Opinion Winston-Salem Chronicle i Ernest H. Pitt, Publisher/Co-founder NDI BISI EgEMOWE, Co-Fourider Richard L. Williams, Managing Editor ELAINE Pitt, Director of Community Relations MICHAEL A. Pitt, Advertising Manager MEL WHTTE, Circulation Manager VlPAPORN RaTANATAMNCHERI, Office Manager Editorials ? ' . ? " . i . . . . Political Endorsements \ Tuesdays aldermanic and mayoral primary election offers a mj? of the experienced and the neophyte. It figures ? in some wards ? to be close races. We examined the candidates of the four wards where African Americans are running for aldermanic seats ? East, North, Northeast and Southeast ? to hopefully make your selections much easier. ? ? In the East ward, there are seemingly three qualified candidates: Jimmie Bon ham, Joycelyn Johnson and Norma Tanner Johnson Smith. Our nod goes to Johnson. Bonham, a longtime businessman in the community, and Smith, a computer consultant who is active with the East Winston Economic Task Force, would both bring a business savvy to an African-American community long deprived of economic development. Both seem to have some of the nec essary qualifications for alderman. But Johnson, by her * longtime association in grass roots politics here, has learned what the key issues are that affect African Americans. She also has gained a knowledge of how city government works by her regular attendance at Board of Aldermen meetings. This, in our opinion, gives her a slight advantage over the other challengers for the seat being vacated by Virginia "Newell. k - 4 Over in the Northeast ward, there clearly is time for a change. Vivian Burke has long lost touch with her con stituents, first psychologically and now in proximity, having departed her job in Winston-Salem for a Gov. Hunt appointed position in Mooresville. Voters also should let Ms. Burke know that they have not forgotten how she vio lated the black community's trust by siding with her white colleagues in 1990 in votes that stripped key chairmanships from the other black aldermen. Ms. Burke has done a lot for her ward during her 16 years as alderman. But politics is about power. The African Americans had power with those chairmanships, but because of her actions that power has been dissipated. While challenger Jim Conrad may lack in the political experience factor, he is a Conrad longtime businessman with strong commu nity ties and his personal integrity seems in tact. We believe unopposed republican candidate Rasheed Bey also is a good candidate to claim her seat and that Conrad should be his challenger in November's general election. In the Southeast ward, strong support for Larry Womble is essential to keeping four black aldermen. He gets our nod. Mr. Womble was made a scapegoat for the problems plaguing this city when he spoke out against the Ail-American City bid. He has been, throughout the years, mindful of the interests of his constituents. He ha^ Wombl e been unafraid to take stands on controversial matters. While his modus operandi might lack circumspect, he genuinely cares about the city and all its residents. In the North ward, we endorse Nelson Malloy, who's running unopposed. Malloy continues to be on the front lines fighting for African-American parity in a city amok with opposing forces. In the mayoral race, we strongly favor Martha Wood for a second term. Although we disagree with the Mayor's make up of the Citizens Police Review Board, Mayor Wood sided with the black aldermen in creating the board. While we are proud to see a young, black African-American male ? Joseph Alexander ? seeking the mayoral seat, we do not believe his time has come. But we encourage him to study the issues and to become a watchdog of this city's government that his aspirations of running this city one day might be realized. But for now, Mayor Wood is our choice. She has has been a catalyst for economic development in East Winston. To wit. Lake Park housing development, a high-income community near Winston Lake Estates; Carver Glen, a moderate-priced housing development off Carver School Road; Eastway Plaza shopping center; and the Review Board. Additionally, without the Mayor's support, the CIAA might have also found a different city to hold its annual basketball tourna ment. All of these efforts equate to a strong economic com munity that bodes well for us all. Wood African- Americans Seem Stuck in Misery To the Editor: 1 need to share an incident that made me understand why w t African Americans seem stuck in misery and cannot leave slavery, when all over the world other peo ples are saying. "Better a grave than a slave." 1 was walking near George Washington University when an intelligent-looking. African Ameri can street vendor attempted to sell me a gold necklace. When I said I was not interested he said, "Buy it, it will make you feel like a white woman." I practically went into shock to hear in 1993 such words from such an intelligenulooking man. When I recovered I practically screamed at him, "I don't want to look like a white woman IT want to _Jook like an African woman/' This man's response was. ".What do you know about Africa?" to which I replied, "Africans ruled the ancient world " His next response was, "So what, we are nothing but slaves now." e What I found so depressing is that this man actually saw himself and all African Americans as slaves, but after I calmed down I realized that he was correct: We have accepted slavery, because unlike Asians who know whites as barbar ians, we think whites are nearly gods whom we cannot defy. Europeans went into Africa and said, "I am your master. Get on your knees to me." and Africans said, "Yes. master." Furopeans went into Asia and said. "1 am your master. Health and Humuin Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala swears in new Surgeon General Dr. Jocelyn Elders. At right. Elders 9 husband Oliver; holding the Bible, Elders' brother,the Rev. Chester Jones of Little Rock, Ark. CHRONICLE MAILBAG Our Readers Speak Out Get on your knees to me," and Asians said, "Get out of my face, you dirty, stinking barbarians." Recently, I wrote to Mayor Kelly that I saw a hidden hand in the killings going on not only in Wash ington, D.C., but in all the* inner cities just as there is a hidden hand in South Africa. The Ku Klux Klan is riding again, but this time they have black hired help., I am not psychic, but I see patterns that look man-made. The murder of James Jordan fits into the man-made patterns, and 1 am willing to bet thqt a war on crime . will be launched with this murder just as a "war on drugs" (African Americans) was launched with the "drug overdose" of the young bas ketball player Have you noticed how only cer tain people die from drug overdoses when we have maybe millions using drugs? These murders plus the flooding of our communities with drugs is enough for us to go before the United Nations and say that our human rights are being violated Gloria Hemphill Washington, D.C. Young Black Folks Giving Back If we believed the stereotypes perpetuated by the mass media, we'd think that most young, black adults today are selfish, unmotivated, mate rialistic and headed for self-destruction. If we take a look at our communities, we' nq likely to see that a large and growing number of young people are trying their best to stay in school, study hard, stay away from drugs and crime and fulfill their potential. Many are also concerned with the problems facing their com munities and committed to working for positive ehangc, I've recently come from "graduation" cere monies of the Ella Baker Child Policy Training Institute (EBCPTI). where 1 20 African- American college students and young adults spent two weeks learning leadership and community advo cacy skills. Now, they'll spend the rest of the summer working in underprivileged communities on behalf of children. Building a new generation of leadership is a top priority of the Black Community Crusade for Children (BCCC). Our Black Student Leadership Network (BSLN) recruits and trains college stu dents and young adults on campuses during the school year through regional meetings and during the summer through the EBCPTI. Founded in 1 992 and named in honor of Ella Baker, considered by many to be the '^mother of the Civil Rights Movement," the EBCPTI trains young^people in all aspects of community service and advocacy. The EBCPTI is headquartered at Ella Baker's alma mater. Shaw University, a his torically black college in Raleigh. These young people study movement history and context (including Henry Hampton's award winning series "Eyes on the Prize"), along with economic development, grass-roots organizing, classroom methodology and public policy. The training at EBCPTI often lasts from early morning until late at night, and the intensity never wavers. As I watched the young people, exhausted from the process but exhilarated and motivated by ftfl'they tradleatfnetf ahd oh flte'WIh " \\ a sense of purpose, I remerrtbte^d,4^H^^l^#ttW?*,^, student in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. In spite of our determination to change the world we lived in, we sometimes faced discouraging obstacles. It was people like Ella Baker and the other adults in our lives who provided the guidance and inspiration to keep us on track. The BSLN and the EBCPTI are about inter generational leadership, which allows the young folks to benefit from the wisdom and experience of the elders, who are in turn buoyed by the pas sion and purpose of the young folks. This is a ter rific example of how we can work with and 5- to 18-year-olds a combination of nutritious, federally-funded meals and academic, cultural and recreational activities. These schools are located in sites such as schools, churches and community-based organizations." u ju mi . . ? The EBCPTI graduates are committed to giving the Freedom School students a stronger sense of their history and traditions, while bol stering their academic skills, expressive abilities and self-esteem. Evenings and weekends, the EBCPTI graduates work with parents of the Free dom School students and other community lead ers to address issues of concern. I'm proud of the young people in EBCPTI and those like them around the country. who remind us that they're committed, caring and eager to make a difference. inspire each other. The* EBCPTI has grown ? in its first year, 25 students from across the Country were trained 1 in community service and advocacy and placed in six-week internships with community-based child service organizations throughout North Car olina. This year, there are some 120 participants from the East Coast and 29 from the West Coast CHILD WA TCH who will work at Summer Freedom Schools throughout the country. They'll be supervising and teaching at the Freedom Schools in New York, California, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina. These Freedom Schools are based on the principles of the 1960s Mississippi Freedom Schools, which educated black youth in poor areas so they could help their communities grow. This year's Summer Freedom Schools offer MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN I'm inspired by our young leaders who are taking the lessons of history and building upon them a bridge over today's troubled waters that leads to a brighter tomorrow. I want to thank and congratulate them for reminding us not to be discouraged by the crisis confronting our communities. For the possibili ties our y o'ung leaders represent are greater than the problems we are facing and give ]as added faith in the potential for change. ( Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children's Defense Fund , a national voice for children , and a leader of the Black Community Crusade for Children .) Where I'M Coming From ? 1993 Barbara B'jrKtonOisI Oy Unrv?rs?l Pr?< Syrvfccate XOOt2. ?OU<9>lN\ cm ?U9 OJT W 'W&. BB|i fmrT uee fSSWAUTC. NA06T une WG A \MPO? NEW \&GcCM ui=e. 1C\PP5D 9*mly or r,. t co! mm By Barbara Brandon !' >?WSIL\ TVitt^) ?Xjt"\n*6 1V*& e^9T I ??0U? ,ft?36i9tYTO. 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