Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Oct. 21, 1993, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page4A - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, October 21,1993 EDITORIALS Ctie CItarlotte Gerald O. Johnson Publisher The Voice Of The Black Community Herbert L White Managing Editor Robert L. Johnson Co-Publisher >■ iJ - TV ... flR l»liTiCAL CAMPAiiM AP Search for democracy goes on As Americans face the end of a political epoch, the demise of the Cold War, and the dawn of the 21st century, we are challenged to reexamine our principles and politics. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and communism, it has been claimed that Ameri ca's system of corporate capitalism has tri umphed. The basic problems Inherent in our class system, such as economic recessions and depressions, deep pockets of poverty in our central cities, hunger and homelessness, supposedly can be resolved. But from the unemployment lines and the closed factories, from the irmer city ghettoes and barrios, from the underfunded public hospitals and schools, a strikingly different perspective emerges. Millions of Americans continue to ask themselves how a "democratic" country like America can have so many poor people, or have 37 million peo ple without medical Insurance. Many of us are forced to try to reconcile our democratic Ideals and aspirations with the actual con tradictions of dally life. The values in which we believe are constantly undermined and compromised by a pervasive system of power, privilege and coercion which seeks to curtail dissent, silence critics, and limits the very concept of democracy itself. We the people believe in the Ideals of politi cal democracy - the ideal of the electoral franchise, the freedom of political thought, association and choice regarding representa tion - yet we must dwell beneath a political plutocracy, buoyed by vast financial contri butions from corporate Interests and maimed by a biased electoral system which rewards the wealthy and severely restricts al ternative voices. We the people believe in the ideal of human creativity and work, the prin ciple of a Job for everyone who wishes to work. Yet we live under a corporate- controlled system of elitism and privilege in which the upper 1 percent of all households has a greater net wealth than the bottom 90 percent of all American households. We be lieve in the concept of human equality and equal treatment under the law, regardless of race, religious beliefs, gender and sexual or ientation. Yet we live in a time of growing In equalities between people, a polarization be tween the super affluent "haves" and millions of increasingly marginalized "have nots." Black, Latino and low income dissent explod ed on the streets of Los Angeles last year, yet our government has not passed an urban jobs program which could address the root eco nomic factors beneath this discontent. We the people believe in the democratic principles of peace and the right of all people and nations throughout the world to self- determination, the right to choose their own leaders and forms of government. Yet our country leads the world in launching mili tary inva sions against leaders and governments it doesn't like; we blockade Cuba, against all reason and logic, be cause we don't support that country's leader. We Manning Marable Vote for university bonds E>eiy now and then my editors let me write about my job - working for the 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina. Some times they let me write about things about my job that are fun - or furmy. Sometimes about more serious matters. Today, it is serious. Early next month - on Nov. 2, to be exact - we go to the polls to vote on a package of statewide bond issues. The bonds would fund the construction of capital facilities for com munity colleges, clean water projects, parks, and our 16 universities. For the past few months, I have been spend ing a lot of my time giving Information and advice to people campaigning for the passage of the bonds, especially the university bonds. And I have gotten lots of questions. A basic question is "Why borrow money now?" There are several good reasons to use borrowed money to finance needed capital Improvements at this particular time. Here are just a few. • The cost of borrowing is lower than it has been in years. Interest rates have dropped unbelievably. The other day somebody told me about public bonds selling at Interest rates of less than 3 percent. • Construction cost are also very low. Why? During the last few years the construction business has suffered during the bad econom ic times. As a result, many of contractors are hungry for work. So, needed facilities can be constructed for a much lower cost today than in the future. • North Carolina's good credit rating (the best possible) makes it possible to borrow at the lowest interest rates available. But our credit rating is not automatic. It needs to be protected. Sometimes, they say, you have to borrow to invest, if you are going to be able to stay in a fiscally sound position. All that is well and good. But some people are reluctant to approve the borrowing of money or the issuance of bonds unless they get good assurance about two things: (1) The money is going to address specific and genu inely needed facilities. (2) Taxes won't go up. The question about need is pretty easy to ad dress, On each university campus, the facili ties to be constructed or renovated are identi fied specifically. And on each campus these ilS D.G. ^Martin facilities are the most needed of a group of much needed projects. At East Carolina, for Instance, the current library is sO crowded that many books have been sent to off-campus storage facili ties. Mean while, stu dents crowd Into inade quate space to study and do research. At UNC Charlotte, study body growth has outstripped the ability of the university to provide classroom space for all the classes the kids need to graduate. At Fayetteville State, ancient dormitories are unsafe and un fit for that growing campus. Every campus needs similar projects to help it provide the good teaching and public service that our citi zens expect. The entire university system has grown by about 16,000 students during the last four or five years - about the student body size of UNC Charlotte or one of the other larger UNC institutions. But the state has not been able to provide the funds for new facilities during this time. Without new facilities, the university sys tem can't continue to grow. If it can't grow there won't be a place for the increasing num ber of North Carolina young people who are qualified to go to college. What about taxes? Taxes won't have to go up to pay for the bonds. That is what the experts say - including Harlan Boyles, our fiscally conservative state treasurer. People have a tough time believing that their taxes won't go up. But nobody has come up with real facts or reasoning to challenge Mr. Boyles. However you see it, don't forget to vote on Nov. 2. D.G. MARTIN is vice president for public aj- Jairs for the University of North Carolina system. The ADL and Farrakhan prop up cor rupt authori tarian re gimes and indirectly finance terror, rape and murder across the Third World, perpetuating social conflict and repression at the expense of the poorest and most oppressed people on earth. We believe deeply that our nation's greatest strength is the colorful mosaic of its ethnic diversity - yet our government actively seeks to curtail Immigration from most non- European countries, and brutally rejects and Imprisons refugees from countries such as Haiti. In short, we the people believe in ex panding democracy to Include greater rights for all Americans. Those who exercise real power in our system actively seek to curtail our voices, to limit our choices, to block and eliminate genuine alternatives in politics. Our current political process, designed two centuries ago, must be reformed in order to reflect the new and deeply democratic aspira tions of the majority of American people. Thus our challenge is to reconcile our demo cratic dreams with our undemocratic reali ties. We must transform our society to end the h3q)ocrisy and elitism which fosters ali enation and frustration among voters. We must go beyond a politics of the "lesser evil" toward a political strategy which opens the process and empowers all of those who have been silenced and disillusioned. MANNING MARABLE is a nationally- syndicated columnist. By Conrad Wonill SPECIAL TO THE POST The Anti-Defamation League of B'nal B'rith is at it again in their ongoing cam paign to disrupt the efforts of black leaders to unite. It was reported in the major media on Sept. 17 that Rep. Kwelsl Mfume, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, had endorsed the Na tion of Islam and Minister Louis Farrakhan. This endorsement took place at a massive town hall meeting at the annual Con gressional Black Caucus Conference. Also, appearing on the panel with Minister Farrakhan were Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Ben Chavis and Rep. Maxine Waters. All across America, Afri can Americans were saying "it was about time that Afri can American leaders unite." On Sept. 23, the Anti- Defamation League released a press statement indicating Mfume would meet "to dis cuss the agency's concern about the Black Caucus unit ing Itself with Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam." This action, on the part of the ADL, came on the heels of some Jewish Leaders, through Rabbi David Saper- stein, using their influence with prominent African American civil rights leaders to disinvlte Minister Farrak han from speaking at the March on Washington on Aug. 28. The press statement by the ADL went on to say : "In a let ter to Rep. Mfume, Melvin Salberg, ADL national chair man and Abraham H. Fox- man, ADL national director, had asked to meet with him to clarify the caucus position before those who thrive on divisiveness escalate the sit uation." Continuing, the ADL re lease stated, "While the Cau cus has the right to unite with whomever It pleases, as sociating with an avowed ra cist and anti-Semite erodes the moral fiber of your wor thy mission." Following this press release by the ADL, the New York Times in its editorial on Sept. 25 threw its hat In the ring in joining the ADL by also raising questions. The Times editorial con demned Rep. Mfume and the Congressional Black Caucus in this manner: "It's reasonable for the cau cus to reach out. But Mr. Mfume and his duly elected colleagues needn't be threa tened or guilt-tripped into sharing platforms with peo ple without portfolio who would soon drop from sight if the press ceased to cover them - or if the Black Caucus ceased to invite them to con ferences." It is clear that at this criti cal juncture in history, the forces of white supremacy are doing everything within their power to prevent Afri can American leaders from uniting and working togeth er on the acute problems we face as a people. Syndicated African Ameri can columnists Clarence Page and William Raspberry repeatedly serve as apolo gists for Jewish Interest when they raise a hue and cry about African American leaders uniting with Mini ster Farrakhan, as they did in their recent columns. These two brothers are completely out of touch with the real struggle that African American people should con tinue to wage in our efforts to achieve true liberation and independence. A people can only truly coa lesce with other people, in cluding Jews, when they coa lesce and unite with themselves. CONRAD WORRILL is Chairman of the National Black United FYont in Chica go. After thumbing nose at U.S., Aideed is Somali anti-hero By William Reed NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION When U.S. Marines first landed in Mogadishu last De cember, Americans applaud ed the effort to save starving people in Somalia. Now that television pic tures portray scenes of black boys and women- dragging the body of a U.S. soldier through the streets of that African city, scores of Amer ican fighters dead or being held hostage, domestic polls now reveal that the vast n,umber of Americans Want to bring home the forces of the world's reigning military power immediately. On the other hand, based on the past history of the Western pow ers, blacks in America and around the world have con flicting views about General Mohammed Farrah Aideed, who some call a new anti- establishment hero. Instead of achieving inter national acclaim for the hu manitarian effort, Ameri cans are being accused of "colonialism" and "racism" by many Africans. After let ting themselves get side tracked from their humani tarian projects and getting Involved in Somalia's Inter nal battles. American politi cians and military experts are looking foi" the fastest way out. Clinton told the na tion, "It is not our job to re build Somalia." Responding to the Ameri can Congress and critics' pressure. President Clinton pledged in early October tp get out of Somalia by the end of March 1994. Members of the U.S. Congress, such as West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, are considering deal ing Clinton a fatal blow by voting to bring the troops back by Dec. 31. Liberals, such as former President Jimmy Carter, are urging the administration and Con gress to "carefully consider the course of action the Unit ed States should take in So malia." Congressional Black Cau cus member and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Ronald Dellums (D-Callf.) said, "I urge you not to make hasty judgements in reaction to the tragic events in Somalia. We as a nation must act quickly to restore a proper relationship between the ends and means in So malia. We owe It to our casu alties and their loved ones, as well as to our national In terests, to re-embrace politi cal options in Somalia. And, at all costs, we must avoid any form of precipitous withdrawal." Twenty-five percent of the U.S. soldiers In Somalia are African American and black leaders are concerned about blacks fighting blacks In an African country. Jesse Jack- son has sided with Clinton's stance to stay, but is urging the U.S. and the United Na tions to allow more partici pation of African soldiers In the peacekeeping. A Nigeri an soldier was also held by Aldeed's clan faction before being released last week. The major force in Somal ia's internal battles is Ai deed. After the June 5 clash when Aldeed's military forc es killed 24 Pakistani UN peacekeeping soldiers, the strongest of the Somali war lords was branded "a crimi nal," a public arrest warrant was issued for him and a $25,000 bounty was esta blished for his capture. After having been a major player in that country for years, Al deed's forces control the cap ital city of Mogadishu. Al though there are other clan leaders in the country, the U.S. and UN diplomats downplayed his stature in the "political reconciliation" process. The snag In the U.S. pro gram for "humanitarian ef forts" in this country was the underestimation of Aldeed's political power and heavy armaments. It was Aldeed's forces that drove dictator Mohamed Siad Barre from power in 1991. Aideed was Barre's Army Chief of Staff and had military training in Italy and the Soviet Un ion. He had been a major participant in Internal talks when U.S. special en voy Robert Oakley was lead ing the mission to restore a government there. There have been direct actions by U.S. Rangers to kill Aideed. The sight of what was thought to be a "bunch of rag-tag teeriagers" forcing the world's mightiest power to run has teriLFied U.S. citi zens. But many American blacks agree with Aldeed's contentions of "colonialism" and "racism" and take some pride in his military and political pro wess. WILLIAM REED is commu nications director for the National Newspaper Pub lishers Association.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 21, 1993, edition 1
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