Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / April 20, 2006, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
PPMui 5A OPINIONS/tICie Cisrlont $0!» Thursday, April 20, 2006 Gas too high? Boost supply How do we do that, you ask? Stop buying as much. How do we do that? Cut down on trips, especially those unnec- Think before you hop into yovir automobile and drive off to some place you really do not have to be. Many times we take our situation for granted and fail to recognize the habits we have formed Driving is one of them, and the gas com panies are making hu^ profits fi'om our habitual and conspicuous consumption of their product. Wasn’t $36 bfilion enough for Exxon last year? Conspicuous consumption? Yes. A few years ago people were raving about owning one of those gas-guzzling SUVs that passed everythir^ on the road except a gas sta tion. Well, now we are paying the price for our lemming-like attitude and for foiling for the hype peipetrated by shck adver tisement and marketing campaigns. Our consumption excess has now manifested itself into a no-matter-the-cost dependency on gasoline never before seen in lliis country- and four cr five companies are laugh ing all the way to the bank. Talk about elastic demand; this is ridiculous. Have you seen the profits posted by those four or five oil companies lately? AU the while consumers are paying out landish, and I mvist say capriciously set prices at their local pumps. Gas prices change almost everyday The price for the same gas in the ground changes four or five times before it is completely sold. What’s up with that? When you are always on the demand side of the economy however, those are the breaks, as Kurtis Blow woiild say Bottom-line: These crooks are ripping us off, big time. Let’s see if we can straighten this thir^ out. They teU us supply is low, which causes file price of gasoline to go up. Well, it stands to reason that if their suf^ly goes up, or even stays the same, the price will come down. So let’s cre ate greater supply at least for some oil companies and help them with their problem Here’s how. I am sure you have heard the latest call for economic sanctions against the lai^st qQ company Exxon/Mobil. I started my personal campaign, against that company some time ago. And now I have added another company Shell. I know I have to buy gasoline, but I don’t have to buy it finm them. If we would stop buying fixim two or three of these gas gangstas, depending upon which ones dominate your local area, they wiH have plenty of supply and obviously less demand. With that as an issue, prices will decrease. We cannot simply complain about these thieves and con tinue to support them. So what are we to do? Some would say we are at their mercy we can’t do anything But, I beg to differ. We can choose those with whom we want to do business, and as the gas companies on the outside begin to feel the pinch, when they find themselves being open all day but getting little or no business, they will have to make some changes. It’s as simple as tiiat. If we are not willing to make small sacrifices to get what we need, the thieves will always win Find out which gas company represents the largest mar ket share in your particular area. It may not be Exxon/MohU where you five. If you are going after the largest company find out which one it is in your town, and then call for sanctions against that particular company A large vocal group of consumers, calling for withdrawal of their dollars fiom a certain gasohne company will go far in bringing the prices down. Less demand for certain gasoline will increase the supply of that gasoline. When it comes to lower profits, the big boys will make a charge and they will see to it that the lit tle guys do likewise. Ihese “manufactured” gas prices will soon be a thing of the past if we, the consumers, would simply practice a lit tle restraint, endure a little inconvenience, make simple sacrifices, and act in concert to decrease our demand for their precious fiiel and, .thereby their supply Get orga nized and get goir^! Oh yes, we cannot spend all of our efforts withdrawing our dollars fiom the rip-off gas companies and refuse to do something for ourselves at the same time. So take some of that money you save and buy few gas stations; that way we can at least gain some of the profits fiom this burgeoning industry As Reginald Lewis said, ‘Why should white guys (and Arabs) have all the fun?” One more thing. Let’s cut back on all of the Navigatin’, Escaladin’, Expeditin’, and Hummin’ we love to do. The auto makers are probably laughing their heads off at the fact that consumers are still willing to purchase these monstrosities that get 12 miles to a gallon of premium gasoline. If we really want gas prices to at least stay where they are, we had better be ready to do battle with the only weapons that coimt: Our dollars. Start your personal boy cott today, and spread the word. JAMES CUNCMAN is a syndicated columnist. In education, Nebraska leads the way for nation Recently the State of Nebraska, followii^ the leadership of state Sen. Ernest Chambers, organized the Omaha school system into separate districts, ethnically dominated by whites, blacks and Hispanics respectively while excluding no one. And clearly this may be is a good or great model, perhaps in part, that should be emulated-adopted by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Indeed, Ernest Chambers was a foimer personal associate, as we worked together in the black liberation struggle in Omaha during the late 1960s, where I served as adjunct lecturer-instructor in black studies at Crei^ton University 'The late PYench author, Victor Hugo once stated, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” And the idea of a degree of ethnic separation (not segregation) of school districts dearly has come. Moreover, the essence of this idea is not new. For the late Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History Month,” in his dassic book. The Mis-education of the Negro (1933), proclaimed that the Euro-centric system of mis-education was an “antiquated fawess” and that blacks, to the artent that we were able should establish a sys tem of our own. And the key word, in this context, is “able,” for we- blacks, with our resources havir^ been stolen for nearly 400 years, may not be able to create or operate a completdy autonomous school sj^tom that we need, at least, temporarily, to address MAJOR, unprecedented damages-ecxinomic, psychological, cultur al, etc-porennially inflicted upon us in America, i.e., The Real- Holocaust (Foluke, 1995). Additionally, in the basic premise of “The Crisis and Challenge of Black hhs-education in America: Confinnting the Destruction of Afiican People 'Through Euro-centric Public Schools” (2001), I pos tulated that we-blacks must gain greater CONTROL over the edu cation of our students. For the present system of desegregation- ”re-segregation” in education, like the old order of radal s^rega- tion, has FAILED us, with the present chaos and “academic geno cide” within CMS revealing a specific case in point. Therefore, I proposed a series of recommendations that would promote a syn thesis between these failed systems of mis-education-all to no avail to our “distinguished” (sic) school board and overpaid “profession al” administrators. Indeed, many CMS officials have attempted to convince us that “we have a great school syst^n, to quote Interim Superintendent Frances Haithcock. And such pronoimcements reflect classic “WhiteSpeak” or “normal” white perceptions of truth-reality in sharp contrast to black perceptions, while con firming a profound political afhorism, “Where you stand depends upon where you sit.” Indeed, our loi^ ejqjerience with “education” rnider control of whites should have taio^t us that, genially except for “training” or the “basic 3Rs”-reading, writing Yithmetic— they will NEVER provide a genuine, wholistic, truthful-authentic education for our students, especially black students. Moreover and generally I question the capacity of most white teachae, psycho-spLrituaHy and/or culturally to perform such a task. Additionally in “The Crisis and Challenge of Black Mis-education,” I offered specific rec ommendations locally to promote greater black control over the education of our students, as well as to provide critically needed assistance to “disadvantaged” parents. Howev^ and tragically far too many local blacks are still focused cai makir^ desegregation workforus. Nonetheless, in the perceptive words of that renowned black poet, NUdd Giovanni, “It is not who you attend school with but who controls the school you attend.” Amen! In conjunction with this VERY SAD reahty or “thinking” (sic) of .local blacks, a brilliant black author-scholar, the late Dr. Bobby Wright, in “The Psychopathic Racial Personality'’ (1986) has writ ten; “One of the most treigic beliefs widdy shared by blacks throughout the world is that white-controlled educational institu- tions-regardless of whether they are elementary schools or uni- versities-will educate our children. That faith continues to prevail in spite of the overwhelming evidence which disputes the behef...Blacks continue to ignore an irrefutable truth, namely that in a racist social system, all institutions will reflect, protect and sustain values that are consistent with racism.” Bingo! And for those who still may be confused or unenli^tened by such scholarly insights, let the record reflect that the U.S. Supreme Court, in its Brown decision of 1954, proclaimed that racial segregation, inherently was unequal, a perspective, in part, that some of us could continue to challenge, even when we do not support a “return” to racial segregation. For it was the failure to provide equal resources, within all schools, and racial restitution- reparations in the larger society that were major sins under this old order that contributed to its failure. Moreover, there is a distinct difference between legally mandat ed segregation and volimtary temporary partial separation, the latter to include a degree of desegregation. 'Therefore, the new sys tem in Nebraska, while perceived as a significant improvement ov^ CMS, is not a panacea for black liberation-parity in America, in the absence of racial reparations. For the latt«' is an absolutely essential moral mandate, with more than adequate legal and pofit- ical precedents, to justify its implementation-locally and national- ly GYASIA.FOLUKE, MA,DD, a non-traditional minister, is an author-lec- turer-consultant, part-time CEO of The Kushite Institute for Wholistic Development and former adjunct university instructor, nonprofit CEO and retired Air Force officer. His hooks include: The Real-Holocaust: A Wholistic Analysis of the African-American A call to action for Katrina’s children In our new Children’s Defense Fund report “Katrina’s Children: A Call to (Conscience and Action,” CDF documents the crisis facing thousands of young people who survived the storm only to still find them selves facing an uncertain future over seven months later. We are letting them down. 'This is not a time for biosiness as usual, compassion fatigue, or moving on to the next “story of the day” This is also not a time for corrupt or self serving leadership —pohtical, cor porate, educational, professional, or nonprofit - that hurts children and betrays pubhc trust. What kind of leaders ask poor children to sacrifice already inadequate child health and mental health care, education, child care, Head Start, and after school programs to sulsidize $1.9 trillion in tax cuts which mostly benefit the wealthiest and most powerful people and special interests? What kind of citizens and people of faith permit this travesty? If ever there was a time of irresponsible disregard for children and the poor and for justice for all, it is now. Andifevertha:ewasad.earcasestudyforwhy our rich nation should not diUy dally another moment to adopt a coherent national health and mental health system for its people - beginning this year with children - it is Katrina’s catastrophe, with children and survivors of all ages scattered across our land, facing 50 state bureaucracies without medical records. Some states — like 'fecas — actually have cut back child health coverage and benefits for hundreds of thousands of children. (Dthers, like hfississippi, have callously made it harder rather than easier for children and families eligible for Medicaid and CHIP health benefits to get them by reimposing face to face eligibility requirements and shorter eligibility time periods. 'These costly and stressful bureaucratic obstacles will cause many poor people who lack trans portation and awareness of changed policies and are already hving on the e(%e in strange places to lose health and mental health care. Current national political rhetoric and tax and bud get choices tell us that the rich should be pampered and the poor plundered. 'The $1.9 trillion in tax cuts, when fully in effect, will give the richest one percent of all taxpayers $57 bfilion each year. This is enou^ to provide health coverage to all 9 million uninsured children or enoi^h to end child poverty in America now. (Current national rhetoric and priorities also tdl ' us “our own might is our (Tod. ” Katrina’s children are America’s opportunity - once again - to hear and heed Cfod’s call to protect the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the vulnerable. Children are the transforming agents in our fi'actured nation and world. Dare we longer mistreat, neglect, abuse, kill, and deny health care to a single one of them? Dare we value one over another or hold babies and children responsible for unwise adult choices over which children had no control? MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN is president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. OUR VOICES Celebrity is no free pass to suspected molester I jixst wanted to thank you for writing a story about R. Kelly (April 6) and how he and other entertainers get a pass when it comes to child molestation/statu tory rape. 'Ihere is NO difference between R. and the guy in Gastonia. I’ve been arguing with people for the past few years about R. Kelly not deserving a fi^ pass. All anyone wants to talk about is “he’s a musical genius.” So what? Michael Jackson is/was too, but he’s got problems. ^\fill people ever stop putting celebrities on such a high pedestal and realize that they too put their pants on just hke us: one leg at a time. Again thank you fco- not jumping on the band wagon of‘but he makes good music.” William Blount Via e-mail Connect with tEJe ^osit Send letters to The Charlotte Post, P.O. Box 30144 Charlotte, NC 28230 or e-mail editorial(2thecharlot- tepost.com. We edit for grammar, clarity and space. Include your name and daytime phone n\miber- Letters and photos will not be returned by mail unless accompa nied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 20, 2006, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75