Project 21: Press Releases

Project 21 members are organizing and taking part in a "National Day of Repudiation of Jesse Jackson" that will be highlighted with a rally outside of Jackson's Los Angeles offices (1968 West Adams Boulevard) on Monday, January 19 from 10am until noon (Pacific time). This annual repudiation of Jackson's activities and his right to be considered a reliable representative of the thoughts and aspirations of black Americans, now in its fifth year, is timed to coincide with the federal observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Brotherhood Order of a New Destiny (BOND), which was founded ...
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Mychal Massie, a member of the conservative African-American leadership network Project 21, is scheduled to appear on the Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" on Wednesday, January 14 at 8pm eastern. He will discuss the NAACP's nomination of musician R. Kelly for one of the group's "Image Awards." According to the NAACP, its Image Awards (to be presented March 11 on Fox) "are given to those who strive for the portrayal of positive images and meaningful opportunities for African-Americans in motion pictures, television, literature and recording." R. Kelly was nominated in the "Outstanding Album" category for his 2003 "Chocolate Factory" ...
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BACKGROUND: The EPA this month announced a draft proposal to use a "cap and trade" model to regulate mercury emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The President's political opponents immediately attacked the plan. A "cap and trade" model would permit power plants to trade mercury "emissions credits" among themselves while limits would be placed on total mercury emissions in the U.S. The White House said the "cap and trade" system would "cut mercury emissions by 70 percent from power plants."1 EPA spokesman Cynthia Bergmann said December 2: "We do believe that a type of cap-and-trade approach will allow us ...
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Deroy Murdock, a member of the national advisory council of the black leadership network Project 21, will discuss proposals to pay reparations to the descendents of slaves on an ABC News "Nightline" segment scheduled to air at 11:30 eastern time on Wednesday, December 3. Murdock and other Project 21 members have spoken against the idea of paing such reparations. In a past commentary on reparations, Murdock wrote, "While challenges remain - especially for low-income, poorly educated blacks - from sea to shining sea, millions of blacks have overcome or are working hard to do so. Sadly, so-called 'black leaders' clam ...
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Every once in a while, you hear a story you know you will remember for the rest of your life. On July 5, 2002, Tony Dyess of Mississippi, a father of two, suffered head injuries in an auto accident. He was rushed to the hospital, but the only doctor able to relieve pressure on Tony's brain had been forced to quit just days before. Because of rising legal costs brought on by lawsuit abuse, the doctor's malpractice insurance carrier had stopped writing policies. Tony was airlifted to another hospital, but it took six hours, during which time the damage continued ...
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Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 applaud the majority of U.S. senators seeking an end to obstructionist tactics that are keeping many federal judicial nominees from receiving a timely vote on their nominations. To draw attention to this judicial crisis, these senators will participate in a 30-hour marathon session beginning at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, November 12 and running through the following evening. Project 21 member Mychal Massie, a Pennsylvania small business owner, will take part in a 3:30 AM press conference and Project 21 director David Almasi will take part in a 12:30 AM press conference, both ...
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Reverend Al Sharpton's dramatic 24-hour reversal on federal judicial nominee Janice Rogers Brown is strongly criticized by members of the African-American leadership network Project 21. 48 hours ago, Sharpton agreed with Project 21 that Brown deserves fair treatment, including a vote. Yesterday, apparently under political pressure, Sharpton changed his mind. Members of Project 21 question Sharpton's commitment civil rights in now seeking to deny the black judge a fair and timely confirmation process, especially as Sharpton's new position violates not only the U.S. Constitution but Sharpton's own views. In a November 5 interview with Sinclair Broadcasting, Sharpton opposed plans by ...
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Janice Rogers Brown, a black associate justice serving on the California Supreme Court, is the latest Bush judicial nominee to face the intense criticism of liberals. Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are calling upon senators to give her fair and timely consideration as she faces the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, October 22. "The Senate's job is to give its advise and consent, not to make the judiciary into its own political image," said Project 21 member Jerry Brooks. "Justice Brown is more than qualified as a jurist. If some senators would actually embrace fairness rather than ...
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Commissioners of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico on October 17, 2003 to vote on the endorsement of a staff report that proposes changes to the federal government's "environmental justice" policy. Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 say the proposals will hurt the nation's economy and put poor and minority citizens who are supposed to be protected by these policies at further disadvantage. The report also overlooks how government regulations can impose undue burdens on these same at-risk communities. "Environmental justice" policy is supposed to ensure that all communities receive equal environmental ...
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Black Conservatives Available for Comment on California Race Initiative Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are available for comment on Proposition 54 - the "Racial Privacy Initiative" - that will be decided by California voters on October 7. Proposition 54 would prohibit California state agencies from classifying individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, color and national origin. Exceptions are made for compliance with federal rules and for select medical and law enforcement purposes. The Racial Privacy Initiative will appear on the same ballot as the California gubernatorial recall. Project 21 is a non-partisan organization that does not ...
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Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are encouraged by the peaceful night in the Los Angeles area and elsewhere following yesterday's hung jury verdict in the trial of a former Inglewood, California police officer who was charged with police brutality and the not guilty verdict of his partner for filing a false report. While emotions surrounding the case could have led to community violence similar to the aftermath of the 1992 Rodney King trial, Project 21 members are pleased that community leaders and residents seem to be accepting the verdict and letting the legal process run its course ...
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NASCAR has severed its financial ties to the Reverend Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, ending what members of the African-American leadership network considered little more than a shakedown of the professional auto-racing organization. Project 21 members encourage NASCAR to continue its outreach to minorities, but consider Jackson's past relationship more hurtful than helpful. On July 29, USA Today reported that a NASCAR insider confirms the organization has not and will not make a financial donation to Jackson groups in 2003. "This is a major win," said Project 21 member Horace Cooper. "Supporters of NASCAR and advocates for good government ...
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Citing racial insensitivity and the inappropriateness in using the name of a highly-decorated group of black servicemen in a portrayal of corrupt soldiers, members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are demanding that the Miramax Film Corporation and its parent company The Walt Disney Company rename its upcoming film "Buffalo Soldiers." The movie "Buffalo Soldiers," based on a novel of the same name by Robert O'Connor and set to open in theaters on July 25, sarcastically portrays the U.S. Army in Germany in the late 1980s as filled with smugglers, drug abusers, fools and bigots. The movie has been ...
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Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are calling upon the Rainbow/PUSH organization to apologize for derogatory comments about fans of NASCAR auto racing made by Rainbow Sports director Charles Farrell. In a recent interview with CNSNews.com, Farrell said, "there is a perception that stock car racing is a good ole' boy's Southern redneck cracker sport." "Webster's definition of 'cracker' and 'redneck' point out that these words are meant to be 'used disparagingly.' Just because it's against the mostly-white NASCAR fan base doesn't make it any less offensive," said Project 21 director David Almasi. Farrell's comments come at a ...
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Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 applaud congressional efforts to create a school voucher program that will aid impoverished students living in our nation's capital. A proposal introduced by U.S. Representative Jeff Flake (R-AZ) aims to provide monetary school vouchers to students who come from families subsisting at 185 percent below the poverty level and attending underperforming public schools. These vouchers could be used to pay for tuition expenses at any other public or private schools in Washington, D.C. In doing this, Flake and his supporters hope to give impoverished families more control over their children's ability to ...
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Activists with the African-American leadership network Project 21 are demanding that Jesse Jackson support a promising black driver who currently lacks the financial sponsorship needed to advance in the sport. Jackson has publicly complained that black drivers have been excluded from NASCAR. In 1999, according to the National Legal and Policy Center, Jackson told a conference attended by NASCAR's then-CEO "The fact of the matter is there is frustration because of exclusion. We were qualified to play baseball before 1947. We are qualified to race cars now." Since then, Jackson's organizations have received a reported $250,000 from NASCAR and NASCAR ...
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President George W. Bush begins a five-day visit to the African continent on July 7. Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are proud of the President's hands-on approach to fighting terrorism and famine and preserving human dignity in Africa. "[America] is fully engaged in the broad, concerted effort to help Africans find peace, to fight disease, to build prosperity and to improve lives," Bush stated during his address to the Corporate Council on Africa's recent U.S.-Africa Business Summit. Since 2001, the Bush Administration has been working to demolish trade barriers between America and Africa. "By itself, aid cannot ...
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Project 21 has joined a campaign begun by the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) to urge NASCAR to stand up to what appear to be intimidation tactics employed by Jesse Jackson and fight an apparent corporate shakedown. Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are calling upon NASCAR to sever its financial ties to Jackson. A board member of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition publicly implied June 24 that the NASCAR auto racing organization is racist. NASCAR reportedly has given over $250,000 to Jackson's groups in recent years. After criticism by Jackson that the sport does not do enough ...
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The United States Supreme Court today announced its ruling on whether the University of Michigan can use race as a deciding factor in its admissions process. In a five to four decision, the justices ruled that the university, as a state-run institution, can continue to use admissions as a means of promoting racial diversity on campus in its law school. Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 are available for interviews on the decision and other issues affecting black Americans. Some Project 21 members available for comment include: -- Peter Kirsanow, a commissioner of the U.S. Commission on Civil ...
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A split ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that finds a constitutional justification for affirmative action is criticized by members of the African-American leadership network Project 21. The lack of a definitive ruling on the issue is considered a significant blow against a truly colorblind America. In one decision, the justices allowed the University of Michigan to continue to use race as a factor in its law school admissions process. While the Court suggested that racial preferences be used sparingly, the University of Michigan's law school can still use a system that ensures a "critical mass" of certain minorities on ...
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