Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Nov. 5, 1984, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
November 5, 1984 Black Ink Page 5 Carter Visits Campus For Weil Lecture by John Hinton Staff Writer Former president James Earl Carter addressed more than 2,500 people as the guest lecturer for the 1984 Weil Lecture on American Citizenship in Memorial Hall on Oct. 23. The ex-president discussed past racial injustices, student apathy on college campuses, U.S. foreign policy and rightwing politics and religion. "Citizenship should not be defined in a narrow and selfish way," Carter said. "We didn't know how to deal with it in the South in the 1950s and 1960s when only whites had citizenship." Carter described the racism of the era as "a millstone tied around the neck," and said, "Those days still br ing many of us to shame because the essence of America wasn t understood. "Our friends were taught the hard way, and it has brought a new element of citizenship." However, the former president said he was proud to be a southerner and was happy to see the positive out come of the civil rights movement. "We have learned how to use the blessings of opportunity and how to share them with everybody who had not had them before," he said. "But, we still have a lot to learn about feel ing (racially) superior." Carter said he was especially concerned about the "element of dor mancy among college students" dur ing the 1980s. "I know you all are here to get rich," he said, "but where is the activism on the students part for peace, arms control, human rights and environmental quality?" Students participated in the civil rights movement and protest against the Vietnam War, he pointed out. "That freedom of expression will be taken away from you when you get your first job. You won't be free to take an unpopular position. "Now is the time to search your hearts...(Ask yourselves) what can I do to make sure that I am not too old at the age of 20 or 18." During a question and answer pjeriod following the speech, the former president spoke on a number of foreign policy issues. Carter said President Ronald Reagan should continue to honor the Camp David peace accords between Israel and Egypt. Signed in 1979 under the Carter Administration, the treaty had survived both the assassination of former Egyptian President Anwar el Sadat and the Israeli bombing of an Iraqi nuclear power plant, he noted. Carter also said the region was (continued on page 8) Martin or Edmisten: Who'll Get Black Support On Nov. 6 ? by Darlene Campbell Staff Writer Amid increased Black voter registration and white Democratic Party sup porter ticket splitting, the North Carolina gubernatorial race has become un predictable. Both Republican candidate. Congressman Jim Martin, and Democratic candidate, N.C. Attorney General Rufus Edmisten, have begun to focus on the Black community and address such issues as minority prosperity, improved education and reassessment of economic policy. Dick Carlton, Rufus Edmisten's campaign director, said the majority of Blacks would vote democratic. "We feel really good about getting the majority of Black votes for Edmisten," he said. "Blacks are aware that Martin has nothing to offer them." i "Primarily, Rufus is a good Democrat," Carlton said. ' I think that Republicans are wrong on all issues especially those concerning Black peo- pl©/^ As President of Carolina Students for Rufus Edmisten at UNC-CH, Durryl Taylor agreed. "Martin is not a friend of the Black voter," he said. As Blacks become more aware of the issues, I believe that they will vote for Rufus Ed misten." However, Thomas Stith, Director of Minority Affairs for Jim Martin, said Black democrats would split the ticket. He said: "I see Jim Martin as getting a significant amount of the Black vote . People are realizing that a straight ticket has not worked in the past, nor will it work in the future. People are aware that they must put parties aside and go after the best man for the job, who in this case is Jim Martin." On the other hand, Mary Lou Smith, head of the Democrats for Jim Mar tin, said she didn't know whether Blacks would vote for a Republican. I think that there is some apathy in the Black community," she said. "It has been wooed by the democratic vote and I don't understand why. Smith said the Republicans have more to offer Blacks. "Jim Martin is cer tainly for helping anyone that needs help," she said. We have not written off the Black vote. We want it and we feel Blacks should vote for Martin. Sometimes I wonder if Blacks leaders are steering people in the wrong direc- tion ." As governor, Edmisten's platform for minorities would call for including Blacks in cabinet level positions--increasing minority representation on state boards and commissions. It will also call for appointing more minorities to judgeships, strengthening the role of minority business in work on state con tracts and drawing on the best minority talent from across North Carolina. His record shows that his staff is comprised of 20 percent female attorneys and 11.2 percent minorities. He is responsible for the first minorities and women to occupy supervisory positions in the history of the N.C. Department of Justice. "I have plans for North Carolina.. .plans that I think will mean a better life and a more promising future for all of us," Edmisten said. I believe in this state and its people.. .and in my own abilities to serve you. That's why I want to be your governor." "Edmisten has many things to offer the Black community," Carlton said. "He has a very good record as attorney general in helping everyone. He has also shown that he will include Blacks in the administration and major pro jects. As Governor, he will have key Blacks in all cabinets. Being an attorney, he especially sees the need to have more Black judges." Martin, however said, "North Carolina demands a new generation of leadership-an active leadership prepared to meet the requirements of a com plex society, but one that is rooted in the tested principles of our heritage." At an October NAACP convention, Martin said his platform called for a greater share of state contracts to minority firms, a greater minority represen tation on state boards and commissions and improvement in educational stan dards to provide equal chances for people of all races to compete in society. However, Martin's record showed that he voted for three bills that would have allowed private schools that discriminate against Blacks to keep tax ex empt status. He co-sponsored a constitutional amendment to prohibit busing for the purpose of school desegregation. He was the only N.C. Congressman to vote against the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday. Nevertheless, Smith defended him: "I think that Jim Martin will do what's most fair for the people of North Carolina and will not discriminate. For education, the democratic platform calls for restoration of Reagan (continued on page 8) news New Affirmative Action Officer Joins UNC by Tonya V. Smith Staff Writer After more than a year without a full-time affirmative action officer, the UNC-CH Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Robert J. Cannon to the position Aug. 15. Cannon, who received his doc torate from the University in 1975, formerly worked with the University of Georgia Board of Regents. As the University's second full time affirmative action officer. Cannon is charged with monitoring the ad ministration's affirmative action plan and reporting his findings to Chancellor Christopher Fordham. Lousie Munn, acting assistant to the affirmative action officer, is re sponsible for monitoring individual University departments. The affirmative action plan, ham mered out in the 1970s and revised in July 1983, states that the University may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or veteran status and must make a contiuning good faith effort to eliminate any discrimination in employment. "Our success depends on how the office is viewed by the community," he said. "This is a selling job based on how we interact with the University com munity." Negative views of affirmative ac tion in general are a real problem, Cannon said; some people believe Blacks are given jobs they aren't qualified for. "A lot of folks hate what this office does. They have the old- fashioned notion that if you work hard, you'll succeed — which isn't exactly true." On the other hand, some Blacks believe they should be given positions and training for jobs they aren't qualified for, he pointed out. "Both of these views are ones we are opposed to. Whether or not people agree on it, all should be afforded the equal attempt to get the job. The work place can't be all Black or all white. We must allow all to be professional members in the work place." "As we develop our policy state ments," he said, "more people will come to accept the office as a normal part of the campus." Cannon also said he was concern ed about the decreasing Black under graduate enrollment at the University. "It's very difficult to get those per centages up. There are many reasons why they're down." He said too many students can't enroll because of lack of financial aid, and many others aren't qualified for college level work. However, Black graduate enroll ment at the University had increased in recent years, and he said he was pleas ed with that.
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 5, 1984, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75