Out Front Magazine Out Front Magazine - Apr 2019 | Page 4

EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
“
Racism is alive and well, and
discrimination and inequality are being
practiced by Florida public institutions
that are using our public tax dollars for
their existence.”
One Man’s Opinion
Admiral L. LeRoy, Jr.
I
Freedom ~ Justice ~ Equality
n the February/March 2019 issue of Out Front
Magazine, I spoke about Florida Lottery officials
who have been discriminating against this publica-
tion for the past two years. I also said that the Florida
Lottery was not the only public institution in the state
of Florida that was guilty of practicing an undercover
form of economic racism against black print media and
that I would expose many of these institutions one by
one.
First, let me point out that Out Front Magazine is the
only bi-monthly publication to target the African-
American consumer and a general audience in the
Greater Pensacola and Northwest Florida areas for the
past 28 years.
“
4
In the year of 1968, I
You must stand
was introduced to
tall as an advocate
the publishing
business by the late
against racism of
Les Humphrey, who
any kind.”
started a weekly
black newspaper
called The Pensacola Call & Post. Les Humphrey
recruited and hired me as public relations director and
managing editor. Desegregation of schools was
underway in Escambia County at the time. I was a
classroom teacher who witnessed racism brought
against black principals and teachers in the form of
demotions and firings--all authorized by the then-
superintendent of schools and other white administra-
tors. I was more than ready
to leave the school system
in 1970.
You will be
“
considered a
There were a number of
things Les Humphrey
menace and
shared with me upon my
disliked by the
entering the black newspa-
per/publishing business: (1) white power
You will not get rich or
wealthy in this business; (2) structure.”
You must stand tall as an
advocate against racism of any kind; (3) You will be
considered a menace and disliked by the white power
structure as well as by some in the black community
within Escambia County and the Greater Pensacola
area; (4) You must be prepared to spend your life in
defense of freedom, justice and equality for all people.
And finally, Humphrey stated that if by chance you
begin to receive accolades, awards and pats on the back
by the white power structure, it is then time for you to
leave the publishing business because you will have
become ineffective and bought by the powers that be,
and you may as well consider your work as an editor a
failure and your career as a publisher finished.
The words “diversity and inclusion” has no real
meaning where equality is concerned. They are
simply “buzz words that can never be compared with
or elevated to the stage of “freedom, justice and
equality.”
In the next issue of Out Front Magazine, I will start a
grading system of A – F with explanations, and I will
“
“
Diversity and inclusion” has no real
meaning where equality is concerned.
They are simply “buzz words that can
never be compared with or elevated to the
stage of “freedom, justice and equality.”
begin with the following public institutions listed
below:
I. Florida Lottery ~ Jim Poppell,
Secretary
II. University of West Florida ~ Martha
Saunders, President
Admiral L. LeRoy, Jr.
Founder & Publisher Emeritus –- Out Front Magazine
You must be prepared to
spend your life in defense of
freedom, justice and equality for
all people.”
This is the year 2019, and Les Humphrey’s words from
more than 50 years ago ring true to this day. Racism is
alive and well, and various forms of in-your-face
discrimination and inequality are being practiced by
Florida public institutions that are using our public tax
dollars for their existence.
“
If by chance you begin to receive
accolades, awards and pats on the back
by the white power structure you will
have become ineffective and you may
as well consider your work as an editor
a failure and your career as a
publisher finished.”
In future issues of this “One Man’s Opinion” column,
I’m going to begin a system that will grade various
public institutions on their willingness or unwilling-
ness to be fair and equal in the distribution of advertis-
ing that is awarded to black print media compared to
white media.
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