Forum
4
Both Duke and Buchanan wrong
Black people reaping an
unexpectedly favorable harvest
fropi the unsavory rhetoric presi
dential aspirants David Duke and
Pal Buchanan.
Both appeal to the worst
instincts of American citizens, but
they have triggered an effective
reaction from the media.
Duke, an avowed but behind
birth rates and other data remaining
reasonably constant, whiles will be
the minority in this country within
the next 50 years. *
Because whites will be a
minority in fifty years, many lead
ing educators and other officials are
urging that the tradition of affirma
tive action be established now for
? the eventual protection of whiles
MINORITY REPORT
By JAMES E. ALSBROOK, Ph.D.
thc-scenes Klansman and Nazi, is
using racism cloaked in code words
like "welfare and food stamps peo
ple" and "dirty affirmative action"
to hlame hlacJc people for the
. nation's problems. Buchanan, an
avowed far-rightist ^vith Nixon's
and Reagan's anti-minority senti
ments, said or television that Amer
ica "is a white nation" and therefore *
'should deal with Haitians and
blacks accordingly.
Duke is proven wrong by the
U.S. Food and Nutrition Service -
which reports that forty-four per
cent ? nearly half -?.of food
stamp recipients are white. Twenty
? eight percent are black, twenty
three percent are Hispanic and oth
ers are Asians, Pacific Islanders,
Indians, and Alaska natives.
Buchanan is also proven wrong
by the th&7~Govenrment. Census
* figures show that more than one
fourth of the nation's population is
non-white, including blacks, His
panics and various others. Popula
? tion projections indicate that with
Revive 'The
The new year 1992 offers yet
another opportunity for all persons
committed to justice and freecktfn tb
febtiild antf revive the' progressive
"movement" for social change in
the United States. 1991 was the
year of profound changes in many
regions of the world from the for
mer Soviet Union - to raci-st ^
apartheid South Africa.
But here inside the United
in places of high political power,
< from the White House to governor's
mansions, who remain determined
to prevent this nation from achiev
ing the kind of fundamental social
transformation necessary to elimi
nate racism and economic exploita
tion. We have witnessed in many
communities throughout the nation
a growing "grassroots" demand for
justice and empowerment. This is
good news for "movement build
ing."
History teaches us, however,
that effective movements for sodul
change, particularly in a nation that
denies its deep-rooted racial
inequity, do not occfur through the
"mere coifrcideTOe~T>f popular or
minority outrage. An effective
social justice movement has to be
organized, built, nurtured, and con
sistently revived with new vision
and leadership.
Be it therefore resolved that
we, together with you, will work
harder than ever before over the
next 12 months to rescue the United
States from the historic clutches of
racial discrimination and exploita
tion by reviving the justice and
freedom movement in every com
munity in the nation.
It is unfortunate that many of
the announced candidates for Presi
dent, both Democratic and Republi
can, have chosen campaign slogans
alike: "America First" or "America
Only." It is as if politicians hdfieve
that the way to get elected il* 1992
is to cilgagc the nation in Vncw
round c/f myth-making by blaming
"others" for the sad state of the
domestic economy. Yes, God has
. blessed America, but shouting
"America Perfcct" rs a myth and
another attempt to submit to a dan
gerous form of national "self-idola
try"
Even though it was watered
down to the extreme in terms of
compromises, the successful enact
ment of the Civil Rights Act of
when they become a minority.
But the immediate harvest
blacks get from Duke and
Buchanan talk is the reaction of the
electronic me4ia,
Withijv-ttTETtast month or so ?
following the prominence of Duke,
Buchanan and the Thomas hearings
? many advertisers, talk show
hosts, local television and radio
broadcasters and others are using
more qualified but hitherto obscure
black professionals. Many hold
- doctorate degrees in various disci
plines.
Talk show hosts using black
experts include Phil Donahue,
Oprah Winfrey, Geraldo Riviera,
Sally Jessie Raphael, Joan Rivers
. and others.
But also prominent on the air
waves have been more talented but
local black anchor people, r ?
Nationally known businesses
have used"more blacks in advertis
ing. They include General Motors,
Fqrd, I.B.M., Folger's, Kentucky
Fried, Colgate, McDonald's, Sears,
Penny's, and various others.
But big media including NBC,
CBS, and CNN have kept pace by
intensifying black participation in j
positive images and by apparently I
softening stereotypes. Psychologi- j
caliiudies have shown th^t the pro- -
jection of individuals in positive
roles causes the general population
to perceive related groups more j
favorably. ?
J These favorably projected indi
viduals become status symbols and
opinion leaders, authority figures,^
and role models T*heir beirig in
these communication positions
denotes status conferral and implicit
acceptance by-power people.
This development is very
important, for it denotes a rather
sharp change. Whereas in the past,
blacks "were represented by their
worst (as buffoons, flunkys, clowns,
and ignoramuses) now., for at least,
emphasis has changed and show
cases the best ? as has been done
all along for whites in history
books, movies, dramas, art, etc.
This is one way of influencing pub
lic opinion ana public behavior. ^
The Anita Hill factor in the
Thomas hearings brought before
America a type of brilliant black
talent never before assembled and
viewed by millions of Americans.
Also, the prominence of Bryant
Gumbel, ? Bernard ? Shaw, ? E4 ?
Bradley, the Cosby Show and oth
ers radiated a.wave'of positive*
images to America.
? Whether America's "power
people" reacted with fear or atarm
to the: ravings of Duke anfa
Buchanan I do not know. But we
can be thankful that the pendulum
of time and circumstance has swung
in a favorable direction.
Movement' in the U.S.A. .
1991 over strong opposition from"
the While House should be viewed
a?~a victory for cause of social
justice. This past year isa good
example of "one step forward
amidst a strive taking two steps
backward." The important point is
thatiit is still possible to wage an
effective struggle . ! . but it takes
Organization and mobilization; most
importantly it takes persistence
numerous inquiries from youth
leaders who want to be involved
and oommkted to challenging ; the >
various forms of injustices in their
communities. The genius of the
"movement" of the 1960s was how
it opened up and allowed njass par- -
ticipation by youth and students.
We do not believe that the current
generation of young people are the
so-called "lost generation." There
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
BwGENJAMIN F. CHAVfS JR.
\
even in the face of formidable odds.
v For all of these reasons, we
believe that 1992 becomes a pivotal
year beyond the election of the
President. We need to indicate to
-ourselves and to the world commu
nity that the just social transforma
tion of this society is not only possi
ble but absolutely necessary. We
recently caught a glimpse of this
potential in the current efforts to
build an "environmental justice
movement" as a multiracial/multi
cultural grassroots effort to chal
lenge environmental racism and
injustice.
An important factor in reviving
the struggle here will be the leader
ship role and participation of young
people who- are students or commu
nity activists*. We have received
are literally millions, of young per
sons in the nation who would like to
be in the "movement" of today if
given the opportunity to join.
We intend to give greater
emphasis this year to the emergence
of some of the new youthful voices
that are at the cutting edge of saying
no to oppression. The reality is that
there is ample room for all of those
that desire to be involved in the
struggle no matter what age catego
ry
We, therefore, begin the new
year with a sense of optimism and
responsibility. Whether or not there
is to be a revival of the "movement"
in 1992 will be dependent upon
what we together do, what we
together toleraterand what we j
together demand.
gjggpv ' ?<
Vtei-vv.*/ .,M4.'/.- .*> > JL .?/< . .. >x??i
?/ >-?? .<k&y<dSB%&totx vote *s*iv>A*
Prices Good thru January 1, 2, 3 & 4
V2 Price Sale
9 * ^
on Christmas Decorations
and Candy Continues . . .
* w.
50% off selected Fragrance Gift
nrteod -
Adding Machine Rolls
(Tfeod
Envelopes
50 or 1 00 regular or
40 or 80 security
PPBOd
Computer
Paper
#64886
Empire File Boxes
Acco
Hanging FiJe Box
j ? , ' ,1 #20020
Personal Size
_ Jumbo Size
Income
Tax Time Is
Here Again
Getting your records together can be worrisome,
make your record keeping simple . . . Have your
prescriptions filled at a Crown Drug Store.
We have CHRIS! Crown's Health Record
Information System. A computer that puts your
prescription records at your fingertips, upon
request, you can get an itemized statement to be
used for health insurance and income taxes.
This service is free, and it's easy. All you need to
do is bring your prescriptions to Crown Drygs.
We do the rest.
Tot
Stapler
with Staples
"CHRIS"
"Crown's Health
Record Information
System"
All
Multi-Pack
Pens and
Pencils
Bring Your Holiday
Film To Us For
Processingtffl^Sa
to
ING SPECIAL
Vicks Formula 44
/ \ v v v 44M, 44D or
NdUtric xic ri$ ttric PGdidtNC 44,
3T d e m 44<*, 44e, 44m
ST "Knfcu 4 oz
Kl Hill $099
C-41 process for 110, 126, disc ?|
or 35mm full frame color print film. ^
(Han as Mall 1-HR Express not Included)
We Reserve the
quantities
Visit pne of These.Convenient Crown Drug Locations
1 631 Peters CJreek Parkway 8 Lewisville, 6499 Shallowford Rd
2 ReynokJa M^nor Shopping Center . 9 Stanleyville, Old Hwy 52 North
3. 3Q7S Kerner^ville Road 10 King, Colony Centre *
4 301 Acadia Avenue 11. Wjiikertown, Hwy 66 ?
5 Hanes Mall 12 4917 Country Club Rd
6 Okjtown, 3716 Reynolda Road 13 Bermuda Quay
7. Clemmons, W^stwood Village 3*' 14 New Market Plaza ? Kernersville
! Also in: Salisbury, Yadkinville, Mocksville, Newton. Taylorsville, & Lexington
Visit a Crown Drug Op 4c Shop today, locataA
in Crown Drug Storaa at tha foHowtng
locations:
? Harvaf Mall ? Davrtaon Plaza
Winatar-Safarn. NC Laitngtan. NC
766 0322 24*6732
? Willow Oak
Shoppr>g Cant?r
/ Mocfcaviila, NC
634 6216