Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Aug. 5, 1982, edition 1 / Page 2
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EDITORIALS & COMMENTS The Post: _____ A Voice And A Challenge! —-From—the press, we_have _ suffered much by being incor rectly represented...Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentation of things which concern us dearly (as black people).” These words of frustration and en lightenment were written by John Russwurm in March 1827, who, along with Samuel E. Cornish, pioneered the field of black journalism in America. Dating the landscape of black journalism today are some of the more than 3,000 publishers who have followed successfully Russ wurm’s leadership. Among these is Willie L. (Bill) Johnson, owner and publisher of The Charlotte Post. As Bill Johnson quietly celebrates his eighth year at the helm of Charlotte’s only black oriented newspaper, he con tihu^to echo the viewpoint that— Charlotte’s “...black community needs a voice that mirrors the opinions of the community.” Along with the 200 to 300 black .newspaper? currently. being published in "'America, The Charlotte Post is striving to find new subscribers and to hold on to their current readers, while at the same time trying to persuade reluctant advertisers-caught up in the sagging economy-to direct at least part of their advertising budgots—to—the_ nation’s 25 million black con sumers. Thus, while The Charlotte Post, again like its black counterparts, has been pressing forward with limited resources and with other handicaps so prevalent among small business es, the commitment to a voice for the community and a chal lenge to blacks on the issues of today and in the future. in essence, ThtTPost, under Bill Johnson, seeks to echo the sentiment of the black commun ity by putting issues, problems and concerns in a proper per spective while offering new challenges on the big and small issues that impinge on the life style and values of black Americans. All of this is relevant and meaningful only because of the involvement you, our readers, our advertisers and our hard working, 20-member staff. To each of you we offer much thanks. Thus, we pause this week to reflect and celebrate The Post’s eighth anniversary under the leadership of Bill Johnson, and its 105 years of service to the Charlotte community. Neverthe less, we are mindful of the 7 continuing existence of injustice, sex exploitation, crime, drug abuse and a ' growing moral decay as values with substance are being eroded with no -replacement, and a^growiafcwar mentality. It is within., the context of these and the social concerns of racism that The Charlotte Post has most attempt ed to be a community voice and an instrument to challenge blacks to strive for new goals and new expectations. -The Post salutes you one and all-readers, advertisers, and workers-for being in some way a part of our efforts and this the reason for our existence. We hope, too, for this reason that The Post has in some small way made your life more enjoyable, more fulfilling and more pro ductive. We remain your com munity voice and your com munity challenge. Strength Through Dialogue The Tuesday Morning Break fast Club—the informal group of black business people, ministers, politicians, educators, and just ordinary working people-who meet weekly for a 7:30 breakfast at the Trade Street YWCA, has through its low-key dialogue sessions begun to have an impact upon the Charlotte community in a positive way. In spite of its broadly based informality, lack of officers or formal membership, and no dues, the club has begun to demonstrate its usefulness not just to blacks but to the larger Charlotte community. The club has been a major force in push ing the Charlotte Area Fund to get its house in order, it has opened the line of communica tion and understanding not only between blacks but also blacks and the white community. Fur thermore, the club has gained the respect and appreciation of many influential leaders—both in the business .. and political arenas. Thus, a renewed sense of purpose through dialogue amid informality has given Char lotte’s black community a new dimension in finding strength. Chase Saunders was nominat ed Tuesday by the Mecklenburg County Democratic Executive Committee to fill the Superior Court vacancy created when Clifton Johnson moved up to the N.C. Court of Appeals.'Saunders defeated Mrs. Yvonne Mims Evans, a member of Julius Chambers’ law firm, by a vote of 965.5 to 545.5 votes. Saunders has served as Dis trict Court Judge since 1976, the year Mrs. Evans graduated from law school. That fact apparently was a major factor in off setting Mrs. Evans supporters to name an equally talented black and female in a show of needed justice. THE CHARLOTTE POST Second Class Postage No. 965500 - “THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. I Subscription Rate $15.60 Per Year Send All 3579’s To: 1524 West Blvd., Charlotte. N.C.28208 Telephone (704-376-0496 _Circulation. 7.1 r>l 104 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Bernard Reeves Fran Farrer _Dannette Gaither Editor, Publisher General Manager Advertising Director _Office Manager Second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid At Charlotte. North Carolina _Under the Act of March 3,1878 Member, National Newspaper _Publishers’ Association __‘ North Carolina Black Publishers Association Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p.m. Monday. All photos and copy submitted become the property of The Post _and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 2400 S. MfcfclgarrrtVir Chicago, lit. BOOt# Columct 5-0200 rrw. renrsT. snttr 14*3 -Vcw Ytirk. Nt»V«rtU«Ht (212) IK9-I220 From Capitol Hill Reagan Stages Cover-Up Show In Sweltering Heat By Alfreds L. Madison Special To The Post At high noon in swelter ing 98 degree temperature, the Reagan White House organized and staged a constitutional balanced budget amendment show on the west Capitol steps. The crowd was composed of aides from Capitol Hill, Moral Majority members and federal workers who were provided free bus transportation to the rally. The White House "Captive Nations Week" invitees were given free tickets and free bus rides to the rally, by Presidential Assistant Elizabeth Dole. Both the White House and Republi can National Committee are "mum" about the fi nancial source of the feder al employees' ride. Visitors to the nearby museums and -CapitoLyisitQDLwere given passes to the rally. Some of them were provided signs, by the Republican National Committee, which dis played great support for the President This was not a gathering of people who went to the rally because they were in terested in a balanced bud get amendment, but It was an orchestrated audience Alfred. for Mr. Reagan to act out a camouflage for his failing economic program. R is ironic for a Presi dent who has proposed the highest budget deficit of any former president, to tell the people that he is committed to a balanced budget amendment. If Mr. Reagan ts realty serious, why not let it begin with himself? The President and Congress, which has collaborated with him in passing the $104 billion '83 budget deficit could cut the budget by analyzing the huge sacrosanct defense budget, which will rise to more than a trillion dollars by 1985. This is the greatest peace time military budget of all times. Mr. Reagan’s Soviet hysteria of military superiority to Russia causes him to try to balance a budget by cutting all programs which pro vide living conditions for the non-rich Americans, while he concedes to the rich large tax breaks, and military munitions con tracts. The President in exem plifying his acting ability said, “We don't come as a special Interest group pleading for personal gain. We're messengers of a united people demanding constitutional change.” The President failed to em phasize that this was a select group, with a few drop-in tourists who availed themselves of the opportunity to see a U.S. President. One spectator who was in town on a few days vacation from Louisi ana home, said she was told after arriving, at the Capitol that if she hurried to the west side she would be able to get a glimpse of the President. She said she knew nothing about a ba lanced budget amendment, and that nothing was heard at the rally that convinced her to support such an idea. This visitor said she refused to carry the sign offered her which said, “We’re for Ron,” because she prefers making her own signs. She said, "Why should I be for Mr. Reagan when he has made condi tions so bad that my son who has a Ph D. In econo mics has been unable to find a job since Christ mas?” This lady strongly emphasized that her con cern is not with balancing budgets, but for providing jobs. I asked the taxi driver if he attended the rally. He said. "What, park my cab and lose money to see Ronald Reagan display one of his second-rate movie roles, by smiling and trying to divert the peoples’ at tention away from his policy of burdening the poor, so the rich can get richer? He is balancing the budget all right. It’s being balanced right on the back of my brother who has been out of work for ten months. He is a construction worker and he has lost his home." a rapitrti frill gunrrl. who was on duty at the rally said, “People were falling out like flies from a fly swatter.” He said 37 people fainted, among the fainters was a Capitol Hill police man. If the President is the compassionate man he claims to be why did he have the people defy the wea therman’s caution of stay ing out of the extreme Washington heat if it could be avoided? One wonders how Mr. Reagan felt when he saw people being hauled away in ambulances be cause of his balanced bud get amendments charade. Why didn't the White House stage the show at one of the hotels or Constitutional Hall, where the crowd could at least have been comfortable? Representative Augustus Hawkins says it will be several years before the amendment becomes law, which will be long after Mr Reagan leaves office. Mr. Hawkins predicts that the amendment will pass the conservative Congress for political reasons. He states that even if the amendment passes, 60 percent of both houses can vote to un balance the budget at any time. Representative Hawkins feels that Con Kress, in carrying out the balanced budget man dates, will always seek to cut programs that are needed for the survival of the poor, while continuing to support a spiraling mi litary budget. A Republican congres sional aide, who wishes to remain anonymous, admit ted that this rally was a GOP stunt for the purpose of beefing up support for Republican candidates in November. He stated that many citizens, realizing that Mr. Reagan walked away with his ’82 budget victory, which they firmly believe is the cause of the loss of homes, lobs and. businesses make the feel a compulsion to i the public’s attention : their hard times, to a fo on some other is Merchants who adv in The Post are telling they appreciate your ness. Patronise them! t > NOT TO UTTER THE STREET l . 1. v t I k. i I 1 I . 1 I i Letters To _The Editor Message To Brothers And Sisters Dear Sir: Ttits 1s~ar message-heart felt-to all my brothers and sisters. An incident on the city bus prompted my final decision to write. I hope those involved will recog nize themselves and think twice about their thoughts and actions. Route No. 3, around eight o’clock on the morning of ~~July lb Headed fui Suutli Park from the Square was as usual, full to capacity. People, along with myself, stood holding to the upper rails to maintain some level of balance, and there was a young man sitting in the stairwell of the rear exit and another standing in the stairwell with his back to the overhead stair well mirror. Upon proceeding to its destination, fully loaded, maybe over-loaded, the . driver, who was Caucasian, stopped the bus and said, “Sir, you’ll have to move from the stairwell, I can’t see anything but your back.” I don’t think he saw the man sitting, because, in addition, he said, “You in the purple shirt." The one standing had on a purple shirt (T-shirtinibwever, they both moved to a safer spot. Now, there was a great number of blue uniformed Charlotte Memorial Hos pital employees on the bus. One of them spoke. “Now you could've asked him better than that!” She con tinued, “If it had been me I’d tell him ...(so and so)." After ‘amens’ from co workers, the lead speaker continued, “...and all the white man can do is call the cops and they’re dying like everybody else.” Laughter ...Then I head, “Yea, one was shot in Greensboro.” Now, for my message. I was tom up because in my opinion: a) the driver was not rude to the young man. He has a job to do and it '« made haader when -the » bus is over-loaaed and . when there are those'over opinionated. I turned and spoke, “The driver wasn’t rude, they have no business there pny way-it’s not safe.” Then I heard, “Oh, there’s a cracker on the bus."’ To which I responded, - "Whoro?” -_ No reply. The thing that really tore me up was: b) to think of two absolutely wonderful guys who just so happened to be policemen; lifeless, and to hear someone talk of their deaths as ‘so-what.’ I wonder if that sister on the bus could’ve been so opin ionated about the ‘cop’ deaths had she known either personally as I did. But, no-still they risked their lives each day for black and white alike and ironically died at the hands of blacks. That hurts! Brothers and sisters, I love you all. I know of the struggle, the hard times, the worries. I’ve lived it and I’m still living through it. The black race is shamed because we’re coming apart at the seams as a people. We’re working against each other instead of for each other. We are so bitter. It’s a phenomenon that blacks are killing blacks at a remarkable rate. Spirit ually in the family circle is at an all time low. My message may not change anything but brothers and sisters-for the sake of our future and the -future nf our rhilrirgn turn from anger and strife drive hatred From your body as you would a virus. Get ahead the best way you can with the God-given talents you have and pick another brother and sister up. I support anything black - ownecj apd, Qgefatpd first. I’m not prejudiced nor pro-' white. There was a time when I had to drive the evil out of my body, soul and mind. It brings out the worst in you and does no thing for you. True, my message may not change anything; but, brothers and sisters, I still love you and believe in you. I hope and pray that one day soon we can all say the same for each other. Ms. Debra Worthy Treatment Center Dear sir: Since the closing of Com munity Hospital in 1981, Charlotte-Mecklenburg has been without adequate medically supervised acuta care (detoxification) ser vices for the alcoholic. Effective August 1, 1982, the Charlotte Treatment Center, a licensed and fully accredited (JCAH) hospi tal, which has provided ser vices to alcoholic people continuously since 1953 on a non-profit basis, will in crease its existing acute care infirmary services to meet this need and will do so at a fee lower than is presently being charged. The center win provide a comprehensive five-day detoxification and assess ment program supervised by the medical director, Dr. Rex Taggart, and the associate medical director, Dr. David Morris. The unit will be staffed by regis tered nurses and aides 24 hours a day. Admissions can be made seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For infor mation, persons may contact the admissions of fice, 554,8373, or write; Charlotte Treatment Cen ter, P. O. Box 240197, 1715 Sharon Road West, Charlotte, N.C. 28224. YOUR TALK Kev. Perkins God Can UwHJsi ' As I look out today and travel around in the major cities of our country, I feel somewhat as Jeremiah felt in his day. He felt a deep sense of anguish and sorrow. I feel that way for the black community, my own brothers and sisters. I feel that way as I look out on America as a whole. I love this country. There is something about it that calls me to love it. However, I am against the injustices of my nation, because of these injustices, we are on the verge of destroying ourselves. I wish that it was possible for us, as a people, to honor God with the resources He has given us. I believe that if we could honorably use the resources that God has given us that He would allow us to continue as a nation. I know as black people we feel excluded from the mainstream of this American life. It sounds odd and somewhat funny to talk that way to a people who are black, who feel isolated from the main stream. "But I believe that even in this condition, God can use us. In conditions like these, God molded the Israelites to be His people. And it was in Babylon, He broke the from being idolatrous. And it was during the time of the'Homan rule that Jesus camfi^ • making His great witness to the world. Even though it was the witness of his life, it was the witness of His works. He gave His life as a sacrifice for His people, and people of all days. In a sense, Jesus was patriotic, but He was patriotic in terms of His world. He died for the sins of the world. Christ s sacrificial life should be an^ Hxaiiipln tn in I «Hrh T gay to nnrT people, “Let’s begin building with the little we have.” That we should begin to utilize the resources that we have. If we as black people could begin to utilize the feeble resources we have, if we could utilize these resources under God, I feel that God could make us something unique. He could make us a witness to a nation. But some of us have to get our values together. We are suffering from a value system crisis. We have bought into the consumer-mentality. And we are now en slaved_by it. Finally, we are arriving at a place in our society where we have placed things over people. I believe that our crime, our lifestyle, the problems we face, have to do with materialism. And we are being duped as a people. homebody is saying, “Our problems come because we don’t have employment.” But our biggest problem is that we don’t have a mentality for development. We have allowed ourselves to be caught up into a dependency on a political system that has not been able to deliver us. And we sold our .souls to it. If we could only see the folly of that system. And now we are beginning to see another system develop, a conservative system that is bent on destroying the old one. I believe that we are about to face some very difficult and terrible days. And I feel so much like Jeremiah felt many years ago that I could make a statement akin to his like, “Itsccms that we lrave reached that place in our nation of no return. It seems like we are on our way to destruction.” Jeremiah said it another way in the oid Testament, “The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved ” (Jeremiah 8:20).
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Aug. 5, 1982, edition 1
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