Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / March 14, 1996, edition 1 / Page 13
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FORUM Magic Johnson Endorses Hope Mr. Earvin "Magic" Johnson - million dollar smile and all - recently returned to the NBA. Can he still play ? Will fans fill the stands to see him do his Showtime Roundball? Of this there is no question. The real uncertainty is whether or not the coaches and general managers - in corporate America - will play him again at point guard where all profes sional athletes really want to score: in product endorsements. Prior to announcing being HIV-positive and his retirement from the game in 1991, Magic witn a stable of other ath letes without image problems, not to mention cute animals - frogs, penguins, hippos, and Clydesdale horses - Mr. Johnson was relegated to Madison Avenue's side streets. The problem was the way he became HIV-positive: loose consorts with too many ladies. First, the press that "loved" Magic for 15 years spread the word that he was gay: after all he kissed former Pistons great, Mr Isiah Thomas, at an AU-Star Game. After the rumors that he was it LIFT EVERY VOICE By DR WILLIAM H TURNER * -was-a-ehiefSpokesman/salesman ?homosexttaMmt-believability, for Converse shoes and Pepsi- maybe he should have laid it on Cola. Then, with a magrc that an innocent hlood transfusion or was more like witchcraft, Mr. said that had he gotten it the way Johnson got an "image problem." some NBA players fear he might Immediately, marketing execu- give it to them - that zillion to tives shied away from him, one chance of contact with a show ing a darkly disinclination scratch or head butt, to have their merchandise identi- With his recent return, his fied with a HIV-positive mouth- fellow hoopsters, including Karl piece. Malone of the Utah Jazz, have Los Angeles l^iker I.arvin "Magie" Johnson. welcomed him with open arms hack into the told. Dennis "Odd man" Rodman, of the Bulls, pushes and shoves him around as though he's trying to take his * head off. No kid glove treatment. Being HIV-positive in the NBA is no technical foul for Mr. Earvin Johnson. As with every other aspect of the game, there are the lessons to be applied to our everyday lives: perseverance. v teamwork, courage, ability, selflessness, valor, boldness, and fearlessness. We constantly look to profes sional athletes to be role models. Mr. Magic Johnson stands alone as a role model and superstar on the signal he has sent to those among us suffering who are HIV positive and with the AIDS virus. When he suited-up again, Mr. Johnson gave strength, sup port, and cheer to the millions of sick people, who lay ravaged and knows he is doing much more than running, jumping, and scor ing baskets. He is sending out a message about beating the odds and using to the fullest, every minute that God gives us on this earth. Mr. Johnson is living the lines of Invictus: "in the fail clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud. , It matters not how straight the gate, nor how charged with punish ment tor 'scroll, I am the master ^f-TTTY fate, I am the captain ot the my soul." . To those of us without this affliction, he is also sending a message: who are we to judge? Perhaps too, to some among us, Mr. Johnson symbolizes the truth in that old saying:"savc for the Grace of God, there go me. . . or my brother or my friend." I have seen several friends suffer and die, ransacked as much by the disease as by the scorn and stigma and denuncia tion society puts on those who suffer from this modern counter part of leprosy. Mr. Johnson may not sell any more soft-drinks or tennis shoes, but he is giving away something" much more valuable: he is hand ing over the ultimate triple-dou -bte:-faith,Tk>pe. and dignity. He is telling those who are HIV-positive and with AIDS that they must rely on God. And to those of us on the sidelines. Mr. Johnson is saying that God is the final referee and fan. (Dr. William Turner is a regular freelance columnist for the Chronicle.) Farrakhan's World Tour: The Issue of Nigeria Louis Farrakhan has managed to outrage and anger white Amer ica once again. With his highly publicized twenty-nation "world friendship tour." the leader of the Nation of Islam caucused with many African and Asian heads of state. This new level of political prestige and international recogni tion for Farrakhan was largely due to the dramatic success of the Mil lion Man March in Washington, DC. last October. Farrakhan"s stated purpose for _lhe_iaur^according to the Rev, Ben jamin Chavis, was "to spread the uplifting spirit of the Million Man March abroad, particularly where issues of atonement, fratricide, rec onciliation and peace are of para mount concern/' However, Far rakhan's itinerary and his controversial statements abroad provoked widespread criticism in the U.S. media. In Iran, Farrakhan was reported to have joined the celebra tion of the seventeenth anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah. The Iranian press quoted him as saying: "God will destroy America by the hands of Muslims. God .w^ill not give Japan or Europe the honor of bringing down the United States; this is an honor God will bestow upon Muslims." In Iraq, Farrakhan expressed solidarity with dictator Saddam Hussein and" suggested that United Nations economic sanctions against that country were parallel to the status of the Jews in Nazi death camps. According to JANA, the Libyan Press Agency, the Libyan leader Muammar el-Gad hafi offered one billion dollars to Farrakhan to finance his political activities inside the U.S. Gadhafi declared after his meeting with Farrakhan: "Our confrontation with America used to be like con fronting a fortress from the outside. Today we have found a loophole to enter the fortress from within." It was not surprising that these statements and actions abroad pro voked harsh condemnations from The State Department accused Far rakhan of "cavorting with dicta tors." The Departments of Trea sury and Justice demanded information on Farrakhan's negoti ations with Gadhafi and other for eign leaders, Even Kweisi Mfume, the new president of the NAACP. declared that Farrakhan's visit to such countries did "not help" efforts to establish "conformity with international law." But frankly, many of these criticisms will have little influence on most African-Americans. The white political establishment has always criticized black American leaders who have addressed international issues or who have traveled abroad?including Paul Robeson. Martin Luttyer King, Jr., and Mal colm X. However. I would challenge Farrakhan's political judgment on Nigeria. During his visit to the most populous nation of Africa, Farrakhan in effect gave his per sonal approval to the military regime that only three months ago hanged noted writer/playwright Ken Saro:Wi\va anil eight other human rights activists. The background to the exccu tion of Saro-Wiwa represents a mixture of corporate greed. en\i ronmental racism, and the brutal it \ of a military dictatorship Saro Wivva was the leader of a political movement among Nigeria's Ogoni people, calling for greater democ ratic rights and environmental pro tection measures to check oil pol 1 ution in the region. ^cil?()il-. Company produces about one-halt of Nigeria's oil. and has \ast petro leum holdings in the Ogoni area In the Ogoni ancestral land of 400 square miles. tl\c?g~afy % oil wells and five pumping stations, where vast amounts of natural gas are burned 24 hours every day. Fre quent oil spills have polluted water supplies and destroyed crops. Virtually no profits from Shell's oil product.on went i > the Ogoni people. When protests developed. Shell authorized the Nigerian government to send mobile police to suppress dissent Shell paid for the transportation and salaiy bonuses of troops known as the "kill-and-go mob." who terrorized the local popula tion. Last \ear. Saro-Wiwa was arrested on false charges lie was tried before a mixed military-civil ian court with no right of judicial appeal. Twow itnesses for the prosecution later retracted their tes timony. admitting that the Govern ment had bribed them, Neverthe- 1 less. Saro-Wiwa was executed Nineteen more Ogoni are now awaiting trial. Human rights groups throughout the world were outraged b\ this example of despo tism But Farrakhan chatted amiea bl\ with Saro-Wiwa's murderers. He e\en criticized Western go\ern ments for their condemnations of lire Nigerianwlictatorship. Far rakhan was reported to say: "They sa\ that you hanged one man. So what" Ask them, too. 'How many did \ou hang '"' Randall Robinson, president of Transafrica. expressed "extreme disappointment" with Farrakhan's \isit to Nigeria's mihtarv dictator ship "His statements and the things that were said appear to make Minister Farrakhan an apolo gist for an authoritarian, corrupt and repressive regime." Farrakhan's action on Nigeria call into question his entire politi cal agenda. His right to travel and to engage in international dia logues must be defended. But on the issue of Nigeria, as far asTTack people's interests are concerned, he has much explaining to do. (Dr. Manning \1arable is Professor of History and Director of the Institute for Research in African-A merican Studies, Columbia Cniversity, Sew York City. *k Along the Color Line" appears in over 275 newspapers across the C.S. and internation ally.) NOTICE OF A CITIZENS INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOP For proposed construction OF A NEW RAIL CROSSING IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURE (R-186) NORTH OF WALKERTOWN AND THE RELOCATION OF US 311 Project 8.1623101 R-2712 Forsyth cWity A citizen's informational workshop will be held on Wednesday. March 27, 1096 in the W'alkertown Middle School Auditorium located at 31 75 Ruxton Drive in Waikertown. This w ill be an informal-upeil-Jtouse workshop conducted between the hours of 4:(X) PM and 7:(X) PM. Those wishing to attend may do so at their convenience during these hours. The purpose of this informational workshop is to present infor mation. answer questions, and receive comments during the early design stages of the proposal rail crossing in the vicinity of structure (R-186). The relocation of US 311 for a distance of approximately 0.3 mile to accommodate the new crossing will also be discussed. v Representatives of the Department of Transportation \v ill be available to discuss the proposed project with those attending. Anyone desiring additional information about the workshop may contact Ms. Michele James. North Carolina Department of Transportation. Planning and Environmental Branch. P.O.'Box 25201. Raleigh. NC 27611 or by telephone at (919) 733-7X44 - Extension 213. NCDOT w ill provide auxiliary aids and services for disabled persons who wish to participate in the workshop. To receive j special services, please call Ms. James at the above number to give adequate notice to the date of the workshop. 1 ?/./// J Winston-Salem Chronicle The Choice For African-Ameriican News USPS 067910 617 N Liberty Street Winston-Salem. N C 27102 The Win\tnn Salem Chronicle is published every Thursday by the Winston-Salem Chroni cle Publishing Co Inc. The Winston Salem ( hronicle was established by Ernest Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye m 1974 Tho ('hromcte is a prnnd member of* ? Audit Bureau of Circulation ? National Newspa pers Publishers Association ? North Carolina Press Association ? North Carolina Black Pub;^ lishers Association, Inland Press Association National Aiherttstnp Rcpresent.it i\e Amalgamated Publishers. Inc ? 45 West 45th St ? New York NY 10036 (212) 869-5220 How to Reach cis . v. * NEWS STAFF PRODUCTION Ed Meyers Er* Grooms ? Ka.;h> i.t s John Hinton ? Maurice Crocker Roger Martin* MoMOur Ore i n 723-8428 Mic.hafi Lv i-? ? 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Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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March 14, 1996, edition 1
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