14-THECAROLIMA TIMES
SAT., AUGUST 22, 1981
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Coping
Racism: Parts IX & X
Black Brainwashing
By Dr. Charles W. Faulkner
“If you don’t believe that blacks are
inferior to whites, look at television.
Do you see any blacks playing
sophisticated roles? Look at the
newspapers, don’t you see more stories
about blacks committing crime than
whites? Look,at politics, how many
black politicians do you see? Isn’t it
true that blacks were freed a century
ago?
Well, why are blacks still fighting for
basic Human Rights while foreigners
who come to America are accorded
Civil Rights immediately and are pro
vided with governmental financial sup
port that assures that they will not fail?
Years of this “Logical” substantia
tion of black inferiority stamps itself
indelibly in the psyche of the black
child who grows up wanting to succeed
in America but knowing that it will not
happen because, somehow, he or she is
simply “not good enough.”
This self-evaluation translates into
self-underestimation and an under
valuing of ability. Whites are exposed
to the same “Logical” evidence as
blacks and the meaning is the same:
Whites are superior and blacks are in
ferior.
Blacks can expect more
psychological and physical assaults
from whites who are desperate to find
a basis for self-pride. This is an addi
tional burden that blacks must be
prepared to endure. When viewed froth
this perspective, it is little wonder that
the leading cause of death among
young black males is suicide. The
leading cause of death among young
white mates is automobile accidents.
Black Forgiveness and Passivity
Few would doubt the oppressive
nature of American capitalism. It is in
herently abusive for all who participate
in it — especially the poor — especially
the black poor.
In many oppressive societies, the op
pressed person reacts vehemently, and
sometimes violently, to the conditions
that oppress him. Black Americans
are, however, forgiving even to their
oppressors. Thus, even though blacks
are continuously burdened with op
pression, they tend to turn the other
cheek and “Excuse” the oppressor for
oppressing-them.
The Bible plays an important
motivational, philosophical and
psychological part in the tradition of
the black family. The Bible importunes
“Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.” Many blacks
follow this rule without deviation hop
ing for a positive evaluation by God
and better things in the Hereafter. So,
while the oppressor abuses the weak
with amorality and minimum concern
for their welfare, blacks forgive, ex
cuse and forget.
The psychological escape provided
by the black church seems to result in
social inactivity or, even, passivity. In
terviews with many black churchgoers
elicited the following responses: “He
(the cause of social injustice) will be
punished by the Almighty.” “What
goes around, comes around; the white
man will get what is coming to him.”
“God is the final judge.” “The Lord is
going to punish the evildoer.” “We
need a leader like Martin Luther
King.”
The “What goes around, comes
around” school of thought, which is
currently popular, vests its confidence
in a cyclical metaphysical apparatus of
poetic justice that it presumes will
counter rather than support evil.
Historical evidence does not seem to
America’s South Africa Policy
By Vernon E. Jordan, Jr
Rational discussion about America’s
policy options in South Africa got a
boost by the recent publication of the
Report of the Study Commission on
U.S. Policy Toward Southern Africa.
The Commission, an independent
group of prestigious citizens chaired by
the president of the Ford Foundation,
Franklin A. Thomas, provides solid
analysis of a knotty subject in a report
appropriately titled: “South Africa:
Time Running Out.”
Time is running out, for that nation’s
racial situation is deteriorating faster
than anyone cares to admit. The ignoble
experiment of 4.5 million whites ruling
23 million non-whites was always doom
ed to failure, especially since that rule
was brutal, exploitative, and firmly bas
ed on theories of racial superiority.
The apartheid system can only sicken
any civilized human being, and South
Africa’s rulers have forfeited any claim
to consideration for a system of racial
oppression.
For Americans, it has never been
enough merely to say we don’t like apar
theid and to let it go at that. America’s
pretensions to world leadership, its far-
reaching network of military and
diplomatic alliances that have tradi
tionally included South Africa, its prin
ciples of human rights and, in theory at
least, racial equality, all make policy
toward South Africa important to us.
And beyond such considerations is
South Africa’s important strategic posi
tion and its possession of important
minerals.
For all these reasons, America’s
policy options toward South Africa have
veered toward a middle road of lip ser
vice against apartheid but little action to
make that country’s rulers modify their
positions.
But time is running out, and middle-
of-the-road waffling will not preserve
our long-term interest in the region, nor
will the current Administration’s friend
ly tilt toward the white minority govern
ment help us in the long run.
That’s why the Report of the Com
mission is so valuable. It takes all factors
into consideration and suggests a unified
policy that is in America’s self-interest
and supports black power-sharing in
South Africa.
The Report suggests America
demonstrate its “fundamental and con
tinuing opposition” to apartheid,
through diplomatic actions and private
sector acts.
While the Commission stops short of
asking U.S. corporations to close up
their operations there, it does say they
should make no new investments, refuse
to expand operations, subscribe to the
“Sullivan Principles” of social respon
sibility toward the black majority and
commit their resources to improving the
lives of black South Africans.
That strikes me as an appropria(
response, and a workable one that
would impact on South African society
even if it does not go as far as
would like.
The Report urges American pronto-
tion of genuine power-sharing by
“systematically exerting influence on the
South African government.” It backs
pressures such as a broadened embargo
on arms sales, an end to nuclear
cooperation, and withholding economic
aid and diplomatic recognition for the
mini-states South Africa has set up to
split the black population.
The Report wisely suggests more U.S
economic aid to South Africa’s
neighbors, to reduce their dependence
on the racist state.
Last but far from least, the Report
calls for support for organizations work
ing for change in South Africa, and aid
in black economic and political develop
ment programs.
Sooner or later the black majority in
South Africa will overthrow racist rule
Our stake in the region is too big to be
perceived as an enemy of freedom for
South Africa’s majority. Clearly, it h
America’s political and moral respon-,
sibility to help guide the future develop
ment of that unhappy country toward a
peaceful resolution of its problems.
Time is running out.
Affirmative Action And Sports:
Time To Play Hardball
Gerald C. Horne, Esquire
The message is clear: While young
white males are releasing their frustra
tions in full-filled automobile
escapades, young blacks are releasing
their frustrations in the self-destructive
frenzy of suicide. The loud exclama
tion, “I can’t take it anymore,” is
heard from one American coast to
another.
1. The policies of the present
Republican Administration are likely
to decrease the factors that serve as the
bases for black pride.
Blacks are likely to lose even a
minimal basis for pride and self
esteem. Their inability to endure the
frustration caused by their unfulfilled
dreams and stress caused by com
pounded frustration will cause many
blacks to lose the motivation to con
tinue to live.
They will find it almost impossible to
find a basis for pride in themselves.
The need to say, “I am better than
you” in some capacity will put black
against black in psychological competi
tion born out of deeply-ingrained self-
hatred.
2. Whites, who will have their basis
for self-esteem and pride reduced as
the result of stringent monetary cut
backs, will seek desperately for a basis
for pride and blacks will serve as the
psychological crutch.
Even though some whites will lose
their jobs, and some will find their
dreams of accomplishment
diminishing, they can always say,
“Well, all is not lost because I can
always take pride in the fact that I am
better than blacks.”
support this theory.
The “Let Him do it” statements sug
gest that quite a few black people have
given up the personal struggle and are
waiting for God or some other unseen
force to punish the doer of evil deeds.
Could it be that blacks are spiritually
ill-equipped to exist in a society that
responds only to violence and threats
to violence? Although the emotional
inclination is to answer each question
with a resounding “No,” the logic of
the conditions that exist seem to pro
duce a contrary response.
This passivity is often unintentional
and indirect. It would not appear that
black church leaders plot to make their
members passive. Nevertheless, the
philosophy of refusing to strike back at
one’s tormentor results in social inac
tion that, in pragmatic terms, is iden
tical in its effects.
The implicitly contradictory nature
of the plight of the black person who is
taught as a child to be kind and forgiv
ing in a world that is brutally unkind
and unforgiving is psychologically
devastating. The historical religious
background of most black people
drives them to search for an escape.
It engenders a hope for an answer to
the difficult questions of life that can
not be addressed by the limits of
science or the limits of reality.
NORTH CAROLINA
The lingering strike in major league
baseball and the opening of the new
football season dramatize for all to see
the paltry percentage of blacks in front
office jobs. Many are familiar with the
sight of Reggie Jackson knocking the
ball out of the park but how many know
that Yankee Stadium is a veritable white
oasis of employment in the midst of the
teeming black annd Latino South
Bronx, which has one of the highest
unemployment rates in the country?
Many are familiar with the whirling der
vish dunks of Dr;, J Eut how many
blacks hold High management positions
in the Philadelphia 76’ers organization?
Racism in professional sports has had
a long and fabled history.. Until Jackie
Robinson broke the barrier of Jim Crow
in baseball in 1947, the sport was as lily-
white as the ball. Talented super-stars
like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Jay
“Cool Papa” Bell were relegated to ek
ing out a living in the poverty-stricken
“Negro leagues.” It should never be
forgotten that what ended the racial bar
in baseball was not the benevolence or
new-found vision of the greedy team
owners but the determined protest of
black fans led by Paul Robeson and the
changing international situation in
which the U.S. found it difficult to com
pete for “hearts and minds” in the
Third World when people of color here
'were so heavily discriminated against.
Today, black athletes account for
more than 70% of the players in the Na
tional Basketball Association, 55% of
the players in the National Football
League and some of the highest salaries
in major league baseball. Even in the
National Hockey League there are two
black players active. Professional tennis
has seen the flowering of a number of
black female players, e.g. Leslie Allen.
Yet, the charge by Ed Garvey, ex
ecutive director of the National Football
League Players Association, that the
NFL itself is “a monument to racism,”
could just as easily be applied to profes
sional sports generally.
Still, it is quite easy to see why this
charge was leveled at the NFL. First of
all, there are no black general managers
or head coaches. A recent study con
ducted by sociologist Jomils Braddock
II of Johns Hopkins University shows
that flagrant institutionalized racism
continues to exist against former players
who are black, in terms of coaching
jobs.
The study, covering the twenty years
of 1960 through 1979 showed that 329
former NFL players had been promoted
to the coaching ranks — 261 assistants
and 68 head coaches. Of that total of
329, only 20 were black, all in assistant
jobs.
Garvey has noted that although there
has been a growth in the number of
assistant coaching jobs over the last
seven years, the proportion of black
assistants had not grown. The study^
pointed out that one of every twenty
retired white NFL players can look for
ward to becoming an assistant coach,
while the figure for blacks was one in
100.
Prof. Braddock projected that in the
two decade period studied, ten blacks
could have expected head coaching posi
tions and 92 could have expected assis
tant jobs. Yet, there were no head
cohching jobs and a meager twenty
assistants.
What is the NFL hierarchy saying? Do
they maintain that blacks are good
enough to play the game and not good
enough to coach it? Have they swallow
ed their TV announcers’ racist rhetoric
that blacks get by on “natural talent”
while whites get by on “intelligence”
and “hard work,” thereby the latter are
- mof^.f‘qu^ified” to coach and instruct?
In“ 1979 there were only ten blacks
among the 227 assistant coaches. At that
juncture the Affirmative Action Coor
dinating Center and the South Crhistian
Leadership Conference started raising a
ruckus about this abominable situation
and threatened boycotts and other mili
tant action. All of a sudden, the NFL
“got religion” and the number of black
assistants has doubled since then.
Even within the ranks of the players,
the sore of racism continues to fester.
Quarterbacks are by far the highest paid
performers in the league ($131,206 year
ly average salary) and not surprisingly
one finds only a few blacks — e.g.,
Doug Williams of Tampa Bay and Vince
Evary of Chicago — at this position.
In the 1981 NFL draft, 25 of the 28
first round picks were black athletes.
Many of these future stars were defen
sive backs, defensive linemen and runn
ing backs. Not surprisingly, the greatest
proportion of blacks are found at these
positions that carry some of the lowest
average salaries — in the case of defen
sive backs, almost half the average
salary of quarterbacks.
In San Jose, California, city
employees went on strike over-the issue
of “comparable worth” — jobs con
sidered “women’s work,” — e.g.
secretaries were paid less than
mechanics, jobs considered “men’s
work.” Perhaps the NFL players should
consider striking over the disparty in pay
between “black positions”, e.g. defen
sive back, and “white” positions, e.g.
quarterback.
This question of “comparable worth”
is not an idle inquiry. Running backs are
the heart of any football team and of the
top forty backs with the best statistics,
only four were white. Yet running
backs’ salaries, too, fall way below those
of quarterbacks. Of course, racism in
the NFL is nothing new. Some teams,
most notably the misnamed Washington
Redskins, resisted the hiring of black
players until the tumultuous 1960’s.
But this is not all. Just as black
children in public schools are suspended
and expelled disproportionately, an as
tounding 85% of all fines in the NFL are
levied against black players. White club
owners prfer shuffling “Uncle Tom”
players and when they’re confronted
with forceful, outspoken and articulate
blacks, they fine them inordinately and
try to pin bad reputations on them.
Though it may be hard to believe, the
record of pro basketball in hiring blacks
for high positions may be worse. Yes,
over 70% of the players are black. Yes,
the top twelve scorers in the league are
black. Yes, the top ten assist men were
black. And yes, both New York and
Golden State had all black squads.
But with this multitude of black
talent, only three of the 23 coaches were
black and a mere seven of tlie 35
assistants. Simon Gourdine, black depu
ty commissioner of the NBA is resigning
precisely because he knew that despite
his competence and brilliant record of
accomplishment, there was no way he
could ascend higher up the ladder.
K.C. Jones, now an assistant coach
with the Boston Celtics, holds the third
highest winning percentage of any coach
un 'NBA history right behind Red Auer
bach and Billy Cunningham. -His Bullets
never missed the playoffs. But this black
defensive wizard has not been offered a
head coaching post in years, But the
man he replaced at Washington in 1973,
the lackadaisical loser Gene Shue, has
since had three head jobs. As they say,
Shue has the right connections and the
“right” complexion.
Price Cobbs and Mike Brown ol
Pacific Management Systems, a San
Francisco consulting firm, has found
striking parallels between the death of
black head coaches and the tiny number
of blacks who hold high-level manage
ment positions in corporations. For ex
ample, the Urban League has
documented a mere 117 blacks among
the top 13,000 corporate managers,
while the Wall Street Journal found only
three blacks among the top 1,300 senior
executives.
Sports are a reflection of society.
Though because opportunities for
blacks have been cfcsed off in so many
other areas, we have been forced into the
entertainment and sports w'orld. 'tel-
just as the cry for affirmative action has
been heard on the campuses and in the
factories, that same cry must be heard in
the boardrooms of these sports con
glomerates, many of which would loU
tomorrow if it weren’t for the black
athlete and the black fan. And if tliiscrs
is not answered, the tried and trusted
weapon of boycott must be dusted oil
again and brought into the game.
Chf
L.E, AUSTIN
Edifor-Publisher 1927-1971
Published every fUteday (dated Saturdaylj
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