Opinion
Winston-Salem Chronicle
Ernest H. Pitt Ndubisi Egemonye
PubJiiher/Co-founder Richard L. Williams Co- Founder
Managing Editor
Elaine Pitt Michael A. Pitt
Director of Community Relabons Advertising Manager
Mel White Vipaporn Ratanatanincheri
Circulation Manager Office Manager
^ Cultural Arrogance II
John Gates, Journal Editorial Page Editor, would better serve
his readers by talking about what he must know best, being
white. His many opinions about blacks and what blacks need to
do to better race relations seemed at first to be well-meaning
although misdirected intentions. However, Mr. Gates cultural
arrogance is becoming increasingly visible in his persistence and
his approach. ? ? ??
First of all, the Journal speaks to many white readers every
day and Mr. Gates does not tell them anything about what they
need to do to better race relations. It is well known that whites
control all of the institutions that impact our lives: government,
business, education, health, and legal and political systems. You
name it, whites own it or controMtr Two exceptions: Jhe Black
Church and The Black Press.
Yet, Gates continues to defend statements such as "black par
ticipation in the American economy might not be as much a mat
ter of businesses appreciating and accommodating black culture
as it is a social matter, a matter of being sociable." Gates goes
on to elaborate, Saying the opening night gala of the National
Black Theatre Festival is what he meant by sociable. A better
example might have been the recent meeting of the African
American Males Association, which held its first meeting at
Forsyth Country Club to discuss economic opportunities.
What the National Black Theatre Festival proves about black
economic participation is that if you bring in thousands of blacks
who sleep, eat and shop in local businesses and pay good green
money to do so, that yes, indeed, black culture can be accommo
dated, and perhaps even -celebrated. For the most pan, that is
what the festival meant to white businessmen. This, then, must
be of which Gates writes, saying, "If the atmosphere of the black
theatre festival could prevail at all times, in all places, we'd have
a handle on the problem of race relations. Now we don't think
that most blacks would disagree that economic strength would
give us a handle on OUR race relation problem. Trouble is, we
just can't seem to get our hands on none!
Problem is , would whites agree?
Now, the whites who attended some plays and volunteered
had an opportunity to experience black culture. Whether these
individuals go on to accept this culture in other systemic envi
ronments such as on the job or in schools is another matter.
That's the point! This matter would be a fitting discourse for
Mr. Gates.
However, we would like for Mr. Gates and other white media
to stop trying to speak for black people. Also, we ask you to
stop attacking black leaders who are not selected by whites or
who do not appeal to them "sociably." Additionally, we are
requesting that blacks who feel that they have arrived and who
are socially accepted by the white press and white people to stop
pretending to speak for black people. We know the game you're
playing is based on self advancement. Don't belittle our cause
to advance your own self-serving interests.
So please, Mr. Gates continue to work on race relations, but
please start at home among your many white readers. Don't con
tinue to discount black experiences to which you have little
knowledge and can't even begin to understand until your own
veil of cultural arrogance has been understood.- And also, we
request that blacks who wish to gain influence among whites do
so without undermining the African-American community. We
are beyond the "house nigger" and we don't need the "master"
to "break it down".
How To Reach Us
722-8624
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 ? regardless
of race or creed ? full human and legal rights. Hating no person, the
Black Press strives to help every person, in the firm belief that all are
hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Production
Kathy Lee, Supervisor
Deborah Belcher
Keren Hannon
Doug Ritz
Reporters
Mark R. Mots
Deby Jo Ferguson
David Dillard
Circulation
Walter Miclde
Varnell Robinson
Todd Fulton
Patrick Edmunds
Business Office
Donna Conrad
LaCheryl Mitchell
Crystal McNair
Advertising
Cliff Hunt
Judie Holcomb-Pack
"mw) # ^
Salon* Audit Bur?#u t
Of Circulations ^
Taking Responsibility for Our Youths
To the Editor:
I ? *
As we are all aware, there is a
lot of crime being committed all
over the country. Our city is no
exception, especially in some sec
tions of the black community. As a
matter of fact, things have been so
bad that city hall has decided to
send in fool patrol in some of these
areas.
Arrests have been made by the
police, and some of our so-called
black leaders and the community
were at a disagreement on the way
some of them were handled ? so
much so that a review board was
called to oversee the police depart
ment. Our mayor, bless her little
heart, went along with the black
community on this, thereby putting
the community and some of our
black leaders on a collision course
with the police department and city
half ;
Now, personally, I don't have a
problem with the police department
or city* hall. Actually, if everybody
was like me, the city wouldn't need
a police department; however, this is
not the case. But what we do need is
a committee ? and I will be the
first to volunteer ? to go into these
areas and counsel these young peo
ple, try to get them to stop commit
ting all those crimes, get off drugs,
stay in school, and above all, for
God's sake, stop killing one another.
We are losing too many of our
young people. If we could do this,
there would be no need for the
police to go into these areas. The
community and our so-called lead
ers would no longer be on a colli
sion course with the police depart
ment and city hall.
Peter D. Williams
Washington Revisited
To the Editor:
On August 28, 1993, citizens
from across America will once
again convene together in Washing
ton. D.C. to commemorate the 30th
anniversary of the historic 1963
March on Washington, which was
led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On that date, more than 30 years
ago, 250,000 people gathered to
protest racism, segregation and vio
lence in America. It created a coali
tion of conscience consisting of civil
rights, labor, religious and student
groups and organizations united
together to bring about social
change. Dr. King electrified the
world with his famous "I Have a
Dream" speech, where he called
upon the nation to honor its
promises and commitments as writ
ten in the U.S. Constitution.
Thirty years later, there is a need
again to awaken this nation to its
moral responsibility to provide jobs,
justice and to work for peace. There
is a need for a new "Coalition of
Conscience* of every race, creed
and ethnic origin to address ever
deepening crises that we must
resolve together in the areas of jobs,
justice and peace. There is the need
Rep. Kweisi hifume , D-Md., chairman of the Congressional Black Cau
cus, right, accompanied by Rep . Gary Franks, R-Conn left, talks to
reporters after a cloud-door meeting on Capitol Hill recently, to discuss
President C Union's deficit-reduction plan.
zations. As one of the conveners and
coordinators for this march,
Emmanuel Baptist Church and Citi
zens United for Justice are reserving
buses for those who wish to partici
in your August 6, 1993 issue a copy
of a poem I wrote in July 1992,
"The Manchild Is Dying."
1 wrote this poem while taking a
Creative Writing Class at Winston
CHRONICLE MAILBAG
Our Readers Speak Out
to "Pass the Torch" to a new genera
tion of leaders of conscience who
will lead us into, the 21st century. ~
We are asking you to return to
Washington, D.C. on August 27-28,
1993 to create this "New Coalition
of Conscience." This march is being
organized by our national leaders:
Dr. Ben Chavis, NAACP; Dr. John
Jacob, National Urban League; Dr.
Joseph Lowery, Southern Christian
Leadership Conference; Coretta
Scott King, the King Center, along
with other national and local orgaoi
1 )
pate in the march.
Call John Mendez, 788-7023.
Buses will he filled on a first-come
opportunity. We are encouraging
participation by all raccs, ethnic
groups and especially our youth.
The trip is $30.
John Mendez
Pleasant Surprise
To the Editor:
It was a pleasant surprise to find
Salem Stale University. This poem
was in response to the Klansmen
Letter to the Black Boy which
angered me so, I felt like our black
boys needed to become more aware
of the seriousness of what was writ
ten.
1 would like to take time to thank
Ms. Alicia Jones for sending my
poem in, hoping many other stu
dents read it and received the same
message that she did.
Linda O. McKoy ;
Reality and the Rodney King Crisis
Black folks are all over the
media, outraged, enraged, crying,
angry and disappointed over the lat
est sentencing episode in the Rod
ney King case.
Outraged because whites won't
give them justice. Enraged over a
legal double standard. Crying
because of frustration. Angry
because they have no resource. Dis
appointed in a system that employs
cops and judges to enforce their
racist assumptions.
If you are black, ask yourself,
"What does this latest travesty of
justice mean to me?"
Are you a part of the outraged,
enraged, crying, angry, disap
pointed chorus? If you are, let me
suggest that you let go of your feel
ings and grab hold of reality.
Many non-black people in
America do not like you. They
believe you are lazy and violent,
that you would rather beg for wel
fare programs and affirmative
action than to study and compete
with other Americans.
Essentially, they feel you are
irresponsible and lacking in charac
ter.
This public opinion has worked
-its way up through the^rolitieal
process, into the laws and courts,
and is the reason that Stacey Koon
and Laurence Powell were sen
tenced to 30 months in prison,
rather than the maximum 10 years
and $250,000 fines.
Reality also means that blacks
will never be treated fairly by many
whites until blacks don't need
whites. That means that blacks will
have to become richer and smarter
than whites if they want true free
dom and justice. And blacks will
have to do it in spite of white oppo
sition by becoming more competi
tive in education and economics.
If blacks want to reject that
reality, as they are currently doing,
and keep their feelings of rage and
alienation, they must stay in their
present condition of depending on
whites to give them freedom and
justice. This reality is impartial. It
does not condemn white racists for
believing and acting as they do. It
does not condemn blacks for being
the victims of this process. Nor
does it praise either group.
Reality simply states the facts.
And facts can be rearranged by
rearranging your behavior.
If you reject reality (and you're
certainly free to do so) and keep the >
current behavior pattern, look for
another Rodney King incident and
verdict next year. From the look of
things, that seems a distinct possi
bility.
cities were falling apart (with black
mayors) because 12 years oi ?
neglect by Republicans led by
Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
The Democrats led by Clinton
would make things better if only
blacks would vote for them, they
told the black masses.
Blacks followed their leaders
TONY BROWN
Syndicated Columnist
Consider, for example, the
behavior of Jesse Jackson, the best
known black leader in the U.S. He
was in New York last week telling
everyone that the black mayor of
New York's job wasn't getting
done very well because President
Clinton has "totally abandoned" his
pledge to aid the cities.
Last year, Jackson and other
black Democrats, including the
mayor of New York, said that the
and voted for the Democrats.
Things are now worse than before.
But the black leaders are still
not responsible. A new group of
white people are. Next year, the
black leaders will go back to blam
ing the Republicans so we can vote
for the Democrats again. By now
you should have a deeper under
standing of why blacks are out
raged, enraged, crying, angry and
disappointed.
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Where Ito Coming From
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