Newspapers / Winston-Salem State University Student … / Dec. 1, 1982, edition 1 / Page 10
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Page 10 The News Argus, December, 1982 Unemployment Sours The Stock Market has been up lately—so has unemployment. Nationally, unemployment almost reached 11 percent in November—-the highest it has been in over four decades. It has been over 40 years since the economy has been in such a predicament. Our Chief Executive doesn’t seem to be brooding over the high unemployment rate. He seems to be more concerned with Wall Street while the majority of us are concerned with Maine Street, Patterson Avenue and Woods Road—-the neighborhoods in which we live—and having somewhere to work in order to maintain residencies there. Currently there are about 12 million Americans without jobs, and December and May graduates (college and high school) will add to this figure in creasingly. Let’s hope that the unemployment rate will go down as fast as the stock market has gone up so that we can all live in economical bliss. Editorials THE '■iJ ■TTOi 1 r~ r Sil 2Moi;Alified Operation Fair Share: Analternative To Reagonomics By Sam Davis Operation Fair Share, a con troversial economic plan propos ed by the NAACP to stimulate the economy of Black America, was the topic of discussion at a recent meeting hosted by the local chapter of the NAACP. L. R. Byrd of Greenville, S.C., one of the NAACP’s most elo quent speakers was on hand to update the group on the progress of Operation Fair Share. Byrd was featured speaker at a Media/NAACP meeting held Thursday, December 2, at Shiloh Baptist Church. A crowd of approximately 60 people listened as Mr. Byrd ex plained what Operation Fair Share was all about and what steps the NAACP is taking to carry out it’s plan. As National Fair Share Consul tant for the Southeastern states, Byrd is responsible for evaluating the practices of major food store chains in his jurisdic tion. He is also responsible for determining which stores are negligent in promoting blacks in middle and upper management. In explaining how the plans for Operation Fair Share evolved, Byrd stated, “we as black Americans do not have an economic plan. If you don’t have a plan, them someone else has a plan for you.” Byrd went further in his evaluation of the economic uncertainty facing Black Americans. “Mr. Reagan definitely has a plan for us,” he said referring to the present unemployment rate among Blacks of 30%. “Operation Fair Share is an alternative for Black People.” Mr. Byrd stressed the fact that blacks in Winston-Salem spend approximately 180 million dollars per year on services and do not receive anything in return. Of this 180 million dollars, about 25% goes into the food industry. It is no wonder that the first phase of Operation Fair Share will be devoted to the food industry. “We are going to direct that 180 million dollars that blacks spend in Winston-Salem per year toward stores that give us jobs, and give donations to our institu tions and organizations,” Byrd stated. “Employing us from the bottom to the top and employing blacks in services such as ac countants, lawyers, printers, painters and carpenters is the on ly way for these stores to give us a return on our dollars,” he ex plained. Mr. Byrd discussed the dif ferences between selective buy ing, which is what is promoted through Operation Fair Share and boycotting. “We are not urg ing blacks to boycott stores”, quipped Byrd. “The concept of selective buying is quite simply doing business with people that do business with us.” Selective buying does not involve picketing or isolating any particular stores. As Byrd put it, “We just tell peo ple that perhaps we should shop somewhere else.” Some of the examples given by Byrd to show the inequities that exist in the Food Industry are: l) That sixty percent of the blacks that work in the Food Industry work in warehouse, in distribu tion, or as bag boys or cashiers, 2) Of the approximate number of 500 Winn-Dixie Stores across the nation, there are less than 15 black managers. of Winston-Salem State University Columbia Scholastic Press Association Medalist Published monthly by the students of Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27110. Distributed free of charge to the students, faculty and staff of Winston-Salem State Universi ty. Editor-Loretta Leak; Sports Editor-Malcolm Pharr; Entertain ment Editor-Michael Hampton; Layout Editor-Terry Dunnings; Advertising Manager-Marian Anderson; Reporters-Gail Bohan non, Ralph F. McKnight, Angela Toliver, Abby Melvin, Janet Mar tin, Pamela McClain, Constance Lowery, Gerald Walker, Sam Davis; Advertising Staff-Harold Jones, Lyndell Ingram, Juha Murrell, Karen Cox, Audrey Manuel; Photographers-C. “Sport” Page. Wayne K. Richardson. Keith Hilliard. Jonathan Thomas. “Operation Fair Share is not a Civil Rights decision, but rather an economic decision,” Byrd em phasized. “The plan which the NAACP has developed will not be effective unless it is supported by the people.” Mr. Byrd urged blacl^ to “get an understanding of the program and tell everyone about it.” The NAACP has divided Opera tion Fair Share into five categories or Phases. The First Phase which is currently in pro cess deals with the food industry. The second will be devoted to the clothing industry. The Third Phase is Shelter, which includes housing, utilities, furniture, gas and oil. The Fourth Phase will go toward health care (hospitals, doctors, nurses, and dentists). The final phase will be devoted to protective services (street repair, police protection and community protection) or as Byrd put it, “the return on tax dollars”. Patrick Hairston, local NAACP President, urged blacks to “be aware of grocery stores in Winston-Salem that have discriminatory practices in employment.” He said that black college students, the future leaders of Black America, should familiarize themselves with Operation Fair Share. Hairston emphasized the role that black students have traditionally played in issues confronting black people. He concluded by saying, “It’s time for all of us to get back into the plight of pro moting issues which affect black people.” I’ve always thought that buying Christmas presents for everybody was quite expensive- especially for students. Many people exchange Christmas presents out of duty, because it’s traditional. However, there are disadvantages to exchanging Christmas presents. A person may already have a particular gift received, or if it’s something to wear it may not fit. Then there’s the hassle of exchanging it or procur ing a refund during the holiday season. Or a person may merely dislike a gift he or she receives. A solution to spending so much money buying Christmas presents would be for families to draw names. Then each member could buy one gift. Of course members of a family will probably want to buy gifts for their parents, but this idea still cuts down on having to buy everyone in the family a gift. What about friends buying gifts for friends? That’s left up to the individual. It’s easier financially to just give birthday presents since birthdays occur throughout the year. This relieves one from having to go broke all at once. As students we should think twice before going into debt for Christmas. After all another semester will be upon us soon. Remember, a nice card will do. This may be a cliche, but it’s the thought that counts, and nevertheless it’s true.
Winston-Salem State University Student Newspaper
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Dec. 1, 1982, edition 1
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