Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / May 6, 1993, edition 1 / Page 12
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Winston-Salem Chronicle I '.<? I**in C ity's A*mrd Winning WeekJ* Err.est H. Pftt Established in 1974 Pubhsher/Co-touhder Ndubisi Egenionve Richard L. Williams CtvFounder Michael A. Pitt Managing Editor ? **?"""? Manager Mel White _ \ ipaporn Ratal) a - Circulation Manager KC anager qpfe ^ Sort'' Ga'Ot>rva ,N?w* miw Audit BufC^U Ama^mgMwj ? p'?*? Aaaocxtior A??oc*t.or> Of Circulations Pwttii*r>*?. inc Don't Let Money Blind You ? ? i a When Oprah Winfrey visited affluent Bucrca Vista a few days ago and presented the neighborhood on her show, it showed that she4s-out oT touch with African Americans or insensitive toward her race. And if one isn't well-grounded, tons of money has a way of bringing that on. Winfrey makes tons of money. When people are blinded by green, -they couldn't see racism or oppressive situations if they were smacked in the face by them. That appears to be the case with Winfrey, who grew up, by her own accounts, poor and somewhat oppressed. For her to make as many visits to the city as she says she docs and to only sec northwest Win ston-Salem, is shameful. She is correct when she says ado ration is unhealthy, but she was adored by several white families when she showed up on the Ramsey si doorstep on Arbor Road on April 25. They became tongue-tied and couldn't carry on a normal conversation with the celebrity. i Their neighbors ran inside, loaded their cameras and flicked away. Talk about adoration. Wanna bet those parents didn't brag at work Monday morning; that those children didn't beam with pride at recess. All children need love and someone to look up to. But my guess is those children along Arbor Road can find it somewhat easier than some of the unfortunate children in some of the city's public housing developments. Winfrey could have lifted the spirit of a child whose ? through no fault of the child ? mother might be on crack, stripping that child of an essential role model. Oprah wouldn't have had to jog very far to find some of those African- American children: some are a little further cast on Arbor Road, where it is conspicuously called 25th Street. Her ignoring the African- American community is likened to a skit by a popular African- American comedian who was asked to be a guest on a talk show about racism. The comedian was asked whether there is racism in Amer ica. Alter a long pause and visions of his weekly paycheck, he dipped his head and shone upward his bright, bulging eyes, grinned and replied: "If n der is, 1 ain't secn't it." Brown's Column Debuts on Forum In recent weeks, the Chronicle has invited several local leaders to address issues of concern to our community. We believe that our community is not monolithic as some who arc not members of our community would like to assume. There arc wide and diverse viewpoints that we believe deserve exposure. All of us do not agree on all things. As part of our commitment to our readers, we wjll continue to present dissenting opinion on issues that are dear to us. This \veck, the Chronicle debuts a new opinion column entitled "Geneva Says." The column is written by long-time school administrator Geneva Brown. Brown most recently was elected to serve on fhc Winston-Salcm/Forsyth County Board of Education. We believe her perspective will gener ate much discussion and feedback. We encourage you to respond to "Geneva Says." We encourage, too, Geneva and her fellow African American on the board, Walter Marshall, to be resolute in their efforts to bring parity to our children in the school system. Credo of the Black Press The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from antagonisms when it accords to every person ? regard less of race or creed ? full human and legal rights. Hating no per son, the Black Press strives to help every person, in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back. How To Reach Us Production Department 723-9026 Kathy Lee Debroah Holiday-Belcher Crystal Wood News Department 723-8448 Karen Harmon Mark R. Moss Deby Jo Ferguson Business Office 722-8624 Donna Conrad LaCheryl Mitchell Emma Jean Pitts Advertising Department 722-8628 Cliff Hunt Judie Holcomb-Pack Circulation Department 722-8624 Walter Mickle Vannell Robinson Todd Fulton Patrick Edmunds Winston-Salem Chronicle Opinion Womble's Comments Further pivides City After reading the article con cerning the letter written by Alder man Lam Womble to the selection committee which will select the finalist for All-American City desig nation. I would like to share a few thoughts with the citizens of Win ston-Salem in general and the voters of the Southeast Ward in particular. Since the voters of this city will not elect a black person, to whom does Womble owe his continued _ tenure on the Board of Aldermen? I hope that he is not ignorant enough to attribute his political victories to ? the_b_lack voters of this ward. Then again, maybe Any person, wneiner ip political arena or not. should have the sense, wisdom, and/or foresight to realize that the comments that he continues to make do not do any ~ thing to help foster improved race relations in Winston-Salem. From his comments about two years ago that increased police pres ence was not needed io the Morn ingside Homes neighborhood because we don't have a drug and crime problem to his most recent action, Womble has shown a hlatant and utter .disdain for the intelligence of the people of this city and this neighborhood. Tell the people who are getting Larry Womble their houses broken into every day that we don't have a problem. How about the people who can't get into Food Lion and Revco without being accosted by the winos and the broth ers selling the hot watches, rings, and other jewelry, plus many other items too numerous to mention in this letter. What you^gonna' tell them, Larry? ' It came as no surprise to me, nor should it have been to anyone else who has followed Womble. that his letter contained several mistakes and omissions. Womble is part of the small but very vocal part of this city who would have us believe that all the problems that we suffer from are inflicted upon us by white peo ple. Some are. but the majority of our ills are indeed self-inflicted. On every corner, with few exceptions, throughout neighbor hoods young black men and women gather day and night selling crack cocaine and other illegal drugs. Larry, don't dwell so much on who is bringing the stuff into the coun try; you need to open your eyes to who is bringing it into our neighbor hoods. Rather than continuously mak Adelaide Tambo , wife of the former African National Congress President Oliver Tambo, weeps during a requiem mass held in Johannesburg. Her husband died after suffering a stroke. Tambo recently spent 30 years in exile and returned to South Africa in August 1990. CHRONICLE MAILBAG Our Readers Speak Out ing disparaging remarks about this city and its police officers, your time would be better spent seriously try ing to work from within to instill some pride and determination in the legions of c\ur young black males -who-are-desperately- looking for? someone and/or something to believe in. It is not the police who are ter rorizing our communities on a regu lir bafcisi Yo4 should be required, \ J, , i- \ ?>). ')Uif vnrTi'.i. along with the other aldermen, to ride with the police on their patrols for a couple of weeks. Maybe then you would be willing to admit what I am sure you already know all too well ? we are our own worst enemy. Maybe you are naive enough to . ahink you are helping the situation, when in fact you are doing the citi zens of this city in general and its black population a great disservice. You, along with John Mendez and the rest of your group of so called leaders continue to cloud the minds of our black youth. A leader does not have to be the person who talks the loudest, but needs to be a person who rather than complains about their situation searches out solutions. You don't do the fight against racism any good by continu ing to make the comments that you do. There used to be a day when men of God preached love and com passion rather than hate and divi- _ siveness. Politicians could be counted on tp help their electorate become involved in the issues that affect their community. I guess that you. Larry, and Mendez are exam ples of the new style of leaders. Believe me; brothers, we can do without your kind of leadership and your uncanny ability to always, find the white man and the police at fault in every issue that affects us. One thing that 1 hope you were right about come election time ? - we! Irjust whemt concernyyou ? 1 hope that you are proof that white people will not elect you to another term. Steven A. Floyd Winston Sports Travel Clutf ' VVinsfon-Saleni J fiti !?.?. in. ll) Take Back Our Streets To the Editor: The city of Winston-Salem has lost three police officers in the past 10 months. Lt. Aaron Tise, Senior Officer Michael Jennings and Senior Offi cer Bobby Beane all have died in the line of duty. Our police officers have a pro fession to protect and serve. Every day they put their lives on the line for people that they don't even know. I find it very disturbing that the city of Winston-Salem has had such an increase in the cr me rate. ' T' VeeP that the citizens should work togetKer with the police department to take back our streets and make this a safe place to live. April A. Jeter Greensboro About letters . . . The Chronicle welcomes letters as well as guest columns from its readers. Letters should be as con cise as possible and should be typed or legibly printed. The letter must also include the namef address and telephone number of the writer to ensure the authenticity of the letter. Columns must follow the same guidelines and will be published if they are of interest to our general readership . The > Chronicle will not publish any letters or columns that arrive without this information. We reserve the jright to edit letters and columns for brevity -and clarity. Submit letters and columns to: . Chronicle Mailbag P.O. Box 1636 .. Winston-Salem , N.C. 27102 President Clinton's First Reaction is to "Duck" In May 1992. candidate Bill Clinton, speaking to a homosexual and lesbian audience, said, "I want people like some of you in this audi ence to be a part of a Clinton administration, not because or in spite of your sexual orientation, but because America needs you." But. as he does so often, in March 1993 as President Clinton, he reversed his position when consid c.ing Janet Reno for United States Attorney General. According to administration sources. Nina Tot tenberg reported, "the White House satisfied itself that Reno was not gay before going ahead with the nomination." After promising to become the first gay-rights president. Clinton wouldn't appoint Janet Reno as attorney general until he was satis fied that the rumor she is a lesbian is not true. So it become* ^ ironic that when character and integrity actu ally were required, and gender irrel evant. that Clinton hid in the closet. In the aftermath of the Clinton sanctioned catastrophe in Waco, Texas, he hid from the press for 25 hours leaving Reno on the firing line to take the blame for the tear gas assault that ended in the death of 85 people. A visibly-shaken Reno said on Monday what the man responsible belatedly admitted on Tuesday: "The buck stops here." "His (Clinton) first instinct was to duck. His second, to stage a quick recovery Mew York Newsday's editorial accused. "Through a series of coy and evasive statements, the president deliberately distanced himself from the decision to move in, laying ?responshbility squarely on the shoul ders of Janet Reno." the editorial continued." But it was Newsday's Bill Reel, a columnist, that left no doubt about the general reaction to Clin ton's character flaw. Calling the moment. Our president has no prin ciples." Please keep in mind that New York Newsday is a liberal newspa TONY BROWN Syndicated Columnist president's behavior "shameless." he said: "Clinton makes me want to turn away in embarrassment. I wonder if he believes anything he says. From taxes to Haitian refugees to homo sexuals in the military, he abandons stated positions at the first hint of opposition and, chameleon-like, adopts whatever position seems most politicallv acceptable at the per that supports most of Clinton's policies. Information on the Buy Free dom 900 Network: 212-575-2389. Tony Brown's Journal TV series can be seen on your local public television station, (PBS). For more information on video tapes or a video catalog, call (212) 575 0876; to order call 1-800-524-3552.
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