AFRICOM: STOP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!
NCBL asks Eric Holder to counsel termination of U.S. program that threatens to militarize Africa.Read Full Letter
National Conference of Black Lawyers Condemns the Massacre in Gaza
December 30, 2008 - The National Conference of Black Lawyers ("NCBL") condemns the massive military attack by Israel upon Gaza. Since Saturday, December 27 Israel's bombs have rained on Gaza, hitting targets such as a refugee camp and a university. News agencies reported today that over 375 Palestinians, including women and children as young as age 4, have been murdered. Over 1400 have been wounded.The military attacks are not Israel's only act of aggression towards Gaza. For over a year the Israeli government has held a stranglehold on Gaza, preventing the entry of necessary goods such as food and medicine into the territory, and withholding electricity for long stretches of time. Israel's actions are inhumane and are in violation of international law. Israel controls both access to Gaza and the freedom of movement of Gazans. As an occupying power, Israel's blockade amounts to collective punishment in violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. United Nations Special Rapporteur Richard Falk has even characterized the blockade policies as a crime against humanity. In addition, Israel's indiscriminate firing on civilian populations violates the rules of war and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Each year the United States government gives billions of dollars in taxpayer money to Israel, described as "aid." As taxpayers we demand that the United States stop funding Israel's illegal actions. Further, the NCBL calls on the international community to decry the military attacks on Gaza, as well as the blockade.
Maryland Legal Aid Director Wins a “Denny”
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| Wilhelm Joseph (center), NCBL former National Director and long-standing member of the organization. |
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Michael Tarif & Evelyn Warren
VICTORY
In a courtroom filled with supporters, as has been the case since the Warrens were initially assaulted, arrested, and brought to court a year ago, the District Attorney found inadequate basis for proceeding with the case against Tarif and Evelyn Warren. All charges were thus dropped. Cheers, hugs, kisses, and even some tears of joy followed as the courtroom emptied into the street for a brief rally. Both Tarif and Evelyn thanked everyone for being so steadfast in their support and, particularly expressed deep gratitude and love for their lawyers -- Soffiyah Elijah, Susan Tipograph, and Roger Warren. A battle was won, was the consensus, but the war goes on!
All Power To The People!
Original Story
Attorney Michael Tarif Warren and his wife Evelyn were driving along Vanderbilt Avenue around 6:00 pm, when they witnessed NYPD officers "kicking and stomping" a handcuffed young black man. The Warrens pulled over to help. Mr. Warren said "We saw a young kid being chased by a horde of policemen across a McDonald's parking lot. They tackled him and immediately put handcuffs on him. Then Sergeant Talvy, who appeared to be in charge, began kicking him in the head and ribs, and stomping him on the neck." The other police officers followed suit.
Read the Full Article (PDF)
Government fails in bid to stop class action against forcing new citizens to take Oath to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The Attorney General of Canada’s attempt to get leave to appeal from the decision of Judge Belobaba was denied.As you know, we commenced a class action to challenge the constitutionality of the Canadian Citizenship Oath that requires new citizens to swear allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Her Heirs and Successors.
The Attorney General of Canada applied to the court to strike out our action on the basis that it did not disclose a reasonable cause of action. In addition, the Attorney General wanted the case to be moved to the Federal Court of Canada.
Read the Full Article (PDF)
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK LAWYERS CONDEMNS AFRICOM
The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) has issued a call to all young people of African descent to boycott the U.S. military to ensure that they will not be ordered to carry out missions on behalf of Africa Command (Africom), or any military unit or program engaged in violating international law, committing crimes against humanity, or committing crimes of any kind that threaten the peace of any continent. Africom is a rapidly developing initiative that is intended to consolidate and expand the U.S. military presence in Africa. NCBL has concluded that Africom’s mission infringes on the sovereignty of African states due to the particularity of Africa’s history and Africa’s current economic and political relationship to the United States. Further, Africom is likely to violate international law standards that protect rights to self-determination and that prohibit unprovoked military aggression.Crack Cocaine Reform
“There has been more activity on the issue of crack cocaine reform in the past two weeks than there has been in the past two decades!” That was the sense of long-standing NCBL member Nkechi Taifa, on the heels of a unanimous decision by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to make its adjustment to the sentencing guidelines for federal crack cocaine cases retroactive, which followed a 7-2 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court which broadened judicial discretion to impose more reasonable sentences in crack cases. “Now,” she states, “the only stumbling block to complete reform of the 100-to-1 quantity disparity between powder and crack cocaine is the mandatory minimum statute. The ball is in Congress’s court, front and square. Congress must now expeditiously step up to the plate and legislatively fix this decades-long crack in the U.S. justice system.”Read the Full Article (PDF)
NCBL National Conference
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK LAWYERS will hold its 40th Annual Conference on October 9-12 at the Hotel St. Regis in Detroit, Michigan.
Program (PDF)
Registration (PDF)
Journal Ad (PDF)
Membership Application (PDF)
International Tribunal on Katrina and Rita
The National Conference of Black Lawyers joins the Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund, the Mississippi Disaster Relief Coalition, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, and the US Human Rights Network and others in convening an International Tribunal on Katrina and Rita. This tribunal will be held in New Orleans August 29 through September 2, 2007.
NCBL Supplemental Katrina Memo (PDF)NCBL Proposes Law For Africans to Reclaim Africa's Natural Wealth
The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) commemorates African Liberation Day 2007 by proposing a legal blueprint for reclaiming Africa’s natural wealth from foreign corporations and settlers. NCBL’s newly-drafted Model Code for the Reclamation, Protection and Preservation of African Land, Traditional Knowledge and Mineral Resources will be published to various African political parties and journalists on May 25, the date when many African communities around the world annually affirm a commitment to the full liberation of Africa and the continent’s descendants."Model codes" are sample laws that legislative bodies use as guides when drafting new legislation. "We don’t expect our Model Code to find its way into the laws of African countries right away, but we do hope that it will help create for Africa a vision of how Africans can establish a legal framework for the expulsion of foreign corporations that exploit Africa’s natural resources," said Mark P. Fancher, Chair of NCBL’s International Section.
Click here to read the entire Model Code (PDF)
A Tribute to Dr. Asa G. Hilliard
In my view, a fitting tribute to Dr. Asa Grant Hilliard III, Nana Baffour Amankwatia II who recently made his transition into eternity on August 13, 2007, is for all African scholars, intellectuals, and activists concerned with the reclamation of African history, culture, and civilization (particularly as it relates to the African presence in the Nile Valley) to join the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC) under the current outstanding and dynamic leadership of its International President, Nzinga Ratibisha Heru. At the time of his transition, Dr. Hilliard served as 1st Vice President of ASCAC and was a founding member of the organization.Read the Full Article (PDF)
NCBL Fondly Remembers Max Roach
MAX ROACH…for NCBL, the name is synonymous with class, amazing artistry, and activism. Max made his transition from this world on Friday, August 17, 2007, and we think the world should have paused to recognize the life of one man, a gifted musician, a humanitarian, an unapologetic agitator for justice! NCBL pauses, in deep gratitude. As an organization, we owe a great debt to Max, who so graciously donated his amazing talent to the cause, whenever we asked; he was a percussionist extraordinaire, and he was very successful materially. He could have shared his music with the world, and done no more, which indeed would have been gift enough. Instead, he chose to use what influence he had, and his talent, to be a warrior for justice. When he saw and/or encountered racism, he didn’t respond as the proverbial ostrich, with his head buried in the sand, he ACTED! So Max, we hope we told you while you could still hear, how much you meant to us as an organization, and to many of us who had the pleasure of knowing you personally, how profoundly your activism encouraged and inspired us. You will be missed, but always remembered with a smile. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, for using your musical gifts to make the world a more beautiful place, and for having a vision of justice, that made it a better place, as well. Rest well, dear friend. We honor your life and your lasting legacy. Your beat goes on…NCBL on Imus
The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) joins the ranks of those taking Imus to task for his specious remarks about the Rutgers University Womens’ Basketball team. As a bar association established to vigorously advocate and agitate, for the liberation of oppressed people worldwide, particularly those of the African diaspora, we are appalled by this hate speech.
Yet sadly, in this post-9/11, Bush-Regime climate, where anyone who is considered an "other" is fair game, America is rife with a feeling that it is okay for one to act on his/her/their racism and misogyny. When the president’s own mother states that Katrina survivors are living better in the Houston Astrodome than they did in the projects from whence they came, is it any wonder that "shock jocks" believe they can blanket federally-regulated airwaves with vitriol?
Imus claims to have been joking and had no idea that he'd offended anyone. Even he can't be that stupid. Joking would have been to make remarks about the relative merits of the team's playing skills. Instead, a select group of team members were singled out, and decimated by his racist, misogynistic description of discrete, identifiable, stereotypical, physical attributes in derogatory terms (nappy-headed), which excluded non-Black members of the team. While the majority of the team members are Black, there are also white teammates, so to select hateful language that encompasses only the Black players, is not only offensive, but reeks of an intentional racial slur. To feign ignorance of his offensiveness and to deny a nexus between his ingrained attitudes and his words, is at best disingenuous, and at worst, hugely insulting to anyone with a brain larger than a pea!
Adding insult to injury, is his reference to these lovely, educated young sisters as "hos". The old adage that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," is NOT TRUE! Words can and do hurt. Recognition of their ability to hurt, vilify, even maim, is not only constitutionally ingrained, but legally actionable. It's why there are First Amendment exceptions to free speech, for categories such as "fighting words". That words can and do hurt is affirmed by one's ability to collect punitive damages for harm done through slander, to a reputation. That words can and do hurt, is even criminally actionable, as hate speech.
We know that hate and racism are inculcated in the culture, and are as American as apple pie. We also know that we have a duty to speak out against it, whenever we see and hear it, especially when the display is very public, very vicious, and directed at innocent bystanders, whose only "crime" in this case, is apparently being Black and female.
It is NOT OKAY to use the public airwaves to intentionally and maliciously denigrate, and verbally assault, a group of people based on race and gender! Words can and do hurt! NCBL is pleased that at least for the foreseeable future, Imus will not have the public airwaves at his disposal to continue spewing his hate-filled speech.
African Women, White Men, Sex and Don Imus by Mark P. Fancher