Thursday, July 1/1993 - THE CHARLOTTE POST - PageSA
New Teen Entrepreneurs
Big Dose Of Violence In 'Menace'
While gleaning The Charlotte Observer's op-ed page one
morning I was ecstatic to find myself in agreement...
agreement mind you, with ultra-conservative columnist
George F. Will (June 18). A shocking experience Indeed.
In a time when the words violence and Hollywood films
are synonomous, "Menace II Society" is heads above all of
the other blood-and-gore movies. Much in the same way
Stanley Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange" was during its hey-
dey. "Menace" is by no means a vlolence-
for-violence sake film. It is in fact an in-
your-face, no-holds barred, "oop there it
is," living chunk of inner-city life replete
with all of its sordid realities.
And this is where Mr. WUl and I see eye-
to-eye. It is because "Menace" makes no
attempt to glorify or romanticize the
senseless so-called black-on-black crime
that is pervading America's Inner cities.
"Menace" does display ultra-violence In
all of its unmitigated fury, which makes
Daniels the movie an excellent educational tool
for many youth (and adults) in the inner-
city and elsewhere.
Life has shown me that gradual increases in violence can
often be so endured or anesthetized as to be rendered virtu
ally non-existent. Not unlike being inoculated with a
small dose of disease to build an immunity. "Menace to
Society" is doses of violence meted out is such gargantuan
proportion that few viewers will be able to develop an im
munity.
AHMAD DANIELS
Charlotte
How Blacks Are Kept In Check
After reading the classic book "Slave Narratives," I am re
minded of the relationship that has existed between the
powers that be and the collective black colony.
Slave masters have always used the corruptibles of sex,
money, drugs, status, jobs and the threat of losing them to
force slaves to be obedient. When that doesn't work, they
use jail cells, death or the threat of death, to intimidate, all
designed to destroy the spirit of the slave. When the quanti
ty of the slave's life becomes more Important than the
quality, the slave master is in control. In
dependent spirit, Afrocentric values and
defiance are some of the greatest threats to
the master. When slaves stand up, masters
fall off" their backs. Cooperation with the
master through homicide, gang violence,
drug abuse, teen pregnancy and mlseduca-
tlon makes us unwitting agents of the mas
ter. We must abandon our belief in the op
pressor's systems that were not designed
for new Africans. We must also abandon
Swllley belief in the oppressor's goodness. Progress
will come in proportion to our collective
action and our ability to create progressive movements. To
those individuals who pose as brothers and sisters while
cooperating with evil, I alert you to observe Matthew 16:25-
26.
RUSSELL A. SWILLEY
Charlotte
We Must Say 'No' To Violence
The writer is a psychologist and co-fomider of The Em
powerment Project in Charlotte.
My participation in the "Light for Justice," 1993 Candle
light Vigil left me with hope yet with an overwhelming
feeling of grief and despair. Having to look in the eyes and
touch the hands of those who have lost mothers, fathers,
sisters, brothers, sons and daughters, I left thinking,
"why?"
As citizens of Charlotte, we must have similar vigils and
demonstrations of concern about violence and social in
justices In our communities. We must raise our voices past
the whisper of repulsion to declarations of "No more." Si
lence is no longer golden when it literally leads us to the
slaughter. We must demand that elected representatives
talk not only about one-dimensional
changes, like increasing our police force,
but actually engage in dialogue with com
munities Imprisoned by these social dis
eases. Many times we are too quick to sub
mit quick-fix solutions to complex, long
term problems. Probably because that
translates into acknowledging past/
present misdeeds. Taking cold, hard look
at what is permitted to exist in our commu
nities, either by omission the pervasive
ness of oppression and the consequences. It
is unfortunate that I see this going on
around me by many who claim to have "the people's con
cern" at heart. I beg to differ. I see fat cats getting fatter. For
many in Charlotte it would mean hearing the realities and
experiences of the oppressed and victimized. That also
means the relinquishing of power.
It still hurts to see communities fall to unmonitored in
justice that tips the scale and outweighs the positive.
Homelessness, unemployment, underemployment, illiter
acy, drug-addiction and violence, are too much to be the
plight of a few unfortunates or because they want to be that
way. I exhort all who are disturbed or distressed by what
they witness on our streets to dispel the myth of "not me,
only "those people." Raise your consciousness and engage
in being a part of what it takes to heal our communities
Remember, "no one is free when others are oppressed."
RADHIA JAABER
Charlotte
Jaaber
Role Models Aren't Needed For Success
Economist Thomas Sowell
fn Issues & Views:
There isn't a speck of evl-
fience that role models, in
(he sense of the popular us-
^ge, make the slightest dif
ference. When the Irish
Pathollcs came to New York
pity, they were taught by
Protestants. When the Jews
:ame they were taught by the
Irish Catholics. And when
blacks of my era came here
Tony
Brown^
t ^
As you read this column,
keep the thought in mind
that whenever God closes a
door. He opens a window.
In April of this year I an
nounced that the Buy Free
dom Network had adopted
the goal of putting 50,000
people in business for under
$100 each.
To be exact, our objective is
to help 50,000 people become
self-employed as indepen
dent distributors of low-cost
high-tech products that pro
tect Individuals, vehicles,
homes and other property.
Last week, we received over
1,500 requests from across
the country at 1-800-955-
7667 for information from
people who wanted to start
their own multi-level mar
keting network business.
But another event took
place last week that had im
plications of a more far-
reaching magnitude.
At a time when unemploy
ment among black teenagers
is in excess of 50 percent and
is soaring and the federally-
financed summer jobs pro
gram has been delayed and
cut back, there is a glimmer
of hope.
Approximately 40 high
school juniors and seniors
from across the state of Geor
gia recently attended the
13th annual Entrepreneur-
ship and Black Youth Pro
gram at the University of
Georgia in Athens.
This award-winning pro
gram offered "in-business"
classroom sessions that fo
cused on "real business op
portunities and the associat
ed preparation required to
gain self-sufficiency," Dr.
W.E. Delaper, head of the mi
nority business division at
the university explained.
The summer program, run
by Mr. Harold Taylor, is de
veloping a cadre of young
blacks who understand and
believe in the free enterprise
system.
It not only provides hope,
but emphasizes the value of
higher education and pro
vides business-related
skills.
In four days of Intensive
training, these high school
students are acquainted with
the idea of entrepreneurship,
the necessity of a business
education, the development
and control of business as
sets and capital and a busi
ness game simulation.
At the core of the classroom
activities is the computer
game. Divided into teams,
these students stimulate the
management of a company
for four quarters. This illus
trates to the students the
complex relationship that
exists among major areas of
business.
I asked for and received
permission to add value to
an already valued program
by donating a distributor
ship of high-tech products to
16 of the high school stu
dents in the program.
Michael Young, an expert
in multi-level marketing
and a training specialist
with the Buy Freedom Net
work, conducted a two-hour
training session at the Uni
versity of Georgia for all of
those attending the summer
program.
As a result, 16 young people
now have their own busi
ness, a source of extra in
come all year and the vehicle
to develop skills that will
last them for a lifetime.
They received the official
training materials, a sample
of high-tech product, on-the-
spot training and member
ship in the Buy Freedom Net
work, a nationwide support
group.
Additional training is on
going at no cost. And, of
course each student will
learn to recruit other mem
bers of their own multi-level
marketing network.
The total cost of creating
each of these businesses and
receiving all of these services
is under $100.
Contrast that with the fed
eral government's failed
summer jobs program that
the president's critics say
proposed spending $90,000 to
create each job or the $1,500
per summer job spent in
many cities to rake leaves.
That's not to knock menial
summer jobs because it gives
young people, especially the
poor, their first exposure to
the workday world. Moreo
ver, any type of legal work is
honorable and serves as a
brake on potential social
problems in poor neighbor
hoods.
But there Is no comparison
in raking leaves to owning
your own business, learning
to fill orders, dealing with
tough customers, depending
on yourself to get the job
done - and earning your own
money.
Not only will these new en
trepreneurs earn extra in
come today with these skills,
but with improved skills de
rived form this experience,
they will earn much larger
sums in the future.
We can duplicate this self-
emplojnnent program In eve
ry city and hamlet in the
country more efficiently and
economically than the feder
al government - not only
with teenagers, but with any
member of our community
who is interested in self-
help.
Sure the economy's tough -
and with all of the new taxes
and loss of jobs as a result of
the new taxes and corporate
downsizing, things will get a
lot tougher.
The handwriting is already
on the wall. In 1992, the me
dian wage for workers was
$23,140 - 3.4 percent higher
than tn 1991. But the number
of poor rose by 2.1 million.
Therefore, because of this
new reality, society must ei
ther provide more jobs or the
opportunity for more and
more displaced Americans to
start their own businesses.
The government's record in
creating either is abysmal.
TONY BROWN is a national
ly-syndicated columnist.
What Is, Who Has The Power?
Communities Have
Decided It's Time
They Empowered
Themselves
By Dr. Paula Newsome
SPECIAL TO THE POST
we were taught by Jews. Al
most never did you find
groups being taught by their
own people, certainly not at
the beginning.
Look at the Japanese and
Chinese in California. I sus
pect the average Japanese or
Chinese generation never
saw a Chinese school teach
er, a Chinese doctor...or any
of the whole long list of oc
cupations they've... excelled.
In the midst of the Fighting
Back fiasco, it has become
apparent that "Mecklenburg
County" aka "Meek County"
and the "Mecklenburg Coun
ty Negroes" have been thor
oughly confused.
Heretofore when an issue of
any controversy came up in
this community, a few dol
lars were sent in and the
messenger of the day would
come in, say a few words and
console everyone and talk
about how good and benevo
lent "Massa" has been. The
people would hang their
heads, say you're right and go
home. They felt the messen
gers were more intelligent,
better spokespeople and
more "educated" (really it
was miseducated) than they
were. These smooth-talking
negroes would always say
just the right thing to make
the people feel bad for ever
having taken on Massa and
all would be well.
I would like to commend
the neighborhoods In Dis
trict 2 for not allowing any
one to shake their commit
ment or give the old silver-
tongued soft shoe routine be
cause this truly has been a
coup up until this point.
Self-determination Is the
cornerstone that this coun
try was founded on but what I
find interesting Is that when
Africans in America want to
empower themselves regard
ing their neighborhood, we
Newsome
have a county official saying
that the neighborhoods
"went too far!"
Now forgive me tf I slept
through that particular gov
ernment class but I thought
the "government" was to be a
servant of
the people
and respon
sive to the
people. How
then can the
people go too
far to let re
sponsive and
accountable
government
know how
they feel and
what they
want done about a particular
issue?
Months later, the issue of
power is coming up again. In
fact, now the neighbors are
considering a reorganization
of sorts. A decision was made
out of the humanness of the
people's hearts to select a
committee to make a deci
sion about the future of the
neighborhoods relative to
"Meek County."
Mind you, the original tac
tics of the county did not
work although the efforts did
keep down any civil disobe
dience. Any good planner
knows that if ylain A does not
work then you to plan B.
Plan B by Massa appears to
be to find some more folk
you can manipulate, send
them in as a member of the
group (infiltrate the ranks),
cause a lot of dissension
(keep the confusion going).
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The Charlotte Post.
Beating
The Odds
In New
York
then quit talking about the
issue (who will make policy
for the neighborhoods in
Fighting Back) and start
talking about specific people
(Ms. Leader is the problem or
Mr. Outsider is the problem).
What Massa Meek., Mr. and
Ms. Negro, and Mr. and Ms.
Negro Infiltrators don't un
derstand is that the neigh
borhoods targeted in District
2 have been working on the
issue of empowerment for al
most a year and they under
stand that nobody can give it
to them. They already have
it! Robert Woods Johnson
can't give it to them. Meek
County can't give it to them
nor can any of Massa's ne
groes.
The only thing these groups
could possibly give the
neighborhoods is some mon
ey and understand that I
mean some money. A lot of
people keep mentioning
Fighting Back missing out
on the $3 million dollars.
There are two ways of look
ing at this: (1) you can't miss
what you never had and (2)
please look at the distribu
tion of the $1 million per
year and see how much of
that money Is going to go
into District 2 directly!
I salute and applaud the
strong neighborhoods of Dis
trict 2 who took their job ser
iously and learned what
power really is. In the words
of Frederick Douglas, "If
there is no struggle, there is
no progress. Those who pro
fess to favor freedom and yet
depreciate agitation are men
who want crops without
plowing up the ground. They
want the ocean without the
awful roar of Its mighty wa
ters. This struggle may be a
moral one or it may be a
physical one or it may be
both moral and physical: but
there must be a struggle.
Power concedes nothing
without a demand. It never
has and it never will"
DR. PAULA NEWSOME is a
Charlotte optometrist.
Marian
lEdelman
4ir*
The Children's Defense
Fund has been celebrating
young people who beat the
odds in Los Angeles, Atlanta
and Washington, D.C., for
several years now. I am
pleased to say that the "Beat
the Odds" celebration has
grown and this year we cele
brated young achievers in
New York and Minneapolis
as well.
The New York Beat the Odds
program took place at the
historic Roseland Ballroom,
with stellar artists, breath
taking performances and our
five young stars whose spirit
and determination shone
most brightly of all.
The Hard Rock Cafe provid
ed delicious treats. Mayor
David Dinkins was on hand
to extend a most gracious
welcome and Judy Collins
Inspired us with a gorgeous
rendition of "Amazing
Grace." The Jacque
D'amboise National Dance
Institute wowed us with their
youthful dance talent and we
enjoyed the world premiere
of "Everybody's Child," per
formed by Broadway star ,
Daisy Eagan and the Chll- /
dren's Chorus. '
Acclaimed journalist Roger
Rosenblatt was master of
ceremonies for the event.
The awards were presented to
the Odds-Beaters by Health
and Human Services Secre
tary Donna Shalala; base
ball great Keith Hernandez;
dance legend Alvin Alley
American Dance Theatre Ar
tistic Director Judith Jami
son; superstar actor Christo
pher Reeves; and television
anchorwoman Jane Pauley
with her husband, renowned
cartoonist Garry Trudeau.
But, the real stars, as al
ways, were the young people.
They are a diverse group who
have overcome hardship and
hurdles to realize their full
potential. Despite often over
whelming obstacles, these
young men and women
maintained their faith in
themselves and hope for a
better tomorrow. They serve i
as an inspiration for us all.
Sebnew Ergulec, a senior at
John Hay High school, is
graduating In the top three
percent of her class after
only three years of high
school. Of Turkish descent,
Sebnew hasn't seen her fa
ther since she was five. Her
mother returned to Turkey ,
last year, leaving Sebnew
and her brother with their
grandparents. Sebnew tutors
her brother as well as fifth
and six graders in a youth
outreach project. She also
edits the school newspaper
and is involved in peer coun
seling, photography club, ex
plorers club and the student
literary magazine. She has
been accepted to Syracuse
and SUNY College where she
will certainly continue to
grow.
MARIAN EDELMAN is
president of the Children's
Defense Fund.