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—THE CAROLINA TIMES Saturday, July 8,1972 2A EDITORIALS & COMMENT Abolishing The Deallli Penally The recent decision by the Su preme Court of the United States declaring that the death penalty for the crimes of murder and rape is interdicted (restrained) by the mandates of the Bth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment is most significant. The real importance of all this is that the Bth Amendment was one of the first 10 Amendments added to the Constitution before its ratification. In fact, the Con stitution itself would not have been ratified without it. So the Bth Amendment was and is one of the fundamental human rights upon which our entire government was founded. It is shocking, indeed, that some 290 years later the Nixon's Justices would cast a bloc vote in favor of the Rack and the Screw. For Pres ident Nixon, on several occasions since he has become the Chief Ex ecutive, has announced, in his ex ecutive capacity, that he would not nominate anyone for the Court that did not have his personal view of the Constitution. At his news conference via tele vision on Thursday, June 29, 1972, in reply to a question concerning this decision, handed down earlier the same day, it was repeated by Nixon that he had a good idea of how they would vote before he nominated them. Fortunately, the remaining Su- Work For Ethics Or Workfare Workfare for a large percentage of public assistance recipients be gan on July 1. This program un der the Department of Social Ser vices and the Employment Securi ties Commission provides that wo men in the AFDC category, after proper eligibility screening, would have to either take jobs or job training programs which would provide only 1 year of training or such assistance would be with drawn. This is indeed grand for uplift ing a people. However, in both the private and public sector —the work ethic—the belief in the dig nity of honest toil, the feeling of accomplishment at having helped produce something worthwhile clearly has fttfTeri on "hard times. We often worry that the greatest effect of this is on the character of a people. Work is not always enjoyable and loafing certainly has been known throughout all times and at all ages. Yet work is necessary to progress and if progress can be made by lifting up people by train ing and then making jobs available, it is well and good. INTERESTING OVERTONES OF THE PRESIDENTS 'S NEWS CONFERENCE The President's televised news conference of June 29, 1972 has some interesting overtones and has spawned some amusing riddles. Two of these riddles may be listed as Question I—"When is a crime not a crime?— Answer: When it oc curs in the Suites. The President's news conference covered a very wide range of for eign and domestic issues. The over tones were quite obvious. He was greatly concerned about retaining the Death Penalty for kidnapping. Nixon vividly recalled his pre-lqw days and the Lindbergh kidnap ping as an example of why the Death Penalty should be retained on the Federal level. What he did not relate was that at the time of the Lindbergh case kidnapping was a misdemeanor and the per son accused, and later convicted, was a poor German immigrant; the kidnapped victim was a son of the national hero "the Lone Eagle." The hue and cry was for blood. So the accused was charged with Felony-Murder,—so that the Death Penalty would be applicable . . . the felony was grand larceny— baaed on the value of the pajamas in which the baby was sleeping. The Death Penalty in this case did not deter kidnapping, its effect on stealing baby pajamas is unknown. The Federal Lindbergh Kidnap ping Act, passed subsequent to the Lindbergh case, has already been reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States. A third thing that he did not mention is that presently the pop ulation of the District of Columbia —the seat of the Federal Govern ment—in more than 50'/ Black. Thus the District of Columbia comes under Federal jurisdiction, and as such Federal Law would be applied. Nixon did smilingly say that he had a good idea of how his four nominees would vote on the death penalty before he nominated them. If Congress re-enacts the Federal Act including the Death Penalty— a possible count vote of 4-1-4 is not totally unexpected. preme Court Justices faced up to their historical duty in looking at the Constitution, as well as the his tory out of which our Constitution grew. In the 1972 Decision, they were able to see cruel and inhu man treatment in this type of punishment. The Rack and the Screw of the Middle Ages were tortuous and frequently maimed persons; but the enlightened bloc vote of Nix on's Justices perpetuates a perma nency that is beyond recall. One should never forget that President Nixon, unless another Amendment of recent vintage is "strictly construed", can at most look forward to only four (4) ad ditional years, but Nixon's Justices can contaminate generations yet unborn. Perhaps America would do well to declare a twelve month period of prayer for the health and long lives of the remaining Su preme Court Justices—for one ad ditional Nixon Justice—and we may all be undone. In fact, when Rip Van Winkle went to sleep, King George was on the throne. When Rip awakened some 20 years later, George Wash ington was President of the United States and the Bth (Eighth) Amendment was in the Constitu tion. Sad though it will be, another Nixon Justice and George 111, at long last, may still be victorious. However, when one looks at the "under utilization of employee time" or what is commonly known as "goofing off at taxpayers' ex pense by those in the blue collar, white collar and other public and private sectors —what will the end results be? Will the minorities and the poor still have a work ethics code only for them? Will jobs be available as the training is completed and competition for any job becomes even more acute? Will low productivity become the hue and cry of the day as these indi viduals with limited skills attempt to follow guidelines in order to sur vive these perilous tijnes? Statistics steadily point to rising unemployment among all sectors— public and private. Even among high school grads and college grad uates with highest degrees, work or some type of job is being denied them. The workfare ethics may be good in logic, but unsound in prac tice. Perhaps at least some change in character of people—will be realized and hopefully, some work incentive may be gained from the workfare era. The news conference also cov ered the area of crime. Again, great concern was expressed about Drug traffic in the streets of our cities. No mention was made of any illegal pharmaceutical labora tory being established on the "streets" nor has any one on the "streets", in spite of raid after raid, been found to have ownership of any transportation system, land, sea or air, capable of transplanting the hard drugs from the far east to the "Streets". The President was also con cerned about laws controlling handguns, but only those of the variety which the President classi fied as "Saturday Night Specials". Interesting overtone Number II is that the "Saturday Night Special" may well replace the proverbial knife, often found in the hands of a corpse that has been shot in the back, the heels or in the soles of the feet, or while in bed asleep. Such classification by the Presi dent draws an apparent distinction between the so-called "Saturday Night Special" and the "Six and Half-Day Classic", such as those used in the suburbs, and even re cently in North Hills Shopping Cen ter and more recently along Inter state 85 on June 30, 1972. His remarks on crime did not recall his pre-law experiences in connection with the "Teapot Dome" nor did he recall the most recent ITT affair. Interesting overtone Number 111 —there is a vast difference be tween the "Streets" and the "Suites". Rudyard Kipling once philoso phied that "East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." But he did not reckon with 20th Century politics. If one is from the Southeast and one is from the Southwest—they the "Southern Twain" not only meets, but joins the "Minnesota Twins" to cast a bloc vote consis tent with the President's philos ophy. Summer Time Need Not Be Litter Time.. V V, , m NOT TO KNOW IS BAD, Nor *' A '■ TO HISH TO KNOW IS WORSE. —LETTER TO THE EDITOR — PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR To the Editor: Why did the majority of North CArolinians vote in favor of an out of state candidate, in preference to their own native born son? Was it a difference in personalities, accomplish ments, or political viewpoints? Governor Wallace and Pres. Sanford of Duke U. are some what alike personality-wise; handsome, distinguished indivi duals. They have similar pat terns of accomplishments: well educated, each has served as governor of his own state. They differ in political view-points: one is a liberal; the other is a conservative. The liberal believes in Demo cracy and the Constitution—so does the conservative, but with TWENTY-SIX N.C. SCHOOLS MAY HAVE CODES OF RI6HTS Twenty-six North Carolina schools, both elementary and secondary, may have codes of student rights and responsibili ties soon as a result of a workshop which ended Friday at North Carolina Central Uni versity. If the parents and students don't know what such a code entails, neither did most of the principals who attended the workshop when it began last Monday. Essentially, according to the representatives of the National Program for Educational Lead ership who conducted the workshop, a code of rights and responsibilities provides for the involvement of all concerned with a school in its government. That includes the principal, teachers, parents, and students. The principals didn't know what the code involved when they came to the workshop, but by the end of the work shop each had been involved in the creation of a model MINORITY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS It is interesting to note the "new thrust" by the Office of Minority Business Enterprise, in the Depart ment of Commerce, to bring more black and other minority women into the economic mainstream as entrepreneurs. Such a conference was held re cently in Washington to bring in from all across the country more than 500 women to identify and outline the unmet needs of existing minority business women. The age span ran from the young to mid dle-age. This is good, for young leadership needs old and the old leadership needs the young. The interplay and exchange is most im portant and aids in the total growth of the individuals. Basic input from the conference revealed that the women came to the meeting because they have reservations. He believes in liberty and justice only, for himself, his own family, and his own ethnic group. So? Pres. Sanford, having no anti-racial or anti-busing pro gram, but a belief in civil rights, became a "prophet with out honor" in his own home state and in his own home town, Durham, where Mr. Nixon, President of the U.S., .obtained his law degree at Duke U. Pres. Nixon cannot be re elected without the aid of Dem ocrats. In 1968, the splinter Democratic American party, balanced the scales in his favor. So, before taking off for China, while his own blood brothers were dying in Ireland fighting for civil rights, he made his so constitution in an environment similar to that of their schools. The workshop brought parents and students in to play their own roles in a simulated school environment. Four groups produced "four excellent documents," accord ing to Robert W. Norris of the National Program for Educa tional Leadership'B North Caro lina office in Raleigh. "We didn't have any group that bombed out," Norris said. According to Max R. Bohn stedt, also of the Raleigh Office of the NPEL, some of the prin cipals anticipated some resist ance to change in the way schools are governed in their communities. Principals thought parents and school boards would resist principals giving up part of their auth ority. The almost absolute author ity of principals would be re duced under codes like the ones developed. The bills of rights and the constitutional strong interests in either improv ing their present businesses or en tering new business ventures for the first time. Technical knowhow and other assistance means improved and better business methods for many black women in such fields as cos metalogy, public relations, day care centers, rest homes and many others. Being aware of the many legal and management procedures that must be a part of any business operation makes for improved op erations and growth development. These are good signs for im proved economic development for minority women. More power to women and especially minority women as they continue to seek a greater piece of the action at the economic levels by seeking out needed expertise. called "Southern strategy anti racial, anti-busing appeal" or re-election campaign issue. "I wa6 bused 5 miles to elementary school and 15 miles to high school. Not once did my conservative parents com plain about my bus rides to all-white schools." By Roscoe E. Reeves (Durham Morning Herald) of Chapel Hill, N. C. Hie Presbyterians ask the synod to "go on record as opposing the use of any tactics whatso ever to inhibit the fulfillment of the 1954 ruling of the Su preme Court and the actualiza tion of free quality public edu cation for ail children of this state." Frank George Sowell 1508 E. Piettigrew St. Durham, N. C. 27701 provisions for self-government would involve students in all phases of school government, including academic planning and discipline. Bohnstcdt said that the com munity might also fear a loss of confidentiality in disciplinary matters. He said that confi dentiality however is largely a myth. "Kids know what's hap pening in their schools." Norris said, "We hopefully reinforced in the principals' minds that they have a leader ship position" in overcoming the resistance to the codes, which are envisioned as playing a citizenship training role. In addition to Norris and Bohnstedt the institute staff included Dr. Jerry L. Blake of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and Eugene T. Speller of the Col umbus, Ohio, office of the NPEL. Dr. Charles W. Orr of the N. C. Central faculty served as director of the institute. To Be MM Equal SOME SIGNS OF CHANGE I SOUTH Vernon Jordan, While the North seems to be hardening its racial stance, the South is showing some signs of softening its past racism. A recent news item caught my eye because it is an indication of how some change has pene trated even the hard-core segre gationist camp. Back in the early 1960's a powerful Louisiana legislator named Risley Triche led the fight against desegregated schools. He was a leading spokesman for those who sought to defy federal court orders. So when, a week or so ago, he stood before that same legislature that was the scene of his last-ditch stand for segre gation and repented, it made news all over the country. He said he deicded to come out of retirement and run for public office again because "I did not want to leave my children with the legacy that their daddy was a bigot and a racist. I want my family and my citizens and my friends and my constituency and the citi zenry of this state to grow out of racism and bigotry." I think this says something about the mood of the South today. Many people who shouted "segregation forever" now realize not only that they were wrong, but that their re putations were sullied by racism. And this only makes it easier for the silent moderates to speak out and become more active. What is important is not an individual's statement or even the sincerity of people con fessing past sins; it is the cli mate of tolerance and change that has been created through continued activism of concerned citizens, federal actions to com bat segregation, and perhaps most important, the growing power of black votes. An indication of the some what changed Southern climate was brought hometo me on a recent trip to several southern cities. When I spoke at the meeting of the Little Rock Urban League, the Goernor of Arkansas, Dale Bumpers, sat in the rear of the Dunbar Com Do's And Don'ts v Cbi Carolina Cim^s } ... ... j L. E. AUSTIN ~ ' \ ' • ' 1 Editor-Publisher. 1927-1971 ' Li •' ' ■ • -J. -;•« .1 i Published every Saturday at Durham. N. C. i i , • by United Publishers, Inc. *1 MRS. VIVIAN AUSTIN EDMONDS, Publisher ¥t- * . * ■ ' . BONNETTE Butfnsts Aoiuyffr j J. EL WOOD CARTER Advertising Manager Second Class Postage Paid at Durham, N. C. 27701 SUBSCRIPTION RATES • r United States and Canada 1 Year 96.06 United States and Canada a Yean 911.06 j Foreign Countries Year S7JM t Single .Copy .....SO Cants 8 Principal Office Located at 430 East Pettigrew Street, Durham, North Carolina 27702 munity Center throughout the entire proceedings—a vivid de monstration of official respect and concern for the black com munity. Both he and his Re publican predecessor deserve a lot of credit for turning that state around. Other governors in the South have also shown an interest in black people. Florida's Gover nor Askew spoke out boldly for busing at a time when even northern governors were run ning to their bomb shelters to duck the issue. Georgia's gover nor recently proclaimed United Negro College Fund Month, the first time a southern governor associated himself and his state with fund-raising for black in stitutions. Other governors and mayors throughout the region have consulted with Urban League executives, black com munity leaders, and have other wise demonstrated their con cern. A lot of this goodwill still has to be translated into ef fective accomplishments, and much of it is directly due to political considerations for the powerful black vote, but there is little doubt that change for the better is in the air. Colum bus, Georgia, for example, is a typical southern town that ne\er P a 'd much attention to racial harmony, but now has started an .Urban League. But the truest sign of the new South that is yet to come was seen at the Memphis air port, where I was changing planes. There 1 saw a bus-load of school children spill out onto the deck to watch the take-offs. Black and white kids stood talking away in ex citement, hand in hand, as their black and white teachers watched over them. The blood and hatred of the past didn't exist for these kids. Race was of no concern to them, only the planes landing and taking off. With this kind of spirit in the future, together, blacks and whites can help to guide the whole Sputh to smooth take offs and so construct a better nation.
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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July 8, 1972, edition 1
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