#PreservationMatters: Germantown Boys and Girls Club

Philadelphia is the first World Heritage City in the United States. In this city’s culture of demolition, places where history happened are frequently tossed on the trash heap of history. The Germantown Boys’ Club (originally the Boys’ Parlors Association) was established in 1887. It is now known as the Germantown Boys and Girls Club. Friends of the club are fighting to save the historic building from the wrecking ball.

On May 12, the Philadelphia Historical Commission considered the nomination of the Germantown Boys and Girls Club submitted by indefatigable architectural historian Oscar Beisert. Parenthetically, Oscar worked 24/7 to try to save from demolition the church where Marian Anderson learned to sing. His nomination of the First African Baptist Church preserved the historic church for future generations. Oscar and I collaborated on the nomination of the Malcolm X House.

After three hours of histrionics, the Historical Commission had enough. They decided to table the nomination for 45 days. In the meantime, the opposing sides were encouraged to talk among themselves.

Reverend Dr. Alyn E. Waller, senior pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, used Mother’s Day to call out “a small but vocal part of that community”:

You may have heard a lot about the struggle we are presently in in Germantown around the Germantown Boys and Girls Club. Those of you who are from Germantown know that Germantown, like Charles Dickens, is the tale of two cities. … The reason there is a Boys and Girls Club within a mile of each other is because there was a time when there was a white Germantown and a black Germantown. So the black Boys and Girls Club was the Wissahickon Boys and Girls Club and the white Boys and Girls Club was the Germantown Boys and Girls Club.

Now that reality is no longer because, quite frankly, Germantown is black, both sides. But sadly, there are still vestiges of the old mindset. What is taking place in Germantown is that there is an opportunity for the Boys and Girls Club to expand its offering to at the Germantown site. Comcast, along with Ed Snider Hockey, along with some other funders, are attempting to build a new Boys and Girls Club that is going to be inclusive of an ice rink and some other amenities for the community.

The last ditch effort of a very small but vocal part of that community to stop it is to try to get the present building declared a historical site. Now on the surface it sounds like, you know, it’s a good thing to declare it a historical site. Underneath the public argument is fundamentally a group of people who don’t want those children coming into their neighborhood because you have to kind of go through the Penn-Knox neighborhood. And quite frankly, not all of them because there are some wonderful people who really wanna know what the building is going to look like.

Rev. Waller then played the race card:

But the fundamental issue is a race issue and it is a certain crew of people who just don’t want those kids in their neighborhood. I have to call a name because I don’t speak in abstract. The ring leader is a man by the name of Greg Paulmier and he has been historically, the 23 years that I have been here, a lead voice in trying to keep African Americans in a particular pocket. He even on that day called into question my love for the children of this community because I don’t live here.

The Penn-Knox neighborhood is a “family-oriented area, with many residents having raised their families here, and younger residents raising children. Many people are professionals, and range from lawyers and teachers to artists and business people.”

Truth be told, racists who have options do not raise their families in an overwhelmingly black community.

Aaron Wunsch, an assistant professor of historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania, told me: “Germantown is the closest Philly has to an integrated neighborhood.” Prof. Wunsch’s observation was underscored by archivist and historian J.M. Duffin: “It’s completely absurd because white racists don’t choose to buy houses in Germantown and live next to two organizations, the Boys & Girls Club and PAL, that were there long before any of the neighbors and have been serving primarily African American youth.”

Time will tell what is underneath Rev. Waller’s race-baiting. Like the reverend, I don’t live in Germantown. As a lifelong activist, I care about children in every community. I grew up in an impoverished neighborhood so I know first-hand the importance of exposing children to the possibilities. Knowing one’s history also transforms lives. The Germantown Boys and Girls Club is associated with the Great Migration. The building exemplifies the economic, cultural, political and social heritage of the city and nation. It holds stories of de facto segregation, resistance and white flight. The club’s past is part of the African American story of separate and unequal facilities. Germantown’s history of racial segregation should not be erased from public memory. Fact is, the club’s past informs our present. Philadelphia is the 4th most segregated big city in the country.

The Historical Commission is not the venue to settle old scores or impugn motives. The sole issue before the Commission should be whether to accept the unanimous recommendation of the Committee on Historic Designation to add the Germantown Boys and Girls Club to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. If the 119-year-old building meets the criteria, it should be added to the list. Point, blank, period.

Corruption is What Makes Philly

In the run-up to the Democratic convention, the 2016 Democratic National Convention Host Committee launched #WhatMakesPhilly, “a social media campaign to energize Philadelphians about the Convention coming to town and highlighting what makes the city the unique.”

What makes Philly unique? It continues to live down to its reputation as “corrupt and contented.” One of the longest serving congressmen, Chaka Fattah, is now serving time in federal prison. City Council Majority Leader Bobby Henon is under FBI investigation.

District Attorney Seth Williams, who no longer has a law license, is under indictment. One of the candidates running in the May 16 primary election to succeed him is in debt up to his eyeballs.

And we now know the real winner of the host committee’s #WhatMakesPhilly social media campaign was the committee’s executive director, Kevin Washo. Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Washo paid himself a $310,000 bonus:

On Nov. 25, all 12 of the host committee staff received bonuses. In addition to Washo’s $310,000 check, rewards ranged from $13,357 for the office manager, who was paid $3,000 monthly, to $220,000 for the chief financial officer, who was paid about $8,000 monthly.

In the host committee’s report to the Federal Election Commission, Washo’s bonus is described as “Consulting Services-Political.” On Dec. 23, 2016 — five months after the convention ended — he collected $13,805.96 in “salary.” By then, Washo had already been hired by powerhouse law firm Cozen O’Connor “to assist clients with government relations across Pennsylvania as well as in Washington, D.C., and New York.”

Washo may soon need a lawyer.

Philadelphia Magazine detailed the other bonuses.

The nearly $1 million in bonuses were authorized by Host Committee Chairman Ed Rendell. Philly’s culture of corruption is so embedded that Rendell, a former mayor and governor, brazenly said:

No donor did this out of the kindness of their heart. They all wanted access. They got exactly what they donated for. No donor should feel cheated.

Why should donors “feel cheated?” After all, they received “access” and a tax deduction. Millions of dollars of donations to the host committee were funneled through the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau Foundation. The financial scheme appears to violate the absolute prohibition on political campaign intervention by a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The bonuses also facially violate IRS rules against self-dealing.

So on Mother’s Day, I decided to file a complaint about these greedy mothers (half the word) with the IRS and the Federal Election Commission. When I visited the host committee’s website to find out who was on the board of directors, I discovered the site has been partially wiped clean (perhaps “with a cloth or something”), including its home page, sponsors and area partners.

Also on Sunday, Gov. Tom Wolf issued a statement denouncing Rendell and Washo for not returning the $4 million surplus to the state:

I am disappointed that when the host committee discovered there was a surplus, the first call was not to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to discuss returning the money to the taxpayers. The commonwealth supports large events that have an economic benefit to Pennsylvania and the region, but when there is leftover funding, that money should be returned to taxpayers. I am disappointed that the surplus was instead spent on bonuses and grants.

Wolf requested that Auditor General Eugene DePasquale review the host committee’s audit report.

UPDATE: Three Republicans — Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Pat Browne — have called for an audit. In a letter to Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, they wrote:

The revelations over the past several days are particularly troubling. It is undisputed that the DNC had no less than $4 million I unencumbered funds upon completion of the event. A small group of individuals including former Governor Rendell chose to allocate the excess on targeted special interest initiatives and exorbitant bonuses, one greater than $300,000. We were not contacted at any point by the officials at the DNC, the Governor’s Office, or DCED (who administered the grant) about the surplus. No efforts were made to return any portion of the surplus to the Commonwealth.

Kevin Washo and the other host committee staff will have to use their taxpayer-funded windfall to pay for lawyers.

Stay tuned.

How Sanctuary Cities Work to Undermine Rule of Law

The fight over sanctuary cities is heating up. Last week, a federal judge blocked President Trump’s executive order barring sanctuary cities from receiving federal fund. Judge William H. Orrick issued an injunction blocking enforcement of Section 9(a) of the executive order on the grounds that it is unconstitutionally vague.

In a statement, the White House blasted the ruling as an “egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge”:

Today, the rule of law suffered another blow, as an unelected judge unilaterally rewrote immigration policy for our Nation. Federal law explicitly states that “a Federal, State or Local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.” 8 U.S.C. 1373(a). That means, according to Congress, a city that prohibits its officials from providing information to federal immigration authorities — a sanctuary city — is violating the law. Sanctuary cities, like San Francisco, block their jails from turning over criminal aliens to Federal authorities for deportation. These cities are engaged in the dangerous and unlawful nullification of Federal law in an attempt to erase our borders.

Trump tweeted he will appeal the ruling all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Baltimore’s sanctuary city policy works like a charm. In a memo obtained by The Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office says prosecutors should go easy on illegal immigrants:

In considering the appropriate disposition of a minor, non-violent criminal case, please be certain to consider those potential consequences to the victim, witnesses, and the defendant.

Will American citizens be given the same consideration?

In Philadelphia, Mayor Kenney and City Council work overtime to flout the rule of law. Last week, City Council passed a resolution that invoked a nonexistent “human right” to work in the United States:

Recognizing every person’s fundamental right to earn a living, regardless of immigration status, and affirming the City of Philadelphia’s commitment to protect and secure a safe and dignified workplace for all.

Philadelphia Daily News Columnist Stu Bykofsky noted the resolution is not worth the paper it’s written on:

There is no such right. That notion is not just harebrained, it is criminal. Under federal law, only people here legally have the privilege of a job, and they need a permit for that. Even legal visitors have no “right” to work without permission. Employers are prohibited from hiring the undocumented.

Immigration law was passed by Congress and if you don’t like it, go to Congress to change it. That’s how democracy works. You don’t ignore it or rewrite it. The Council resolution didn’t reference U.S. law or the U.S. Constitution. It instead cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We’re all Globalists, now.

In the same vein, Jay McCalla, a former deputy managing director of Philadelphia during the administrations of Mayors Ed Rendell and John Street, said Mayor Jim Kenney has some explaining to do:

While Kenney has boldly asserted the general policy, he has neither defined it nor invited public debate to affirm it. City Council adopted a resolution of support, but the few seconds set aside for a voice vote hardly qualify as a sincere sorting of the issues in what may be the most significant, potentially impactful declarations of values a city can make.

While we wait for Kenney to explain himself, check out the surprisingly evenhanded explainer from Vox.

Black Voters to Democrats: We Are Not Your Negroes

Last month, Tom Perez was elected the first Latino chair of the Democratic National Committee. In remarks to the International Association of Fire Fighters, Perez acknowledged the party has work to do:

I understand that one of the basic pillars and adages of politics and of life is often, “What have you done for me lately? What do you stand for today?”

Democrats stand for illegal immigration. In a statement following his election, Perez said fighting President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration is a high priority:

The Democratic National Committee will fight back by (shining) a spotlight on the real faces of those impacted by Donald Trump’s cruel mass deportations. We will not allow this administration keep their stories in the dark.

The DNC’s program, “Faces of Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan,” Latino Victory Fund whose tagline is: We are the future. Latinos may be the Democrats’ future but African Americans are asking: What have you done for me lately?

In a post-election survey for the Congressional Black Caucus, pollster Cornell Belcher found that African Americans feel they are being taken for granted.

Rep. Cedric Richmond, chairman of the CBC, told the Grio:

African Americans are the Democratic Party’s most loyal voters and they should be treated as such. The results of this survey are clear marching orders for the Congressional Black Caucus — African Americans want Democrats to stop using the same old playbook and to make substantive progress on the issues that affect their communities.

African Americans muted their opposition to illegal immigration while President Obama was in office. But the Age of Obama is over.

The fear of criticism keeps most people from speaking out. African Americans’ absence from “A Day Without Immigrants” protests speaks volumes about how they feel. A recent Pew Research Center poll found a 14 percent approval rating for President Trump. With ± 2.9 percent margin of error and 7 percent refusing to say, Trump’s approval rating among African Americans’ could be as high as 20 percent.

The Democratic Party must face the reality that African Americans are not their Negroes.

Democrats in the Age of Obama

President Barack Obama reportedly will go on a “farewell tour” in mid-January. In light of Democratic losses since 2009, he may want to fly over some states.

Washington Post political commentator Chris Cillizza recently wrote:

What Democrats expected to be the historic election of the first female president was instead a devastating loss — for Clinton, Obama and their political vision. That reversal of fortune was palpable in the days following the election as Democrats reeled from a knockout blow that they never even saw coming.

When President Obama passes the baton to President Donald J. Trump, Democrats will be left with memories.

Donald Trump and the Black Vote

It’s Week Two of the reality of President-elect Donald Trump.

The pundits and pollsters who predicted Donald Trump would lose are now wondering, “What happened?” They are particularly at a loss to understand Trump’s support among black voters. So let me help them out.

I had long predicted that Trump would receive more support among African Americans than reflected in the polls. The reason: illegal immigration. I have written about illegal immigration since 2005. Until President Barack Obama, poll after poll found African Americans oppose amnesty. However, they muted their opposition because they are protective of the first black president.

When I’m out and about, I hear black men complain that they have been replaced by illegal immigrants on privately-financed construction projects and locked out by project labor agreements on public projects.

In 2009, African Americans were shoved aside as Obama’s “shovel-ready” jobs went to union members and unionized contractors (98% of black-owned construction companies are non-union). Black-owned businesses were shut out of stimulus-funded contracts.

The day before the election, the New York Times asked, “Are There Really Hidden Trump Voters?” The columnists smugly concluded:

Unfortunately for Mr. Trump, the respondents who appear to favor him — but not enough to say they will vote for him — are also more likely to believe that it may be better to just stay home. This result also suggests that instead of tipping the uncommitted one way or the other, late-breaking negative headlines may simply further decrease turnout among this group.

And so on Election Day, don’t be surprised if most hidden Trump supporters remain hidden.

In the privacy of the voting booth, black men who support Trump did not have to hide. They were among the cohort of voters whom Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway dubbed “undercover.” Indeed, 13 percent of black men who turned out on Election Day were “undercover” brothers.

For eight years, African Americans have had President Obama’s back. Still, I watched in disbelief as black Philadelphians cheered when he bragged that “more Americans are working, more have health insurance. Incomes are rising. Poverty is falling.”

Parenthetically, Philadelphia is the poorest big city in the country. The poverty rate is 26.3 percent; nearly 37 percent of children live in poverty. Philly has the highest rate of deep poverty (12.9 percent) of the nation’s 10 most populous cities. Roughly 200,000 residents have incomes below half of the poverty line.

Former NFL safety Jack Brewer recently wrote:

Now, I’ve praised President Obama on his amazing management of the great recession as well as his consistent job growth and overall economic progress. However, that success, unfortunately, includes every race except for blacks. The unemployment rate for blacks is nearly 9 percent and remains twice that of whites.

As the unemployment rate for blacks has risen, the same stats for whites, Asians and Latinos declined in the latest October 2016 jobs numbers from the Labor Department. The youth unemployment rate for blacks ages 16-24 has been over 18 percent this year and is more than double the rate of the white youth unemployment rate.

One would hope that the healthy 16-24 year olds who make up our nation’s most underserved race would be a vibrant work force. Well, the fact is that nearly 60 percent don’t work at all.

The unfortunate reality is that, for a growing number of underserved blacks in this country have lost the American dream under Obama. Backing Obama’s economic policies did Hillary Clinton no favors with millennials and working class blacks when it came to jobs and the economy. Blacks also had to take into account that Hillary and Bill themselves amassed $100 million to $200 million in personal wealth.

Throw in Obamacare premiums rising at staggering rates and this had to push a number of black voters away from supporting the Clinton ticket, as they dealt with the realities of financial struggles.

Brewer continued:

I voted for a hope of making black America great again too. I voted for an end of 30 years of establishment rule in America. I voted for President Donald Trump, with hopes that God frees his mind of the bias and division long enough to do great things for blacks and all the citizens of our great nation.

I, too, voted for change. I voted for Donald Trump.

President-elect Donald Trump

Poll after poll shows Americans think the country is heading in the wrong direction. Donald Trump may not make America great again, but he’s now President-elect Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton fought the law (read: FBI) but the rule of law won.