DC Mayor Fires Employees

On Monday the DC Mayor Adrian Fenty fired six Child and Family Service employees over the lack of providing services for Banita Jacks and her four children before she was accused of killing them. Mayor Fenty played audio tapes of a worried school counselor who tried unsuccessfully to get help for this family via phone. I applaud Mayor Fenty for acting quickly in dealing with this horrible tradegy. But for some reason I'm feeling extremely uneasy about this whole thing. In my opinion, this tradegy is bigger than firing 6 employees. I believe many people failed this family, including Mayor Fenty. If you read the Washington Post story about the upbringing of Banita Jacks, you will see that many people in her family failed her. Banita Jacks lived in several Washington area jurisdictions. Each one of those jurisdictions failed her. While serving as the Ward 4 Councilmember in Washington DC, Mayor Fenty's office oversaw the Child and Family Service agency. So Mayor Fenty failed her also.

This story is sad on SO MANY LEVELS.

COWBOY4EVER

Martin Luther King, Jr. Information

This link provides information on Dr. King's messages, writings, etc.

MLK Information

Hillary and Obama: Talk About The Issues

I wrote the below information in my buddy's blog (Native Son). I thought my readers should view my take on this Democratic campaign.

It saddens me that in a year of “firsts”, this campaign is becoming ugly. 2008 will be the first time that either a “black” man or white “woman” will represent a party in the Presidential election. This is something I thought I would NEVER see in my lifetime. I’m sure Dr. King would be extremely happy to see these two frontrunners. Sadly, I believe both campaigns will smear each other or show each other’s faults (to the world) that it will make it EASY for those darn Republicans to win again. I know this sort of thing has been going on in elections (local, state, and federal) for years but for some reason I’m feeling a bit quesy over this entire situation. If we as voters don’t demand these candiates “talk ONLY about the issues”, this will be all for NOTHING. When it’s all said and done, until Bob Johnson can change what’s going on in Iraq, overseas, and the economy, he’s irrelevant to me. He’s just like the channel he created, USELESS.

I hope you will understand my frustration with the way this campaign is going. I'm afraid we are playing the Republican hands. Our country can't survive another 4 years of Bush-like government.

COWBOY4EVER

Dr. King: In Our Heart and Mind FOREVER

Dr. King, I just wanted to say that you are in our heart and minds FOREVER. There are many people attempting to be and sound like you, but you will never be duplicated.

You were a living example of God's teachings on service.

Happy Birthday and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Written by COWBOY4EVER

Read this article: Dr. King's Biography

It's Been A Long Wait

In June 1996, Shaquita Bell of Washington DC was last seen with her estranged boyfriend, Michael Dickerson. She was reportedly scheduled testify against him in murder case. After 11 years of searching, waiting, and numerous investigations, her former boyfriend was charged with killing Shaquita. Michael Dickerson was also charged with killing Sean Thomas (the person Shaquita was scheduled to testify about).

This case has been a part of the Washington Metropolitian community since 1996. Many African Americans mentioned Shaquita Bell's case whenever media coverage got out of control over white women being missing. When a young white woman named Sandra Levy was reported missing and media coverage of her disappearance was on EVERY channel, I too was quilty of saying, "Where was the media coverage when Shaquita Bell was reported missing." Shaquita Bell was the Washington area African Americans version of Sandra Levy.

Whenever you talk about this case the name mentioned the most would be Ms. Bell's former boyfriend. Things like "he knows what happened to her" or "I just wish he would tell the family what happened to her." Many Washington area residents didn't need these charges to make their case but it's nice to know it has become official.

I know today charges won't bring her back but I pray that this will give Shaquita Bell's family a little sense of closure. Although we didn't know her personally, she will be entrenched in our minds (Washington area black residents) forever.

Written by COWBOY4EVER

Read this article: 11 Years Later