Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Feb. 16, 1984, edition 1 / Page 2
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Once again, it is February - Black History Month • a time to pause, reflect and reassess where we have been, where we fere now, and where we want to go as 26 million black Ameri cans. _ In terms of where we have been, we have burst the bonds of hundreds of years of slavery. We, have come through the ravages of Jim Crowism, made moral and legal progress in civil rights, kept the black power movement in proper perspective, achieved some practical political and eco nomic gains, adjusted to the technological and cultural re vnfldinn and galloped into outer space. TWs leads to the question - cere are we now in Black Month 1964? Answer: . continue to travel on dual ~ pdflte, one to grinding poverty arfiEanother to progress, pros perity, and the embrasing of new ^ah^Ienges that may offer more process in a democratic set ting.' Thus, chips of eborfy, or parts of the black community, are moving with the ebb and tide of the nation’s progress while too many others linger in tbfi depths of poverty, often chained by a lack of education, a lack of motivation or an inability toTJVercome some aspects of the new racism. ’ Regardless of which road the Chips of ebony may be currentiy traveling, there are some devel opments in contemporary black history that show we are be a more mature people, a ' iflc of a people on the Id of on era of greatness. : is the ability reassess thei^f; This was illustrated in recent ! by Washington Post Rflfinhomj Black Family He said that 20 years ago blacks wet» very critical of white socio logist Daniel Patrick Moynihan bedhuse he wrote about black family instability. Today, Mr. Raspberry adds, the nation’s black leadership is not talking about anything else. More signi ficantly, all the talk is aimed at blacMB, finding solutions to black . family problems. This is significant, too, in that it means that black people have begun to make objective, critical self-analysis of themselves as mature, assertive and progres sive people must do. Without belaboring the high rate of out-of-wedlock births and female-headed households, the significant thing, as Mr. Rasp berry concludes, is that finally * the topic of the plight of the black family as a social institution is now a topic open for serious discussion, planning and pro blem solving. Assertiveness -InJthe field of education, too, we see assertiveness by blacks that will in time result in sub stantially lower levels of job lessness among black youth and nn increasingly hiphnr age of such youth on college campuses. This is evident by the fact that the high school completion rate of blacks rose from 23 percent in 1950 to 79 percent in 1900. The recent launching of black astro nauts into outer space and return is just one example of what assertive educational values can do for an individual or an ethnic group committed to achieving a measure of an improved quality. . t . •* It is precisely these kinds of assertive behavior efforts that . ffivp mpflnlng tn a, people’s historical past and mak« thaf— history a foundation with roots from which ideas on self-better ment and advancement may, occur. Finally, the history of bUick Americans began hundreds of . years ago, it ends today. Tomor row starw/a new beginning, a a new chapter in assertiveness in . our quest for a fuller freedom, justice and equality. You can and should help write that new beginning, that future history of black Americans. We challenge you to believe that you can make that history what you want it to be for yourself and your off springs. . .V * ' • V . » In this Black History Month of 1984, we challenge you also to begin being assertive to assure that your ebony chip can and will overcome all obstacles to your personal plan for success. ' J 1 II THE CHARLOTTE POST • " • 1 ■" y i i “THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER’’ • Established 1918 ' Published Every Thursday by The Qiarlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. • Subscription Rate $17.68 Per Year' Second Class Postage No. 965500 Postmaster Send 3579s to: f 331 Camden Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203 ■.V4‘ Telephone: 704-376-0496 1 Circulation: 11,023 106 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Bernard Reeves Ffcao Farrar Bannette 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 Worth Carolina Black Publishers Association Deodline for all news copy and photos Is ;'Bp.m., Monday. All photos and copy qf^mitted become the property of The Post and will not be returned. _ National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc. ■flfr----y---~ 2m S. WirhiKu Ave. 45 W 4*0, St., Suite 14*3 C ^*** ,u New York, New York INM StfametS-MM 2I2-4SS-I2» _ »aoi. v ‘ > Wanted— JOB *! - B * ^ ^ .\*iX 1 * ' 7J . - Black Led Confederate Troops Dear Editor: Turner Ashby was a black general of the Con federate States of America during the Civil War. ^ singular fact of Ashby’s life is that his contemporaries -friend and foe alike - extolled no man, nor any soldier, more than be.. Most of the information presented here came from Edward A. Pollard** § wtat ., in 1W. _:he« the edi tor of the Richmond Ex aminer. Before the Civil War, turner Ashby had been a grain dealer, planter and local politician of wealth and influence in the She nandoah Valley. In 1969, be raised a volunteer cavalry company. By June, 1861, be was promoted to Lt. Co lonel and four months later named Colonel of the Se venth Virginia Cavalry under Jackson. Ashby was promoted to Brldagier General, Confederate States of America, May 23, 1862. Shortly after, Ashby was mortally wounded, Pollard lamented, “Turner Aahby, whose name was linked with so much romance of the war, and whose geptle _ and and knightly bearing; had _ called to mind the recoi lections of chivalry, and adorned Virginia with a new chaplet of fame, had on the fifth of June, fallen in a skirmish near Har ris bura/t,—_ Jackson Has Numerous Assefe bear K ditar: Among Jesse Jackson’s many positive assets aa a leader is his use of lan guage. Not ilagrfllain. dWyday MfbageUnd wends, whichT^re usually directed to the masses by the typical politician. He uses words which can send one to the dictionary. For example, his reference to Minister Farrakhan’s eschatology (religious be lief in the world’s end). How many mundane, usual politicians would dare to use such a word in. speak ing to the uninitiated? -Surely, Jackson i Matting a different course, which will separate him from Reagan. Ttie country has always produced a President for the specific problems it faces. Therefore, Jackson is in the best tradition. Robert L. Johnson Few Are F \i Conscious Many of us are weight conscious, but too few of us are health-conscious. The North Carolina Medical Society says too many people are trying to con trol their weight with crash diets and brief bursts of exercise. What moat people need is a new life style...a long term com mi tnient to sensible eating and regular exercise. litany dieters fail to real ize that exercise is a key factor in successful weight control. Picture an over weight, sedentary young woman who has discovered that she will remain over-1 weight on a diet of only 1,800 calories per day. From CapitolHm State of Union Void Of Substance Alfred* L. Madison Special Ta The Pott ' Theatrics were played out in the House of Re presentatives’ chamber, as the chief star Ronald Reagan delivered his rosy State of the Union Ad dress. All but the rich Americans became puzzled over trying to determine just what state he had in mind. The President exhibited all his showmanship say ing, "There is renewed energy and optimism throughout the land. Ame rica is back-standing tall." At the end of every state ment, there was great applause, often accom panied with yells from the members of Congress. When the President turned sideways and looked up in the gallery at the planted Hispanic sol dier who took part in the Grenada invasion, and re lated how the soldier had received the medal of hon or for his bravery, the entire audience stood and clapped. What was lacking in this episode, was no mention of the 18 Ameri can soldiers who lost their lives and the more than . 100 wounded in the same invasion A true picture would have been showing some crosses, burning some candles, or at least s moment of silence for those unfortunate victims. The entire 44 minutes were void of substance but long on theatrics. The Alfreds Sm _il_S__a that "good Utries are roll ing’’ which are caused by our happy-go-h»cky lead ers. Mr. Reagan spoke of the decline ia unemployment during his Administration and that more people are working today than when he came into office The truth it that unemployment Is higher and more people are out of work. Hie state ment of increase in jobs for women and minorities is not true. When he took office in 1981, unemploy ment for women was 6.7 percent. Macks, 14.4 per- / cent. At present, for women it is 7.1 percent and blacks 17.6 He gloat ed that 73 percent of all new managerial, professional and technical 1989 jobs were filled by women. He failed to explain that these «*« only the traditional “women” jobs of seer* Wjr, clerk, nurse, and cafeteria workers. The jobs as managers still re main mostly male. The President applaud ed Barbara Procter, a black woman, and Carlos Perez, Hispanic, for their busness acumen, nit he failed to mention the 31,000 small businesses that failed In 1303. One person from any group can be held up as a success, but what about the majority of the group that have not been so fortunate? Aren’t they con sidered in this human society? That’s like point ing out the Rockefellers and E. Paul Gettys to whites. In speaking of the un employed, the President said, “Can we love Ame rica and not reach out to tell them, ‘You are not forgotten? We will not rest until each of you reaches as high as your God-given ta . lents take you. ” Does Mr. Rea gad expect them, to reach (heir God-given ta lents by eutthog Jobe pro grams, adequate housing funding, giving tea blanks to big corporations that are making nusineas metiers, Investing in forafen bad ness for cheap labor, while Americans are loaing Jobe, cutting grants for coGege students, and turning back civil rights gains mads by this group? “Lesser lpve has no man shown for Ms brother than to continue to do the above.” The President said a fa mily earning 338,000 be cause of reduced taxes and iriftatkm, has 31,100 more purchasing power now than. H did in 1980. For veri fication, this reporter called the Congressional Budget Office, who sug gested I can Commerce, who suggested a can to Census, who suggested a caO to Social Security, who suggested that the figures probably came Troth OMB. All of the agencies had doubts about authen ticity of the statement. Representative WiHiam Gray of the Congression al Black Caucus and a .member of the House Appropriations Commit tee, said a famUy of four, earning 925,000, received a tax decrease of .1 percent, while a family of four with 9100,000 had a tax decrease of three percent and with 9308,000, the family re ceived a tax decrease of four percent. Gray also stated that with federal tax decrease, state and local taxed increased to make up lorn in federal Representative Augustus Hawkins stated that this Administration has put farther* in * vice, be rates^reddtfag In Usn^ayl high —-with ■ PPPM Sabrina I February, the month declared, Black History Month. It is filled with programs and celebrations commemorating tifcpee black leaders and trend-setters who made definite marks in history. The month is spent educating children and adults as to the facts and philosophies of the past. Twenty-eight days of history lessons. Well, what happened to incorporating 28 days ok future lessons to children and adults^ Whar happened to the unity issue? Learning of one’s past is an enriching experience. However, thinking of tfce future can and should be a fulfilling experience. Where is the black race going? Is it stagnating and-or going backward? Just what is happening and what is going to happen? Questions such as these are racing -through the hnf Macks at the present. Many see blacks as taking steps that lead nowhere -. but from one issue to the next without making any significant headway. Others see blacks as making a definite impact on society and within the race. They, these future seekers, view blacks as being the most significant building blacks in the rising of this nation and the world. The question, is the race stepping back wards? is one found fa) constant contra diction. Unemployment for Macks is the highest in the unemployment spectrum and is greatest for black males and teenagers. However, on the flip side, blacks, men and women, are holding substantial decision making jobs in major corporations. These movers are the front runners of the race. Following them is the hard working mid dle class with specific goals, pride and dignity. These are the supporters. And lower on the totem poll is the H»** that lacks specific direction and dignity. These people, unfortunately, are the people opinions on blacks are based upon. The ihoveHf Tthd supporters'are Working1 to change those basic opinions. Malicious attitudes have been formed vd against the movers and supporters by the lower class members: disclaiming them as being “like the white man.” Not true! Why should one progressing five in the same place, do the same thing* and have the same idealisms if they do not fit his chosen lifestyle? Capitalism is a way of life: if it works for one, fine-if another does not have the mechanism, get it. Henceforth, no matter how equal blacks claim to be among themselves, there will always be an internal class distinction divuUng the upper class from the middle and the middle class from the lower class. Being as “good” as someone is not the issue - unity ik. , Realizing this type of concept can help and maintain the progress of hiarfrp throughout the U.S. in the future? Econo-' mic equality is not the issue in attaining goals for a race or people - unity is the issue. If the glue called unity is not prevalent, then all the efforts, reached goals and plans were all done in vain - especially if people sit around and criticize without offering suggestions. No one woman or man has all the ability and answers, but when blacks come to gether to discuss the issues and plan a method of attack, then the answers and actions MU Come about and prevail. And when the petty buffalo chips about liking or disliking an individual affects how one acts or reacts to him subsides, then, as stated previously, the ball will begin to move more effectively and efficiently. The old saying: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it - if you haven’t got it, try to get it” applies to blacks. Blacks have the potential to move forward at a rapid pace and make more of an impact on all phases of living - Social, economic, cultural and political idealism’ So why not flaunt it? And for those who are not sure, get out there and
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