It should have been first-degree murder
by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.

Michael Dunn, a white man who fatally shot Black teenager Jordan Davis for refusing to turn down his ‘thug music,’ may be going to prison for the rest of his life.
It’s not a real victory because the jury didn’t convict him for killing Jordan Davis. They convicted him for almost killing his three friends who were in the car with him. They found Dunn guilty of three counts of second-degree murder and one count of shooting deadly missiles. Each attempted murder count carries a minimum sentence of 20 years. Evidently, someone on the jury believed that Davis’ cursing at Dunn and arguing over the volume of his music equaled a serious enough risk to make Dunn reasonably fear for his life.
Dunn took it upon himself to drive up to a convenience store in Jacksonville, and even with a number of empty spaces available, decided to park next to the one vehicle full of young Black men playing some thumping hip-hop music. Rather than avoid the music he hated, he parked right next to it.
And when Davis didn’t submit to his wishes to turn it down, Dunn didn’t like it. They had words. He didn’t like that either. Michael Dunn was not going to be sassed by a Black kid. Dunn reached into his glove compartment, pulled out his 9 mm handgun and started shooting at Davis and his friends and killed him.
Anyone who watched any part of this story, who isn’t biased or prejudiced, would arrive at the conclusion that this was first-degree murder. What else could have been presented to the jury to help them see that this was cold-blooded murder? Imagine if you had been sitting in that car. By chance only one child was killed. Do you think if two or more had been killed that would have made the difference?
I’m hoping they really pursue trying Dunn again because this is the right thing to do. In the 21st century in America, no case should be decided by the color of your skin. In a court of law, fairness should be the rule. It will be interesting to know which juror did not want to convict on first-degree for killing Jordan Davis.

email: jjlewis@birminghamtimes.com

Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas

Dear President Obama,
Sir, it is with pleasure that we write to you; however, the reason that forces us to
write to you is simply un-American! It is very clear of the struggle that we face
daily, the Independent Black Farmers not only need, but deserve a few minutes of your time.
Sir, the USDA must be estopped from this egregiously hateful,
discriminatory conduct. Mr. President just know that our very “LIVES” depend
heavily upon your shoulders. Sir, before all other issues (deficit, etc.) begin to
fill your schedule, please schedule a time to meet with us. Please DO NOT
allow the Independent Black Farmers to start another year facing these
feloniously criminal behaviors of the “USDA/The Last Plantation.”
We met with the House Judiciary Committee and they told us, “they know that
USDA (Vilsack), the OASCR (Dr. Joe Leonard) and the courts are not
following the law.”
Sir, only you can help us. For our children’s sake, please
meet with us.
“MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU, AMERICA AND ALL
AMERICANS.”
Respectfully yours,
The Independent Black Farmers
/s/Ferrell C. Oden
/s/Michael Stovall

 Expanding dual enrollment has been a goal for both Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature this year. Last week, we came one step closer to achieving that goal when the members of the State House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass a bill that will increase funding for dual enrollment by $10 million.
This is a big step in the right direction for the state of Alabama. Dual enrollment has been shown to increase the likelihood of a student completing their degree or certificate program. Dual enrollment also gives kids who otherwise might not ever be able to afford a college education a chance to get that education, with the help of additional scholarship money.
Democrats have always supported dual enrollment: we voted to increase funding for the program. But even though this bill does a lot of good, it also has some problems.
The first problem is this bill takes money away from other education needs. In order to pay for the increase in funding for dual enrollment, this particular bill creates as much as $5 million in tax credits that come out of the state’s education budget.
Instead of cutting the education budget by another $5 million, we could have just as easily have put $5 million in the dual enrollment program by eliminating the newly created liability insurance program for educators.
The taxpayer-funded liability insurance program is unnecessary for two reasons. First, educators already have liability coverage through their local school boards, their professional associations or, in many cases, both. They do not need a third source of liability coverage that is paid for with our tax dollars.
Second, this new program is unnecessary because the House has already passed a bill that provides statutory immunity for educators and state employees while performing their jobs, which was sponsored by Rep. Mike Jones, a Republican from Andalusia. With this immunity provision, there is no longer a need for additional liability coverage.
Aside from the fact that this dual enrollment bill unnecessarily takes $5 million out of our schools that could have easily been avoided, it also creates a new precedent that could cause problems in the future.
This bill allows companies and individuals to receive tax credits worth up to 50 percent of their donations to community college dual enrollment programs. As a result, these donors are basically getting to decide where their tax dollars go.
There is a reason that our tax dollars go into a collective pot and are then distributed throughout the state. If we could all choose where our tax dollars go then many important services would not get funded.
For example, would schools in small, rural counties be able to survive if no one but the people who lived there paid taxes for that school system? Would some smaller counties be able to have good, paved roads if they didn’t receive tax dollars paid by people in other counties? Good roads and quality schools grow our economy and benefit us all. But even if we choose to send our money to other counties how many of us could afford to send some to all 67 counties in Alabama? That is why our tax dollars go into one big pot and then get distributed where they are needed.
We should all have a say in how our tax dollars are spent; that is why we have elections and a government that works within a system of checks and balances. It is dangerous to set a precedent allowing a select group of people the ability to choose where their tax money goes.
This dual enrollment bill could have been better. We could have avoided the new cuts to our schools and the bad precedents that this bill has created. But, at the end of the day, Democrats and Republicans came together and found a way to put $10 million more dollars into our dual enrollment program. More money in our dual enrollment program means giving kids who otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to college or get a technical certificate a chance to get that education, which is a very good thing.
Despite its flaws, this bill is still a victory for our children. I hope that our state will have more of these victories throughout this legislative session.
Rep. Craig Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden and the Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives.

 The other residents of Birmingham, Alabama might be so forgiving, but, NOT ME!
The truth of the matter is, and no one can change my mind, so Don’t even Try.
Governor, Robert Bentley, Mayor, William Bell, and Birmingham meteorologists screwed up! Birmingham residents where told there would be a light dusting of snow, if any, without complications. D–n did they miss the mark. Al Roker had warned everyone differently, but was ignored.
Suppose to be Governor!  Robert Bentley should just resign! It’s been clear for a very long time he cares nothing about the residents of Birmingham, and he showed us once agin when he allowed this city to be paralyzed for over 24 to 36 hours, because of snow.
William Bell! Yes I tried to call you too, and no answer. My only daughter, mother of three (3) and wife was stuck on 65 North for over 22 hours. I prayed all night, and Yes! God kept my child safe. Not our electeds! and to God I  owe the Praise. Thanks to her husband who also was stranded on 280 over 20 hours, who walked, to 65 where his wife was to get them both home safely and to their three children. Where was the National Guard? who should have been in place before the disasters, not after. No one saw them.
Our officials weren’t and didn’t prepare! Which is inexcusable and unforgettable. Obviously they are not qualified for the jobs that they were hired to do. They let the people of this city down and should be ashamed of themselves for the unnecessary sleepless day and night they caused mothers like me, as well as any family that had to worry about their loved ones stranded on the freeways that long.
To the officials – If you can’t and won’t do your jobs that we voted for you to do RESIGN! and let someone who knows what to do, in instances like this one; and let someone who knows how to prepare in advance for  an emergency. If you can’t and won’t, please for the sake of the residents of Birmingham STEP DOWN!!

DEBBIE K. AGEE
Birmingham, AL 35214

  Millions of people have been affected by the massive data breach that occurred at Target and other merchants. And if future security breaches are not prevented, the problem will get worse.
The primary reason for the security breach lies in the credit card technology used in this country. The U.S. is far behind the rest of the world in this regard, employing 20th century technology against 21st century hackers.
Credit and debit cards rely on easy-to-copy magnetic strips on the back of each card.  The strip contains the cardholder’s name, account number, card expiration date, and a code.  When a card is swiped at a store, communication begins between the financial institutions of the cardholder and the store.
During this brief interval, as information flows through a communications network, an opportunity exists for hackers to capture it. Stolen data can be turned into phony cards and sold to others.
Within recent years, people in countries outside the United States carry cards that have their personal information in an embedded microchip rather than a magnetic strip. The chip-based technology is called Europay – Mastercard and Visa (EMV).
With EMV, the type of security breach that recently occurred in this nation is virtually impossible. The chips are hard to clone, reducing the likelihood of fraud.  And hacking into this type of system and creating a counterfeit card using similar technology is too complicated.
American card companies have been slow to adopt EMV technology.  Estimates are that only 10 to 15 million cards – less than 1 percent of the total in circulation –have this type of technology.
The primary reason for the lack of EMV cards is cost.  Credit card companies, financial institutions, and merchants are reluctant to spend the funds necessary to convert to the chip system. About 1.5 billion cards are being used by Americans.
According to industry sources, card companies plan to replace the magnetic strips with digital chips by October 2015. Once this occurs, they plan to change the rules regarding liability for fraudulent purchases caused by security breaches. The entity in the payment system – credit card company, bank, merchant — deemed to have the weakest security will be liable.
It would seem to be advantageous to adopt the chip technology as soon as possible.

Curtis, Ph.D., is a former superintendent of Alabama banks and Troy University business school dean. He is retired from the board of directors of First United Security Bank. Email him at wccurtis39@gmail.com.