Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Nov. 5, 1981, edition 1 / Page 6
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Page 6 Two years later: taking a second look By Carol Solow "An acceptance of the November 3 killings represents and con tributes to a breakdown of the basic values that protect us all." Micheal Curtis Greensboro Attorney On October 27, nearly two years after the violent Klan-Nazi- Communist Workers Party confrontation on November 3, 1979, a public forum on the in cident and trial was held in the Guilford County Courthouse. The forum, attended by over 150 citizens, was sponsored by the Greensboro Citizens for Justice and Unity, the American Friends Service Committee, and the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. The first of four panelists was former regional U. S. Attorney H. M. Michaux, who spoke of his reasons for recommending to the Civil Rights Division of the Fall seminars: Education in action Washington By Martha Massie A group of Guilford students, led by Professor Cyrus Johnson, spent five days exploring the political environment of Washington, D. C. during fall break. They were members of a program sponsored by the college to give exposure to the country's governmental policies. The Seminar was entitled, "Foreign Policy Decisions- Global Perspective," and awareness became inescapable as students absorbed information from a diverse selection of speakers. Breakfast and dinner guests on topics ranging from the use of outer space as a defensive device to the problems of world hunger. Authorities from research organizations, lobbyist groups, and government offices presented their views on critical issues. Discussion was invited, and members of the group formed and voiced their opinions as the week progressed. Hie students were lodged in the William Penn House, a Quaker run hotel near Capitol Hill. When not involved in lectures or discussions, the Guilfordians were free to explore D. C. Time was allowed for individual projects; one student in vestigated various women's interest groups, another spent her hours in the city's art galleries. Excursions to museums, Georgetown pubs, and nearby towns rounded out the trip. the seminar gave substance to names from news headlines "Reagan", "AWACS," "SALT." It provided information on global issues while allowing its par ticipants to enjoy a beautiful city. fyjg all aspqpt§ )f (he seminar were pleasant; most sources Federal Justice Department that they proceed to investigate and prosecute the Klu-Klux-Klan attackers. He stated that since the City of Greensboro had issued a parade permit to the Communist Workers Party, the city had an obligation to protect these marchers and residents of the area, and the failure of the Police Department to do so constituted a violation of these citizens civil rights. Michaux concluded that "a firm stand must be taken in order that criminals are one notice that citizens will not be subjected to vigilante justice", nor will the view that an individual's death can be justified by his beliefs, race, religion or national origin be tolerated. The next panelist was Elizabeth Wheaton, researcher and primary author of the recently released Institute for indicated a grim prospect for the next few years under the Reagan Administration. Exposure to the conflicts of the political scene, however, made Guilford College seem a little less important and world concerns a little more concrete. Florida By Leslie Reed If you've ever felt the urge to be on a Gilligan's Island, pretend you're Jacques Cousteau, and run around in a bathing suit for a week in October, then the marine science seminar to Florida was probably what you needed. During this fall break, 22 students led by Dr. Robert Bryden, embarked on an exciting trip to Sea Horse Key, an island run by the University of Florida Marine Science Department. Since it is also a National Wildlife Sanctuary, the most numerous inhabitants are thousands of birds rather than thousands of fat Floridians. Pelicans, in true B-52 bomber form, swarmed all around, and there was a visit by a flock of relatively rare Frigate birds, which hung like a huge mobile over the island. The group stayed in a summer camp-like house with a lighthouse atop, from which one could (if squinting) see the golden beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula. Each day began with Dr. Bryden's mellifluous voice gently waking the group for breakfast, after which they'd collect exotic marine animals in the sub-tropical waters, to be identified and studied lateria the, lab. Southern Studies report, "The Third of November." Wheaton highlighted the findings of her research, stating that "if one's only source of information on this case is the local newspaper, one would have an incomplete and distorted view of the entire episode." Various contradictions can be found within statements of Greensboro police and public officials, particularly concerning the issue of police knowledge of K.K.K. activities, as well as their procedure of protecting the areas in which the conflict took place. Dawson, and Bernard Butkovich, agents for the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at the time, were involved in the Klan and Nazi planning of the harassment of C.W.P. marchers. The Greensboro police were informed that the Klan planned to heckle the Communist Workers Party marchers and throw eggs '(IN Q After collecting, it was not rare to see Dr. Bryden happily humming a tune to himself, while he zipped down to the lab with more energy than the students slumped on the porch could manage. Then he'd be off for an ecological walk, where he'd talk about the birds, sand, grasses, and palm trees. One day was spent on a boat traveling farther away from the island, and another day was spent on the thriving metropolis of Cedar Key (pop. few) visiting their 1 Vfe room museum. Since everyone got 1 credit, there was work to be done to earn it, but never has 1 credit been so much fun to obtain! t • o i cu H* IKS ■ >. 'S ; ■) ;= I a, L 10 Hk Br ". •Vjv'i' '•* 2 wim^. i ° Roland Wayne Wood, center, then-head of the Forsyth County Nazi unit at the July, 1979 confrontation with the workers viewpoint Organization in China Grove, N.C. *New York By Bob Gluck Over fall break, Claude Shotts and Ruth Roda led a group of thirty-one Guilford students to New York City on a seminar entitled "Insights into Urban Life and Problems." When one visits New York City for a short period of time, it is easy to see the extremes of city life. On the one hand there is the extravagance of Park, Madison, and Fifth Avenues where one can find the most exclusive and ex pensive stores in the country. New York also possesses the financial center of the world located in the area of Wall Street and the World Trade Center, the glamour of Broadway and the well-known art museums which makes it a truly great en tertainment and cultural center. But in sharp contrast to these areas of New York there exists Harlem, parts of the Lower East Side of Manhattan and the South Bronx; areas which have deteriorated to the point where it looks as if a war had swept through leaving the communities mere skeletons of what they used to be. There are also the derelicts and homeless "bag ladies" who pervade even the best parts of New York providing a haunting reminder of the other extreme of city life. But the very rich and the very poor make up the two opposite ends of the spectrum of life in New York and they do not represent the condition of the majority of the people who live there. Most fall within the working to middle class income and social bracket, this is the segment of New York society the seminar primarily dealt with. Guilford Students met with police officers from the Ninth Nfanhattan who dwelt on the issue of crime resulting from Gnilfordian, November 5, 1981 the large drug abuse problem in their area. They claimed that if nothing drastic is done to help control the crime problem that the whole social fabric of New York could unravel. A New York City coun cilwoman, Miriam Freidlander, spoke to us about the political impediments to getting money for improving social services, and the problem of the poor being forced out of their homes as urban redevelopment spreads into their areas. Luxury apart ments that are springing up in these communities are driving up the cost of living and forcing the poor to move from their life-long homes. In Brooklyn, seminar par ticipants met with represen tatives of "The People's Firehouse," a group which in forms people about fire prevention and tenant rights. It has renovated and now manages several buildings, and puts together activities throughout the year which helps to bring the community closer together. Those we met with at the local seminar all emphasized the need for people to take action at the local level in order to improve the community they are living in. They were people with dreams of improving the future but at the same time they are extremely realistic about how hard and long their tasks are. They were "optimistic realists" on a local level. The citizens willing to organize their community will have an important influence on the future of New York's social and economic health. If there is no one working to get the people interested in helping themselves and their communities and in showing them how to do it, then all the money in the world won't keep from deteriorating.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Nov. 5, 1981, edition 1
6
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