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| seeit
by !
I
Brace
Barton
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WE SAY DENY SPECIAL
MEETING OF LREMC
MEMBERSHIP
The Lumbee River Elec
tric Membership Corporation
(LREMC) board of directors
will meet April 18 to decide
whether to allow a special
meeting of the membership
called for on April 28, ac
cording to a petition being
circulated by a group calling
itself the LREMC Action
Group.
The special meeting of the
membership would be for the
purpose of throwing off the
present and duly elected
board of directors and re
placing them with 12 picked
by the small band calling
itself the LREMC Action
Group.
We say forthrightly "No!"
Let those who do not like the
composition of the board
come to the annual meeting of
the membership held each
October and vote their con
victions.
My good buddy, ai *ann,
the Greet Pontifkator of
WAGR Radio, said in a
Tuesday morning editorial
that the board should allow
the special meeting to take
place in the name of "har
mony." God help us if that is
the way we are raising our
children or running our elec
tric cooperative. What hap
pened when ^urope and-die,
rest of the. worl^
?'harmony-" as a way oT
avoiding war? Did "harmo
ny" keep us out of war? Of
course not. I am surprised
that my friend. At Kahn,
would raise such a flimsy
reason to have a meeting.
Do what is right, we say.
Carl Branch, the spokesman
for the action group and a
number of others in the
organization have admitted
that they did not attend the
annual meeting of the co
operative membership in Oc
tober. h is too costly to allow
them to have their very own
"special" meeting in April.
No, let them wait until
October like the rest of us. Let
democracy flourish.
And, in reviewing the pe
titions, we have noticed a
number of irregularities and
improprieties. That seems
grounds enough to deny the
petition, as we see it.
ITS A BLACK'S TURN TO
BE CHAIRMAN OF THE
ROBESON COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Robeson County is on the
verge of turning hs back on
progress among the party
faithful. Bobby Freeman, the
White chairman of the party,
is lining up votes for another
term in office. It seems that
Indians in the western part of
the county (especially in
Pembroke) and others are
intent on breaking a gen
tlemen's agreement presently
in place that dictates that the
chairmanship of the Robeson
County Democratic Party will
rotate among the races.
It is the turn of a Black
Democrat to head the party.
Whites should wait their turn
like the rest of us. And
Indians should not be part of a
scheme to deny progress and
peace in the democratic party.
As we understand it Rev.
J.F. Cummings is the choice
of the Black community. We
ought to respect their wishes
in the matter. And Freeman
and others ought to get in line
arid await their furn. Rotation
of the chairmanship has
avoided a lot of blood letting
in the past.
When Robeson County De
mocrats gather April 30 at the
Lumberton High School we
hope reasonable men (and
women) of all three races will
prevail and name a Black to
head the party. Remember, it
is the Indian's turn next.
CAN DAVID GREEN UNIFY
THE ROBESON COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION?
David Green, the Black
^)u^man of the Robeson
JGwnty Board of pdupation
has been unable to unify the
Robeson County BoaVd of
Education in the past. Will he
be able to unify the board in
the future? A 6-5 mandate is
shaky and scary.
It is interesting that Indians
have been unable Xo elect one
of their own as chairman of a
board that is predominately
peopled by Indian students.
Irony smiles forlornly upon us
and mocks us.
Whose fault is it? We would
say it is thelndian's fault. The
Indian politician continues to
be unduly bombastic and
devisivd and, sometimes,
works against his own best
interest. The Indian psyche
needs butressing up, shoring
up for future battles. This one
is over.
David Green won demo
cratically, 6-5. Let the Indian
board members, and the rest
of us learn from the exper
ience, and go on and take care
of the educational needs of
our children. We say to the
board of education (especially
the 5 Indians who voted
against Green and for Dr.
Gerald Maynor) "dance"...
and we say to Green, "It takes
two to tango/.'
Can David Green unify the
i Robeson County Board of
' Education? We say probably
^ ping down and let someone
I Piano
I Spring
I recital
I
i
I
| The piano students of Mrs.
' Mary F. Chavis, presented
| their 4th Spring Recital on
| March 20, at Pembroke State
J University, Moore Hall. The
| students petformiftg were
? Bobby Ann Jones, Tammy
Chavis, James Bowman Hunt,
Kevin Lowery, Mary Eliza
beth Sampson, Ronald Low
ery, Shiela Lowery, Toby
Blue, Kim Ivey, Karen
Thompson, Chermika Thomp
son, Selena Chavis, Joan
Jones, Carmela Kateri Lewis,
Kelvin Strickland, Tammy
Locklear, Cindy Lawson, Na
kia Hunt, Sean Hunt, Jeffery
Hunt, Shannon Hunt, Vicky
Barton, Chasity Oxendine,
Annette Oxendine, Ginger
Oxendine, Kim Locklear, Be
linda Ann Oxendine, Tonja
Kay Oxendine, Jerry Lock
lear.
A duet was performed by
Kim and Jerry Locklear,
special music was rendered
by Mrs. Betty Oxendine and
Carmela Kateri Lewis, stud
ents of Mrs. Sally Jones
participating were Erica Row
dy and Landry McDuffie.
THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAY
BV THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE. IM .
P.O. Box 1075 Pembroke. N".C. z8372
Phone: (919) 521-2826
Subscription Rates
INSTVTR OITOKSTAIK
1 Year SO. .16 I Year SI2.IM
2 Year* <15.60 2 Year% .<16.1*
(Includes N.C. Sales Ta*)
I .i>d grunt mr the wninltv in acvept the ihln^ I cii'iont
change. courage to change the Ihingv I can. and the nivlntn
to know the tHffere??cr.
,
Editor Bruce Barton
Associate Editor ... .Conoee Bray hoy
'
i .s. I'osru sKHki: mo
SI' (>\|) i | VSS J*#?r \<.B
\r WMHKOkK l*i?Sl"'?Hf It
I I I
"We wflf never know where we
are going if we do not know w here we
have been..."
letters To
The Editor
Reader questions
Robesonian's coverage
of LREMC dispute
J4 [ny opinion, an alleged
tec of the Robesonian, an
alleged newspaper, in Ljiai
berton. NC, run an editorial
on allegations made by Mr.
Elias Rogers, pertaining to
Carl Branch's LREMC Action
Group.
Carl Branch and the
LREMC Action Group since
January 1, 1983 to March 31.
1983 has cost the LREMC
members more than $24,000
in added unwarranted expen
se. In my opinion, alleged
writer of the Robesonian, an
alleged newspaper of Lum
berton, NC, this is not an
allegation of LREMC Action
Group waste, it is a statement
of fact and public record,
i Alleged writer of the Robe
sonian, an alleged newspaper
of Lumberton, NC, you claim
to take your stand in the
middle of this LREMC issue
or controversy. This is the
proper position to take, but in
my opinion, you should report
and inform the readers of both
sides of the issues if you have
guts to do so. There is no
confusion among the mem
bership that has been inform
ed on both sides of the issues.
We of the LREMC Consumer
Service group know this is a
fact because we read about it
in the CaroRna Indian Voice
i
each week. I
Alleged writer of the Robe- |
sonian, an alleged newspaper
of Ljiraberton, NC. you speak
of compromise between Elias
Rogers, chairrhan of the
Board of LREMC and Carl
Branch LREMC Action
Group. In my opinion, this is
idiotic. Carl Branch made it
clear that six(6) Indians aiyl
one(l) black should not re
move Deri Hinson, a white as
general manager of LREMC.
In my opinion, Carl Branch
still harbors the same
thoughts and mind as he did
when this happening occured.
Out of the other side of his
mouth he wants his followers
to believe his action is a
result of excessive spending
on behalf of the present board
of directors of LREMC.
I have found Elias Rogers a
respectable person and I am
sure he has respect for Carl
Branch, but Carl Branch will
have to earn it.
P.S.Lets help Bruce Barton
attain 5,000 subscribers by
12-31-83 to the Carolina In
dian Voice, a complete news
paper that will bring to you
the readers, both sides of any
and all issues.
John L. Godwin
Pembroke, NC
'I
Public
Health
Week
-cont'd
from p-1
Walk-A-Thon Thursday, April 21, at 2:00
p.m. from Fyne Knit Mill's parking lot to
the Health Department. -Open House
Friday, April 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00
FulV and
-Health, Saturday, April 23; beginning
k at 3:30 a.m. from Mohr' Plaza to the
Health Department.
Individuals who plan to participate in
the events on April 21st and April 22nd
should come early because all events will
start on time. We do hope and anticipate
great participation from all citizens in
Robeson County.
Pembroke Skatelaiid! ~
NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN!!!
...Pembroke SluUeland.
Pembroke--Dr. end Mm. Reggie Oxen
dine are happy to announce a new business
In Pembroke-Pembroke Skmteland!! The
-fc?rt?g rtnkits expected to open next
Wednesday, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Look for more details next week.
Pembroke Skateland Is located on Railroad
* V' fajt *? Wilitie, next to??fcTembroke
Community /Workshop ) fa the facilities. ? -
formerly housing Pembroke Furniture.
Said Dr. Oxendine, "We are going to
run a good clean buiness where our youth
can gather and have a good time in a
positive and safe envfronment."
- Reprinted from April 13,1983
New* and Obeerver
Time to end parole secrecy
To the average North Carolinian,
the meaning of a 1977 state law
would seem clear enough. It re
quires that the Parole Commission
must publicly conduct its consider
ation of parole." Yet. the commis
sion and its legal advisers believe
that the law is satisfied merely by
receiving citizens' comments in
writing when paroles are pending.
By going behind closed doors for the
deliberations that actually deter
mine whether paroles will be grant
ed, the commission wrongly shields
from public view the most critical
aspect of its work.
Superior Court Judge James H.
Pou Bailey made clear Monday that
he has some trouble with the clarity
of the law, but he tends to believe
that the parole commission is mi
- sinterpreting legislative intent.
Technically. Bailey upheld the com
mission in a lawsuit fued by District
Attorney Joe Freeman Britt of
Lumberton, who opposes the secret
deliberations. But, in an aside. Bai
ley said he would have ruled differ
ently in the case of a potential paro
lee nad his crimes been committed
after 1977 "I think the board of
paroles will change their proce
dures," Bailey said.
However, Walter T. Johnson Jr.,
i parole commission chairman,
? seems unconvinced that the Legis
lature's intent is as clear as Britt
contends Instead of guiding the
. commission toward more open pro
ceedings. Johnson apparently will
force another test case
; Johnson would be better advised
to bring the commission's discus
sions and votes out in the open, es
pecially in view of controversy over
several paroles in recent years.
? Three such parole cases have had
Robeson County connections.
In the first case, early parole was
. granted in April 1982 to former state
trooper Hollis H Britt. who served
only two years of a 20-year sentence
in the shooting death of his wife in
Harnett County. Because of a pro
cedural error, the commission
_ failed to notify court and law en
forcement officials in Harnett be
fore allowing Britt to return on
parole to his native Robeson Coun
ty. The commission apologized for
tne oversigHt. Nevertheless, fuller
public deliberation could have alert
ed officials who were opposed.
Judge Bailey and District Attor
ney Britt both objected in June 1982
when Ralph Hunt, a former Robe
son County school board chairman,
gained parole after serving only two
months of an 18-month sentence for
driving after his license had been
permanently revoked. No advance
notification was given to these court
officials because the charge was a
misdemeanor and carried a sen
tence of under four years. Again, a
more visible parole proceeding
would have given Bailey and Britt a
chance to register their views.
Id the most recent case, Britt pro
tested an early parole eligibility
date set for Gerald Bonner Hill. The
former executive director of the
Lumberton Housing Authority was
convicted in 1981 on 19 counts of
false pretense, bribery and conspir
acy. He received a 7-to-l0 year sen
tence, which was commuted last
December by Governor Hunt ? an
action to which Britt also objected.
The district attorney argued that
fuller public consideration of the
Hill case was required by law. And
Judge Bailey says he would have
agreed with Britt except for the fact
that Hill's crimes occurred before
the 1977 law was passed
Johnson and other commission
members undoubtedly feel that they
can debate and resolve paroles is
sues better in private session. The
state Attorney General s Office, in
fact, argued before Bailey that the
Parole Commission should be al
lowed to deliberate as a jury does
But secrecy provokes a widespread
suspicion of undue political influ
ence in paroles and reduces public
scrutiny of an important part of the
criminal justice system. Therefore,
the commission should open its key
proceedings to the public.
WEDITORIALA
Ja nd opiNiom
PAGE
fWe Cannot Know Whara Wa An Going
If Wa Don't Know Whara Wa'va Baan...
So fittingly we honor our Pioneer Fathers
MEANDERING "'C
WITH GARRY"L!BAIITON
1 want to stand flat-footed and declare
unequivocabty: I am not now, nor have I
ever been "lost." I'm referring, of course,
to historians, anthropologists, and the like
who refer to my ancestors as the "Lost
Colonists." .
That's right folks! 1 ascribe .to the
much-despised albeit much-substantiated
theory that Lumbee Indians of Robeson
County and elsewhere descended from the
119 English colonists who settled in the
"New World" in the latter 1500's, better
known as the "Lost Colony."
Don't get me wrong, friends. My
lndian-ness is in no way contingent upon
whether or not you (the reader), they (the
legislators), or anyone else for that matter,
gives credence to this theory. Indian
ness to me is a state of the heart. Not a
state of the mind. So I don't mind what
others think about my roots.
Here, in a nutshell, is what I, and
countless other uneducated cats like
myself, as well as a number of learned
scholars, think happened:
Governor John White led a contingent of
English adventurers to the "New World."
They established a settlement and were
soon befriended by Manteo, a Hatteras
Indian whose tribe was located fifty miles
further inland on Croatoan Island. No
doubt, the colonists were glad to see a
friendly red face for they were having
trouble with a local tribe of Indians led by
Powhattan. Gov. White had to return to
England for supplies to replenish the
colonists' dwindling stock. Well expecting
trouble from the fierce Powhattan, White
instructed his colonists to travel the fifty
miles to Croatoan Island if trouble arose,
realizing they would be taken in by the
friendly Hatteras Indians. However, he
told the colonists to leave him a clue as to
their destiny should they be forced to leave
the settlement. If leaving under duress the
colonists were further instructed to mark
an "X" on the sign telling where they were
going.
r> urLU. I _ a. - - ? a? L:.
uov. ty ruie was unauic iu reiuni iu ms
colonists for a couple of years because
Spain and England were at war. When he
finally did return he found the letters
"CRO" carved on a fence. The word
"C1R-0-A-T-A-N" was found carved upon
a nearby tree. However, no colonists nor
an "X" indicating they left under dis
tressful conditions were to be found.
But, according to Gov. John White's
well-kept diary, he was not unduly
concerned about the colonists removal
from the settlement. If historians will read
his diary they will find that there was no
doubt in White's mind that the colonists
had been taken in by the friendly Hatteras
Indians of Croatoan Island. For a number
of reasons, he was unable to sail on to
Croatoan Island to check on the fate of the
colonists. Now, some historians choose to
believe that the colonists were wiped out
by the fierce Indian Chief Powhattan,
although no bodies were ever found. It
appears to me that they are willing to
believe anything concerning the fate of the
colonists except what Gov. John White's
diary infers--and that is that the colonists
were taken in by the Hatteras Indians.
My children will probably never read
this in their history books at school, so I'm
going to tell you what happened after the
colonists were taken in by the Indians.
Historians choose rt??? -? ?? out; they
say the colonists were "lost." I dare to go
further.
After years of intermarrying and co
habiting between the colonists and Indi-.
ans, a very unique group of people came
into being. Many sported blond hair and
blue eyes, and other Caucasian features.
This.fact notwithstanding, this group has
clung to their Indian blood since their
inception and called themselves Indians. It
is from this group present-day Lumbee
Indians descended. Perhaps these unique
ly-different Indians were ostracized from
the Hatteras Indians as their numbers
grew. Perhaps. Admittedly 1 don't know
the reason. But I do know this band of
Indians eventually left the Croatoan Island
area and migrated to the Robeson County
area. Something to keep in mind is that the
area along the Lumbee River was at one
time nothing but swamps. Whites did not
want the land, so it would have afforded a
safe refuge for the Indians if they were
ostracized.
Before j>ou dismiss this theory as merely
the rantings and ravings of a proud people
without a culture of their own, you need to
consult your history books. Evidently
evidence enough existed to
prompt the Honorable and much-respected
Hamilton McMillian to introduce legis
lation around 1885 to the N.C. General
Assembly recognizing Robeson County
Indians as Croatan (sic) Indians. The bill
passed and became law. I might add that
many Indians (especially the older ones)
seem offended by being called Croatan
Indians. I'm not knocking anyone, but 1 am
not offended in the least if someone calls
me a Croatan.
So, my friends, you see we are not
"lost." And our ancestors were never
"lost"-maybe temporarily misplaced but
never "lost." &
If you don't believe me ask the Ku Klux
Klansmen who were routed from the
Indians' stomping grounds in the 1950's. 1
dare say, when the lights came back on and
the smoke cleared in the wake of the
shooting, there were many non-Indians
that fateful night who did everything in
their power to get "lost."
Or consider our hero, Henry Berry
Lowty. He waged a war against his white
neighbors for almost ten years because of
racial injustices his fellow Indians suf
fered. Even such white historians as Mary
C. Normen whose husband was slain by
the Lowty Gang are forced to admit that
Henry Berry Lowry's cause was not "lost"
although he faced seemingly insurmount
able odds.
Or look at the beautiful and stately Old
Main building on the PSU campus. With
the spirit of Henry Berry Lowry coursing
through their veins, local Lumbee Indians
fought the university when their plans
called for the demolition of Old Main, the
only building in existence to house a
four-year degree-conferring college for
Indians only. After Old Main was gutted by
fire many no doubt thought the Indians had
"lost" their bid to save her. But they were
wrong. She still stands today in all her
glory-a lasting testament to the fiber and
fortitude of a proud and courageous people
who refuse to acknowledge the word
"lost" in their dictionary.
I rest my case.
PSU student to direct play
PEMBROKE - .Keith
Might, a junior at Pem
broke State University ma
jorirtg in theatre, was
selected by the theatre
staff to direct the Pem
broke Players religious
production for the 82-83
season scheduled for April
14, IS, 16.
Keith is the son of Mr.
and Mrs. H. B. Hight of
Fayetteville. He graduated
from Terry Sanford High
School in Fayetteville
where he was active with
the drama club and has
worked with many produc
tions. both on stage and
back stage prior to this pro
duction.
Keith has directed two
other one-acts: "White
Lies," by Peter Shafer and
"The Interview." by Jean
Claude Van Italte.
The play rhost n* this
semester is The Uiary ?it
Adam and Eve." by Mark
Bucci, adapt "d ii>r the)
stage from a story by Mark
Twain. The play is rc
sponsored by the PSU
Theatre Program, the Bap
tist Student Union and the
Methodist Student
Organization.
For most people adver
tising seen in newspapers is
more believable than adver
tising seen anywhere else,
polls show.
For more information
call 521-0778.
? I
Pharmacist
?
Pembroke Drug Center
(>dom mnd H W
Two FREE offers say "Thank You"!
We want to be your pharmacy. But we also want to thank
all of you who have already made that choice ? in a BIG way.
Just for the asking let us Send you ABSOLUTELY FREE a
packet of MAMMOTH-grewing SUNFLOWER SEEDS (one
packet per request, please). In arkftion, we want to send you
a special Canning and Freezing Guidebook to help you insure
peak quality, flavor, and nutritive value from your garden.
We want to be friends. Clip 'n Send this editorial c/o Phar
macists' Clipping Service, Box 5051, Raleigh, NC 27550.
I ; STLnm nou rat ?ont or mmu tmmmmmmmmaM
?S^TT-TrrTPuith* Iwglnning ihe Word ind the VWord we? Witt. God. ?
Ml and tha Word w?" Cod. TKa Mow "?? Ui tlM boolnnlno ?ltk Cod. Ml
i (Mutt 'd1 odd# by Kin: and without Mo not mi anything mada that
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