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Allen, it has got better you say but I say that with folks like Deena Hayes around always willing to cry wolf we will get pulled back every time.

Yet she, a black sucessful Black woman in a postion of power has presided over 4 generations of failed children out of Smith High School.

But, she would rather probably blame me, an ordinary white man, and be less willing to admit to her own incompetence to provide these kids with the education they deserve?

Allen, why is the area she represents letting her run another four years uncontested?

This "Mosaic" program's only apparent problem, from a Guilford Co. perspective, is it is voluntary and therefore has some value. It is totally out of sync with the Kearns/Grier grab-people-by--the-scruff-of-the-neck-and-grind-their-noses-into-whatever-type-mosaic-they-want program, which has the complete opposite of the desired effect, is dumb, babaric, and costly and therefore is something we as Guilford co. citizens can be much more comfortable with.

John, I like the volunteer aspect of the program as well ... of people connecting on their own without being forced to. Of course, that doesn't mean some people won't join to impress their bosses, but even so, more good can come from such a model.

The mosiac project is a small little bandage. If you are into small bandages..then have at it..seems like I understood the mosiac type stuff at a very early age...If it were gonna be real...what should happen is to include people from housing projects..also hold work shops at the housing projects...but..that would not be nice..someone could get shot...and all you would have is little bandages.

Troublemaker:
I'll have to look at the list again, but I think it did include a cross-section of people from different parts of town and walks of life.
In addition, while the first class was especially heavy on the "usual suspects," the long-range idea was to drill deeper and deeper into the layers of community leadership with the next two classes.

I understand the process of the Mosiac Project. I am well aware of the trickle down school of thought. I just think that could be skipped. The usual suspects should go down to the 2200 block of phillips ave and make new friends. The basic problems are never addressed, especially by the N&R. I would like for you to start by asking...What are Housing projects? What race occupies them? Is there more crime in housing projects than other places? Why? When things like that are honestly reported about in a space taking GTRC like manner, then things would be addressed. However, GSO is stuck with half stories about things like surveillance (Am I the only one who cares about what really happened? Why donesnt Lorraine or hell..you Allen..why not call Rick Ball and ask him what the deal is?) and Secret Police fables. I imagine the N&R staff is quickly working to create stories to off set the lack of criminal charges against the Secret Police that were promised by Mitch and Linda. One doesnt need to have anything but courage to address the very real problems we have. However, it is much more fun and safer to have grant money and meetings instead.

are the next two classes gonna happen?

Ben:
I sense your frustration, but I do see the Mosaic discussions reaching beyond genteel, meet-and-greet sessions.
I've already seen it happen. But it will take time.
I support the efforts of the GTRC, but one of its weaknesses was its inability -- at least so far --to bring more different voices to the table for dialogue.
I believe Mosaic could help.

As for future classes, I think they will happen. But, of course, I am an optimist.

What is gonna help the hood Allen?

The GTRC's inablility to get more voices to the table was planned. The invites to the release ceremony and the report recipient list lacked the Klan that was there that day as well as the police that were there that day...Why is it the GTRC dissed those two groups in the end but bent over backwoards for Nelson and the CWP? At the very least, people like Rooster Cooper, Virgil Griffin and Mike Toomes..add Rick Ball to that list as well...should have been invited to the report release...or mailed a report..dont u agree?....didnt happen..the media shoudl ahve asked why....However, it was me that made sure some of them got invovled. It was a big misstep by the GTRC..but not one eprson at the N&R even thought to notice it...too busy working to get close to the GTRC cult...big mess .really big...surveillance is a mess too Allen...and not one person in that big ass builiding of y'alls cares enuff to dig a lil bit...y'all gonna wait on mitch and linda to explain it huh? I like how you danced away from that with the frustration sensor comment...the gtrc simply wasted thousands of police manpower dollars..while neighborhoods that could have used a lil extra manpower go unoticed and continue to suffer...they did this while providing rumors for you to print.

Actually, I know for a fact that it wasn't planned that way and I had many conversations with TRC people who desperately wanted to bring more dissenting voices into the conversation.

why were they not invited in the end Allen? Why were they ignored in the ending process..why was Mike Toomes and others not contacted to get a report? Why were they not asked to hbe report recipients? Actually, You know very little regarding the sought after voices for the GTRC...How many people did you get to speak Allen? How many cops on the scene did u bring to the table...how many Klansmen? The ending phoase Allen..the report release...where was the other two groups representation?

By your comments I am sensing that you do not think that cops on the scene that day as well as KKK should have been considered any more after they spoke at the hearings? They should not have been sent a report? They were not invited like the CWP people were. That si jsut fine according to your comments? The report release ceremony? Those asked to read and discuss the report? Only one group out of three needed to be there...got it. I am just thinking out loud here.

I am not aware of efforts to snub the police by the TRC. You're saying police wanted to participate in further dialogues but were not invited?

I am saying that the CWP was invited to a sit down with the GTRC before the report was released to talk about it....the cops of then..and the Klan of then...were not invited to do anything...not get a report..not come to the ceremony...not anything...Mike Toomes was never contacted again after he spoke at the hearings and Ball was not either.Virgil was not either....nothing about getting the report..nothing about being report recipients...nothing about future discussions...nothing...not the cops or the klan of back then was asked to participate anymore after they spoke. However, the boys and girls club was? and that is okay? that doesnt show a lil forshadowing?

"I support the efforts of the GTRC, but one of its weaknesses was its inability -- at least so far --to bring more different voices to the table for dialogue."

As you suggesting that the GTRC should have been able to FORCE people to join their little charade?
I think the lack of participation by some segments of our community might well have been because they recognized it for what it was: The communists trying to rewrite history.

I wish you'd come to one of the meetings and said that. I actually think at least some of them would have appreciated your honesty.

u wish who went to a gtrc meeting? me? funny, the last thing the GTRC wants is my honesty.

Actually, I was referring to Jaycee. But you, too, Ben.

figures...u still dont see the other two groups as worth recognizing...u and jaycee enjoy the meetings..

Sure I do. All voices that want to be heard should be heard. That is supposed to be the spirit of the process.

Then why did you and everyone else not see that the other two groups were pushed aside and labeled unimportant? They were not even considered as those who should be at the release ceremony?

They were not contacted about getting a report..If I had not found this out DAYS before the ceremony, Virgil would not have gotten one. He wanted one. He wanted to be included. But the GTRC did not see him or the cops of then as worth the time or effort. Virgil wanted to come, but he was not invited or contacted until after I told the GTRC they should not have left him out. leaving folks out is the kind of thing that makes people want to be Kalnsmen. leaving people out makes stuff like Columbine happen.

I heard all along from the GTRC lovers that this process needs "Everyones voice. We need to learn from each other and see why we think the way we do." But in real life, that was not the issue. If it was, people like Rooster Cooper would have been targeted as report recipeints.

My original point was....I wish you and the N&R would write about crack like you did the GTRC. That would be much more useful in the problem w race.

Stan Swofford did do a major series on crack two years ago.

and that is all the attention the crack problem desreved i guess....how is the mayors task force he formed because of the N&R...i imagine it is crap... and u still wont say...yes..it was bad the cops of then and the klan of then were bypassed in the end of the process...