Winston-Salem Chronicle
Founded 1974
ERNEST H. Pin
Publisher
MICHAEL '^rprffrr~^Tr^r~^:rrNDUB?St EOEMONYC^
Assistant to the Publisher Co-Founder *
ANGELA WRIGHT * ELAINE L. PITT
Managing Editor Office Manager
JULIE PERRY'
Advertising Manager
A changing of the guard
IF Tuesday's runoff election is any indication, Winston
Salem will soon elect a woman to the office of mayor for
the first time in its history. Congratulations, Winston
Salem! There are some among us who didn't believe you
could do it (or even come this close).
Martha Wood defeated Dee Smith for the Democratic
nomination by over 800 votes. It was a tough race; but, a
clear majority of the voters chose Wood.
What this means is that the majority of the Democratic
voters in Winston-Salem want a change in the way the city
is managed. It also means that the majority of our residents
are a lot more progressive and open-minded than is some
times evident.
There was a lot of joy and dancing at the Sawtooth Cen
ter Tuesday night where Wood's supporters had gathered.
Those supporters were old and young, black and white, pro
fessional and non-professional, male arid female.
A heart-warming statement of thanks to Wood was
*. W7 tr
offered by Tracy Jones, a handicapped young woman who
is a resident of the Bethabara Hills.family care home.
Anyone who would question Wood's ability to bring
..together a hroad cross-section of tht
have been at the Sawtooth Center Tuesday night.
But Wood's toughest task is yet before her. She is virtu
ally assured of winning the general election on Nov. 7.
Before then, however, there is a lot of healing to be done
within the Democratic Party. ?
The contest for mayor became nasty in the end -
through no apparent fault of either candidate. As we have
said before, both Smith and Wood are decent, upstanding
citizens who do not deserve the labels of "racist" and "liar."
It is unfortunate that supporters of both candidates felt
the need to stoop to such tactics. Perhaps it is more unfortu
nate that neither candidate moved quickly enough to dis
avow the ugly tactics being used in their behalf.
In the final analysis, though, Dee Smith deserves to be
commended. He was gracious and conciliatory in his loss.
His announcement that he would support Wood on Nov. 7
is the right step towards the healing process.
Both Wood and Smith, however, would do well to dis
tance themselves in the future from those supporters who
would debase the character and integrity of another human
being without any justification for doing so.
Politics should not be a game of win at any cost. Too
often the cost is very personal and very painful, especially
when an individual is labeled ."racist" or "liar" and not
given any opportunity to defend himself, or herself, against
the allegations.
A lot of damage has been done to both Wood and
Smith. Together they can begin to make repairs. One of the
reasons why the race between them was so tough is because
they both represent different but very admirable qualities.
But, Wood has proven to be the people's choice. She
could use any help Smith and his supporters are willing to
offer.
There is a lot of work to be done in our city if we are to
progress economically and socially. Every able body and
every able mind will be needed to bring this city to where it
ought to be.
We should not let our petty differences spoil our
prospects for becoming the most enviable city in the South.
We are about to witness a changing of the guard, and we
believe that everyone can benefit/rom that.
Wood supporter disavows Little's message
To The Editor:
I am writing to publicly dis
avow any implication that I sup
port all the statements in the mes"
sage from Larry Little that
appeared on one side of a flier that
showed my name as a supporter
of Martha Wood, which I am
indeed.
I resent any implication that I
support the accusation or insinua
tion that Dee Smith is a racist and
I am particularly incensed to have
my name associated with the
statements that appear in Larry
Little's message, which read "Did
you know that Dee Smith has the
support of the Ku Klux Klan in
this mayoral campaign?" and
"How does the Klan spell relief?
D-E-E S-M-I-T-H."
It is true that what one hears
when dialing the telephone num
ber listed in Mr. Little s diatribe
attacks Mrs. Wood for supporting
the name of the new coliseum, but
it in no way credits its viciousness
to anyone other than its
spokesman, Joe Grady. It certainly
is not credible evidence that the
Klan supports Dee Smith, nor
does it support an allegation that
Mr. Smith would welcome that
endorsement. The fact is that Mr.
Grady closes the message by say
ing that he'll be back in town in
time to vote "a conservative
Republican ticket." (Emphasis
added.) Only a mind bent on gross
distortion and reckless accusation
could r.trotch Mr, Grady's message
into me conclusion ihai Dec Smllfr
_ prompted oL?.sanciiQiied ihis
attack. Such a conclusion is noth
ing more than inflammatory con
jecture.
As for other parts of the mes
sage, that Dee Smith belongs to
country clubs that have historical
ly excluded blacks, that there is a
dearth of black managers at the
savings and loan company for
which he works, these may be
facts but I would only advocate
leaving the, reader to draw his or
PIPE PR6AM
her own conclusions, nothing
more.
I have but one vote, one opin
ion and my own conscience, but
my conscience and my own per
sonal principles will not allow me
to be party to, or permit my name
to be associated with, this type of
campaign blasphemy. To the
extent that Mrs. Wood permitted
the dissemination of the flier, she
should be called to task. I went to
her campaign headquarters as
soon as I learned of ihe flier and
voiced my concern.
I hope you will print this at
your earliest convenience even if
it is alter me election.
David Kirk Tate
Winston-Salem
In memoriam
To The Editor:
I read with sadness your Oct.
12 article regarding the passing of
George F. Newell, friend of youth,
educator, biblical scholar and
CHRONICLE MAI LB AG
Our Readers Speak Out
Scoutmaster. I admired and
respected Mr. Newell. My person
al opinion is that he was kind
hearted and true to his commit
ment of improving the quality of
life for all citizens. He believed
that our youth arc the most valu
able asset of this community and
represent our future, our hopes
and our aspirations.
Brother Newell was a good
man, dedicated to encouraging our
youth to lead productive and
meaningful lives. He has been an
excellent role model.
Shedrick Adams
YVinston-Salem
Higher education's role
To The Editor: ^
It is gratifying to know that
C.D. Spangler Jr., the president of
the University of North Carolina
system, is aware that higher edu
cation has a responsibility in help
ing to raise the SAT scores of stu
dents. We would go a step further f?
and call on higher education to
help raise the CAT score in the
elementary schools, for they do
train the teachers who teach our
elementary children. > 4
The NAACP Education Com
mittee was well aware of the sig
nificance of the universities in our
city and requested that a member
of the faculty be on the Task?
Force of the Underachieves
formed two years ago by the
Superintendent of the Winston
Salem/Forsyth County school sys
tem.
Teachers should, indeed, be
expected to teach in their regular
courses material that is found on
the SAT examination. Too many
times, teachers skip those proce
dures in arithmetic and geometry
Please see page A5
Japanese firms must court Afro-Americans
Toshiki Kaifu, Japan's prime
minister, told me that his country
wants to develop better communica
tions with the Afro-American com
munity and improved relations with
America's minorities.
That statement, made in a pri
vate meeting during my recent trip
to Japan, was echoed by the govern
ment officials and corporate leaders
I met there.
They expressed dismay at inci
dents that exposed racist attitudes
among Japanese leaders, as well as
the racial insensitivity revealed by
widespread distribution of "Sambo"
dolls and negative racial stereotypes
displayed in a big Tokyo store.
The Sambo dolls are gone, the
former prime minister who made
offensive remarks is out of office,
and Japanese leaders are free with
expressions of concern about the
damage done and their resolve to
build better relations.
But it would be a serious mis
take to take expressions of concern
as sufficient. The Afro-American
community has high expectations of
Japanese actions, not words, and
will judge that country's businesses
by their deeds.
I made that clcar in my discus- lution of our social problems.
sions with Japanese leaders and When they answered, as they
stressed that our expectations of often did, that it was difficult for
their behavior were neither more Japanese companies to comply with
nor less than what we expect from these expectations right off the bat
TO BE EQUAL
By JOHN E. JACOB
American companies.
As damaging as racist remarks,
I told ihem,are the facts that show
many Japanese-owned companies
in America locate plants away from
black population centers, and
appear to be laggards in training,
hiring and promoting Afro-Ameri
cans.
With the expansion of Japanese
investments in America and their
greater visibility here, such prac
tices have to change. Americans
expect the corporate sector, whether
home-owned or foreign-run, to
practice equal employment opportu
nity, to use minority suppliers and
media, and to contribute to the reso
because they are alien to their tradi
tions, I replied that they really don't
have very much time.
One reason is that we're only
two years away from the 50th
anniversary of Pearl Harbor, an
event sure to exacerbate current ten
sions over trade. It is in the interests
of Japanese companies in the U.S.
to be seen -- by their actions ? as
firmly integrated into America's
social as well as economic struc
- ture.
I aiso pointed out that
Japanese-owned companies may
run from our urban problems, but
they can't hide. They will be subject
to the same demographic pressures
as Amcrican^owned companies. 9
So unless they help resolve
minority problems in the U.S., their
companies will also face the prob
lem of undereducated workers
unable to function in a high-tech
economy.
it*.
And Afro-Americans are a
powerful consumer force, spending
well over $200 billion on goods and
services last year, and census data
suggest that will double in a decade.
Since we do business with
those who do business with us, it
would be economic hari-kari for
Japanese companies in the U.S. not
to make special efforts to build
closer tics to America's minority
communities.
Time will tell whether these,
and other arguments, sink in and
result in a visible change in rela
tions between two groups that have
much to offer each other. Afro
Americans will be watching very
closely to see if the Japanese are
uuiy interested in pfogress or just in
? better public relations.
John E. Jacob is president of the*
National Urban League.
Chronicle Camera
What issues would you like to see the city's new mayor address?
On Tuesday, 47 percent of the Democratic Party's nomination. With the runoff election now tion. She has promised to make the Mr. Sale said that if elected dent and owner of Sale Vending
city's registered voters came out to behind them both candidates arc city's political process open to all mayor he will concentrate attention Co.
cast their votes for their preferred On the Republican side, gearing up for the next election residents and to make herself avail- on improving housing conditions
choices for the next mayor of Win- Lcnvillc M. Sale defeated William which is only three weeks away. able as mayor to listen to the prob- for the poor throughout the city, This week's Chronicle Camera
ston-Salcm. T. Skidmore in Tuesday's runoff. lems facing all segments of the improving the educational system asked residents what issues they
In a hotly contested race that Mrs. Wood and Mr. Sale will Mrs. Wood is running on a community. and promoting a image for city feel should be given attention by
resulted in a runoff, Martha Wood face one another in the Nov. 7 gen- platform that focuses on the needs She has served as Northwest hall. the candidate elected as the city's
defeated (J. Dee Smiui to gain the eral clecuon. and concerns ot the overall popula- alderman for eight years. Mr. Sale is the farmer nreci
"The jfljjj^^^^^H''RevitaHzmg
house. Con- { downtown."
ditions are
really bad
.there." 1
Wanda I Shirley
Newman Dubose
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"Shootouts '.'Crime and
centers. I
think that's
something
important."
Mike Robert
Brown Stephens
jpsp,.
v. . ;-v.. VvuwaOKl
Bruce
Miller
FixingJbe
streets.'
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