Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Sept. 20, 1984, edition 1 / Page 26
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Tomy Brown's COMMENTS Blacks Sho 'd Not Defend Young Vanessa Williams! Part I reviewed the new fall line-up for the disgraced former Miss America, Vanessa Williams. In the November Penlhsoie, she will appear for the second time with the same white woman and in January in color nudity with sado masochistic gear-handcuffs, leather scan ties, studded belts, etc. What she called a "mistake” of her youth now looks more like a pattern in 1982 when, according to People maga zine, she "wandered into the porn (pornography) field." And she admits that she signed a release for the second white photographer’s S&M pictures taken in his apartment. This admission strips (pun intended) her of her youthful innocence. because it means that she wanted the" world to see what the camera saw. Which gives a new meaning to the Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione’s words: “When did they say they didn’t want the pictures in Penthouse? Where did they want them to be published? In Goed Housekeeping?” She is string the first photographer tu pay her. but not to restrain Penthouse. While Williams got disgraced, every white man associated with her downfall got something. Bob Guccione got $24 million on the September issue ahme; her obese white photographer male friend all 300 pounds of him-got at least $250,000, almost a $1,000 a pound. And her white boyfriend of four years got his hat. So much for her notion of integration. She exploited her body to benefit her ambitions and all of the white people connected with her ambitions got a free ride-or deserted her. Even when she was busted, the only news organizations to whom she gave exclusive interviews were white. I saw no such concern on her part for the Black Press-not a single newspaper or maga zine including Essence magazine that defended her ethics. And on top of all of this, after turning her back on black people, she now returns by insulting our intelligence "And above all. I'm Black. " Believe it or not, those words were spoken by the most eonspieuous un-blaefc. Waefc-woman-in- - public life. Now she turns for support to the people she scorned. Know why? Because legitimate white people don’t want her anymore. But Easeace magazine’s editor is, along with Williams, pushing the line that this is a racial issue rather than a moral issue Swan Taylor of Essence in her open tetter editorial to Williams blames so ciety's ethics and suggests that the problem is not what Williams did, but thatU»e public doesn't accept what she aia.^sT. « _ Essence affects the opiniom of many of the 2.9 million readers it claims Young Mac* women look to It for a sense of self andltte guided by its directions and role model* Taylor’s editorial fails then! it ~ certainly misrepresents the mood of the Afro-Aroericah community. , I prefer the opinions of the black mothers who are warnii^. their daugh ters not to be Like Williams - in racial identity or morals - and a black model Donna Jorge, from Philadelphia who said: ‘*1 was proud when she won, but these pictures...if you saw diem you would think she was a lesbian...it's not what the Miss America Pageant wants it’s not what God wants. Most black women would not do what Williams did ” We don’t owe Vanessa Williams any thing. She has disgraced black people, denied us, worked with racism when it suited her ambitions and now to exploit our moral high ground. The Essence defense of William^ sexually explicit (and then some) pornography is astride a moral hobby horse. Perhaps, Taylor inadvertently has confused nudity with lesbian pornogra phy and opportunism with blackness. Comments in black papers across the country are also at odds with the Essence position. An editorial in The Charlotte -thc *eadin* N*** paper there, described Williams as “a young woman abandoning her sense of personal de cency in quest to advance herself." - A black mother of two girls, con cerned about positive role models, said in New York’s Amsterdam News that Wil liams’ behavior “was morally indecent and wrong” and she is now "sorry...only because she was exposed.” me Michigan Chronicle in Detroit blamed her for “ignorant indiscretion’’ and reminded its readers that ow society’s code “rejects the printing of pictures of nude women in lesbian behavior." Her parents “reared their daughter." the black paper continued. . “in a small white community. In their search for the best’ they got the worst." Tommy Nash, in a brilliant letter to The Oklahoma Eagle, the black paper in Tulsa, said he was “irritated" by the position taken by some prominent lead ers and feels that blacks, after seeing the dirty pictures, "have a moral responsi bility to the youth of our race to speak out." Penthouse and Williams were “motivated by the same things - lust for money and success. Nobody placed a gun . to her head. " instead of eulogising -Williams as a victim of the racism she enjoyed so much, Nash says that we should be. instead, concerned about the impact of her disgrace on black people and “the morality of our youth.” Our battle for final passage to freedom in America will be fought in the minds of black people. Black role models, there fore, are important as symbols because people in life are guided by what they imagine themselves to be. L«t anyone try to prove that a life which is not lived with honor and in tegrity can succeed. . Tony Brown’s Journal TV series can be seen on public television Sunday, on Channel 42 at 5p.m. It can also be seen on Channel SB. Sunday at p.m.; in(far Channel 30, Thursday, at 10:30 p.m. Pleuae consult listings. “Let’s Dance” Will Ficus ' On Teens And High Schools WPCQ-TV will premiere a locally produced 90 minute dance program, “Let’s Dance,’’ at 5 p.m., Saturday. September 22 The show will feature students from area Ugh schools and one of their favorite deejays, Jack Daniel of WJZE.i Z100 Radio as host. Producer Joanne Hock said, "We believe with Jack Daniel as host and the participation ai energetic enthusiastic students, “Let’s Dance’’ will be a big hit. Once every 12 weeks Summerstage The noontime performances continue during the September edition of Summers tage *M. This week’s programs feature music and dance. Friday, September 21, First Uaiea Plata - The Swingin’ Pines. This square dance group, with a professional caller, will ~ entertain the Uptown audience. All performances begin around noon and end by 1:30 p.m. In case of rain, the day’s event is cancelled. The SummerStage ’84 series began June 1. These free, noontime programs are sponsored by the Central Charlotte Association (CCA), with Trammell Crow. First Union National Bank, NCNB, WBTV, Indepen dence Venture and Indep endence Center. - ¥ — ' The Law Firm of Ferguson, Watt, Wallas & Adkins ei | I 1984 ; w 951 S. Independence Blvd. Suite 730 i 375-8461 the show will go on location » for a “Dance Off” among the schools with prizes and gift certificates for the winners.’* Each Saturday the show will spotlight a. different high school in the Channel ' 36 viewing area, beginning with Charlotte's Independence High on the premiere. The teens will dance on a contemporary set dominated by a huge mockup of a jukebox. The program will incorporate music videos produced locally by the students as well as videos by the major record companies. Ms. Hock said there will be a local internship program to involve the students in developing story lines, scripts nd featurettes on „ their schools. Bill Miller, who pioneered this kind of programming in Washington, D.C., is executive producer of the program. ~ Ms. Hock said 12 high schools already have signed up to participate in the program and that students interested^ in having their school partici pate should telephone her at (704) 536-3636. Congratulations Bishop J.H. Sherman Sr. \ on Being Selected A Charlotte Post Achiever 1984 Scharf, Pera & G>. Certified Public Accountants Home Federal Baildlag Q«»Wte, N.C. 28202 (70S) 372-1187 Julius, 'Elysium is as. far as to f The very nearest room, * If in that room a friend await Felicity or doom. r ^ (Emily DickinsonV r E Poems, III) Congratulations from a friend, j Jim Lipscomb To All Charlotte Post 1984 Achievers! From Vaughn & Watkins, M.D.'s PA. General and Vascular Surgery 951 S. Independence Blvd. j Suite 415 • 704-333-0741 '
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Sept. 20, 1984, edition 1
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