4A
EDITORIALS/ The Charlotte Post
February 6, 1997_
Charlotte ^osit
Published weekly by the Charlotte Post Publishing Co.
1531 Camden Road Charlotte, N.C. 28203
Gerald O. Johnson
CEO/PUBLISHER
Robert Johnson
CO-PUBLISHER/
GENERAL MANAGER
Herbert L. White
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Fear of blacks
justified by
circumstances
By Don Reid
SPECIAL TO THE POST
Reid
Get to causes of fear of black men
By Daniel Thompson
SPECIAL TO THE POST
Much has been written and
said about Don Reid’s recent
comments, concerning his fear
of young black men. While I
respect Don’s candid approach,
and agree with his right to voice
his honest feeling about the
topic, I was disappointed that
he did not go further about the
topic of race relations in
Charlotte.
If Don, as an elected official,
feels such fear, it seems to me
that his comments stopped far
short of addressing the causes of
such fear, and, more important
ly, suggestions as to his solu
tions to the problem.
Leadership, as defined by
retired Gen. Colin Powell, is
accomplishing the mission,
while taking care of the troops. I
would submit that we certainly
have not, as a community,
accomplished the mission of
seeking stable race relations in
Charlotte (although I do not
feel it is as bad as the “news”
would have us believe by all
their sensationalism surround
ing reports of crime in our
City). 'ITie second part of Gen.
Powell’s definition is, to me,
the most vital part of the equa
tion, and the part that is
severely lacking by our elected
officials, by our budgets, and
by our concern in general.
Let us assume that the fear
of young black men is founded.
What then, is the cause for
such fear? Allow me to list a
few of the reasons that occur to
me.
1. When I see some of the
areas where young children
must live - many without par
ents who care and teach; areas
that provide no opportunity.
no economic hope, and no adult
who seems to care about who
they are, where they go, or what
they do, I am amazed that the
problem is not more severe than
it is. ‘
2. Public schools that bring
children who come to school ill-
prepared, poorly clothed and
fed, to study an irrelevant cur
riculum, but are expected to
blend in with their more fortu
nate peers - and more incredu
lously - are expected to achieve
and feel good about themselves!
3. Peer pressure that demands
the street toughness we hear in
“rap music,” we see daily on
television, and we witness with
seeming disinterest in blighted
neighborhoods.
4. Mistrust of a system that,
historically, has left them out of
the mainstream.
When vrill we learn that our
priorities are misplaced when
we can pay $30,000 a year in
tax dollars to jail a criminal, but”
we cannot provide comprehen
sive child care during the pre
school years. We can pay
$100,000 for professional testi- ,
mony in a recent murder trial,
not to mention the tax dollars
that went to the trial itself, but
we cannot afford counselors,',
training, and proper care for,
children in transition. We can,
afford new jails, coliseums, !
sports complexes, and all the .
other “glitz” that we think >
makes us "world class," while
we downsize or drop children's
programs, due to a lack of fund
ing.
I sincerely hope that the pub- ,
lie hearings suggested by Bill
Simms have a positive effect, .
and receive the attention that*
this topic deserves.
DANIEL THOMPSON lives in,
Charlotte.
The following is an abbreviated text of Don Reid’s remarks before
Charlotte City Council on Jan. 27 about race relations in Charlotte.
Since this entire episode tonight has been smeared with the term
racism: definition of racism, “a belief that race is the primary deter
minate of human traits and capabilities; an inherent superiority of a
particular race.”
Now since I am older than most of you, Fve had some experiences
that some of you may never have had. I grew up in an environment
where together — we blacks and whites, worked in the tobacco and
cotton fields, aU with one common thread that made us a very tightly
knit group. “We had to work to eat.”
There was virtually no crime - nobody locked their doors, day or
night.
I have five daughters and two granddaughters.
We all know that men as a group commit 99 per
cent of the violent crimes against women. Is it
wrong to tell our wives and daughters to beware of
men in places like dimly lit parking garages, park
ing lots and city streets. Should they be called sex
ist for taking those precautions? I think not.
I don’t feel superior to anyone. Tonight, in this
audience, there are many people, my supporters
both black and white, who know this to be true.
Two weeks ago at Leadership Charlotte, one of
the participants in answer to a question about
racism in Charlotte said this (at night at intersec
tions in Charlotte, young black men, lock my doors - I’m racist, preju
diced, I need to work on this). I said this is not true-you do this
because you are afi'aid-and for good reason; a huge disproportionate
share of violent crime in Charlotte is committed by black males. I also
said that people are more likely to be afraid of young black men on
the streets of Charlotte at night. For this I’m called irresponsible and
racist? I did not stereotype all black men — I fully realize that a vast
majorify of the black community is responsible, hard-working citi
zens. Many of them are my friends.
I have listened carefully to the criticisms tonight, and I have reflect
ed on them. I regret there may be some misunderstanding. However,
I'm sure of this. The real racists here are some of the same people
who are complaining the loudest and demanding my resignation for
telling the truth.
Yelling racist-racism has often been the first and last defense for
these self-appointed, self-righteous, so-called leaders. Too many times
this term has been used to cover up the truth, to vilify the messenger
and prevent real issues finm coming to the table.
It is a tactic that has been used for centuries by the likes of Marx,
Lenin, Hitler, to squash criticism and honest debate.
.. .There are many people in this city who are controlled by the feat
that they will be called racists. But to all of you I won't be intimidated
by your threats. In fact, I have been looking forward to this night.
After all, the greatest satisfaction I get as a coimdl member is con
fronting hypocrisy and people who want to use public money for their
own personal gain. I will not become politically correct to cuny the
favor of a few so-called leaders who use racism to increase their
power, prestige and wealth... Crime is a very serious problem in our
town. Tlie security system yard sign is quickly replacing trees as the
symbol of Charlotte. Crime is the No. 1 problem in many black com
munities -1 know! Residents of these communities often come to this
council for help. In some pubhc housing, violent crime is over 100 per
cent, and many whites are afraid of black men. That/s unfortunate,
but it is true, and until that problem is addressed, the entire black
commimity, a vast majority of which are hard-working, responsible
citizens, tends to be painted with that brush. It is a problem that can
solved only with the cooperation of the entire community. It won’t be
solved by calling the messenger a racist...
And as for my resignation, listen carefully, read my bps, “FAT
CHANCE!” In fact, some of you should consider resigning. Maybe Mr.
Davis should resign as head of the Black Political Caucus and allow
new leadership for the 21st century.
And if we really want to strike a blow against racism, let’s rename
the Black Political Caucus. Let’s call it the Black and White Political
Caucus and include some white folks on the board; people who will
tell the truth, unlike the few pandering pompous white elitists who
teU you what you want to hear, who tickle your ears, and are very,
very offended by the truth...
And you, Ron Leeper, yes I received your mean-spirited letter in
which you suggest that my remarks at Leadership Charlotte were an
attempt to capitalize on the distrust related to the shooting of Mr.
James Cooper. Words like these, and you have the gall to call me irre
sponsible. Further, you state, “I believe you are more dangerous that
any of these kids out in the community.” Ron, why don't you teU that
to:
• the family of the lady from Oregon
• the friends and famiUes of over 500 black men, many quite young,
who were killed in Charlotte over the past 9-10 years
• the families of four police officers who were killed in the last four
years
The list is long.
...And as for you Bill Simms, I’m greatly disappointed in you.
Numerous times I have pointed to you as a role model for blacks and
whites in this commimity. How could you lower yourself and partici
pate in this lynching attempt? You certainly don’t need the sword of
racism to gain power, prestige or money. You have earned all three.
Some people are saying that you are trying to discredit me because
I don’t support you and your 24 UP partners who want to use tax
money to build the entertainment complex/arena uptown. I don’t
want to believe that. What is your explanation? Whatever, BUI, you
have tarnished your “good guy” image with many people in Charlotte.
.. .Tonight’s lynch mob should take note of this — you’re in a small
minority...
«ALFftMfn'tf^flALFFi;LL?
Christians should work for real change
By Nora Chambers
SPECIAL TO TBE POST
"There was a beautiful time
when the church was very pow
erful in the time when early
Christians rejoiced at being
deemed worthy to suffer for
what the believed.
Whenever early Christians
entered a town, the people in
power became disturbed and
immediately sought to convict
the Christians for being “distur
bances of the peace” and “out
side agitators.” But they pressed
on in the conviction that they
were a colony of heaven, called
to obey God rather than man. In
1963, Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. wrote those words in a letter
to a group of Ministers and
Rabbis who took issue with his
peaceful protests. They wanted
to keep things just as they
were...didn't want to start any
trouble...wanted to be sUent on
the issues at hand. Dr. King
was not referring to them as
“disturbers of the peace” or as
“outside agitators.”
We, today as Christians, are
faced with the same dUemma as
King - to get involved and make
things change, or to stay put
and hope things change. If you
were to ask five different people
to comment on the state of race
relations in Charlotte (from
diverse backgrounds,) you
would probably get five difi’erent
answers. Oh, I know what
you’re thinking! Here we go
again with this diversity
talk...and I'm sure the agency
where you work already does
work in this area. And true this
is 1997...SO what's the issue.
W.E.B. DuBois stated that the
problem of the twentieth centu
ry is the problem of the color
Une. It has been said that race is
America’s obsession-with good
reason. But this writing is not to
America or to North Carolina
for that matter. Fm not talking
to those people who would seek
to harm folk. I’m writing to the
Charlotte Christian community,
the ecclesia, the called-out ones.
And for those who would dare
think we’ve arrived in all areas,
let us not forget to whom our
Bible was written.
There is a reason that God
keeps us on the anvil in the
blacksmith’s shop. He wants to
shape us into the image of His
dear son. Prepare for turbulence
Races have a long way to go here
By Kelly Alexander Jr.
SPECIAL TO THE POST
The recent comments of coun
cilman Don Reid and commis
sioner Tom Bush about black
teenagers and their feelings as
whites should serve as bench
marks for just how far race rela
tions in Charlotte has come, and
just how far it stiU has to go.
When elected public officials
feel comfortable in conveying a
“threat stereotype” of black
teens, it is no wonder that Jake
King was shot dead in his front
yard; that Windy Gail
Thompson, though unable to
move, was shot dead in her car,
and that James Willie Cooper,
was shot dead because he
turned to reassure his little girl
sitting in the back seat of his
car. Each of the officers in ques
tion, brought to their encounter
with destiny the same feelings
about the threat potential of
blacks, as expressed by council
man Reid and commissioner
Bush.
Some years ago my ex-wife
was detained while shopping in
Matthews because “she looked
like” a woman who had stolen
merchandise from the store a
week before. Upon investigation
her resemblance boiled down to
two things. She was black and
she wore com rows.
She also was unfortunate
enough to be a black person
shopping in a place and at a
time when the clerk thought
only whites would be about. She
could have resisted being
unjustly arrested, and been shot
with her hands up a la Jake
King, or rushed to her parked
car and ended up like Windy
Gail Thompson and James
Willie Cooper. She was, in retro
spect, lucky.
The other day I was driving
sedately along Carmel Road,
when I looked in my rear view
and saw a flashing blue light.
Knowing, I was obeying aU the
traffic mles, my first thought
was a negative “What am I
being stopped for now?” The offi
cer only wanted to get by, not
stop me. I find myself looking
more closely at officers I pass
who have stopped black
motorists. I notice that many
more black drivers are slovring
down and observing these situa
tions, too.
An ex-police officer suggested
that I imagine what goes on in
the mind of a white officer, who
is told before
he ventures
into the west
side to “watch
your back, it’s
a jungle out
there.” Is he
more inclined
to protect and
serve or to
approach each
and every situ
ation as if he
has a bull’s eye painted on the
back of his uniform? When you
believe that every black teenag
er you see is a potential threat,
it’s a wonder that our communi
ty has not experienced more
incidents of unfounded violence.
What we need as a community
is leadership out of the quag
mire of incrementally worsening
race relations. When parents in
Alexander
in the process. But why us-’
Lord. We’re not hurting any-'
body - that’s them! We are the-
ones to profess to have the-
answer to the problems of the-
world. We say his name is'
Jesus, and that we are ashamed'
of His gospel. With all that the
Bible states we have, there’s no
better time for us to be
Christians - with having the
answer and all. But we can no
longer sit back and just be good,
well meaning Christian...not
when there is unrest in this city
right now in race relations. i
There is a problem - let's not
kid ourselves. Yes, even in the
household of faith. The question
is, what are we, ones with the-
answers, going to do.
NORA CHAMBERS lives in
Charlotte.
Matthews want to succeed from
the school system in the
euphemistic service of neighbor
hood schools, no one is fooled.
When Don Reid and Tom Bush;
voice what they say is a comf
mon feeling among whites, and
are surprised at the reaction of
blacks, no one is fooled.
When the City Council drags
its feet on allocating money for
video cameras in police crus and
citizen review, no one is fooled;.
It’s just business as usual.
Parks Helms, the visionary
chair of our county commission,
is correct. While we have been
concentrating on bricks and
mortar, we have not paid
enough attention to a systemat
ic approach to overcoming the
divisiveness, that if left alone
will bring our collective quality
of life crashing down. We should
all pray for the success of his
Task Force on the Quality and
Value of Life in Mecklenburg
County. ^
KELLY ALEXANDER JR. is
former president of the N.C.
NAACP.