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Editorial And
Opinion Page
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AS I SEE IT]
Bruce Barton
Crazy times in
Ol' Robeson
Lunacy reigns supreme in Ol' Robeson. especially in the public arena
where mans of the participants dance about butt-naked politically ...
except for their racial under pants.
In this comer, some are calling for Dr. Barry Harding's scalp, and in
the other, they are demanding that we give Fred Williams a new contract.
and unbridled freedom to hire and tire, and administratively do
what ever makes hu* feel good
RnK?nniarn v:)riniit minrs have essentially lost their cultural
bearings, and many seem to have lost their way politically .
Would it alarm you if I revealed to inquiring minds that Dr, Barry Harding,
the embattled superintendent of the Public Schools of Robeson County,
is an Indian? And would you be surprised to find out that Fred Williams.
the president of Robeson Community College, is white? Many
letter writers are calling for Harding's political scalp, and they are heil
bent on deny ing him a new contract w hen his present one expires in June
of 2002. No activists, op the county newspaper, have called for Williams
to step down,
Instead, many of Harding's critics are raising hell and demanding
that the RCC trustees extend Williams' contract without examination or
explanation. They want it done now. and if the trustees don't do it. these
political recalcitrants are threatening to do God knows what.
Notice the color scheme throughout all of this. The activists, mostly
conservative whites, want Harding fired and. at the selfsame time. Williams
praised and given unlimited authority. Is this lunacy or not? It
makes you wonder, doesn't'it?
Harding is dammed mostly by whites: Williams is called to task, in
the main, by minorities on the board of trustees, principally Johnny Hunt,
an Indian, and Thomas Jones, a Black. The attacks against Hunt and
Jones and Harding have been scathing and scurrilous. Williams is not
blamed for any of the problems at RCC. and is treated as the second
. coming of John Dewey by the Robesonian. his editorial cheerleader.
The trustees, including Hunt and Jones, have a constitutional duty to
provide oversight. Williams, as chief administrative head, makes recommendations
and the trustees vote either yes or no. That sounds rea
sonable, as 1 see it. 1 cynically survey the political landscape. Would
r~tfiis be believed in New York City, or in any other far away place? Nah!
Only in 01' Robeson!
?
Pediatric Pointers I
by Dr. Joey Bell, Pembroke Pediatrics
ASTHMA
There is an old wives tale that says
if you let a cat sleep in a child's
room, the cat will jump onto the
child's chest and steal his breath
away, as strange as it sounds, this
old tale holds some truth in the case
of children with asthma. When a
child has asthma things like animal
fur, dust, and cigarette smoke can
cause their lungs to spasm. These
spasms reduce the amount of air
that can enter the lungs. The result
is coughing, wheezing, and shortness
of breath. Other things that
can cause lung spasms include:
cold, allergies, exercise, weather
changes, emotional stress, certain
medications, and inhaled irritants
(like hairspray and perfume).
The four types of asthma are mild
intermittent, mild persistent, moderate
persistent, and severe persistent.
A child is diagnosed with a
specific category of asthma based
on the frequency and severity of
asthma attacks. If left untreated,
asthma could cause a variety of
problems. Long or frequent asthma
attacks can rob the brain and body
of oxygen resulting in hospitalization
or possibly death. Because the
consequences of asthma can be fatal,
it is imperative to treat this disease
appropriately. One of the most
important things you can do for a
child with asthma is to keep them
away from irritants and substances
that may cause an asthma attack.
Other helpful practices are minimizing
exposure to cold air. reducing
strenuous physical activity, reducing
stress, and attempting to
calm the child during an active
asthma attack.
There are several medications that
can be used to treat asthma. The
most common drug used is
Albuterol. Albuterol is a bronchodilator,
which means that it
helps to stop spasms and open up
the lungs to make breathing easier.
It is most effective when used during
or immediately before an
asthma attack. Steroids, trke
Rhinocort, are often used to treat
moderate and sever asthma. Steroids
decrease inflammation in the
lungs. They are most effectively
used everyday to help prevent and
decrease the severity of asthma attacks.
Asthma medicines are available in
liquid, tablet, and jjas forms. The
age of the child and their category
of disease determine the type of
druggiven. A nebulizer, or breathing
machine, is the best way to deliver
medicine directly to the lungs.
It is good for children who have
severe disease, are having an active
attack, or are unable to use an
inhaler. Inhalers are good for older
kids because they are easy to carry
around and can be used quickly.
The incidence of asthma has
steadily increased over the past few
years. 1 am sure that everyone
reading this article knows as least
one person with asthma. As research
is done and medicine
evolves, many of the mysteries surrounding
asthma are revealed. It
is not the crippling disease that it
once was. With proper management
most children with asthma are
able to run and play and lead normal
lives (although I still wouldn't
let them sleep with the cat!).
Life every man holds dear, but the dear man holds honor far more
precious-dear than life.
?William Shakespeare,
Troilus and Cressida
**
EDITORIALLY SPEAKING
RCC approves SACS response and
caves in to constitutional duties
LUMB.ERTON-li vv.iv like a Freudian nightmare, or some psychological
dream that was more surreal than real. The picture on
the front page of the Robesonian said it all. Here were these big
WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) guys sitting on the front
row at RCC with placards reading. "Obey SACS". "Save RCC".
"Save our college" Another sign cried out. "Don't trust the trustees."
Big guys. I hcs were part of about 150 people attending
the RCC board of trustees meeting Monday evening They were
there to hear responses to the SACS (Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools) Probation.
And. a> we see it. the RCC trustees caved in to the political
pressure and passed a measure that they hope w ill get them out of
trouble with SACS. The trustees, by a show of hands, approved
the responses which mostly included a request that Fred Williams.
as president, be given more authority to run the school.
Both Johnny Hunt and Thomas Jones spoke out forcefully in opposition
to the measure before John Staton. a Black trustee from
Red Springs, made the motion. The docile trustees hope the set
of responses w ill get them off probation.
In a more positive move, the trustees tabled a request to renew
Williams' contract and approved a request that RCC apply for a
$1.5 million grant to build a business-technology training center
at the proposed COMtech Park near Pembroke.
According to Staton. the most important response to the SACS
sanction was to give Williams the authority to hire, fire and make
lateral changes. If Williams is given this ultimate authority, what
is there for trustees to do other Than to sit prettily before the electorate
and smile for the. cameras?
Thomas Jones and johnny Hunt both noted that giving Williams
such power would threaten minorities if careful oversight
by the trustees were not maintained. Jones noted that the trustees
should be careful because Indians and Blacks might be overlooked
in the future in the hiring process. Hunt expressed dismay that
SACS had chastised the board for allowing race to rear its ugly
head in board deliberations. Hunt also said that RCC's hiring
practices had traditionally been unfair because Indians and Blacks
had not been hired proportionately over the years, s
In spite of the sometimes heated debate, Staton's motion ultimately
passed w ithout fanfare. It was a sad ending to a sad story.
It was a sad day for minorities at RCC. In our editorial opinion,
the trustees caved in to political pressure and turned away from
their constitutional duty to provide oversight and reasonableness
in conducting RCC's business.
SACS seems suspect to us too. and should be investigated. They
have been heavy handed, and seem to have succumbed to the
public relations stink ascending over this political road kill. The
agency has repeatedly over reacted, and essentially ignored the
multi-cultural facts of life in Robeson County. Their sanctions
are inadequate, and do not safeguard minorities at RCC. They
(SACS) seem to have made decisions without really knowing what
they are doing.
We editorially and publicly call on President Fred Williams to
present us a print out of the employment at RCC for the past five
years. We have written to him and ask him for a copy of the employees
by race, position and salary range over the past five years.
Come on. RCC Board of Trustees, let's make him put the focus
on the real issues facing RCC. Do any of you know the employment
statistics at RCC??? If so. share them with us!
And, finally, we call editorially for Fred Williams to step down
as president of Robeson Community College. The buck ought to
stop in the president's office, and he ought to be held accountable
for any shortcomings at RCC.
Who Am I? by Erwin Jacobs
Last evening, on January 12, a
large group of people descended on
Evans Fire House to pay their love
and respect to is Georgia Bell Locklear,
celebrating her birthday. As the
cars began to fill up the parking lot,
trays and arm loads of food began to
enter the building approaching the
hour of 7:00 p.m. I found a spot and
back my car in so I wouldn't have any
problems leaving. Little did I know I
would be among the last to leave. I ;
got back home around 9:45 p.m.
Miss Locklear who is a cousin of
mine, and many others who attended
this occasion informed me when I
accepted the invitation that I would
see many people, some relatives and
many friends from different parts of
North Carolina. You might ask what
has this to do with my writings4 4 Who
Am I."
The whole room was filled to capacity
and a lot of people's faces met
my eyes as I began to go around
shaking hands and greeting all the
guests 1 could maneuver between the
rows of tables to get to. Finally a little
passed 7:30 "ish", Reverend
Stanford Lockelar got our attention,
welcoming everyone and telling the
audience about the many lives Miss
Locklear had touched and helped in
their time of sickness and then he
blessed the food as several people
were looking at their watches, and
one man in particular, replied "It
said 7 p.m. and I am hungry as he
fixed himself a small plate of food
from the sweets' table. Many people
who were invited could not come. I
don't know where they would have
sit unless they would have lined the
walls with chairs for them. This is
what my article is all about, people
touching other people's lives. Yes
I'm glad I had the opportunity to
fellowship with old and new acquaintances
at this humble gathering. We
as Christians need to let our fellow
man and woman know while they are
livingamong us how much we appreciate
there God given talents and
good deeds, not wait until the breath
has left their bodies. Early in the Holy
Bible God asked Cain where is your
brother Abel. You should know the
story. 1 f not, read the Book of Genesis
and you can see my point. Cain replied.
"Am I my brother's keeper?"
1 am enclosing a letter I had written
to the Artesia, New Mexico Gazette
before I returned home after 18 days
trying to help my Navy buddy's wife
look after him in October and the
thirst three days of November 2000.
Please print the letter along with my
article. Yesterday I got a free video in
my mail. I hope many of you did also
about the Life of Jesus. Oh, i enjoyed
it so much and 1 was awaiting my time
to depart for the birthday party, yes,
we are our brother's keeper i f we ha ve
the love of Jesus and god in our
hearts.
Until next time, peace, joy and
God's blessings on you. Let God's
light sine in your heart.
A faithful servant!
Erwin Jacobs
Small Business Still Thrives, But In
New, Innovative Forms
By Bill Histed
Some of the small towns I've been in recently had a
number of vacant store fronts. Many of our 'Wa and Pa" stores
of years ago are memories now. Many local drug stores, variety
stores and other types of local businesses have become chain
store dominated. On the surface, it might appear that the family
business is dead and buried.
Upon closer examination, I am convinced that small
business is very much alive; in fact, many family businesses today
might be thinking "smarter" than some of the huge corporations by
keeping their overhead to a bare minimum.
Near where I live, there is a large, busy flea market with
500 spaces. I can tell you, not one space is occupied by a
Fortune 500 company. These spaces are run mostly by families
that only have to be there two or three days a week, don't have
a utility bill or deposits to wony about They pay a flat $10 per
day, period.
There are tens of thousands of family businesses today
being operated in flea markets, farmers' markets and in antique
stores. There are bed and breakfasts, family businesses run part-?
time from homes selling everything from eggs to dolls to
sharpening saws.
There are hundreds of thousands more small businesses
being operated on the internet Next to no overhead is involved;
many such "businesses" are operated from the dining room table
or from a spare bedroom. How many people do YOU know who
are selling something fo some kind?
Small buisness is still going strong; it just has taken on
new methods of operation. Many billions of dollars are taken in
monthly by small home-based businesses.
Literally millions of Americans are selling something;
Avon, Amway, Relrv, Tupperware, Stanley, House of Uoyd, etc.
if I can give a free mention. I mention these names not to give
free advertising, but as evidence that you can easily see for
yourself.
There are many families that do direct mail, firms that *
have "house parties," people who have "stands" at fairs and street
festivals, etc. One common thread for many of these small
businesses is that they do not generally have huge rents, large
utility bills and many of the large expenses associated with their
huge corporate counterparts.
Small businesses that once had a downtown store front
today are sometimes operated out of the den or guest bedroom.
Small business is not dead....it is less and less on Main
Street and more and more in flea markets, home parties, on the
internet or being run out of a spare room at almost no operating
overhead.
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taken its toll on my joints. He said all I could do is take pain pills and try to learn to live with
constant pain. My hands hurt so bad, I couldn't even put my billfold in my back pocket. I even
had to sleep in a chair because it hurt to lay down in a bed.Then
I noticed on the booklet I threw in the trash how an 84 year
old man with worse problems was now pain-free. I had to try.
I'm 92 now and have been pain-free for seven years."
-Donald R.Florea, farmer
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