Branch's tough call
Recently the Forsyth County District Attorney's office has
been criticized for its handling of a child sex-abuse case in
which a plea bargain was used. That plea bargain allowed the
second-degree rape charge involving a 13-year-old girl to be dis
missed, and the man accused of the crime to plead guilty to a
lesser charge of taking indecent liberties with a minor.
The relatives of the children involved are convinced that the
way in which the case was handled by assistant D.A. Janet
Branch smacked of in sensitivity to the feelings of the children
involved in this case, and of racism.
In looking at various aspects of the case, one cannot help but
wonder if their suspicions have merit
Branch had the criminal history of the man accused in this
case at her disposal. She had people who were willing to come
forward with the information about the alleged rape and his
other activities. But Branch chose to plea bargain in order to
devote more her energy and attention to the "other very difficult"
sexual-abuse case she would be handling that day.
Her intention to dispose of a jail case, as she put it, may have
been in line with what she felt she was under a mandate to do,
but it did little to bolster the African-American public's
confidence that the district attorney's office takes what happens
to it as seriously as they do other similar cases in the majority
community.
? ^We urge that the~district attorney examine^how assistanr
D.A.S are meeting the mandates that have been handed down to
determine if "justice" is actually being served.
It is understandable that tough decisions have to be made
sometimes about the disposition of cases through the court sys
tem. And there are a number of variables that go into the making
of those decisions. But no one should have to wonder if the
;;ifianner in which a case is handled will be determined by the
caseload or the severity of the crime, especially when it comes
to a child, any child.
The budget crunch
Both city and county officials are waiting on word from our
* legislators about what local cofcrs can expect from the General
: Assembly. Until they do hear what the final word is, local
municipalities will be operating on interim budgets and will
sooner or later begin dipping into reserve funds to cover expens
es.
The legislature needs to make some decisions and soon or
face the prospect of a wholesale revolt from taxpayers, already
angered by local leaders for proposing tax increases and cuts in
services.
The leadership in both houses of the legislature need to exer
cise some leadership and hammer out a budget and not keep the
state's local governing bodies in limbo about what funds they
actually have to work with.
If the legislature is going to use state reimbursements td bal
ance the budget, then it needs to say so now, live with the conse
quences, and let the rest of the state make the adjustments neces
sary to help people move on with their lives.
That's your fault
The other day, a young man was overheard, complaining
that he couldn't find the job he wanted because all the "good"
jobs had been taken. He went on to explain that the "good" jobs
were those where you got to wear nice clothes, worked in an air
conditioned building and could take breaks as often as you need
ed to. . K
So instead of going after "a job", the young man said he
would just wait until something comes along that suited him.
Well, he is likely to be in for a long wait. The young people
who don't mind a getting a little dirty, or working outdoors, and
don't need so many breaks will probably have a lot more produc
tive summer work experience.
Yes, the job market may not be as plentiful as it once was for
area youth, but there are still plenty of jobs available if a person
is willing not to be as concerned with the type of job as mucfi as
they arc concerned with having a job period.
This young man's inability to find a job is his own fault. His
options are clear. He can either sit around the rest of the summer
and bellyache about it with no money in his pockets, or he can
go out and find a job.
They are out there. And if you don't have one, that's your
fault ----- ? - ?
THE 90S
Reader calls for greater use of home monitoring
To the Editor:
Our prison system here in
North Carolina is costing the tax
payer more than he or she can
afford. The average inmate costs
the state between $30,000 to
$40,000 per year. I feel that the
electronic monitoring system
should be expanded, and more peo
ple should be placed on electronic
home monitoring.
The group most likely to do the
least harm to the public would be
those who have been in for 10 years
or more years, and all the first
- offenders with no substance abuse
history.
1 mean people who have never
been to prison before, prior to the
crime that they are currently incar
cerated for. This group should be
those who are already incarcerated,
because now they can see that they
don't want to be here, and have
decided to change their life for the
better.
I have run into many old timers
(Guys who have been down a long
time) who just want a break. But,
so many young people are doing
dumb things out there, and the sys-.
tem is not only making the young
people pay, but, is keeping the old
timers in longer. We want a chance
to make something of our lives, and
try to keep others from coming
BUSH MEMORIAL
CHRONICLE MA1LBAG ,
Our Readers Speak Out
here. Wc want to do our share to back because they weren't in but crowding, save taxpayers' money
try to turn young people from the five to 10 months? (About 8 out of and the state.
drugs, and street life, but how can every 10 to 15). This is why the The savings per year would be
we, when we can't get a break? state should look at the long timers so great, because the state now is
The biggest problem is not those more. Help them to get out, so they claiming broke. 1 don't know about
who have been in here a long time, can help the younger people stay you, but I think our taxpayers
but the young people who keep out. money could be better spent on edu
coming back because no one who It's a simple matter of eco- cation or conservation, better than
has been in for long, has had d long nomics. There are 97 to 102 pris- on the continuing incarceration of
talk with them to explain many ons in North Carolina. If just 50 inmates. Think about it
things, and about what they have , people in each prison were placed t( Sincerely yours,
been through. on electronic monitors, there would ?lj Mr. James L. Galloway
Just think back, how many long be 4,850 people released (using 97). Rt8, Box 89
timers have been let out, and came That would get rid of the over- l?j Reidsville, N.C. 27320
Look at life as a chance . . . not as a chore!
What is it that makes us think
that we are so important that even
tually many of us wind up living
our lives as if we've totally forgot
ten all about the fundamental ques
tions as to why we are here in the
first place?
What happens to us that makes
so many of us forget who we really
are and what this life experience is
all about? What happens to us?
I dare you to ask yourself: why
are we here in the first place? Why
did God make us-you and me?
A woman said to me the other
day "what is man that thou are fear
ful of him?" She said it with such
conviction and such awareness,
such understanding that I almost
shook. She was trying to tell each
of us something about the ultimate
reality.
Oh yes we live in the "real"
world and each of us are confronted
with "real" problems-problems that
threaten to destroy all that we know
and love. But what are "real" prob
lems when we are all confronted
with the ultimate reality - -albeit
certain/uncertainty of life and
death? Each of us knows that death
is just around the corner BUT even
knowing that, why do so many of
us live our lives as if living life
doesn't really matter? Why?
once felt safe and secure--to the
church where we first saw the light?
When we as mere babes begin
this life's journey, we are all so very
innocent We are fresh with God's
great wisdom, love, peace and
understanding. We love one anoth
er. We instinctively follow his
ON THE
AVANT-GARDE
By TANG NIVRI
Why is it that we so often find
ourselves blown way, way off life's
true course in such a way that we
eventually wind up so lost, so con
fused, so full of ourselves that we
wind up having to fight with life's
bitter circumstances-including our
own egos-that for some, it almost
becomes impossible to actually
make it back to the road where we
commandments. We seek his
approval. And most of all, we intu
itively want to report back to him
(the Creator) who made us. We
want to stay in touch with him. We
talk to him. We listen with all of
our curiosity. We listen as if we
know that he is talking and that he
wants to guide us.
Then somewhere along life's
highway, some of us forget; some
of us forget thai we are actually liv
ing life! That we are actually living
an experience that can only be
described as being the most incredi
ble experience a human being can
have! Life.
I wonder sometimes how much
easier this life would be if instead
of us looking at life as a chore that
we would look at life as a chancel
Life is an opportunity to make a dif
ference for good in somebody else's
life.
My father told me about two
old men lying in a hospital bed.
Both of their bodies racked with
tyain. Death was inevitable. My
father remembers the great differ
ence between the two as being one
of simple peace.
One man had lived his life
riotously. The other, a retired
Methodist minister, had lived his
life trying to make a difference in
the lives of people. One had forgot
ten. The other had not
Show love by saying 'no' to gambling
If gambling becomes leaal in hicfnrv ? J * '
If gambling becomes legal in history.
North Carolina, the term "first in The question of legalized gam
flight" could take on another mean- bling (or gaming) is a horse of
'M
GUEST COLUMN
By C. WILLIAM PAGE
from good examples for children. It
would represent a flight away from
acceptable Christian ethics. It
would represent a flight away from
the work ethic. It would represent a
flight away from the belief that the
end does not justify the means. It
would represent a flight away from
our state's motto, esse quart videri
(to be, rather than to seem).
Legalized gambling would rep
. . resent an embracing of that which is
ing. another breed. Rather "than being a wrong (not right) with America.
North Carolina can be proud of positive and encouraging "first," it To legalize gambling is to step
its "firsts." It was the first colony to would become a shameful and out of the carefully laid path of
instruct its delegates to the Conti- destructive "last." It would signal a responsible government and step
nental Congress to vote for inde- deviation in North Carolina's val- into the mud, slime, and quagmire
pendence. ues, ethics, and morality flight plan, of crisis-management expediency.
"First in Flight" refers to the It would actually represent a flight History clearly shows that gam
Kitty Hawk 1903 powered flight of away from decent morals and val- bling is neither an expedient ftor
the Wright brothers. That "first" is ues. ^ proper tool to use in management of
considered a milestone in aviation It would represent a flight away the fiscal affairs of governing bod
ies. Many wise statesmen have
avoided its deceitful allure. Accord
ing to Lewis C. Henry, George
Washington said, "It (gaming) is tjhe
child of avarice, the brother of iniq
uity and the father of mischief."
Personally 1 believe legalized
gambling is a form of citizen abuse.
Were is the scenario: The govern
ment levies all the taxes it dares
levy, then, knowing the citizens are
taxed to the hilt, it finds another
"painless" way to get more money
from them. This is abuse, plain and
simple, referendum notwithstand
ing.
Citizens should know that play
ing the lottery is gambling. The
World Book Encyclopedia defines
"lottery" as follows: "Lottery is per
Please see nana AR
The politics of race is threatenina
black progress
bol which can produce the Willie
Horton effect. The new code word is
racial quotas. Bush is vehemently
denouncing the revised and watered
down Civil Rights Act of 1991 as a
"Quota Bill.'* Bush vetoed the Civil
Rights Act of 1990 and the 1991 bill
now faces a similar fate. Attacking
civil rights and affirmative action has
become good politics.
This latest episode of political
opportunism by President Bush is
reflective of a growing erosion of
national will as it relates to civil
rights of African-Americans and
other minorities. The recent cam
paigns of David Duke and Jesse
Helms showed significant evidence
of this trend. Political analysts close
ly monitored those campaigns for
clues as to what themes, tactics, and
strategies might play well in the
1992 presidential election. What they
found is that a sizable segment of
white America has apparently grown
weary of civil rights and affirmative
George Bush and the Republi
can Party are at it again. In 1988 the
Republican Party used Willie Horton
as an image to exploit the fears, anxi
eties, and prejudices of white voters.
With an eye on the 1992 election, a
"kinder, gentler" George Bush is
searching for another image or sym
action. Many whites now feel that ^ in terms of blacks achieving equity
black progress is being made through ri and parity within the U.S. system,
policies and programs which unfairly j , With the most visible indignities of
give blacks an advantage of whites. n segregation having *been wiped out
VANTAGE POINT
y By RON DANIELS
%
Hence the perception is that black
progress is being made at the
expense of whites.
The massive problems still
plaguing and retarding the progress
of large numbers of African- Ameri
cans is no longer seen as a circum
stance that requires legislative reme
dies. It is increasingly clear that a
majority within white America does
not view the resolution of America's
longstanding crisis in race relations
and with the impression that blacks
have made substantial progress in
terms of education, jobs, and politi
cal power, much of white America
believes that any problems which
blacks now suffer are not the result
of racism or structural inequalities,
but are due to defects in the culture
t and character of black people.
Unfortunately, the U.S. educa
te
v.
Please see page Ad