Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / Aug. 7, 1982, edition 1 / Page 14
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14-TKE CAROLINA T1"ES SATURDAY, AUGUST 7. 1S32 Editorials ''" 'x Protect Yoiir Good Name ' Pardon us, as we turn to our Bible to find the principle that il lustrates an important point in light of the two ballots in the July 27 runoff primary. , ' In Proverbs 22:1, it says: "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches..." i Over the past 30 years or more, The Durham Committee, first called the "Committee On Negro Affairs," and changed later to : "The Durham Committee On The Affairs Of Black People," has fought valiantly for its good name ' r , v :. That good name TheDurrani Committee depicts an un compromising yen for justice, for selfishless service, and a ceaseless struggle to create opportunities here' for the overall pro- gress and betterment of black people. But in the July 27 runoff primary, that good name The ' Durham Committee was misappropriated for the expressed purpose of confusing voters, and cr-opting the process that has served the Committee well for some three decades. . It is the Committee's own fault, f ' The issue here is not the right or wrong of the Committee's decision to endorse Roland Leary in July J after having had en dorsed Bill' Allen in June, that rould be debated ad infinitum. : The question of Mr. George Frazier's "right" to distribute a second ballot to voters is not the issue either. The Frazier ballot, ; as we have.chosen to call it, was-just another opinion, something .' we are all entitled to. , No, the real issue, as we see it, is the ease with which Mr. Frazier, or anyone for that matter, can use the good name The Durham Committee to nefarious ends. It is sad that after so long, this organization has not protected its good name by incorporating it, copywriting it, or registering it as an official trademark, or something. As it now stands, any black person; wrapped in whatever cloak of self-righteousness he or she chooses, can misuse the name of . the Durham Committee without authorization and with little fear of reprisal. The Committee's leadership must move quickly to protect the organization's good name. Going back to our original principle, the verse in Proverbs, the word "name" is translated from a Hebrew word that means "honor," "authority," "character," and "as a mark or memorial of individuality." In that context the Durham Com-, ,mittee, its honor, its authority and its its character, is only ast good as the perception of its name. , And if someone, with hisher own ulterior motives, wishes to misuse the Committee's good name, and therefore sully its honor, its authority and its character, certainly the Committee should not abet such a charlatan in that type of chicanery by hav ing no way to protect its good name, Thus, let us turn again t6 thefouhtafri of khowledger "A'wise man will hear and will increase learning; and a man of understan ding shall attain unto wise counsel.' (Proverbs 1:5) The Committee And The Money No matter how often leaders of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People say; they don't sell the group's political endorsements, the fact remains that many political candidates who "contribute" to the Committee feel that they are paying for the endorsementand the powerful bloc vote. that often follows. This leads to several aberrations of the political process. First of all, it does appear to tie the Committee to a particular candidate through thick and thin, until the final decision is made, no matter what new information might come forward, Second, it breeds a dangerous attitude among blacks who believe that only those elected officials who had Durham Com mittee support can be expected to serve the black community. This attitude sees it as a defeat for the black community if the en dorsed candidate doesn't win. . But even worse, the practice of accepting money from can didates gives the appearance of conflict of interest, and certainly appears to co-opt the Committee's image as a fair-minded organization working hard in the public interest. The Sheriff Bill Allen situation is a perfect case in point. The Committee endorsed Allen in the June primary, and he led the ticket, though he failed to get a majority of the votes. According to published reports, Allen gave the Committee $500 following the endorsement. The Committee called that a 'customary dona-' tion." Allen apparently felt that he was paying, as has been tradi tion, for the Committee to deliver several black votes into his col umn on the ballot. It would seem reasonable to believe that money for the en dorsement binds the Committee to that candidate until the final decision is made. That's apparently what Sheriff Allen thought: But the Committee; for reasons that aren't totally clear, swit ched to Leary just before the July runoff primary, : Leary swamped Allen, and there is nothing to say that the Committee's vote could have saved Allen's job, But the switch does raise questions. . ' u Obviously, Committee leaders feel that candidates are con-: ributing because they support the Committee's work; etc. But if ' tha was true, then all candidates would contribute, with or without the endorsement. ! The Committee needs to clean the air. Its leadership must bite the bullet and put the burden of the Committee's support square ly on the backs of black people; If we can spend almost one- ' quarter of our discretionary income on booze and another third or so of it on clothes, hair-and beauty care, then we should be able to support the Committee. Money talks, and if the Durham black community wants to speak with a loud, clear and undeniable voice, then it must pay for the privilege. ' 1 v Black people in this city should give the Committee all the money it needs to do the job we have decreed that it should. -- --- . .. . J.M.M.t.U.L'J.M.'.l.tf.'.'.'.'.W.'JJLtJJJ.V.VX' .'J-MXIJ-UUli-" --.- ------ "7 , Civil Rights Journal : . , . ' "' Commitment, Consistency ' "SSSS- j And Organization . ". ' . ' :Wi&S&.-. . In 1 874 upon ;. leaving - England, Frederick Douglass said, "I do not go back to America to sit still; remain quiet, and enjoy ease and comfort... I glory in the conflict, that I may hereafter exault in the victory. I know the Victory is certain." These classic words take on a contem porary meaning in that we will continue to experience the indiffference and despotic attitudes characterstic of the Reagan Ad ministration, Until we begin to effectively use our political strength in a cooperative manner. I submit that f we fail to act in unity, and deliberately, we will continue to witness the making of decisions that directly affect our total being, without regard for our needs tr opinions The eft fective use of political power must span the political spectrum. We do not have the ; ! .-. ' - r luxury of assuming a posture of non-- ; f participation. Furthermore, we have a du-' " ty to our future generations, of securing, , by way of our best efforts," a social and ' . political climate that includes the needs of . . this nation's historically disenfranchised. , It will take morejjan, rhetorical com-: plaints and cries of injustice, but father an ; - . educated and organized electorate sen--' ; sitive to their own needs in the greater society.- , , r y If we have not registered to vote, how then can we register our complaints But in addition , to voting, we must be educated and informed in order to make ; political decisions that operate in our best: interests as well as the nation's interests ' Neither the , Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP, Operation PUSHiv: ''nor even the black church can lead our community io ine point 01 pouucai in dependence and self-determination." Cer? tainlv tViMA orminc havp a mncf imnrtrfant - role to play, but these goals can Only be realized when there is a willingness on the . part of the total community to improve ; our condition. We cannot continue to ; I . 1 1 1 C 1!A2 I iw ucyuuu uurscivcs lur puuuwai em powerment. Our strength lies within our own community and it is .here that we must focus our attention. No matter how much legislation is writ ten, nor how many bills passed by Con gress, without a consistent political and philosophical direction, and most impor tantly, organization, these measures will simply be words oh a page. To Be Equal The New- Federalism Returns By John E, Jacob Executive Director, Najipnal Urban League. After its plan for the "New , Federalism" ran into'fire from governors and mayors, the Administration went back to the drawing boards and attempted , to meet enough of the objections to win broader support. . But the revised New Federalism is still a misguided plan, mistaken at its core, and ought to be buried. ''.'- It simply Is, not amenable to repair work, because it is designed to meet the needs of an earlier era, not the needs of .today. It recalls the bad old days of states' rights and proposes returning to the states the powers they once abused, thus leading to the federal government's ex panded role. The basic flaw of the New Federalism is its decentralizing thrust, which comes at the very moment when state and local economies are also dependent, not on federal dollars and mandates. as the New Federalism supporters maintain, but on international trends as well. . Whether your town can maintain its vital public services often depends on whether rising oil prices shut local fac tories or whether steel and auto imports put people out of work.? If anything, we ought to be construc ting a New ,.NationaJisniunqt a New Federalism, to deal with the effects of complex national and international ( trends. " Instead, the Administration wants to ,continue to turn over a variety of federal programs to state control and to dump welfare on the states. -. But if there is any program that should i be fully federalized, it is welfare. Welfare is not a local problem to be dealt with locally, it is a national problem that can only be dealt with on a national basis. Welfare cannot be separated from J poverty, for it provides thes barest minimum sustenance to the poorest of the poorP. Poverty and the welfare program 4 it spawns is the result of national economic failures. Hunger in Michigan is the same as ! hunger in Mississippi, and if we are a na tion it should be dealt with nationally. Fairness demands, that poor people get the , same treatment no matter where they reside, v And the quality of that treatment is bound to suffer under the New Federalism. Welfare and other social , . benefits vary wildly from state to state, even with the federal government picking up a substantial part ofahe cost. , If anything, the problem with the 55S3S . ... a M weitare system, in part, is that it already n under too much state and local control! So we get a situation where states lik Mississippi and Texas provide benefit levels far below any reasonable concept of decency, and no state pays benefits mat ching the understated poverty level. Some states have a long tradition of pushing their poor people out tolerating conditions so harsh that they leave instead of helping to create oppor tunities that will keep them in their home states as productive citizens. The New Federalism amounts to an invitation to the states to compete in being tough on the poor. But poverty is a national problem that won't go away by Washington's attempt to dump it on the states. The ranks of the poor are rising fast over two million people were acjded to the poor last year and the continuing Depression adds more daily. So it is illogical to dismantle national programs and national accountability for growing national problems. Like it or not, our leaders must realize that we are near ing the end of the twentieth century and our problems will never be solved by returning to the failed methods of earlier centuries. Business In The Black LIT .'!''' ' " 4 Haig Helps Out Shultz Should Be Better By Charles E. Belle Secretary of State Haig has finally slip ' ped off the ship of state. Still like a "bad penny" he is persistent and likely to "pop up" again in the future. Having found a fortune in private industry earning over a i million dollars from United Technology Corporation for a few years work, we can expect Haig to "hot foot it'' to anything that reeks of power. Playing chief foreign policy maker for the major country in the world has given him fame he is unlikely to lose without another fight for power. Professional observers of his tenure in public office can understand how his war like policies con stantly put the administration in the em barrassing position of shooting its way out of "bar brawls" or ? begging the forgiveness of its few friends. Finally, - America will assert itself straight from a "corporate business concept" and not as a "bonging bully." r , Believe it or not an exactual change in . the style of the administration has taken place for the better in the case of black American and other black people. Instead of threats from a "war monger," deals will be made based on shrewd manage ment decisions. , Doing business with foreign governments is going to improve under newly selected Secretary of State George P. Shultz. Shultz starts with a relatively clean slate. Still fresh from the business world where Bechtel Corpora tion cooperated to the tune of $100 ' million for the construction of a building in the predominately black American city of Oakland, California. Civil rights is an area where Shultz is Truth or Consequences By Congressman Augustus F. Hawkins With our nation's unemployment rate at its highest level since 1941, it gets harder to wake up to "Good Morning America" and see or hear anything resembling good. With more Americans being added to the unemployment rolls " weekly we are seeing real life "Family Feuds" . these families are not com peting for $10,000 or a chance to kiss Richard Dawson, they are simply trying to survive. - . Now eighteen months into this Ad ministration even "Ryan's Hope" that Reaganomics would work has waned. Un ' fortunately, for , the American . public, : President Reagan has shown no signs of losing faith that his program of stuffing . - the rich in the hopes that the crumbs they drop will trickle down to the middle-class and the poor. . The "Facts of Life" are that-, Reaganomics hasn't worked and the "Guiding Light" which Mr. Reagan pro- ; mised has not helped in the average American's "Search for Tomorrow". To-. : day under Reaganomics. "The Price is Right" only on television. ' . Knowing this, Americans must demand that the Administration open its eyes and realize that for us to have "Happy Days t Again" we must embark upon a different road.. ... "As The World Turns" the American , public is not asking for "Another World" they are simply asking' for a fair shake strong and sensitive to the dollars and cents of the black American community. Considering the "off handed" attitude of. Haig, the Shultz administration should be refreshing even with the present Presi dent. On previous occasions Shultz has stood fast for affirmative action in hiring by federal contractors. Shultz should redirect foreign policy to participate with "all" people interested in the profit motive. This is the first indica tion that the administration is prepared to share some of the wealth and not "hog it all" as, was the policy under Haig. Have no fear, Shultz shall be tight on entitle ment programs, such as social security. Nevertheless, a new day has dawned on the administration and it's about time. a (USPS 091-380) They are asking that the Administration carefully balance the, economic demands of the defense sector with the need for funds to support the social programs that the American people , rightfully expect their government to provide. Our economy is teetering on the "Edge of Night", which, for those of you who cannot remember, is a depression. And ig noring the needs of the "Young", who are increasingly becoming "Restless", and the plight of the elderly and poor will not make the "Days of Our Lives" better. While the folks on "Gilligan's Island" may not be rescued this season and "Buck Rogers" may not make it back from the 21st century, America can recover from the economic troubles it now faces. But to do so, this Administration must leave "Fantasy Island" where they have made decisions only for those few fortunate enough to live like Miss Etlie of "Dallas" or those on "Flamingo Road"., They must take "Different Strokes" to bring "Good Times" to America. . To do this they need not return to "Carter Country", they need only stop the trade off of higher unemployment for lower inflation; big business giveaways for serious tax reform; and corporate sub sidies for needed social programs. This Administration needs to switch , channels "Today" not "Tomorrow" or "Saturday Night". ' ' 4 Y If there is no struggled there is no progress. Those who propose to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder, and lightning. They want the ocean's majestic waves without the awful roar of its waters. , Frederick Douglas L.E. AUSTIN Editor-Publisher 1927-1971 USPS 091-380. : -, ' (Mn.) Vivian Austin Edmonds Editor-Publisher Kenneth W. Edmonds General Manager L.M.Austin Production Supervisor Milton Jordan Executive Editor ' Curtis T.Perkins Contributing Editor-Foreign Affairs ' Published every Thursday (dated Saturday) (except the week following Christmas) in Durham, N.C., by United Publishers, Incorporated. Mailing address: P.O. Box 3825, Our ham, N.C. 27702-3825. Office ' located at 923 Old FayetteviHa Street. Durham, N.C. 27701. Second Class Postage paid at Durham, North Carolina 27702. Volume 60, Number 31, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE CAROLINA TIMES, P.O. Box 3825, Durham, N.C. 27702-3825. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One' year, $12.00 (plus 48c sales tax for North Carolina residents). Single copy 30c. Postal regulations REQUIRE advance pay ment on subscriptions. Address all communications and make all checks payable to: THE CAROLINA .'TIMES- V 'I" '.',!i: NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE' Amalgamated Publlshsrs, Inc., 45 West 45th Street' New York, New York 10036. Member: United Press International Photo-Service National Newspaper Publishers Association. North Carolina Black Publishers Association Opinions , expressed by columnists In this newspaper do not necessarily represent the policy of this newspaper. v . This newspaper WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE for the return of unsolicited pictures.
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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Aug. 7, 1982, edition 1
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