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A Feeling Of Familyhood
..Certain events which take place
——throughout t^js time of year cut
through the particular religions, ec—
onomic, political and other beliefs
we may hold individually, carrying
"with them messages mtmningful to
all Black people.
..Looking beyond the surface of
these messages can offer us sub
stance and direction totally relevant
to the times and conditions in which
we live.
..The family is very important this
time of year, as all those fortunate
enough to be together generally are
granted the warmth so longed for by
those drawn apart, often by circum
stances beyond their control—sick
ness, imprisonment, poverty, work,
misunderstanding, etc.
An luipui taut family to he reme
mbered during this time should be
our larger, extended family-The
Black Community—a family too of
ten torn by internal strife pittipg
~ bruthei—anainiit brothsc, husband
against wife, gang against gang, one
against another.
, ..This family too has been drawn
apart by external forces, Taut not by
forces which cannot be changed
through our own continued efforts.
. .The greatest crime committed a
gainst this family, it was once said,
was teaching it to hate itself. And
with that in mind, the most universal
Black gift this time of year-in a
tradition of the family-might be the
rekindling of respect, pride, concern
our undying love-for one another as
a people.
..Such a gift, manifest in concrete
deeds, and terms throughout the
year, could go a long way in warming
that many more Black family cir
cles-large and small—in years to
come.
. Christmas Greetings
.. It is once more that time of year -
CHRISTMAS · the time when chimes
are heard, carols sung, joy, wonder,
and even that little lady standing
outside of stores (no matter how
cold) begging for alms for the poor.
Often we give but all too often, we
are in too big a hurry getting to
where there are many things about
this particular time of year that
none of u$~understands nor are we
suppose to understand.
.. Do we understand the magnetism
nf Invp or why on occasions we
humbly say "Heavenly h ather. Heip—
us," and we receive help, no matter
how unworthy we may feel? Do we
understahd the mystery of birth or
the magic of sleep - the effect of
death or the rebirth of spring, with
all of nature's flowers bursting forth
in glorious colors? The answers to
all of the above questions are an
emphatic "NO." Man has been
searching for such answers for cent
uries, but God tells the answers to all
of these questions to those who know
and trust Him.
.. The 25th of December has been set
aside to observe the celebration of
our savior's birthday. Do we really
■ need a date for such a celebration?
I think not because knowing Jesus is
really a glorious celebration every
day if we truly love and serve Him.
..This Christmas, 1974, let us all
reslove to rededicate our lives to\
Him who came and died for us so>
that we might have the opportunity
to be with Him throughout all
eternity. Loving Him means loving
our enemies, the poor, the un
wanted, and all others that we might
classify as "undesirables." Our
economic situation Is critical now. so
give Him a present this year by
sharing with some of His "undesir
ables." You will receive a true
<. blessing, I can promise you.
..Now, as you face your many
'holiday festivities, Mrs. Battle and
our son join'me in wishing for all of
you God's richest blessings. May His
love guide you safely throughout the
holidays and into the New Year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, especially to
the CHARLOTTE POST PUBLIS
HERS who have been so gracious to
us throughout 1974.
Yours in Christ,
by Rev. George E. Battle, Jr.
Public Officials Must Live Above Suspicions
..*Tc nave pro ana con arguments
about the issue of capital punish
ment. We have had two recent
accounts of crime covering several
states. One started in the far-west,
bloomed into several killings in the
mid-west and it did not end until a
highway patrolman and a citizen
were kidnapped and killed in
Florida. And he was a released
out-of-state felon.
.. Some questions are, what must be
done to get our state legislatures.
Congress and the courts to end this
kind of thing, either by reinstating
capital punishment, or tightening
parole practices? As has been seen
in the first phase of the Watergate
incident, the convicted persons lived
in air-conditioned, carpeted, play
ground-equipped, TV lounges. But
we think this is not satisfactory
rehabilitation.
..Suppose ex-President Nixon had
been convicted for his alleged part
as an unidicted conspirator and
placed under confinement. Would he
have been put in cell with an ordi
nary felon? No. indeed, he would
have had air-conditioned comfort
able quarters. At least, this is our
belief.
. .Must citizens again bear arms for
protection?
CJuest Editorial from The Carolinian
The Carolinian
^PORT mom
>ϋ&··.$fashingfon }
Foreign Aid
By Cong. Jim Martin
.. As the 93rd Congress rushes to
ward a Decepiber 20th adjournment,
it should be noted that some signifi
cant legislation ' has seen final ac
tion, or should, before the Members
go home.
.. Included in that last minute surge
of action are Foreign Aid Assist
ance, (which I opposed, but which
passed by a vote of 201 to 190).
.. While I voted for some of the
amendments to the Foreign Assis
tance Act, 1 voted against the com
plete package. I think my position on
the subject is known to my people,
but I want to reiterate a couple of
points.
Tk« Λ A *- 41 1 *
putting money down a rat hole and
' getting nothing in return. Other
nations owe this country nearly $60
billion, and there is little hope of
getting much of the money back.
.. American tax dollars have heavily
subsidized our adversaries for many
years. Time and time again, we
have made loans or given outright
grants to countries which have de
clared and maintained an anti-Ame
rican stance in world diplomancy.
.. Foreign aid can be justified in
many areas of the world on the basis
of a buffer to Communist expansion,
which military àid has provided;or
on humanitarian grounds in the case
of timely disaster relief. But I think
it is time the rest of the world gets
the message that a strong growing
tax paying minority is tired of foot
ing the bills. The one-way street is
going to have to carry two-way '
traffic.
.. The Foreign Aid Assistance Act,
which won approval this past week
does carry one strong measure
which I co-sponsored. It allows the
United States to exchange (or bar
ter) its foreign aid for the minerals
- and critical raw material? this cou
ntry will need in the future. Now,
more than ever, this country needs
to get something in return for mili
—lary. ηηή fnrpifln aid. Recipients of
our aid must not tunFaround and
refuse us their mineral resourses at
a fair price.
• »»■ Τ t-i*
.. In another serious matterv final
action on a proposal cutting off
importation of chrome from Rho
desia may come before December
20th. Sponsors of the measure" would
have this country follow the lead of
others and the United Nations, by
imposing complete sanctions aga
inst Rhodesia because of their racial
policies. I cannot support this propo
sal. Lest my intentions be misunder
stood, my position is not based on
affection for the Ian Smith govern
ment, but on some hard economic
realities.
..Rhodesia has 67 percent of the
_ world's reserves of chrome. Another
22 percent is in the Republic of South
Africa. That doesn't leave much,
with the remaining 8 percent divided
between the Soviet Union with 6
percent and Turkey with only 2 per
cent. Turkey's limited production is
already under contract. South Afri
ca's is of lower quality. It would be a
grave mistake for us to rely solely on
the U.S.S.R. as our only source of
supply. And I will tell you they have
already raised chrome prices in
anticipation of a U.S. ban on Rhode
sian chrome.
.. The chrome issue could be con
sidered a sleeper issue by today's
mass communicatioiis standards.
TO
BE
EQUAL
Goodwin To All Manlynd
. .Christmas is the time for joy, for neighborli
ness, for goodwill to all mankind, but this
Christmas just doesn't firthe bill.
.. All the forced gaiety in the world can't obscure
the hunger and misery rampant on the globe of
this season of joy. ,
.. All neighborly will in the world won't cover up
the fact that neighbors, here and abroad, are
now more concerned with their own survival
than with lending a helping hand to the fellow
nearby.
..And we sing "goodwill to ail mankind," but
what-most of mankind needs more than goodwill
is food, and hundreds of millions won't even get
that. — —
. .Yes, it's a sorry world this Christmas season.
It's a world torn by strife, stalked by hunger,
facing global recession or Depression, and
apparently without the leadership to see it
through.
. .This Christmas half a billion people-the num
ber is almost beyond our ability to comprehend
it-will go to bed hungry. In huge parts of the
world, and especially in the African Sahel. in
South Asia and in Latin America, people,
hundreds of millions of people,<?re near starva
tion. \
.. Here at home everyone's ltvinjj.. standard has
been reduced by inflation. But the worst Christ
mas of all awaits the over six million people and
their families who are out of work. And each
day's newspaper brings news of more plant
shut-downs, more lay-offs, and more homes
whose Christmas is plunged into deep shadows of
despair ancf'want.
All S— _ 11 \ Λ1 Λ· _ ■ J - -
. ·iHi-iu-aii, »ιια» auus up iu a preny gloomy
CHTtetnnra re—on thin yyar From the outside
things don't look all that bad~the lights blaze
away, shop windows are full (when they're not
boarded up), and laughter and good cheer is still
in the air..
.. But underneath these external trappings of the
season we can hear the low, bitter rumblings of a
nation adrift, fearful of the future and losing
faith in its ability to "Surmount present ailti
culties.
.. Perhaps this is the season to try to recapture
that faith. The age-old Christmas story may still
be able to inspire within us the determination to
overcome national and global misery. The star
that rose over Bethlehem almost two thousands
years ago foretold of new hope for mankind and
this year more than most, we need to see the
symbolic star of brotherhood and faith'rise
within each of us.
. .This is the season to try to overcome the awful
privatism that has ensnared oiy; countrymen,
the placing of private self-interest above the
needs of all. It is the season to stress the
brotherhood and charity toward all that is the
necessary basis of civilized existence.
..It is the season to renew our faith in the
equality of all men, and to pledge ourselves to
work all year long for equality and the dignity of _
all.
.. It is the season to find the joy of living and the
pleasure of friendship, even in the face of hard
times and struggle for existence. Every Christ
mas has found many millions without their
Christmas baskets and gifts, but this year finds
more without them.
. .Under such conditions it's hard to be thankful,
hard to replace bitterness with joy, anger with
fflrvtvMMt
THE CHARLOTTE POST
"THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER"
Established 1918
By A.M. Houston
Published Every Thursday
By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc.
9139 Trinity Road - Charlotte, N.C. 28216
Telephones (704 ) 392-1306 "392-1307
Circulation 11,000 .
-e « tit
Bill Johnson Editor - Publisher
Gerald O. Johnson Business Manager
Robert L. Johnson Circulation Manager
Second Class Postage Paid at
Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878
Member National Newspaper Publishers
Association
National Advertising Representative
Amalgamated Publishers, Inc.
45 W. 5th, Suite 1403
New York, N Y. 10036
489-1220
2400 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, 111. 60616
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*piresipeNT forpis
PROPOSING ASOJtr IN
CREASE m THE COST
OF STAMPS FROM
THE LOWEST INCOME
AMERlCANS'lN HIS
ÎEAT LESSfcAMPAtGH
■ ' 11
JtHOMt CAHILL
MM DAILY HCWS
9
VERNON Ε. "KmrTAV m
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Drafting America's Poorest
as i see ic
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The ς75 Sports Scene
•t.
By Gerald Johnson
..In wishing everybody a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year, I
am closing this article for 1974 with a
sports prediction that,, will make
Jimmy the Greek look like our own
Sports Editor.
. .To start with the Super Bowl will
feature Oakland and Washington
with Oaktand edging out the Red
skins for the much heralded bowl
game.
..USC will beat Ohio State by at
least 8 points in the Rose Bowl, and
Notre Dame will surprise an over
rated Alabama Team.
. .Norfolk State will again dominate
time.
. .N.C. State will be upset by Mary
land in College Park in „
January. Clemson will surprise a
faltering North Carolina.
.. The unconditioned Golden Bulls
will be lucky to do a· well aa the
unconditioned football team.
, .That just about doea It. For those
iiabelievers I will aave this article
■ntil spring as evidence.
A MUCH SADDER NOTE:
. .Unfortunately as 1974 comes to a
close, 1975 looks as bleak if not
bleaker than 1974. A much larger
number of layoffs with soaring
prices is in store for 1975. All
economic indicators are not showing
signs of a reversal.
.. However, this needed economic
slowdown builds strong hopes for
future years. The next three or'so
years will be hard ones for all of us,
but by 1978 the economy will have
" f
stabilized enough for a modest r$
covery. How bad things get from
here on will partly be determined by
• · ·
each of us, out mainly on the
government's reactions to thiacrisis.
Here is hoping we will all live to aee
better days. Keep on Keeping On!
Oie C.I. A. A. TovMjr. Whner of Out
tourney can't be projected at this
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