. Editorial
And
Opinion Page
"asTseeTt"
Bruce Barton
AS I SEE IT ... Bruce Barton
Felicia Locklear, the bravest person
I ever knew, has died ...
at the tender age of 28. Felicia suffered from severe Scoliosis
and other medical problems, including club feet and under developed
lungs that caused her to spend a lot of time in the hospital
and in bed at home.
She was a student of mine at Purnell Swett High School when
I taught social studies there a few years ago. A proud moment
for all of us was when she graduatwl from high school in 1994.
The cheers were loud and boisterous when Felicia hobbled across
the stage to receive her diploma from her principal, Bill James
Brewington. Mr. Brewington told me once that seeing Feliecia
graduate was one of the most enjoyable moments he ever had as
an educator. It was a highwater mark for her, and took a lot of
courage and perseverence to become a high school graduate. 1
have never been prouder of another human being, she never
gave up and loved to sing when she could and praise the Lord.
She was a wonderful person and I am privileged to have known
her as a student... ana as a friend. She is, probably, the bravest
human being I have ever known.
I offer sincere condolences to her family, including her father,
James Locklear; her mother, Earline Locklear; a brother, James
B. Locklear; her paternal grandmother, Sallie M. Locklear; and
her maternal grandparents, Vemon and Leola Locklear, all of
Maxton.
The funeral is being held today(August 30) in Antioch Missionary
Baptist Church, the Revs. Danny Brooks Jr., Ricky Deese,
Terry Cummings and Jimmy Strickland officiating. Burial follows
in the chruch cemetery,.
Memorials may be made to Earline Locklear, 1399 .Cabinet
Shop Road, Maxton, N.C. 28364.
Thank you note
Glenn Howard Thomas
June 22,1963 August 18, 2001
The family of Glenn Howard Thomas would like to thank the countless
number of friends who remembered him in their thoughts and prayers
throughout his bouts of illness and times of health. We appreciate all your
deeds of kindness and words of comfort during this time of our bereavement.
G lenn made his peace with God and we are confident that he is at rest.
May God bless each of you.
Lucy, Charles, Jimmy and Jeanelle Thomas, JoAnn Branton and
Glenn's girls, Shiana and Emily
Farm Service Agency Seeks County
Committee Candidates
The Farms Service Agency (FSA) is looking for candidates for the farmerelected
County Committee election to be held this fall. "It is crucial that every
eligible agricultural producer take part in this election because county committees
are a direct link between the farm community and the US Department
of Agriculture," says Giles B Floyd, Robeson/Scotland FSA, County Executive
Director. "The County Committee system needs everyone to get involvedfrom
voters to committee candidates. Almost anyone eligible to take part in a
local FSA program may be a candidate for the comriiittee."
Nomination forms can be obtained from FSA County offices. Completed
nomination forms are due back to the FSA office by October 29. FSA will
notify nominees and mail election ballots to eligible voters in mid-November,
and completed ballots will then be due back to FSA offices by December 3.
The election will end December 10, and elected members and alternates will
take office January 1,2002.
FSA County Committees make decisions on: commodity price support
loans and payments; establishment of allotments, yield and marketing quotes;
farmer loans; and other farm disaster assistance.
"The County Committee is an important part of the service delivery of the
USDA. We'd like to include more farmers in nontraditional operations and
peoples who livelihoods depend on farming", said Floyd. "We're also looking
for small farmers, specialty crop farmers, truck farmers, and spouses or business
partners- anyone who would be able to add some new or different experiences
to their Local County Committee."
For more information contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office
at (910)739-3349.
Free Training Session for Adult Tutors
You can help turn someone's life
around by giving the gift of reading.
The Robeson County Church and
Community Center is offering a free
12-hour training workshop to certify
volunteers as adult reading tutors. The
?
sessions will be held on September
6th, 11th, 13th and 18th from 6:00 to
9:00. For more information or to register
for the workshop please call
Frances Thomas, Literacy Director at
(910) 738-5204
Editorially Speaking
Redistricting for the purpose of including a seated board
member's new home and an Ethics Committee?
My redisricting question for the board of education, one more time. Is it
legal to redistrict for the purpose of assuring that a seated board member's new
house is included in the district he represents? That's the question. Has nothing
to do with Patrick Bullard personally. Although Monday night when he named
an Ethics Committee, I thought, editorially speaking, it was the height of
hypocrisy.... Ethics? Webster's Sew World Dictionary of the American
Language defines ethics as: "The study of standards of conduct and moral
judgement; moral philosophy; a treatise on the study; the system or code of
morals of a particular person, religion, group, profession, etc." Hav ing said
that. We leave the rest up to Bullard and his personal code of ethics, or the lack
thereof. We understand that the chairman appointed several committees,
including Finance with Mitchell Locklear, Chairman-Steve Martin . Robert
Deesc, Terry Smith and Brenda Fairly serving; Grievance-James DcFreece.
Chairman-Steve Martin. John Campbell. Millicent Ncalv. Gloria Lowery
serving: Policy-Terry Smith. Chairman-Mike Smith. Robert Deesc. Gloria
Lowery. John Campbell serving; and the infamous Ethics with Brenda Fairley,
Chairinan-MillicentNealy, Mike Smith. Mitchell Locklear and James DeFreece
serving . Now what we "found interesting about these committees is that he
apparently said, "Here Terry Smith, you name the people to these committees."
' We assume that because Terry Smith and his demonstrated klan-mentality
contingency seems to have control of all these committees, except the policy
committee. As we keep waiting for Patrick to do the right thing, he seems to
keep doing more and more wrong things.
People speculate that if his new house is not included in re-districting, or
if there is any interference with his plan, he will call for Supt.. Harding's
resignation.... We are not swayed by that speculative thinking... His goal, as we
see it was to repay a debt to Supt. Harding, and of course, we don't expect him
to try that until after his house is included in the adopted redisricting plan. If
it is legal for the board of education to redistrict for the' "definite purpose'' (as
our daily newspaper stated) of including Bullard's home, then so be it. We will
continue to raise the issue and await the question of whether the Justice
Department will approve the new plan. Ethics? Maybe this is a question for the
new committee? Is it ethical for a man to run for office in one district while
building his home outside the district, and after election include the new home
in the redisricting plan? Look at the make up of these committees and tell me
whether Patrick Bullard has an allegiance with the group we consider to
demonstrate "klan mentality?" This group is comprised of Terry Smith (the
SOS man). Millicent Nealy, Steve Martin, three whites; two Blacks we assume
fall in the category of "liberated bodies w ith slave mentality," Brenda Fairly
and James DeFreece. And the tie breaker. Patrick Bullard. Indian..... What a
combination! Now, Bullard can't vote against Terry Smith since Smith voted
for him to be Chairman. But he was obviously very comfortable to vote against
Mitchell Bosco Locklear for vice chairman Did I miss something? Maybe
Locklear is not an Indian...No, that can'r be so because he is on the daily
newspaper's "hit list" Now when the daily editor (who we believe to be a
racist) writes favorably about an Indian, watch out! The Indian is probably
serving in the role of a Scout. The legal and ethical question remains: is it legal
for the board of education to redistrict to accommodate a seating board
member's new home? We think not....but the courts will decide. We expect the
racist, in our opinion, editor of the daily newspaper to continue to denigrate all
the Indians and the one Black who votes with them on the board of education,
except for Bullard. And we expect him to write like a mad man to ensure that
the whites maintain their control of the board, including a white superintendent,
with the help of Bullard.
All this raises other questions. Were political commitments made to
Bullard prior to the election relative to the inclusion of his house? If so. who
made the commitments? We believe the voting public deserves to know?
Surely, Bullard knew his new house was outside the district when he ran. Does
he have political supporters who can assure inclusion of his house? Do these
supporters have the political clout to sway the Justice Department? If so. they
are not coming to his defense publicly.... Once again, be w eary of the man or
woman who feels the need to declare "I am not a racist!" and those who profess
to come "in the name of the Lord." Remember the Ku Klux Klan came out of
the church, professing Christianity....Ay Connee Brayboy, Editor
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Redfearn avows she and her
husband are not racist
Letter to Editor;
1 am concerned about an editorial which appeared in the Carolina Indian
voice in regards to my husband Rob Redfearn.
In a recent editorial in this paper, written by editor Connee Brayboy, it was
implied that Rob and others are targeting certain racial groups in their effort to
reform the political system of the county. I believe any of our family, friends,
employees and associates would tell you that Rob and I abhor racism of all
types.
Although we did not live here when there was unfair and illegal maltreatment
of minority persons, we have made this our home and have done everything
in our power in the last 5 years to make Lumberton and Robeson a better
place to live. Coming from a multi-ethnic mosaic in Toronto, we have been
continually shocked by the frank racism in this area- at a time when none of us
is actually a minority. It seems Robeson County is stuck, in this new millennium,
doing things the way the were done 30 years ago, with a persons race
always the primary concern in matters of hiring, public services, etc.
What we seek to change in our public activities is not the balance of racial
power in the area but rather the use of race at all as a criteria of a man or
woman's worth. Regardless of color or race we find it deplorable when one
does not abstain from a vote when ones family member is to be appointed to a
public position, or when someone is hired through backroom deals without
due process to a public search for qualified candidates. We are disturbed when
public moneys are spent in anyway to support the interests of one group or of
ones friends without attention to fairness and equity.
We hope that all Robesonians, black, white, Indian, Hispanic and otherwise
will rise up and let our public servants know that we are watching their behavior
and expecting them to pursue fair and appropriate means of helping Robeson
County progress towards the future. Meanwhile, let us all stop ourselves
from qualifying persons on the basis of race and look instead at their achievements
and abilities.
Sincerely,
Allison Redfearn, MD.
Lumberton
Farm Service
Agency Begins
Making Emergency
Payments
The greatest number of
Olympic participants at a Winter
Game was 1,737 (1,216 men, 521
women), representing 64 countries
in Lillehammer, Norway in
1994.
The USDA Farm Service Agency
has begun making the first of supplemental
emergency payments to area
farmers. According to Giles B. Floyd,
County Executive Director, the Robeson/Scotland
Farm Service Agency
(FSA) Office has issued nearly S4
million in payments as part of the
2001 Agricultural Economic Assis
tance Act which was signed into law
by the President on August 13,2001.
"These payments were issued as
supplemental market loss assistance
payments and to 2000 crop oilseed
producers", Floyd said. "Additional
payments will be made around September
10, 2001, to eligible tobacco
producers and allotments holders".
These payments will be automatically
paid to eligible farmers for the farming
economy which has been hit hard
in recent years by low commodity
prices and natural disasters", Floyd
said.
Pembroke
Kiwanis Report.
Provost Dr. Roger Brown outlined
the Strategic Goals for the new College
year. These goals have been submitted
to the Trustees and Chancellor
for their approval. They have been
worked out by Faculty and Departments.
The seven goals are: 1. Build
the International Programs Strategy.
2. Expand and enhance the Distributed
Learning Programs, including
off-campus programs. 3. Complete
Academic Plan for 2002-2007. 4.
Revise and rename Degree Programs
to fit current needs. 5. Implement enrollment
increase strategy for Graduate
Programs. 6. Increase Summer
School enrollment and programs.
Implement and expand the Honors
College.
Dr. Carolyn Thompson outlines the
Honors Program for outstanding academic
students. It is a real challenge
to them.
Questions and answers followed the
presentations of the updated goals.
Invocation- Albert Hunt, Song
leader- Ed Teets. Presiding- Carlton
Mansfield, Chairman- Ken Johnson.
Prisoner complains
over inability to practice
traditional religion
Letter to the Editor:
My name is James E. "Bear" Jacobs, I read and study the Indian Voice a lot,
and 1 must say, ya'll hit home on a lot of subjects. 1 have one of my own that
needs to be published and broadcasted , so that the Indians in the public and
all civilians can know. I'm incarcerated here at Robeson Correctional. I'm an
American Indian Religious Worshiper, "Well at least until I arrived here at
Robeson Correctional". Now we are recognized by the state, and to a certain
point by the federal government. We are recognized as Native American Indians,
and in the prison system, we are honored and respected as Indian people,
that is all prisons outside of Lumberton. When I arrived here, I was surprised
to see that American Indians were being neglected and threatened if they wore
the headband of any solid color that has meaning and representation, or the
ceremonial choker, or Dream catcher, and specifically the medicine bag that
has all spirit of truth. We have a prayer circle here. But we cannot use it. Out
of all places that would reject my religion, I figured it would be a prison
outside of Robeson County that doesn't have mush knowledge of Native
Americans. But, to my surprise, it is the people around here who know us as
people of the Dark Waters. They react and discriminate against American
Indian worshipers. I was made to send my religious items home. We cannot
smoke the pipe to send blessings to the Creator for things he has given us. We
cannot wear headbands.
The Department of Corrections has a guide line for all prisons to follow.
The Superintendent .who's name is Mr. Stancy, does not and will not have
American Indian Worship on his camp. This leads me to believe, from his
actions regarding Indian people, to the assumption that he has bad medicine
in his heart. He does not follow the Department of Correction guide lines. A
superintendent has the right to make rules over his prison within D.O.C. policy.
That does not give him the right to deny Indian people the right to worship,
especially we living here on the home soil of our ancestor. I'm an indigent
person, and I can't get a lawyer to protect my religious freedom of rights. If
you publish this, maybe a red brother or sister of the Indian blood will take
notice and stand with me to protect our image and religion from people who
hate us with Dark Hearts.
Sincerely,
James Earl Jacobs
Bear
.Jo oclfo^fl.
Maxine Blue "(
RIVER QUEST MEDICAL CARE, PA V
258 Lowe Road
Maxine Blue, Family Nurse Practitioner -C invites you tojoin her
at her new Practice Location with River Quest Medical Care.
*
We are please to offer you, our patient, a full menu of Family
Health Care Services.
Acute and Chronic Injuries (chronic diseases, minor Injuries,
lacerations 6nd accidents).
Gynecological Care to include Family Planning, Annual Pap
Smears and Pregnancy Testing.
Physical Examinations for Well Child, Department of
Transportation, Insurance, Camp, Sports and Employment.
Indigent Medication Program.
In addition, Occupational Health services for area Industry. We
look forward to seeing you soon. Thanhs for support over the
years and allowing me to participate in your health care.
Walk-ins and Scheduled Appointments from
.. 8:00 - 5:00 P.M. Telephone: 910-735-1234.
H n