Martin Fr<
because of a movement toward a
direction that is contradictory to
our beliefs. If we drop our bucket
and head off in that other direction,
what does that say about
our commitment?
We should not try to get ahead
of the pack and attempt to lead it
in the direction it is already headed,
unless that is really the direction
we want to go and unless we
are prepared to go all the way in
order not to be overrun or
devoured. 1 seriously believe that
such actions played a role in the
a _r? ?
ucicais ui some uemocratic candidates
on Nov. 6.
As a party, we need to stop and
examine our principles - not our
politics ? and if we find them unsound,
then we should modify
them; if, however, we find them
basically sound, our mission is to
hold firm and fight harder to
make other persons aware of that
soundness.
1 have heard a great amount of
discussion about projecting a
more conservative image, but
very little about projecting a
more principled image, nor about
~ examining and reaffirming our
principles. The focal point must
be our principles, not our
politics; if we get the principles
straight, the politics should fall
into line. .
This entire controversy surrounding
conservatism and
liberalism has developed into a
veneer .covering up a mass of
distorted and confused labeling
and mislabeling. Persons are
labeled based on the positions
they take regarding substantive
issues.
This is an inaccurate measure,
because each of us is both conserMarable
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tly, 4'The. American people have
to feel a little like they were walking
into the office of a cruise ship
and found out they were in a
cancer clinic. This is not the
upbeat Opportunity Society commercials
of just six weeks ago. If
you are going to convince people
that they need cancer surgery,
you've got to convince them they
have cancer."
Reaganomics has painted the
Democrats into a fiscal corner,
however. Trained in the Keynesian
tradition, the congressional
Democrats know that you can't
raise taxes during a recession.
The way out of the economic
doldrums is through pumppriming
via additional deficit
spending, creating new job programs.
The problems with this
scenario is that Reagan, the
greatest deficit spender of all
time, has swollen the deficit by
billions. No additional deficit
spending could occur without
reigniting interest rates back to
double-digit levels.
The Federal Reserve Board is
currently trying to keep the
recovery alive by increasing the
amount of currency in circulation.
But this monetary strategy
also will push up interest rates,
which in real terms -- factored for
" ? HFdwiy i
time high.
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future health for the community
was laid.
Finally, as the year drew to a
close, the vicious racist actions of
the South African government
brought whites and blacks
together in mutual outrage and
concern.
For the First time in years,
preachers and rabbis, labor
leaders and civil rights proponents
marched hand-in-hand
singing, "We Shall Overcome."
Congressmen of the Black
Caucus and conservative
Republican senators alike protested
the South African oppression.~
s
A similar coalition was actix$
to urge aid for the starving victims
of the famine in Africa, and
jm Page A4
vativc and liberal. The question is
not what position is taken on
substantive issues, rather, it is
related to how one responds to
change or proposed change. The
"if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude
is connoted to reflect conservative
opinion.
It is an attitude that is resistant
to change and even resistant to
examining whether "it" can be
made to work better "even if
ain't broke." The liberal attitude
is connoted by a willingness to
change without knowing or giv-*
$ ing due regard to the coiise
qucnces. Of course, whether
change should be considered is a
function of who is affected.
It is my opinion that we should
always be willing to consider not
only how we can best fix that
which is broken, but also what
adjustments can prevent a
breakdown or make improvements
that could, be
beneficial now and in the future.
Since liberalism has become
such a disgusting and revolting
- concept, I feel compelled to pose
a question in its defense. Why
would a person be disturbed
about being referred to as a progressive,
fair-minded, openminded,
, enlightened,
humanitarian, charitable, forgiving
and desirous of improving
conditions for the masses of people
in North Carolina and
elsewhere?
In terms of both process and
philosophy, the N.C. Democratic
Party should hot be jerking to the
right nor to the left. We need to4'put
down our buckets where we
are'* and carefully reflect upon
how we can define and communicate
a clear sense of purpose
From Page A4
Thus, neither the Democrats
nor the Republicans have any
viable solutions to avoid the next
recession ? which will , occur
sometime within the next 15 months
and promises to be even more
severe than its predecessor in
1982.
The only way out has already
been suggested by the Congressional
Black Caucus, civil rights
groups, peace and some labor
leaders. Defense spending must
be cut dramatically and billions
allocated for nonproductive
weapons must be spent on human
needs.
The current tax crisis is caused
fundamentally by the corporations,
which don't pay their fair
share. Of the 250 largest corporations,
67 paid absolutely no
federal taxes last year.
The typical tax rate of 14.7 percent
of these firms is well below
the, statutory corporate income
tax rate of 46 percent. When
welfare for the military and
upper-income groups is finally
halted and federal priorities focus
on housing, education, jobs and
transportation, the specter of
recession will be lifted.
(Dr. Manning Marable teaches
University in Hamilton, IS. Y.)
HwttiiHiMtnHtMttiiiiHittinmiiuHfuiMitimHmmimtM
Page A4
communities all over the country
mobilized their resources to send
food to the hungry abroad.
ry uai la imp^iuug is oil ciuciging
new coalition of decency in
~ which moral values and a sense of
fairness are reawakening.
Now those feelings of solidarity
are being directed abroad to
the victims of racism and hunger.
But once those positive values
have been tapped, how long will
it be before the discrimination,
hunger and unfairness at home
also generate an active coalition
for change. If they do, then the
hopes of 1984 will come to fruition.
(John E, Jacob is president of tht
National Urban League.)
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and conviction that is consistent
with the reasoned and progressive
aspirations of those persons who
have been the heart, backbone
and conscience of the Democratic
Party and who have been most
loyal to that which they have
perceived as the principles of the
party.
Involvement of blacks and
women in the N.C. Democratic
Party is a subject Democrats do
not like to discuss very much.
When it is discussed, the prevailing
attitude is 44Let's get it over
with and out of the way."
If the nartv is to survive it will
be because the current and
emerging leadership makes an
unqualified affirmative determination
to include black persons
and women in all facets of the
party's operational and decisionmaking
processes.
This inclusion cannot be on a
token basis, nor can it be perceived
by the general public as being
such. The true leaders of the party
within the next several years
will ~ be the ones who today
vigorously, unashamedly and
unapologetically begin to
facilitate this sort - of involvement.
These true leaders will need to
"actively seek out and consult
with, on their own initiative,
black persons and women. They
will need to carefully consider
their opinions and ideas. This is
true, whether those leaders are
white, black, male or female.
Merely to seek out and consult,
however, connotes maintaining a
rather firm grasp on the power,
rather than distributing it. One
who chooses to distribute power
is one who is self-assured enough
to believe that by sharing power,
he also maintains power.
One who erects barriers to
secure his own power simply
builds the foundation for his
ultimate downfall. The
Democratic party win be sate and
secure when this new powersharing
leadership convinces the
?W:
Duke Power is pi
nications device*
Now people1
to TDD s will b
about energy pr<
The telephor
voice com muni(
Duke Power 5
from 8am to 5p,
1
run
public that: H
1 am sincere in my beliefs, and H
my actions -- not just my words -- H
reflect those beliefs. 1 view power H
as a mechanism for empowering
the many, as opposed to suppor- H
ting the few. Power should not be
acquired for the purpose of keeping
it; rather, power should be acquired
for the purpose of bestowing
it uporfothers, for the benefit
of all.
I cannot acquiesce in a
philosophy or practice that does
not recognize and project that
justice, human dignity and truly
equal access to opportunity constitute
the cornerstone of a
civilized society and government.
I recognize that 1 am not where
I should be in the fight to implant
the cornerstone, but 1 am willing
to learn and be pushed forward
by you who hold those same ?i
beliefs; and while you are *.i
teaching and pushing me, I will
be pulling and teaching you so t
that we will arrive there together,
side by side.
Although this open letter is
designed to be critical of the
direction in which the N.C.
Democratic Party could be head*
ed, it is not too late for us to take
corrective action. It will be
necessary for us to have conviction,
a desire for success and keen
awareness as to the pain and
distress that could befall many
persons if we fail to take that corrective
action.
I am convinced that many of
the persons with whom the immediate
fate of the party rests
want to do that which is best.
Some have been bombarded
overwhelmingly with one viewpoint
and have, consequently,
become unsure as to "what the
people (which people?) want."
I would say that we need to
focus our attention and energies
on making that solid
ccornerstone of civilized society
and government the solid cornerstone
of the N.C. Democratic
Party. Shall we?
^ 'tf'"' ? ' ' iii^*?^??^^?Mii>?>^-^>ft^ | i, ,i , ^ | 1 fc'_.\.M. .1"' '**
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leased to announce the ii
5 for the deaf,
with speech and hearing
e able to call in power or
ograms or discuss anythi
re numbers shown belov
zation over these lines.
5 TDD s will be in operatic
m, Monday through Frid
T^eCtuomcia,. Thursday, December 27, 1984-Page A5
Drains harmful static fast (V2 second)
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Computer protection from memory
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Non-shocking at normal
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itages, ask billing questions, inquire
ng they'd like. And it's all toll free,
v are for TDD's only. There is no
/V' * ?" FromNC,call MW>424^WCtt
Dnm From SC? call l-HXW3K-43k\
lay.^^v^wh^hl DUKE POWER