, Luke C. Moore, Ken Monday, Warren Copeland and Charlie Schultz who drowned in a swimming accident in Florida recently. He died trying to save a child.
Despite Barack Obama’s new residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue racism is alive and well in America. The American Court system is still one of racism’s main thoroughfares.
Thanks to Judges of the DC Superior Court like Luke C. Moore, Harry T. Alexander, Theodore Newman, Eugene Hamilton, Henry Kennedy Jr. and Chief Judge Harold Greene, I was given an opportunity to watch the criminal justice system up close and personal. They all partnered with me and Kids In Trouble, Inc. in the 70s and 80s. In 1970 I found the first half-way house ever established on a military facility for juvenile delinquents. The program was located on Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, DC. Judges Greene and Moore were there to cut the ribbon.
U. S. Federal Court Judge Alex Williams is another benefactor of Inside Sports and Kids In Trouble, Inc. I attended school and grew up in NE DC with Judge William Missouri the Chief Administrate Judge of the Upper Marlboro Courthouse. “Here comes the Judge” was a familiar cry in my programs. My work with at-risk children kept me in and out of courtrooms here in the Nation's Capitol.
In the black community we have a lot of work to do. For example, on Tuesday May 5, 2009 I was in court in Upper Marlboro, Maryland as a defendant. In March, I was served with a summons from the Sheriff’s Office of Prince Georges County. The Plaintiff was Dottie’s Trophies in Laurel, Maryland. It felt like I was being recycled. Had I been here on trial before, in some other lifetime? I guess all courtrooms look alike.
In December 2008 my non-profit organization Kids In Trouble, Inc. celebrated 40 years of community service. I had promised my wife Hattie that 2008 would be my last toy party for needy children. Forty years were definitely enough. A salute and tribute was held at Ebenezer AM&E Church in Fort Washington, Maryland honoring our work. I used the occasion to honor those who had come through, or had made contributions to the success of the program, with KIT LifeTime Achievement Awards.
Dottie’s Trophies, while working on the 38 awards for the honorees that included Dave Bing (Detroit’s new Mayor), Doug Williams, and Maureen Bunyan, finalized the engraving without contacting me. Our agreement was, I had one week before the event (the Monday before the Saturday program) to delete or add names. In every award program known to man, an honoree drops out for whatever reason and that usually gives the coordinators an opportunity to honor someone else or delete that award from the program (saving non-profits many needed dollars).
In the meantime, I placed a call to Dottie the Friday before the Monday Deadline to add and delete. I was told by her daughter “I am sorry but the engraving has already been done!” I could not believe my ears. To justify her actions she said, ‘I told you that you could add but not delete.’ I knew this was not true and I would never agree to something like that. It is a professional courtesy to alert the client before you finalize the job. Engraving errors are the norm in this profession. My problem was the awards had already been boxed and wrapped. There was no way I was going to let this program proceed without seeing the finished production.
I will make this long story short. Dottie had wrapped each of the 38 plus 3 extra awards in old newspaper without any identification. Therefore, they had to unwrap each award to check for mistakes and there were mistakes. They charged me to re-do the engraving (their mistakes) and for 5 added awards and the engraving. The bill before the mistakes was $431. 00, my bill after the corrections was $654.00. I thought this was a little high, but I was running out of time. There were now 4 days left before the program. There was no way I was going to be able to find someone to complete this same job with so little time. They had me between a rock and a hard place and on Friday one day before the program I reluctantly wrote a check for the $654.00 balance. I left Dottie’s Trophies with the feeling I had just been hijacked and stuck-up, but the show had to go on.
It was during the day of the program’s preparations that we discovered the award for honoree Rev. James Russell was missing. He had driven in from North Carolina to participate. Honoree Ms. Zalee Harris’ name had been misspelled and there were three extra awards that were not ordered.
I asked Rev. Russell to accept one of the extra awards during the ceremony and I would have it re-engraved properly and he said, “No problem.” Ms. Harris accepted her award as it was and refused to let me re-engrave the misspelling of her name. The show went on, despite the Devil working hard inside and outside of the church—God was on our side.
On the Monday following the program I met with several KIT Board Members to count the donated monies and to decide a course of action against Dottie’s Trophies. We decided to stop payment on the check until we could get an itemized account of the $654.00 bill. First, I wrote a letter to Dottie explaining our position and all we needed was an itemized account and she would be paid, but she refused to respond in writing. Board Members Lester Lewis and Chuck Akins made several calls to Dottie asking for an itemized account and all she gave them was “Lip service.” In the interim, the sheriff showed up at my home with a summons for me to appear in court. Remember, we never refused to pay the bill.
Too many times Black Men in America are bullied by those who don’t look like us and we take it, therefore, condoning this type of behavior. The message the bully receives is “This sure feels good, let me do it again and again.” The court system in America has never been a friend of Black Men in America. You ask the question why? On too many occasions in the past, the judges, juries and prosecutors didn’t look like us and usually that made the trial anything but fair. Lessons learned and progress have made little difference, we are still in trouble. The courtrooms that are now looking like us are sounding more like Clarence Thomas and Alex Williams. The Federal guild lines use to sentence crack cocaine dealers and powered cocaine dealers are a good example. There is Justice and Just-Us.
On May 5, 2009 I appeared at the Upper Marlboro Courthouse door with nothing but the TRUTH and GOD on my side at exactly 8:30 a. m. Upper Marlboro and Charles County are still considered by many to be the strongholds of the Klu Klux Klan. They have traded in their hoods and robes for three piece suits and a briefcase (scam artist lawyers). They have also become judges of the court and uniformed police officers (Ronnie White).
The court opened its proceedings with “All stand” as the presiding judge entered the courtroom. He showed a sense of humor when he announced “This is not Judge Judy’s Court.” His revelation was of little comfort to me, I am a big fan of Judge Judy---she is tough but she is always fair.
While I was waiting for my case to be called, I observed the Judge as he interacted with the defendants and plaintiffs. If the defendants were represented by lawyers they were in good standing but if they were representing themselves, the judge made it perfectly clear “That they had a fool for a lawyer.” All lawyers are not as smart as this judge makes them out to be. I have known several hundred in my life time and most of them have left the courtroom to become politicians or preachers. It is little wonder why William Shakespeare once exclaimed "Kill all the lawyers."
The idea of him putting all lawyers on a pedestal was my first sign of discomfort but “I sucked it up.” I have been the underdog for most of my life. My athletic instincts kicked in and I treated my position in the courtroom like I was number ONE until the judge proved otherwise.
When I heard the announcement “Dottie’s Trophies vs Kids In Trouble, Inc” I laced up my shoes and put on my Game Face (no fear). I identified myself as ‘Harold Bell the defendant.’ Dottie Trophies was represented by her daughter, and when she announced ‘Dottie’s Trophies Plaintiff’’ the judge exclaimed, ‘Is Dottie really here in my courtroom?’ He sounded like he wanted her autograph. I remember radio pioneer Petey Greene telling me when he first went for sentencing before the judge in a U. S. Federal Court and the court announced ‘Petey Greene vs The United States of America,’ he said ‘I knew I was in trouble.’ I said ‘This is Petey Greene all over again.’ What really gave me hope was that Dotties was there without representation and only armed with ‘He says, she says.’
According to the judge’s early assessment we both had fools for lawyers. The difference was I had documented proof of their foul up and the extra awards with me. There was no proof I had refused to ever pay the bill. I had written correspondence that showed I had asked Dottie for an itemized account so that we could pay her. All the judge could say was “Would the two parties step outside the courtroom and see if they could come to some agreement." We both agreed.
Once in the hallway corridor I started to negotiate with Dottie but during the conversation her husband and daughter stepped into the negotiations. Since I was there by myself I guess I looked like a “Sitting Duck.” Mr. Dottie started to point his finger in my face to make his point. He looked to be in his 70s and he stood around 6’3 with silver white hair and horn-rimmed glasses. I could easily see he would be comfortable in a hood and white robe so I said softly “You better back off and get out of my face. You’ve got the wrong brother.” Like I mentioned earlier, men like Mr. Dottie and his kind have been bullying black folks for over 400 years, but I refused to be bullied by them or this system. I remembered Rev. ML King, three little girls blown up in church, etc. I looked all three in their eyes and said ‘We are going to trial’ and we walked back into the courtroom to face the judge.
We had to sit in the courtroom for at least another hour as the judge disposed of each case one by one. He had dispersed other cases to mediation and to the hallway to settle. We were the only case to come back to the judge without settling. When he heard that we had not settled he could not believe it. He asked us had if we not witnessed the other cases before him and what were we thinking and did we really want to go to trial for a $200.00 difference? He was right and I saw this as an opportunity to step in and be “The reasonable party.” The judge jumped on my suggestion and said we would split the $200.00 difference. My final billing would be $554.00 instead of the $759.63 plus court fees, payment for stopped check, plus interest. The judge’s next question was “When can you pay Dottie the money?” I looked straight at him and said ‘I can give them $50.00 a month.” His response, ‘You are going to make them wait 11 months for their money?” I explained that we were a non-profit organization and there was no money in our account. We don’t receive grants or loans we use our own monies to support our community programs. Our only income was social security. I was prepared to show the judge documentation where KIT donated $500.00 to Survivors of Homicide, $100.00 to Serptima Clark Charter School in SE DC and a $50.00 donation to Honor Society Student Jonne Woodard of Salisbury University. The monies donated were raised during the benefit program in December. The look on Mr. Dottie’s face was PRICELESS. There are times when you can out smart yourself.
The lessons learned; a man who does not stand for something will fall for anything. Always travel with the TRUTH and GOD will be on your side. A lie will change a thousand times---the truth never changes. A man straddling a fence will end up with splinters. Be prepared and have confidence in yourself, especially, when others turn away and whisper "Troublemaker and agitator". A loser can never be a winner when he turns and runs away. You never stand alone when God is on your side.

Remember, a coward and a bully will eventually meet their match if the bullied stands his ground.

The Way We Were: Dave Bing and Harold Bell

Last year Dave Bing came back to his original hometown of Washington, DC and officially announced to friends and family he was running for Mayor of Detroit. The announcement came during a Spingarn high school class re-union in Prince Georges County, Maryland. My question to him was, Why?

It looked like he was a man that had everything. He was a NBA Hall of Fame basketball player and voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players of all time. He had money earned as a successful businessman and three daughters to take over and run the family business. Why the headaches that would come with trying revive a city on life support?

The city of Detroit was “Dead” the only thing left was for someone to start shoveling the dirt to bury it. I admit I was at a disadvantaged. I was on the outside looking in, but still the question of Why stayed on my mind. It finally hit me that Dave had made Detroit his home for the past 43 years, what did I know and when did I know it?

I have known Dave since he was a little skinny kid playing basketball on the playgrounds of Watts and Kelly Miller. He was from a hard working family in the NE section of DC. I watched him develop and grow as an athlete and a man. His development as an athlete was ahead of his development as a man.

I made it as difficult as I could for him on the basketball court. I made sure he earned every shot he took. The playground rules were, “No harm, no foul. We met in pick up games on the playgrounds and alumni basketball games at our alma mater Spingarn High School. We shared the same high school basketball coach, Dr. William Roundtree. We both learned several lessons from Coach Roundtree and the lessons had nothing to do with basketball. I was one of the team’s best players in my senior year in 1958 but I was asked to turn in my uniform and enjoy the rest of the season from the stands. My style of selfish play earned me an early exit. The lesson learned, “No one is indispensible.” Dave ran into several rough bumps in the road during his high school career also. Coach Roundtree became his savior and traffic cop in the ‘Game Called Life.’

I was there to watch and cheer Dave on as he took our alma mater to its first City Championship and was named to the All-American High School basketball team. I watched as he took his game to the next level and I clearly remember the lesson he taught me during a summer basketball encounter at Kelly Miller. It was his freshman year at Syracuse, he was serving notice he was now in charge. I lined up in my usual position and chose to play him man to man. He jumped and shot over me and ran circles around me. When I left the court that day I felt like I had just come out of a Maytag washing machine on spin dry. His message was loud and clear “New Sheriff in Town.” There was a slight smile of satisfaction on his face as we left the court. I never challenged Dave Bing One on One again. He made me a believer.

In 1966 he was the number one pick in the NBA draft of the Detroit Pistons. I watched the draft like a proud Big Brother. I said to no one in particular “I taught him everything he knows.” I was just joking, but I was proud that I had played a small role in his development.
I was having lunch at Frank’s a popular restaurant hangout in NW Washington in the summer of 1966. I looked up and Dave walks into the restaurant with Spingarn alumnus and my childhood friend, Arnold “Tank” George. They came over to my table and I stood up to shake hands with both. I then congratulated Dave on an outstanding NBA season (he was named the Rookie of the Year). He then said “Harold you helped prepare me for the NBA.” I was stunned and I thought to myself, ‘What a classy thing for him to say’. I had become cynical of homeboys like Maury Wills and Elgin Baylor forgetting who they were and where they came from. They never came back to their hometown for camps or just to visit schools to talk with young people, unless there was an emergency. You can add to that list, John Thompson, Sugar Ray Leonard, James Brown, Adrian Branch, Adrian Dantley all came through Inside Sports and Kids In Trouble. Dave and I exchanged telephone numbers and for the next decade we would become partners in the community working together with at-risk children.

In 1967 I traveled to Baltimore for the NBA All-Star Game to ask Dave if he could come to our alma mater and speak to the students. I was then working as a Roving Leader for the DC Recreation Department. I had been assigned to Spingarn to help quell a shooting of a Spingarn student after a basketball game. There were talks of revenge. I thought “These kids need to hear a voice of reason” and the voice was playing in the NBA All-Star Game in Baltimore, Dave Bing.

I was waiting at the player's entrance to the Baltimore Civil Center when Dave walked up with teammate Bob Lanier. He introduced me to Bob and then asked “What’s up?” I explained the Spingarn situation and asked him if he could come to Spingarn the first thing Monday morning and speak to a full assembly. He said, ‘No problem.’ His appearance was like the calm before the storm, the students gave him a standing ovation as he walked to the stage. It helped they had just seen him the day before on National television playing in the NBA All-Star Game. He was representing Spingarn High School and now he stood before them. The timing was perfect, the talks of revenge subsided----the storm had passed.

During the campaign I was surprised to read Detroit newspaper reports that Dave did not relate to the community. The community involvement of professional athletes started with native Washingtonians Dave Bing and Willie Wood (NFL) in 1967 and 1968 respectively.

The Dave Bing and Harold Bell community encounters that involved at-risk children, his teachers and friends go on and on; Dave Bing Basketball camps in the Poconos, Hillcrest Children’s Center Saturday Program, Kids In Trouble, Inc Spingarn Teacher Appreciate Day, Dean Wood Neighborhood Appreciation Day, guest appearances on Inside Sports, etc. Despite the miles Dave stayed in touch with his hometown of Washington, DC. In 1969 I was attending a workshop on the campus of Michigan State University for the DC Recreation Department. He picked me up on campus and took me back to Detroit to help celebrate my birthday. I know he thinks I have forgotten, I have not. He joined the Washington Bullets on the downside of his NBA career. We sit down on his arrival to discuss the negatives and positives. He has always been there and was never more then a telephone call away.

Like most 50 year friendships, partnerships and marriages there are disagreements and conflicts. Dave and I had our share. One of the problems, Dave has been surrounded by an entourage of Player Haters, cheerleaders, wannabees and Yes Men. The biggest enemy in our community is still envy and jealousy. There were those in that group who were envious and jealous of our strong bond and relationship. There was a communications breakdown and out of sight became out of mind.

There were several incidents that I had to address of “He said, she said.” The one that hurt the most involved our late former coach, Rev. William Roundtree. I went directly to Dave by way of written letter for clarification. I never got a response and when we would see each other at different DC functions he would act like nothing had ever transpired. The truth can hurt sometimes. I was up in his face as a young athlete and I was up in his face as a MAN, but I did let go and I let God.

Despite the disagreements and harsh words said by me, Dave flew to DC during his campaign and was one of our honored guest during the Kids In Trouble, Inc 40th Annual Toy Party. Hattie and I also celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary on that December evening in 2008. He received The Kids In Trouble, Inc Life Time Achievement Award in the name of our beloved late coach, Rev. William Roundtree. My success as a community and media icon would not have been possible without Dave Bing. When you love someone you never have to say “I am sorry.”

I think Detroit got the best MAN for the job--------He CARED long before the NBA.

Left Top: NFL Hall of Fame player Willie Wood and friends at Memorial Day picnic

MEMORIAL DAY: WHEN DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY!

On Memorial Day America took time out to honor its dead. There were parades, tributes and salutes to our fallen heroes of war. Family, friends and loved ones traveled from all over the country to Washington, DC. In his first Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery as commander in chief, President Barack Obama vowed to support soldiers at War and at Home.

The Greenbelt Regional Park is located in Prince Georges County, Maryland just off of the Baltimore/Washington Parkway. The parkway is a main thoroughfare that brought thousands into DC for the weekend Memorial Day tributes. They arrived by car, bus, truck and more motorcycles then you could ever count.

On Saturday the Greenbelt Regional Park hosted a picnic for native Washingtonians, friends and loved ones who were still among the living. Memorial Day was a special day for many of us.

The picnic was the brainchild of Roy ‘Monk’ Wilkins, Everett ‘Doc’ Payne and Byron Kirkley. The former athletes from Spingarn High School in DC said “Enough is enough.” They decided having re-unions at the areas’ funeral homes was not a good place to meet and greet and re-connect. The recent funerals of Spingarn basketball coach William ‘Doc’ Robinson, Spingarn Principal James Campbell, and Cardozo basketball coach and legendary educator, Frank Bolden convinced the three there were better places to have re-unions. There were some of us who had become ‘Professional Funeral Goers’ and some were spending more time reading the obituary pages then the sports pages.

They promoted and marketed the picnic by word of mouth invitations with e-mails arriving as late as the day of the picnic. The invitations made sure everyone was aware that it was a BYOL outing. I packed a Brown Bag lunch (chicken sandwich, potatoes chips, candy bar and frozen bottles of water and tea) and headed out to Greenbelt Region Park. I left home on Saturday not knowing what to expect but it was a bright sun shiny day. It was a perfect day for a picnic.

When I drove into the park the first one I saw was my long time friend Skippy Pace with his friend Joe Gordon . Skippy is a Spingarn alumnus (class of 57). I was barely out the car good and the tales started to flow about “The Good Old Days.”

I was surprised by the turnout (75-100) shown up for this last minute gathering.

Even though we were asked to bring our own food and beverage of choice there was plenty of food and drink. Brother Bay Freeman took charge of the grill and made sure everyone got something to eat. Lester Lewis brought enough chicken and potato salad to feed several people. An outing like this would be incomplete without our music (50s & 60s). DC legend of “Oldies but Goodies” and Spingarn alumnus Larry Bridgeforth took us up and down memory lane. It was a great ride.

The topics of conversation ranged from sports to politics:

*President Barack Obama (BLACK & PROUD)
*Mayor Dave Bing (HOMEBOY MAKES GOOD)
*NBA Play-Offs (WOW)
*John Thompson (HAROLD YOU WERE RIGHT)
*Where are they now (FRIENDS, FAMILY & ATHLETES)

Those topics would be our theme songs until darkness suggested it was time to head home and back to the real World.

There were those in attendance who were legends in their own time and those who were legends in their own mind. We sit down in different groups and eventually made the rounds to visit others.
There were alumni participants from Armstong, McKinley Tech, Cardozo and Spingarn high schools. NFL Hall of Fame and Armstrong legendary athlete Willie Wood made a surprise visit. Willie is in a nursing home and confined to a wheelchair. He suffers from dementia (memory goes and comes). He stayed for a couple of hours and took pictures. Everyone enjoyed his visit and by his frequent smiles it really looked like he enjoyed himself. Herman Thomas another Armstong alumnus and legendary athlete was also in attendance. He and I spend most of our time talking about Willie and the great running back Red Mike Hagler. Herman was on the receiving end of many of Willie’s passes on the 53 and 54 championship football teams. Red Mike went to Iowa and played in the Rose Bowl. Herman remembers his first encounter with the great Elgin Baylor and how he took him to school on the basketball court.

There were other legitimate playground legends with their own stories, Sandy Freeman (Phelps), Ollie Johnson (Spingarn), Ronald Horton (Spingarn), Roy “Monk” Wilkins (Spingarn), George Deal (Armstrong), Dehart Morgan (Armstrong), Rip Scott (Cardozo), Lester Lewis (Cardozo) Walter Blouse (Dunbar), Johnny Jones (Dunbar), Bob Headen (Cardozo) Frank Harrison (Cardozo) and Donnie Christian (McKinley Tech). The Mayo brothers, Charlie, Melvin and Vernon all outstanding athletes (Spingarn) were in attendance. Memorial Day is special to them as they remember their parents and brothers Bill and Al.

My classmates and Spingarn alumni secretary Margret Pope and Medell Ford were there to record the outing in pictures. Margret also gave me the blues for acting like I didn’t know her in an early telephone conversation. The husband and wife team of Keith (McKinley Tech) and Dottie (Cardozo) Wade were also in the house. Community icon and the unofficial Mayor of DC Bobby Harper (Cardozo) was there making the rounds. This was also a very emotional Memorial Day for him as he remembers his daughter and her two children.

Thurmond Higgingbotham (Spingarn) and his main man James “Wine” Burroughs (Spingarn) was also there. Thurmond was a pitcher on the Spingarn varsity and had a sweet left handed jump shot on the playgrounds. Memorial Day is a working day for him. His story is an American success story. He went from being a security guard to his present position, Deputy Director of Arlington National Cemetery. He has met every U. S. President from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama. On December 6, 2008 he was the recipient of the Kids In Trouble, Inc. Life Time Achievement Award. He has come a long way from Spingarn, the playgrounds and Rip’s Poolroom in NE Washington, DC.

There is not enough space or time to mention all the guys who were legends in their own mind in attendance (smile), Joe Wood (Spingarn), Oscar Phillips (Anacostia), Doc Payne (Spingarn), Medell Ford (Spingarn), Kenny Weaver (Spingarn), Michael “Crip” Sullivan (Spingarn), our New Jersey friend Eric Hughes and all the ladies who were there and supported this Memorial Day outing.

My Memorial Day thoughts went to my only brother Earl (Spingarn) a U. S. Army veteran who is confined to a wheelchair in the VA Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. My two brothers that I lost last year, Bobby and William and my heroes Mattie Bell (mom) and Amy Tyler Bell (Grandma).

We ended the evening wishing everyone the very best and saying “See you soon,” God bless America and our hometown of Washington, DC. What a great way to spend an evening and a Memorial Day weekend. This Memorial Day picnic beats meeting at a funeral home any day.

A 911 MESSAGE TO BLACK AND WHITE MEN IN AMERICA!

McCAIN AND OBAMA MOVE OVER: LEE IACOCCA FOR PRESIDENT!
By Harold Bell

Remember, Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He has a new book titled, “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?”

Lee, how about jail? Lee Iacocca, sounds like my echo. Its just like he is preaching to the choir, here are some excerpts from his book.

'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Lee, I often ask myself the same question, “Am I the only guy in the black community who’s fed up with what’s happening?” Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course'

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned 'Titanic'.

I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the 'America' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for (we had different modes of transportation. I've had enough. How about you?I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis!Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A Hell of a Mess. So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way.

These are times that cry out for leadership. But when you look around, you've got to ask: Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Lee, lets keep it real, they are being called “Troublemakers and Agitators.”

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.
Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.

Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity.

What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break!

No Lee, black folks are scared they will be kicked off the Corporate Boards, lose their cushy jobs at the networks or be exiled from the “In Crowd.”

Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough?

Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope I believe in America. In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression', 'World War II', the 'Korean War', the 'Kennedy Assassination', ‘Dr. King’s Assassination’, the 'Vietnam War', the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to 'Action' for people who, like me, believe in America. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'

Lee, with Pimps in the Pulpit and crooks and sex deviants holding public office, it sounds like good advice to me! This book should be required reading in our community. We have a tendency to listen to white folks! Some of us really think your ice is colder.

DR. KING A DREAM MAKER 1963 / BARACK OBAMA A DREAMER 2008

Dr. King delivers his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech

On Thursday August 28, 2008 in Denver, Colorado Barack Obama before 85,000+ and millions more watching by television throughout America accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for the President of the United States of America. The nomination makes him the first black man ever nominated to lead a major party in its bid for the White House.

There are times in our life where certain events take place and you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing. Forty-five years ago on August 28, 1963 I was headed to downtown Washington, DC with several of my college friends from Winston-Salem State University. Barney Hood my roommate and teammate from Decatur, III wanted to be here for the March on Washington so bad he convinced a friend to put an airline ticket on her credit card. New York City and Winston-Salem basketball legends, Jack Defares and Carl Green drove in from the “Big Apple.”

We all met at Ben’s Chilli Bowl on U Street NW (recently celebrated 50 years in business). We then walked to the famous Florida Ave. Grill another DC eatery landmark for breakfast. It seemed like everyone had the same idea, when we arrived every seat was taken. I had an inside connection, a waitress by the name of Mae. If you wanted to be seated in a booth you had to wait your turn in line but if you sat at the counter you could be seated right away as seats became available. Today I needed a booth because I was traveling with out of town guest. Despite the long wait the home fried apples and potatoes, grits, bacon, eggs and hotcakes made everyone forget the long wait. I did not hear one complaint. It was a beautiful Saturday morning without the hot and humid weather known to the Washington community in August.

We decided to start our participation in the March by walking from the Florida Ave Grill to the mall (approximately 5 miles). We had a great time lying and signifying all the way to the Reflecting Pool on the mall. I don’t think any of us realized the significance of the March until years later, I know I didn’t. I had no clue I was just happy being with my boys.

I now look back and picture the thousands of people gathered here, back then you would have had a hard time trying to convince me there were not a Million marchers in DC that day. The official count was 250 thousand (a quarter of a million) had advanced on the mall to hear Dr. King’s now famous speech “I Have a Dream.”

Forty-five years later the benefactors of “I Have a Dream” are now on Fortune 500 Corporate Boards, Bank Presidents, Mayors, Governors, Coaches, Managers and General Mangers of sports franchises throughout the sporting world. There are too many who think they got there by themselves.

My DC family roots go back to 1893. I grew up in a housing project in NE Washington, DC. My mother was on welfare raising three boys alone, a fourth brother was being raised by my grandmother. In 1963 I was still trying to avoid going to hell in a hurry as my Brown Middle School Principal William B. Stinson had said. He predicted to my mother I would not live to get out of high school. I am glad I fooled him.

I am a benefactor of the March on Washington and Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Today Thursday August 28, 2008 I have not only lived to get out of high school but through my non-profit organization Kids In Trouble, Inc. my wife Hattie and I have helped hundreds of others get out of high school and beyond. My innovated programs aimed at troubled children here in the DC metropolitan area and sports talk pioneering efforts in radio and television are now common place. They have been adopted in communities all over America. Annual community organized Christmas toy parties for needy children and the phrase “Inside Sports” were started and coined here in Washington, DC.

I never dreamed the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech would one day find me interviewing some of the greatest athletes and sports personalities in the World. Personalities such as, Muhammad Ali, Red Auerbach, Hank Aaron, Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain, Dr. J, Angelo Dundee, Gale Sayers, George Foreman, etc. have all been guest on Inside Sports

The March and Dr. King’s Dream has also allowed me to break bread and have the ear of some of the most powerful politicians in America, men like President Richard M. Nixon, Strom Thurmond (R-S. C.), Bob Dole (R-Kan), Lou Stokes (D-Ohio), etc. my Middle School Principal would never have dreamed it. In November of this year Hattie and I will celebrate 40 years of marriage and in December we will celebrate 40 years of hosting and coordinating Christmas toy parties for needy children. Dreams do come true.

The three former Winston-Salem State University students who joined me for the march made their own impact. The late Barney Hood would go on to become a teacher and businessman in his hometown of Decatur, III, Jack Defares would become a teacher in the New Jersey school system and Carl Green found fame as a star player on the World famous Harlem Globetrotters. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech looked like it touched and influenced all four of us.

My Spingarn high school teammate Andrew Johnson remembers that day, the March and the speech all too well. He had a front row seat on the Reflecting Pool. He was a working DC Metropolitan Policeman assigned to the march (that is Officer Johnson looking up and standing directly under the left hand of Dr. King). My friends and I were located in the crowd somewhere near the middle of the Reflecting Pool. Andrew says “It was one of the most amazing demonstrations I have ever seen. People were all over the place some literally on top of each other. The march was so peaceful the DC Police Department could have taken the day off. The march ended that evening and 250,000 people left town as quietly as they had come in.

In the troubled Shaw/Cardozo area of Washington, DC Andrew and I would later join forces to fight juvenile delinquency. My job as a Roving Leader (Gang Buster) for the DC Recreation Department and his as a foot patrolman would make this reunion possible. Officer Johnson would later be promoted to the rank of detective. His law-enforcement career would end as a "Top Cop" for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). With the DEA He made it to the rank of supervisor before retiring in 1995. Today he can be found tutoring inner-city children and serving as an active member of the Board of Directors of Kids In Trouble, Inc. Forty-five years after the March on Washington and Dr. King's "I Have Dream" speech, Andrew Johnson is still trying to make a difference.

We never thought in our life time we would see a black man make a serious run for the White House. The Presidential bids by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were never taken seriously by black folks or white folks. They both had hidden agendas. In 2008 they were quietly reduced to spectators and cheerleaders like the rest of us.

We are hoping that the August 28, 2008 nomination of Barack Obama will inspire another generation of minorities to be all that they can be like Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech inspired us on August 28, 1963. Barack Obama is living proof that dreams can come true.

TENNIS: A GAME OF LOVE!

U. S. OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

BERNIE CHAVIS SHOWING LOVE-LOVE & LOVE

On September 3, 2008 a former hoop star turned amateur tennis player Bernie Chavis will make history as an author on the hollow grounds of the U. S. Tennis Open. Bernie is a native Washingtonian who now lives in the suburb of Meadowbrook, Pa. He will showcase and autograph his new book titled “The Games of Tennis-An African American Journey (Breaking Racial Cultural Barriers in Tennis and---Society).”

His journey is far from his roots as an outstanding all-around athlete in the DC Public schools of Washington, DC. Bernie was All-Met in football and basketball at Eastern High School. He parlayed his athletic skills into a basketball scholarship to Villanova University in Philadelphia. The city of brotherly love has been home ever since.

His remarkable journey into the elitist World of tennis takes a hard an objective view of the not too friendly love affair between blacks and whites. Despite the groundbreaking efforts of tennis greats Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe in the 50’s and 60’s “LOVE” has nothing to do with it.

Unlike most outstanding athletes who are born with that competitive spirit Bernie knew when to quit. When he discovered he could no longer run and jump with the young boys on the talented rich basketball courts of Philadelphia he walked away. His next court would be a tennis court. It was there he could apply the same techniques that made him an outstanding basketball player to play at the highest level capable—foot work and hand and eye coordination. He fell head over heels in love with the game. The most enjoyable aspect of his new World, he could compete and play with men his own age. Once on the tennis scene he discovered the many doors that were closed to people of color on the other side of the net.

Bernie remembered growing up in a segregated Washington, DC (the Nation’s Capitol). He never forgot the second class citizenship experiences of his hometown. He says, “One of my first recollections highlighting the impact racism concerned the Howard Theater, the most popular movie and entertainment center in Washington’s black community.”

He had a difficult time trying to figure out why was it that white folks could flock to one of the busiest sections of the black community and have an All-Access Pass but he was forbidden from entering any of “their” establishments anywhere in the city.

Bernie’s childhood friend and my high school teammate, Spotswood Bolling, Jr. was a part of a landmark decision handed down by the U. S. Supreme Court in 1954. He was a part of the Brown vs Board of Education decision. The decision was Bolling vs Sharpe and ruled upon on the same day by the same Supreme Court.

There were two different decisions made because Brown vs Board of Education was national and Bolling vs Sharpe was to insure desegregation locally. DC then as now had no Congressional Representation it is still called “the plantation on the Potomac.”

In the early1980s shortly after turning to tennis as an alternate athletic outlet, Bernie discovered “The more things changed the more they remained the same.” While playing tennis at the Garden Fair Tennis Club located near his home he developed a personal friendship with the manager of the facility, Bob Fossler. One day Mr. Fossler indicated to Bernie that all the tennis boards he was involved had begun to seriously discuss the need to diversify the composition of their organizations and to engage people of color. Remember this is almost 40 years after Jackie Robinson and Athea Gibson made their professional debuts.

He then invited Bernie to be a member of one of those boards. Upon his recommendation Bernie submitted his application and was accepted. His membership placed him on the Board of the United States Tennis Association Middle States Philadelphia Area Tennis District. Thus began his roller coaster ride inside the sport of tennis’s dark and blind side.

Bernie joining the USTA was just appetizer, he has served as National President of the American Tennis Association (ATA), the oldest African American sports organization in America. President of the U. S. Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) in the Middles States Section. He would later be named the first black to serve as President of the USTA Philadelphia Area Tennis District (1994) and the first to referee a USTA national championship tournament, the Men’s Senior Grass Court Championships at the Germantown Cricket club in Philadelphia. In 2005 he was named a “Living American History Maker” by the Berean Institute of Philadelphia. Like Frank Sinatra, Bernie has taken the blows and did his way.

I would love to be a book on the shelf to witness and capture the re-actions of friends and foe during the signing. The more interesting moments will be to see if any of today’s black tennis stars and future black stars show up to support his courageous effort to make their paths easier. Richard Williams the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena will be the first in line and I am betting his daughters won’t be far behind. On the other hand James Blake the bridesmaid of the men’s tour will distant himself until he sees the William sisters purchase their first book. His advisors will caution him to keep his distant.

The Games of Tennis-An African American Journey is a must read for every person of color who thinks that they have arrived and that includes parents, teachers, coaches and all advocates of children who claim they are making children first.

The book reflects the thinking of America and how it really feels about people of color. During Bernie’s journey he discovered that every black face he saw was not his brother and every white face was not the enemy. He has never forgotten that it was all white men who made the decision of Brown vs Board of Education and Bolling vs Sharpe. Their decision was based on Love-Love and Love.

Books available at http:/www.barnesandnoble.com/ http://www.amazon.com/ http://www.borders.com/ /

ART MONK: NICE GUYS DON'T FINISH LAST!

Art Monk’s induction into the NFL Hall of Fame was a long time coming. He is one of the best reasons why the players and coaches should decide who is worthy of entry.

Monk played 16 years in the NFL and should have entered the hall on his first year of eligibility. He was denied entry for 13 years because there were many in the sports media (writers, columnist and editors) who didn’t like his attitude when it came to the sporting press. He learned early in his career the members of the media could not be trusted. They ran hot and cold, especially those in the Nation’s Capitol, home of the Washington Redskins.

He never thought he was obligated to give and interview and answer their stupid questions like “what were you thinking when you dropped that ball for a touchdown” or the classic question asked of QB Doug Williams by a reporter at the 1988 Super Bowl, “What does it feel like being a black QB playing in the Super Bowl?” Monk never played their game during his entire NFL career. He knew 90% of the writers surrounding his locker after each practice and each game never played the game. Many would not know the difference between a post pass pattern and the Washington Post newspaper.

One major league baseball manager was heard to say “The qualifications to be a sports writer in America all you need is a driver’s license.” Art Monk could not have agreed more.

During his acceptance speech I think the most provocative statement he made was when he said, I was fine with the waiting game you guys were playing. I am honored to finally be inducted into this sacred fraternity, but football does not define who I am.”

What was Art Monk on a football field? On Sunday afternoons in football stadiums around the country he was Mr. Consistent, Mr. Clutch and Mr. Dependable. Monk was drafted in the first round (18th pick overall) of the NFL draft by the Washington Redskins in 1980 out of Syracuse University. He was a running back at Syracuse but the Redskins immediately made him a wide receiver. They have had a lot of success in turning running backs into great wide receivers. Running backs like Bobby Mitchell and the greatest wide receiver in Redskin history, Charlie Taylor. Taylor was an electrifying runner after the catch, he could entertain and thrill you with a short catch over the middle or a long catch down either sideline. He was also a devastating downfield blocker. In my opinion Art Monk is second only to Taylor on the All-Time great wide receivers who played for the burgundy and gold.

Roland ‘Bubba’ Grimes and Bryce Bevill are DC homegrown and Syracuse alumni. They are the co-authors of a new book titled “TOTAL FOCUS of Character, Academy, Discipline, and Faith.” Grimes says, “I remember the day the skins drafted Monk after trading away 12 years’ worth of first round picks under Coach George Allen. None of us had heard of the guy but from day one he was an absolute stub on the football field and many of us tried to learn his game and follow his work effort.



Art Monk befuddles the sports media with his discipline and focus. Not only has he excelled in football but he also is just as accomplished in his walk with Christ and leadership in his own home. These are very difficult domains to balance in the NFL with all the travel and temptation at every NFL stop. However, I think the guy’s life is truly just beginning now that he can invest more time into his family, community and his role as a trustee at our alma mater, Syracuse University. Now is the time that he can be outspoken and advocate on any stage for anything that tugs at his heart.”

Art Monk’s 14 year career with he Washington Redskins was a highlight reel of consistency. He once set an NFL record with a catch in 164 straight games. When it was 3rd down and five yards or longer we all knew who the quarterback would be looking for. He wore number 81 Art Monk. He was a quarterback’s best friend and cornerback’s worst enemy. He was a nightmare to most cornerbacks who seldom stood taller then 6 foot and over 180 pounds. Monk was 6’3 and 210 pounds. To see him running in your direction was double jeopardy. The cornerback was left thinking “Is he coming to knock my head off or to catch a pass?” Advantage the wide receiver. I will take a great wide receiver over a great cornerback on any given Sunday. The wide receiver knows where he is going and the cornerback has to guess. The cornerback on an NFL team is usually the team’s best athlete. The cornerback position is the most difficult on the field. Congratulations to Darrell Green on his induction. His NFL 20 year odyssey and tenure was unbelievable.

When Art Monk retired after the 1995 season he held the career record for receptions (940). He was a three time Pro Bowl selection and a first team All-Pro in 1984. Monk played on three Super Bowl Championship teams. In 1984 he set an NFL record with 106 receptions in a season. He was named to the All-Decade Team for the 1980s. Where is the media beef?

He was never a controversial personality in the locker room or in the community. There were never any whispers about drugs and he was never seen chasing skirts all over DC like many of his teammates. The one thing that I admired about Art Monk, even though he was surrounded by flawed teammates who where pretending to be Christians, he never allowed their behavior to interrupt his walk with God. Dexter Manley is his friend and not his leader.

Unlike most of the players you would usually see gathering at midfield to pray after the conclusion of a hard fought game, he was serious about God and his place in his life. He was a model citizen. Art Monk was a great catch for the NFL Hall of Fame.