Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / April 30, 1992, edition 1 / Page 5
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Forum Race is key to case against 'four' The government's entire case against the "Winston-Salem Four" revealed a great deal, but not about any criminal acts by Rodney Sum ler, former alderman Patrick Hairs ton. Alderman Larry Wamble, and the Rev. Lee Faye Mack. Government's case crumbles On April 6, the government abruptly dropped two of the four charges against Mack and the gambling charges against all defendants. The government admitted in open court that it did not have the evidence to back up those charges. It meant that the government never had the right to bring those charges in the first place. On April 27, the two racke teering charges against Womble were dropped. The government's admission simply stated part of what has become obvious. When defense ^ attorneys finally had the opportu nity to ask the obvious questions, the government's "mushroom cloud" of "political corruption, extortion, and racketeering" dis solved. Four years of elaborate and expensive government inves tigation produced hours of tapes and tons of paper but revealed only a heap of assumption, pre sumptions, and prejudices. The government's main wit nesses were all white male busl^ nessmen who claimed they were (or who the government claimed were) "victims of extortion." The government charges these men were pressured to hire Sumler as a lobbyist and to make contributions to charities in order to buy the votes of Womble and Hairston. The government says those who paid got' what tfeey wanted; ai^ffl6se*whb'1tfHfel<H didn't get wM& they wanted. The testimony of the 'Victim ized" businessmen demonstrates that the government built its case on assumptions and prejudices about how black people do act and should act, and the resentment of disgruntled white businessmen used to getting their own way. When these are peeled away, the "evidence" evaporates. In all the four years of material it gathered, the government saw and heard only those fragments into money. The tapes show Hairston spent hours steering Miller to everyone from the mayor down, until Miller practically begged him for the name of a consultant. Some people have stood back from supporting the Winston Salem Four. They take a wait-and see attitude. Some don't want to POINT: By NELSON MALLOY which it could read sinister meanings. When the hours of tapes made by LARCO President William Smith of his dealings with Hairston, Womble, and Sum ler failed to demonstrate criminal ity, the government did not con clude they were barking up the wrong tree. Instead, they called in four undercover FBI agents from Washington and Atlanta to do an elaborate "sting," The sting was shameful. A "businessman" (undercover FBI agent, George Miller) wanted to bring a business to Winston Salem which would mean jobs for the black community and tax base for the city ? right after hundreds The hitch was that the plant involved some radioactivity and would probably need a zoning change. The FBI wanted to show the aldermen would promise to disregard the danger and support the project in return for bribes. The undercover agents made more hours of tapes ? 99% of -Which wcre so innocuous they did 4*0^ enren .want, U> AaU j\*ryt A ^ existed. What the tapes showed was the opposite of the govern ment's theory. The government claims Hairston steered business men to Sumler, who would ask for use race as an excuse for crime. But now we have seen ? it is time to speak out. This is not about yelling "racism" to avoid prosecution, but about racism see- . ing crime where there is none, creating it out of prejudice and resentment ? It is important to see the Win ston-Salem Four case as part of a larger pattern of Federal govern- # ment attacks of African-Ameri cans. The white supremist doc trine supporting this pattern has been concisely stated in an affi davit by Atlanta attorney and for mer undercover FBI operative Hirsch Friedman. Attorney Fried man stated that prevailing FBI belief to be^ thai-black people ye morally and intellectually inferior and, if allowed to become public officials, they will become cor rupted. Coupling that mindset with the awesome investigatory, prosecutory, and propaganda power of the Federal government continues the historic pattern of excluding African-Americans fropd #ie den^opratic process. _ nol.oji wit c>. [Editor's Note; Mr. Malloy is an alderman for the city of*Win ston-Salem. He is also a member of the Winston-Salem Four Defense Committee.] Racism is not the problem Regarding "Operation Mush room," the trial against the "Win ston-Salem Four" ? Rodney Sumler, former alderman Patrick Hairston, Alderman Larry Womble, and the Rev. Lee Faye Mack ? those who claim it is a "continuing attack on black lead ers' are either grossly uninformed about the work of the FBI and/or using the findings of the FBI to selfishly advance their own quest for power. The FBI is an agency that must use secret, hidden, sting, and entrapment procedures. Citizens who are not engaged in illegal activities have nothing to fear from activities of the FBI. If any thing, they appreciate such inves tigations. Monthly, if not weekly, white citizens have been and are being indicted from such fields of work as religion, politics, education, athletics, all phases of businesses, and you name it. Many decades before black people began to legally taste equal opportunities, white citizens were the primary targets pursued by the FBI (and still are). They were the only ones in positions that provided lucrative temptations to satisfy their needs and wants. Thinking people know that the more black people take advantage of equal rights and opportunities, the more black leaders will be pursued by the FBI. Its limited staff usually can only focus upon cases reported and more often, it takes an indefi nite number of yean for thorough investigation of reports, with pre sentation for prosecution based upon findings. Too many of our "leaders" thrive upon declaring that racism is the reason that the FBI now pursues black leaders all over the country. They justify their atti tudes based upon the fact that the "white folks are doing it too!" These are subservient attitudes still feigning from the days of slavery. The white man is their "guiding light" ? right or wrong. While free physically, they're still enslaved mentally. They ignore the existence of a fair trial. They ignore the existence of a jury of citizens whose ultimate decision is based upon hearing the defense Like the Ku Klux Klan "lead ers" are talented in persuading many white citizens to follow any course of action to reject efforts of black citizens to benefit from equal rights and opportunities, so are these black "leaders." Who are their followers? Most followers are illiterates, frustrated citizens who have no set goals to reach in life and thus, they seek scapegoats COUNTERPOINT: By D. DRAKE and prosecution. They ignore the victims! They unwarily and unashamedly intimate that black suspects are too stupid to know what they say and do, and thus, should not be held responsible for whatever. Exacdy everything we blacks fail to accomplish ? even when little effort has been made to accomplish anything ? is caused by racism, according to some of our "leaders." The increasing vio lent acts of blacks against blacks is accepted as being caused by racism. Drug dealers and addicts in our neighborhoods are caused by racism. Rapes and teenage pregnancies are caused by racism. Never mind that the aforesaid are found in other races. In the black race, it's all due to racism. Ironically, these leaders do lit tle more than broadcast this rea son enough to motivate their fol lowers to demonstrate and other wise destroy their own neighbor hoods. One must wonder how much improvement could be made if they helped the unfortu nate victims of racism with the same energies they use to blame racism for their lacks. for pacification. They are citizens with such poor self-esteem that they follow anyone who offers them an excuse to do nothing, go no place, and be nobody, according to their way of thinking. A substantial number of black citizens will not act like spoiled brats ? tearing up their own neighborhoods, patrolling streets to uphold any proven-to-be-illegal acts of persons of any race, creed, or color. We have as many decent, intelligent, and upright leaders as any other race of people, but no - superhumans. It isn't important that it will take us centuries to catch up with the crimes and violent acts com mitted by members of the white race. It is important that we black people assume some self -respon sibility for some of the things we fail to accomplish as a race of people. We should stop declaring or even intimating that when racism is eliminated, we will all live a heavenly life. [Editor's Note: Mr. Drake is a frequent contributor to the Chronicle Mailbag.] i > >35 AH, UJUt.lVUKB TOSea FOR SVfS&J1. IWAWTOMAXB SURE 0URCW6HWR&n GST TING A &RVS EVOCATION' / OKAf.UJHD KNOWS THZ/WfWeR* MfF* JASONT ANPR&O' JONATHAN? ***** NICHOLAS? BRJGHWR COLORS.. it P mm LmJ NOPB. AMONG SLS6T 000,(0? hAS/CNTHEARP FROM XV f ALBERT? KBVIN? (( / ^ UJhfiPSTHE QEALHBRB? MA1BEI NcwroLase THE PORKY BOYS tUHAT GET ALL THt ATTEN PO YCXJ VON. MRS. JA5PBR MEAN, ISN7 FAIR. ABOUT ALEX ? LETTING THE61RLS AN6MRQUeST!0N6. jprrv- ' tHSORMO PtSTURBYOU, ojuaj sefmsiHE SORJOF BOYS6ET MOST \ iU II 'MRf'ti&ONBBUW JMXOUTBL* AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS OF GENPCRBlAS IN THE CLASS - ROOMTOCW. ALMOST ALL "SM'SSS. TEACHERS ARE-. ' . IUNPER FORCB*" S0W,*Uf~* FULLY BOYS CAN +. fTOMTM PROJECT THEIR PRES- ATTHEEX ENCE. THEYMA& kNSEOF THEMSELVES VERy THE&RLS' HARP FOR US TO SELfESTEEM. I _ IGNORE / JUST A MINUTE, ERNIE. MRS. POONESBURY, THAT% m JUST CRAZY. AFTER ALL, Mr TMA FEMALE MYSELF. H p&! /F ANYTHING, IFAMOR THE&KLS! YES, BY ALL MEANS, LETSFH7 OUT. \ THOSE EARLY. EMPOWERING mVENCBS ARE SO IMPORTANT INPEPENOBNT ANP STAMP HOUVSHB TEACH YOU* UELL.BY...UM,, ABANP0NIN6 ME. OKAY, BAP EXAMPLE. \ ^7 MEAN, BIAS IS A PRETTY HARP TH/N6 70 TALK ABOUT, MUCH LESS APMTTTO. V poesANY&e THINK I /SNORE >Sxh < TEPPVf * SfoH... s o fV The Winston-Salem Chronicle is the only alternative news source in this community. Become a valued subscriber to the Chronicle and not , only keep up with what's happening ^ in the community, but have some \ v say-so about the coverage. V" Subscribe now! Winston-Salem Chronicle send your check or money order to: WinstonSaJem Chronicle Subscription Dept. P.O. Box 1636 Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102 Clip and Mail ? 2 years ? 1 year ? 6 months ? 3 months Regular *40" ?30" *20" ?10* Senior Citizens '34" *22" $ Q70 n Add *5?? to all rates tor delivery outside Forsyth County. Name Address City, State, Zip Phone I )_ Call 722-8624 for more information.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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April 30, 1992, edition 1
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