Editorial And
Opinion Page
AS I SEE If j
Bruce Barton
*'? f ''
Book on Indian basketball
nearing publication date...
As many of you know, Tim Brayboy and I have been working on
a book about Indian basketball in Robeson & adjoining counties for
some time. And the end is in sight.
We expect to present the book at the second annual meeting of the
Indian Basketball Alumni Association. Inc. at the Indian Education Resource
Center (located in the old "Indian" Pembroke High School building),
next door to the UNC-Pembroke chancellor's residence. The
meeting will be held on December 13, 2001, beginning at 7 p.m. Hope
to see you there. More information will be forthcoming in the next few
days and weeks. The name of the book is:
PLAYING BEFORE AN OVERFLOW CROWD.
The story of Indian basketball in Robeson
& adioinine counties between 1939-1967.
The book, now about 90% complete, is a history of
"Indian" basketball in Robeson as we remember it.
Information is scant, but it was a time of rank segregation
although positive currents emanated from the
unique social incubator and experiment, the book explores
what happened, where it happened, w hen, how,
who, and, most importantly, WHY?
Also, what valuable lessons can be learnedfrom this
special moment in time?
TO RESERVE A COPY, fill in the blanks and send it to
Indian Basketball Bodk, c/o Bruce Barton, Post Office
Box 362, Pembroke, N.C. 28372. Or call 910-521-1881,
Extension 13 for more information. We also welcome
old "Indian" basketball photographs and memories.
, Name
Address
Infante and Strickland
wed in Dillon Ceremony
Ruth Infante, M.D. and Kenneth Strickland were married on May 27,
2001 at a small ceremony in Dillon, South Carolina.
Dr. Ruth Infante, a psychiatrist in private practice in the Alexandria,
Virginia area, is originally from .Manila, Philippines. She finished her
undergraduate and medical degrees in the Philippines and then completed
her residency training at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in
Philadelphia. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Infante of
Galthersburg, Maryland.
Kenneth Strickland, a businessman of McLean, Virginia and on the
Board of Directors at Millennium Bank in Reston, Virginia, is a graduate of
Prospect High School and the Florida Barber College in Jacksonville. He
also attended the Northern Virginia Community College. He is presently
President of the McLean, Virginia Lions Club. He is the son of J. P. and
Mattie Bell Strickland of Robeson County.
After a Honeymoon Cruise from Venice, Italy on the Mediterranean and
the Black Sea, the couple are residing in McLean, Virginia.
27th Annual Pow Wow Held
This Weekend in Baltimore
The Baltimore American Indian Center and the Native American Student
Association of the Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville will
sponsor the 27th annual pow wow "Honor the Circle" August 24,25 and 26 at
the CCBC- Catonsville Campus Athletic Fields. Friday from 12- 8 PM.,
Saturday 10 a.m. until 8 PM. and Sunday 10 a.m. until 6 PM.
The pow wow will feature Native American dance and Drum competition,
crafts, art, clothing and Native American cuisine.
Admission is adults $7, seniors $5, children under 12 S3, children under 6
free; adult weekend pass is St5.
For directions and further information call 410-675-3535 or visit the
website at www.baltimorepowwow.com. This is the Center's largest fundraising
event.
Eprasmi
Here are a few Web sites you
may want to watch:
Assurex International at www.
assurex.com.
R.C Precision at www.rcpre
cision.com.
>
ValuPage at www.valupage.
com.
The American Bankers Association
Education Foundation at
www.aba.com.
Dr. William Forgey at www.doc
forgey.com.
Tonalin CLA at www.tonalin.
com.
Editorially Speaking
More on Patrick Bullard, Redisricting,and
his allegiance to people with klan mentality
As far as we are able to determine at this time. Patrick Bullard. Chairman
of the Board of Education, is residing in his legal residence in District 5. At
least one visitor is upset about our constant reference to his living outside the
district. "Me no longer lives in his new house." is what we heard. Well, do we
intend to kill the messenger because we don't like the message? Let me try and
explain it one more time in case anyone has misunderstood. Patrick Bullard
knew when he was running for the Board of Education that he was residing in
District 5. He knew that in order to represent that District he had to live there.
He knew also that he was in the process ofconstructing a new home outside the
district he was running in. After he was elected to represent District 5, there
should never been any question as to where he would reside. DISTRICT 5!!!
Having completed construction on his new home since election, he should have
known he could not legally move outside the district and continue to represent
it. At that point, he had a choice to make. He choose, according to our reports,
to move outside the district. When attention was brought to the issue, we
understand he feels that we have forced him to move back into the district. We
understand further that he thinks that when the redistricting is done, to benefit
him. he will simply move into his new home in a newly drawn district and
everything should be legal....Our question remains: is it legal to redistrict the
board of education to accommodate Patrick Bullard? We further question
whether he will be legally seated in his new home after redistricting. if he has
not been elected in the new Is-drawn district. We will, of course, keep
researching, investigating, questioning and eventually find out. The Justice
Department, of course, will answer our question about the legality of redistricting
to accommodate a seating board member. Other questions may require
consultation with a private attorney.
Our visitor questioned what we had against Patrick Bullard? We have
nothing against him. We speak to the issues surrounding him. Some people
seem to have a problem separating personalities from issues. The issues are as
stated above. Bullard started out all wrong, in our opinion. He surrounded
himself and joined the ranks of a group of what we perceive to be klan mentality
racists including Teny Smith. Millicent Nealy, Steve Martin. To their ranks is
also included the editor ofthe daily newspaper, himself a racist, in our opinion.
Beware of that man who says I am not a racist. Anyway, as soon as Bullard
joined ranks with these people we believe to have an agenda to reclaim
politically power in the county, he votes with, and in our opinion, is used by
them. His house is out of the district. He knew that when he ran and we have
no choice but to question his motives. The right thirty to do. speaking of
principle and integrity, is to be honest and say my intention in running was to
pay Barry Harding for firing me and get my new house redistricted into the
district I was elected to represent. Thus far, Bullard has not done that. He for
a while, tried to give the appearance of living in the district, according to our
sources, while living outside the district. That is dishonest and his whole
message, as we read it is one that reeks of impropriety. How many ways can
we say it? He appears to be a scout to hurt other people and his allegiance
continues to be with the klan-mentality Calvary. That's just how we see it, of
course. But so many others of you have called and come by to say "keep up the
good work." We appreciate the encouragement and hope that Bullard will do
the right thing What is legally right can sometimes be morally wrong....and
we keep waiting for Bullard to show us the principle and integrity, he told us
he had when he announced his candidacy A political coup is not worth the
loss of a testimony or a reputation.
by Connee Bray boy, Editor
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Derek Lowry speaks to recent issues,
unemployment and NC Indian Cultural Center
Dear Editor:
It's hard to believe that summer is
almost over. Is it just me. or is time
really flying by? Well, anyway, you
know me. I haven't ask for this time
just to shoot the breeze or for small
talk, so here it goes.
I've managed to keep my mouth
shut for a good while now. I believe in
the old saying, "It's better to be thought
a fool than to open one's mouth and
remove all doubt." So, if I say anything
that you take the wrong way, just
know that you're entitled to go your
own wrong way whenever you feel
like it. For what it's worth, here is my
two cents worth on some of the local
happenings 1 read about over the summer.
When it comes to the unemployment
in the area, a lot should have
been done that was not done. To begin
with, I blame state government which
spent millions of our hard earned tax
dollars to build up the Research Triangle
Park and the Universities across
the state. Now don't jump off to any
conclusions before I can finish my
train of thought. No, technology is a
wonderful arid greatly needed thing
and our universities are leading the
way in many areas. But if my grandfather
Danny Chavis were alive he would
tell us,."We put the wagon before the
horse." This state spent millions in
these two areas without spending equal
funds in our children's educational
future. One only needs to look at who
is really benefiting from the money
spent, not our children but outsiders
some who happen to be Yankees. Now
before 1 go any further, I have no
problem with Yankees, they are a
wonderful baseball.team. Before you
ask, I'm joking. But I am not joking
about the manner in which things were
handled. If ten years ago we had spent
millions in our elementary, middle
and high schools, not only would they
not be in the shape they are today, who
knows maybe it would be some of our
people working at the Research Triangle
Park and at the various
universities. 1 think the state and the
federal government need to come in
the area with additional funding to
assist those out of work. In short it's as
if the state jumped from industries to
technology and left the small people
behind, which is who we are to them.
The state knew that technology was
the way of the future and it used our
people's backs and their tax dollars to
cut them put of this future. My heart
really does go out to those in their late
fifties and early sixties who had
planned on a nice retirement from
those factories that they gave so many
years oftfleir lives to.
Maybe even a better approach is
for all the-churches to come together
and start prayer meetings until this
situation improves. I'm talking about
Baptists. Holiness, and Methodists.
Everyone put aside their differences
and pray over this matter until the One
Above answers us.
I'm really surprised that someone
hasn't purchased the old Converge factory
and then go to Fort Bragg and
asked for contracts to make shoes for
the military. Can you imagine the
people this would put back to work.
Over night you would have turned this
entire situation around. Next I would
like to address the issue that happened
at a certain high school where students
failed the standard course of
study. Guess what? This will happen
again and again. The bottom line is it's
going to get worse before it gets
better. Instead of blaming these few
teachers and administrators we all need
to own up to our share of the blame.
We all should have asked the question
how would standardized testing affect
our Indian students? Once again, I
think more attention should have been
paid to the early years of our chi Idren's
education. There is anotherold saying
that goes like this, "You can't harvest
what you don't plant." If North Carolina
wanted to be the leader in the
Technology and the University systems,
they should have spent more to
educate our young in their early years.
Then none of the problems we have
today would be as great as they are.
Well, I've beat this deed jtorse enough.
It is time to move on.
Before I go, I would like to say
something to the"group who wants to
turn the NC Indian Culture Center
into a recreation center again. Don't
you think with all he people who are
out of work, we need jobs instead of a
recreation center? I agree that things
haven't been handled the best possible
way, but then again no one asked me.
But for what it's worth, here is what I
wanted to see the different Indian
tribes and their churches come together
and do: build the village sites.
Here is another old saying: "before
you can catch fish, you have got to
have bait." There is one simple rule to
getting the attention of big money and
that is have something to show them
where their investment is going. All
theNC Indian Culture Center has is a
great location and land for a few drawings
to show and that is not going to ,
catch too many peoples' eyes. I understand
the feelings of this group that
nothing has been done and they like
many are frustrated. Every Indian
agrees the culture center is needed
long over due, but for some reason
we can't agree how this should be
done. You had a small group over here
say ing it should be moved closer to I95,
and there was a big fight over the.
golf course. It was all a waste of time.
And now some are saying that the old
board of directors had too high and
mighty plans that could never be.
It seems to me a few are standing in
the way. They should put their own
agendas aside for the people. They
should listen to our elders \yho say
they want it. They should listen to opr
children who say they need it. Ami
make itso. 1 still believe that there is
nothing that the Indian people across
the state can't do if they would only
put their own egos aside and learn to
work together.
Well, so much for my two cents
worth. 1 am sure you have your opinions
and if anything, I hope I've given
you something to think and pray over.
In the True Way,
Derek Lowry
Greensboro
The Birthplace of James W. Bell
Dear Editor:
Your recent article Biggs Park Shopping Mall reminded me of this
photograph. Tenant farming was something else!! This photograph is of my
birth place August 18,1940. It still stands and is located at 3317 Hwy 72 West.
It is known as the KM Biggs Estate and also as the Bradford Oxendine place.
It is in the Lowe's community.
James W. Bell
Lumherlon, AC
i
The Carolina Indian Voice is published every Thursday
by First American Publications.-207 Union Chapel
Road-Pembroke, NC 28372. Publisher-Bruce Barton.
Editor-Connee Brayboy. See Editorials on Page 2;
Obituaries on Page 5; Classifieds on Page 9,
The Carolina Indian Voice is a weekly publication owned
and operated by Indians and has been publishing continuously
since 1973.
"Motor Vehicle
Awards" is a Lemon
byAttorney General Roy Cooper
Anewauto-relatedscamis targeting
people all over the country. At
first glance it appears to becoming
right out ofNorth Carolina,. And it's
a real lemon.
The scammers are sending out thousands
of letters. Each letter from
"Motor Vehicle Awards" tells the per.
son who receives it that he or she is "an
award recipient in a national sweepstakes"
and that the person is
"guaranteed to receive a brand new
automobile or a cash award." The
letter includes an official-lookingcertificate
, an information sheet, and
instructions to fill out the form and
return it along with a check for $9.95.
Sounds good, doesn't it?
The letters are signed by "Charles
S. Cummins," and in recent months
they have included a return address in
Charlotte.
However, as best we can tell, "Motor
Vehicle Awards" has no actual
business in North Carolina-just a post
office box to collect our money,
But stealing $9.95 a pop is only the
beginning of the scam.
Many elderly people who respond
to this letter get phone calls a few
weeks later. The person on the other
end of the line claims to be with "Motor
Vehicle Awards." The scammer
tells the consumer that he or she needs
to send money to cover tax?.s or other
expenses associated with the award.
These extra costs range from S2,500
to S6.000. An unfortunately, some
people don't see through the scam.
One elderly man who received the
letter and follow-up phone call snuck
out of his nursing home twice to send
money to the scammers via Western
Union. Recently two men in Colorado
each wired 55,000 as a result of this
scam. And elderly consumers aren't
the only ones who can fall victim. Just
last week a 26-year-old North Carolina
woman lost $3,500.
If you or someone you love gets a
letter or a telephone solicitation from
"Motor Vehicle Awards," don't respond.
Call the Consumer Protection
Division of the Attorney General's
office (we really are located in North
Carolina) at (919) 716-6000. Report
the scam to us. And never send money
to help secure a prize that someone
says you have won. If you do, the con
artists have won, and you have lost.
Attorney General Roy Copper and
his Consumer Protection staff are on
the lookout for scams that seek to rob
unsuspecting North Carolinians. We
will do our best to stop the wrong
doers, but we will also work to inform
consumers so they can learn the best
ways to protect themselves.
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