P«ge 2A - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday. February 18. 1988
Administration Vows To Fight Equal Employment
BY JILL LAWREPKE
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
WASHINGTON lAP) —The Rea
gan administration said Tues
day It opposes a House bill that
would require federal agencies
to document their efforts to
comply with equal employment
laws.
Equal Employment Opportuni
ty Commission Chairman Clar
ence Thomas said the proposed
"Federal E^ual Employment
Opportunity Reporting Act"
would deprive his agency of the
(lexlblllty It needs to help differ
ent departments eliminate bar
riers to the hiring and promo
tion of minorities and women.
"You can't have the same set of
rules for the Defense Depart
ment as for the EEOC," Thomas
told the House Eklucatlon and
Labor subcommittee on employ
ment opportunities
Thomas also said any legisla
tion regulating affirmative ac
tion In government should ap
ply to the 38,000 people
employed by Congress.
"We arc called on the carpet
about a 500-employee agency,
but you have an entire section of
the government that Is exempt"
from civil rights laws. Thomas
said.
The legislation sp>onsored by
subcommittee chairman Mat
thew Martinez. D Calif., says af
firmative action has not been
given a high enough priority to
eliminate the effects of past and
present discrimination In feder
al Jobs.
It would require federal agen
cles to file reports with the EEOC
on their compliance with the
equal employment act, Includ
ing analyses of applications,
hiring, training and promotions
as well as goals and timetables
to correct any problems that arc
revealed.
Martinez accused the EEOC of
undermining civil rights laws
and gutting Its own regulations.
He said the Reagan administra
tion has rejected goals and time
tables even though the Supreme
Court has upheld such means of
achieving a balanced work
force.
"The federal government
should be a model of Integra
tion. It should not live under dif
ferent rules than the private sec
tor." said Martinez, referring to
the reporting requirements,
standards and efforts expected
of private employers.
According to testimony from
the Lawyers Committee for Civil
Rights, private employers regard
as "Indispensable management
tools" analyses of the makeup of
their work force and reasonable
goals and timetables to correct
Imbalances.
The lawyers group said affir
mative action plans and moni
toring efforts "have become sec
ond nature to American
business" and It Is dlfllcult to
understand why the administra
tion opposes them.
“ If Congress does not pass leg
islation providing an effective
prod to the government, many
federal agencies will continue to
drag their feet," the group said.
Thomas acknowledged that
discrimination exists in the fed
eral work force and said goals or
timetables may be appropriate
In some cases. But he said the
Martinez bill Is not needed be
cause EEOC already Is working
with dejjartment heads to iden
tify problem areas and elimi
nate Inequities.
Barnett Defends Anti-Walton Campaign
Reassignment Plan
Continued From Page lA
more to do with reducing over
crowding than with maintaining
racial balance.
"For the most part, the chang
es were because we had loo few
kids or It related to capacity." he
said.
Prime examples of the underu
tilization of class space are
Charlotte's Inner city schools,
which are located In black com
munities.
Irons said administrators,
who researched the assignment
plan, made a conscious effort to
preserve those schools and
lighten the burden blacks bear
In the busing equations.
"The more schools you've got
In the minority community,
there's a shorter bus ride to the
center city schools." Irons said.
"You don't have to count up
miles and minutes to see that."
Irons said school officials are
committed to preserving center
city schools, and although they
weren't able to satisfy everyone,
the plan represents an effort to
keep schools In the black com
munity.
"We said when we started we
wanted to make use of center
city schools and make bus rides
more fair," he said.
The county also plans to up
grade those facilities by refur
bishing buildings and offering
courses that can assure full
classrooms.
Irons believes that a lot of the
negative reaction to reassign
ment stems from parents' belief
that the changes force students
to move for no apparent reason.
The plan, however, allows for
the opening of the new schools,
which are being built to elimi
nate overcrowding due to
growth In the southeast.
'We're opening schools." he
said. 'There's no sense In open
ing schools If you're not moving
kl^."
On balance. Irons, said, reas
signment In a system that Is
considered a national model of
school Integration should
strengthen the concept.
"If you look at the features on
balance, you see more fairness."
Continued From Page lA
said. "It would be too time-
consuming. But If we have to go
to Jail for that, then maybe
that's what It'll take."
Informing the board of elec
tions of the group's activity Is a
ploy of Walton supporters to
eliminate opposition to their
candidate. Barnett believes.
"One of Bob Walton's support
ers Just wants to stop us," he
said.
The campaign Is shaping up to
Include the black church as a
central Issue In the District 2
race, with ministers lining up as
anti- or pro-Walton supporters.
Barnett, like Walton. Is a mini
ster.
Religious leaders generally
have considerable Influence In
the black community, but not
necessarily In this race. Barnett
believes.
"There's a code of ethics In the
black community that you don't
go against ministers," he said.
"But there are a lot of educated
people out there who can think
for themselves and aren't going
to Just go on what their minister
says. (Walton's supporters) want
to stop us. but If we have to go to
Jail to tell people what's going
on, that's what we'll do."
Barnett said his group isn't
against Walton personally, but
they plan to make his character
a campaign Issue.
Some ministers have defended
Walton since he was convicted of
assault last year In a sexual en
counter with an 18-year-old
male. Barnett Isn't one of them,
however, and Is critical of those
who want to see Walton reelect
ed.
"How can you say he was for
given when you don't say what
he was wrong for In the first
place," Barnett asked. 'We can
still love Bob Walton but we
don't have to put him up as a role
model. We shouldn't be trying to
push him off on the black com
munity.
'The whole world will be look
ing at us May 3. We as black
folks need role models more
than any other f>eople."
Walton
Robeson Tries To Solve Its Racial Woes
Apartheid's Right
Continued From Page lA
moderation ..."
"The media has Just done an
absolute hatchet Job on South
Africa and 1 think the reason,
very frankly. Is because the left
wants to see South Africa fall.
They don't want a free govern
ment," he added.
Robertson stressed the strateg
ic Importance of .S^th Africa.
"Our long-rangSnterests are
at stake." he said. "We must
have the minerals of southern
Africa available to the West. If
they fall Into the hands of the
Soviet Union, we will become
vassals of the Soviets. It's a very
Important strategic matter that
apparently our people Just Ig
nore."
Asked by the Interviewer what
the United States really wants
from South Africa, he said It
was hoped that there would
eventually be racial equality.
'To begin gradually to bring
Into the political process the
blacks In your country so that
ultimately you have a time
where there Is equality before
the law. equality of Justice and
equality of civic opportunity
and that Is essentially what we
want," he said.
"What I want essentially Is a
free South Africa. 1 want South
Africa as a friend of the West
and a bastion of capitalism,"
said Robertson. "It would be
tragic If South Africa was
plunged Into a blood bath. If the
Marxist-led members of the Af
rican National Congress could
gain control."
Robertson said that those who
favor sanctions and disinvest
ment as a means of putting pres
sure on the South African gov
ernment to end apartheid are
"knowingly or unknowingly al
lies of those who favor a one-
party, Marxist government In
South Africa."
The Interview was broadcast
on the nightly news program
Network.
LUMBERTON. N.C. (AP) —
Blacks, whites and Indians In
Robeson County must work to
repair racial Injustices that led
to the Feb. 1 siege of a local
newspaper by two members of
the Tuscorora tribe, officials
said Saturday.
"It's time for the people of
Robeson County to shed their fo
cus on color and Join together as
one group to solve the county's
problems." Rep. Sidney Locks.
D-Robeson, told about 100 peo
ple at a public forum sponsored
by the Tuscorora tribe of North
Carolina.
The meeting was called after
Eddie Hatcher, 30. and Timothy
Jacobs. 19, both of Pembroke,
were charged with holding 19
employees of The Robesonlan
hostage for 10 hours. The men
said they were seeking an Inves
tigation Into what they called
raclad Injustices In the county's
criminal court system.
"There are some deep-seated
wounds In this county, wounds
that have been present not for
years but for decades," Locks
said. "Blacks have let other
blacks and whites turn us
against Indians. Indians have
let other Indians and whites
turn them against blacks. It's
time we Joined together as one
group and put color aside. That's
the only end to this problem.
Locks said he did not condone
the use or threat of violence.
"^What we need Is not bullets.
What we need Is ballots," he said.
" If we would register, then vote
our convictions, we would elect
those people who are right for
us. We don't need guns. We need
guts to stand up and express our
feelings as many of your are
N.C. Highway Named For Black Woman
Raleigh - The North Carolina
board of Transportation today
approved the naming of a 5.2
mile section of US 70 In Guilford
County the "Charlotte Hawkins
Brown Memorial Highway."
Brown, a native North Carolin
ian. founded Palmer Memorial
Institute In Sedalla inl902 and
served as Its president for over
50 years. A high school and Jun
ior college. Palmer became one
of the earliest high schools for
blacks In North Carolina to be
accredited by the Southern As
sociation of Secondary Schools
and Colleges.
Ten years after Brown's death
In 1961, Palmer Memorial Insti
tute closed Its doors.
However, on November 7.
1987, the state's Department of
Cultural Resources opened and
dedicated the "Charlotte Haw
kins Brown Memorial State His
toric Site" -- the first state his
toric site honoring a black and a
woman. This site Is located on
40 acres of the former campus
of Palmer Memorial Institute on
Highway 70 In Sedalla, 10 miles
east of Greensboro.
The "Charlotte Hawkins
Brown Memorial Highway" ex
tends along US 70 from the In
tersection of US 70 and Birch
Creek Road eastward to the In
tersection of US 70 and NC 100.
Bill Buchanan, who repre
sents Highway Division 7 on the ■
Board of Transportation, said
signs designating the new name
will be placed along the section
nrAiJwf — - PUoto ^ Calvin Fef^«»on
I bu*inc»*man Nasif Majeed. right, was out shaking hands and greeting present and --
I ^ ▼otcr* Saturday as he opened his campaign headquarters. Majeed is run
ning for the Democratic Party nomination for District 2 Mecklenburg County Commissioner
Incumbent Bob Walton and Jamea Baldwin. Majeed told aupp>orters he intends to pro
vide voters with an alternative to Walton by stressing his commtmity service, accomplishments
|and portraying himself as a role model for young people.
now."
Julian Pierce, a Pembroke at
torney who has filed for Superi
or Court Judge In the 16th dis
trict, said part of the county's
problem Is the lack of coop)era-
tlon from Its elected ofilclals.
" When I look around and
think about the events of the
p>ast several days, one question
comes to mind. Where are our
elected representatives?" he
said. " ... If they are concerned,
where are they?"
Pierce said that of 13 elected
Robeson County officials, two
are black and the rest white.
"Indians, you don't have any
body," he said. " How do we get
respect when we're not sitting at
the policy-making table. If we
don't look at the situation and
get out and vote, we'll never
solve the problem and we'll nev
er be able to have trust In our Ju
dicial system."
Adolph Dial, who has filed for
a scat in the North Carolina
House, said he agrees there Is a
great need In Robeson County
for cooperation.
" Pm not apologizing for any
thing that happened recently,"
Dial, a Lumbee Indian, said.
" Sometimes people make great
sacrifices. Sometimes people br
eak the law for things to happen.
There's a great need In this coun
ty for a lot of cooperation."
Connie Brayboy told the group
a committee had been formed to
organize defense efforts for
Hatcher and Jacobs. She said
the panel was calling on the gov
ernment to drop charges against
the men and was asking county
blacks and Indians to unite
against Joe Freeman Britt, a dis
trict attorney running for Su-
Presidential
Candidate To
Visit Winthrop
Rock Hill, SC - Republican
presidential candidate Pat Ro
bertson will speak at Winthrop
College at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb.
23, In Tillman Hall Auditorium.
Robertson's appearance Is
sponsored by the Young Repub
lican of Winthrop College.
Robertson's appearance is
free and open to the public.
perlor Court Judge, and Sheriff
Hubert Stone.
Velma Clark, Hatcher's moth
er, said she Is very proud of her
son.
"I taught him one command
ment, love, and he did what he
did because he loved the people
here," she said. "If he were here
today, he'd say, "Let's Join to
gether and get things right"
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