Winston-Salem Chronicle
Founded 1974
ERNEST H. Pin
Publisher
MICHAEL A. Pin NDUBISI EGEMONYE
Assistant to the Publisher Co-Founder .
ANGELA WRIGHT ELAINE L PITT
Managing Editor Office Manager
JUUE PERRY
Advertising Manager
Before we take aim ...
ASK any resident of Forsyth County if he or she would
appreciate having a jail in their neighborhood and the prob
able answer would be a resounding "no".
Any potential site within the city is likely to invite bitter
resentment and resistance from residents of the area.
A jail is probably the least popular addition to a neigh
borhood ? shopping centers run a close second.
Upon hearing the word "jail," many of us think of iron
bars on windows and barbed wire fences. We think of dan
gerous criminals and armed guards.
The concept is not far from what the reality is in many
instances; there are many jails around the country that fit
the above description. But newer facilities reflect state-of
the-art designs and offer tighter security.
Although the sentiments of our readers are mixed when
it comes to the county's proposed site for the new jail, we
believe it is important that all affected residents and inter
ested citizens be given a more detailed explanation of how
the new facility would look and function.
There has been talk of placing the sheriffs office in the
new facility. Perhaps it could also house a police precinct.
Not many residents are opposed to having more police
presence in their community.
While the jury is still out on the likelihood of such a
Commissioners need to make some projections about the
potential economic impact of such a facility ? positive or
negative "
What is missing in this whole furor about the jail is
information. All we have so far is possibilities and refer
ences made about other facilities around the country.
We need to know what is being planned for the Patter
son Avenue site.
Obviously some people are opposed to the site plans for
the new jail simply because it is a jail. It is difficult to tell if
the opposition is against the building, the people hi it. or
both. -
For those who oppose the plans because they envision
the barbed wire encased structure mentioned earlier, the
commissioners should come forth with more architectural
details.
For those who oppose the plans because they fear the
inmates, it needs to be clarified that thio facility io not
designed to house hardened criminals. Some of the people
who spend time in this facility will eventually be found not
guilty of committing any crime.
This is not to suggest that we support the site plan for
the new jail. But there is certainly a need for more informa
tion before a rational assessment of the pros and cons of the
facility can be made.
If there are benefits to be had, then the commissioners
should be challenged to list them and sell them to the resi
dents of the area. If there are drawbacks, the commissioners
are just as obligated to present that information.
The manner in which the commissioners handle this
issue will determine whether they are able to get the sup
port they need. It remains to be seen whether they have
learned anything from the controversies surrounding the
Reynolds Health Center and the county election plan.
hlected otticials can not make decisions in a vacuum
that affect masses of people and then expect the public to
be delighted with the results.
The root of most fear is lack of knowledge. We don't
advocate attacking something that has not been clearly
defined. On the other hand, the time is past due for the
commissioners to do some defining.
Environment should be everybody's concern
To The Editor:
I feel that I am a responsible
adult, I have taught my children not
to litter, and I have made sure that
my car passed all the emission
inspections. I have signed petitions
to reduce off-shore oil drilling and I
always vote to increase the pollu
tion regulations put in major facto
ries. I thought I was doing my part.
I have been horrified by the
recent disaster in Alaska. 1 haven't
used an aerosol can for years. I have
even organized groups of my neigh
borhood children to clean local
parks and the streets.
But I didn't know that every
drink from a styrofoam cup con
tributes to the further destruction of
the earth's ozone layer. I have found
out that styrofoam is one of the
major sources of the chlorofluoro
carbons, or CFCs, which are deplet
ing the ozone. No more coffee to
g?.
I have heard about the Green
house Effect due to the destruction
of the Amazon rain forests, but I
didn't know that had anything to do
with taking the kids out for burgers.
I just found out that U.S. burgers
are made with South American beef
(because it's cheap). I didn't know
that the forests are being destroyed
by cancer-causing pesticides and
herbicides which are banned in the
United States so the cows can be
raised for fast food.
a >
The Institute of Ecosystem
Studies reported that every ham
burger produced with South Ameri
can beef represents the destruction
of about 55 square feet of rain for
ces t. g uess ^w^41 -fi nd-a nother
favorite food.
"Man has reached the potential
capacity to destroy the planet. He
-must he pushedjyi upjojhe xapa^___
bility and actions of saving it It is,
after all, what we're standing on," .
writes L. Ron Hubbard, author of
"Dianetics."
It guess I have a few more
SO /VIAN^ KIPS I KiprnnAj I'M
simssff' I SS
OR A HQ&Sat/ I AflOCfOU?R
.Fe&WSM,
wMmtr
rs?$
$l?5Ps*),?
things in my lifestyle to change. I
hope you do, too.
- Jobee Knight
Los Angeles
Making sense
To The Editor:
? I appreciate the Chronicle's use
of the. term "Afro-American" in
depicting people of African descent.
It makes plenty of sense.
On the other hand, the term
"black" only serves to perpetuate an
issue of skin color and is, by defini
tion, diametrically opposed to
"white " and thus "whites" orT rather,
persons of European extraction^
Opposition and divisiveness are
inherent in these two terms.
Besides, there are very few, if any,
truly black or white people.
Thbugh subtle, the switch to
''Afro- American" should help
improve race relations in the long
CHRONICLE MAI LB AG
Our Readers Speak Out
term. Furthermore, if one notes that
the terms "American" and "Afro
American" are distinguished by an
"Afro," then, as strange as it seems,
"Afro" may one day eclipse that
elongated, redundant "Afro- Ameri
can" as the preferred term. Remem
ber, "Afro-American" has arisen
only in the last few years.
If Jesse Jackson deserves credit
for advocating the change from
"black" to "African-American,"
then the Chronicle deserves its
share of "extra credit" for having
the nerve to use a less bulky version
of the same. ^ : ^
? ? Winston-Salem's
can" segment is served by a weekly
with confidence enough to take
such a stand.
Joe Little
Assistant to the President
American Literacy Council
New York City
You've come a long way .
To The Editor:
9 9
My name is John E. Thomas,
and I wanted to tell you that the
news in the Chronicle really has
come a long way to serve the public
-very well. 1 wish that I can say
more but this is all for right now.
May God bless you.
John Thomas
Winston-Salem
Urban Arts say s thanks
To The Editor:
Mavfest has come aqri
and now that we have had a chance
to catch. our collective breath,
there's a little more housekeeping
Please see page A5
Asking some questions about priorities
May 5, 1989, was a day most
Forsyth County residents will never
forget. This was the day when that
treacherous thunderstorm/tornado
took place. This storm destroyed
homes and cars and placed a heavy
burden on those who had no insur
ancg. My prayers go out to each and
every victim of this major disaster.
But now, let us reflect on the
days and nights after the storm.
Remember on Saturday (the day
after the storm), you had no lights
and all the power in your home was
out? Remember you went out to
church on Sunday, with still no
lights, but you had service anyway?
Remember Monday, when it was
time to go to work, and still you had
no lights? Men were going to work
without that clean, shaven face and
women had to wear their hair "up"
instead of in curls. Thank God,
that's all behind us now.
out Lhere is still one issue that
seems to dwell within my soul. The
issue is why did some communities
receive electricity before others?
Let's compare the following com
munities: The Buena Vista and
Robinhood Road area versus the
Barkwood Road area, located near
Carver High School. As I saw it,
both communities were hit shock
ingly hard. There were large trees
and power lines that were totally
destroy?d.jQne particular resident
of Barkwood Road had his entire
bedroom destroyed, not to mention
his roof.
As I saw it, the people who
lived near the Buena Vista and
Robinhood Road area had Duke
Power and the Winston-Salem
City's Public Works Department's
full attention. I remember seeing
two or three Duke Power trucks and
their crews working hard in the
Buena Vista and Robinhood Road
area to restore electricity that was
lost due to the storm. 1 had a chance
to speak with a Duke Power
employee and I asked why did they
start in this particular area. I was
told, "We received our assignments
and this is where we were told to
start." I wonder why?
But on the other side of town,
the Barkwood Road residents were
facing chaos. Debris was every
where. Where was the city, where
was Duke Power? I had a chance to ,
speak with a local homeowner who
lives on Barkwood Road. I asked,
"When did you finally receive your
electricity?" He told me he received
his electricity later that next week
after the storm. But the people of
the Buena Vista and Robinhood
Road area had theirs within two
days. I wonder why?
Let me offer you yet another
comparison. Remember when
Forsyth County was once again vic
timized by that devastating Febru
ary snowstorm of 1989? I say, let's
compare communities again: The
Ardmore area versus the Happy Hill
Gardens area. Which community do
you think received the city's snow
trucks first? Well, as facts would
have it, the Ardmore community
streets were cleaned first. This is
not my opinion, that is fact, based
on information provided by our
AS I SEE IT
By CARLTON PRESSLEY
city's Public Works Department.
, Again, I ask: Why does servic^
work this way? ^ I
As I reflect back to these
treacherous events, I am not
ungrateful to Duke Power or the
city's Public Works Department. I
just want to examine the issue of ?
why the residents of Bark wood and
the residents of Happy Hill Gardens ?
did not get Duke Power or the Pub
lic Works Department's full atten
tion. I ask: is it a race problem, a
socioeconomic problem, or maybe,
just a coincidence? Well, whatever
the problem or coincidence may be,
I think the citizens of Forsyth Coun
ty need to take a closer look at why
some communities are served first,
while other communities continue
to be served later.
This column is dedicated to the
people who just happen to live on
the wrong side of town.
Carlton Pressley is a first-year
law student at Campbell Univer
sity in Buies Creek.
The Chronicle invites people
throughout the community who
have an opinion to express to
submit columns for consideration
for publication in this space.
CHRONICLE CAMERA
Should Afro-American slave
descendants
be compensated?
In 1988 Massachusetts State
Sen. William Owens introduced a
bill that will compensate Afro
Americans for the state's failure to
outlaw slave trades which occurred
more than 200 years ago.
Mr. Owens' bill asked that an
African Reparations Commission
be formed to study the matter and
negotiate with Massachusetts
African descendants to determine
the amount each will be compen
sated.
"We believe that we've been
denied considerable wealth," Mr.
Owens told Jet Magazine in its
March 6, 1989, edition. "I believe
that this is one of the most signif
icant pieces of legislation that has
been filed in the United States
legislatures..."
Owens has said his bill offers
compensation similar to that
given to 112,000 Japanese- Amer
"Sure. With all
the pressure
and problems
we've had,
with a" tha
hardships for
so many
years, we
d e s e r v e
something."
Carl Jones
"Things like
that reall
need to be
thought about
before you
give an
answer."
Ted Leggett
icans who were interned during
World War II.
After the the surprise bombing
of Pearl Harbor in December 1941,
those Japanese-Americans were
captured and sent to "relocation
centers" and Japanese-Americans
also were suspected - without evi
dence ? of being spies.
"Some 112,000 Japanese
Americans (including native-born
citizens as well as aliens) were
soon stripped of liberty and often
of property, and shipped to "reloca
tion centers," recounted syndicated
columnist Edwin M. Yoder in a
"I think they
should."
Louis Mclntyre
" Yeah. I think
we should. I
mean if it had
happened to
the whites
they would
want some
thing."
Robert Glenn
1986 column.
Last year Congress decided to
apologize for that incident and
offer surviving victims a compen
satory payment of $20,000 each.
City residents were asked if
they would support a reparations
bill in North Carolina.
"If something
were to be
done it should
have been
done immedi
ately. It's not
economically
feasible."
Robin
Richardson