Editorial And
I Opinion Page
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AS I SEE IT!
Bruce Barton
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Lt. Colonel Oliver North, glib, conservative and patriotic,
still lied about his role in the Iran-Contra Affair
First of all. I want to again publicly thank Chancellor Allen Meadors for
bringing the Distinguished Speakers Series to UNC-P All the speakers
were interesting and entertaining, and another great lineup is planned
for the upcoming school year.
1 went to see Lt. Colonel Oliver "Ollic" North Tuesday night at the
Git ens PAC. And 1 must admit that I was impressed by his military bearing,
his obvious patriotism, and his glibncss. He can still hold an audience
spellbound. He really made three public declarations: (1) he is a
Republican; (2) he is a conservative; and (3) he is an unabashed Christian.
One out of three ain't bad. Right?
Still, amidst the handclapping and "soft questions" after his remarks.
1 sat there and nodded and mused, "Yeah. Ollic. it all sounds great and it
was for a good cause, but you lied about the Iran-Contra Affair." Lying
is still wrong, and not grounds for greatness, in my book. I must admit
that 1 was in the minority with my views though, because the larger than
usual audience was obviously in Colonel North's corner. Many of those
in the audience consider him a great American. I do too, except for the
lying and deceitfulness 1 have a problem with that. Other than that
obvious flaw, I applaud Colonel North too. He is dynamic and good
theatre
In November 1986, Americans learned that President Reagan officials
had misled them by secretly selling Iran antitank and antiaircraft missiles
in an attempt to obtain the release of the hostages then being held by
that rogue nation. It probably helped, in the long run, obtain their release.
Moreover, part of the profits from the arms sales w ere secretly
transferred to the Contras, a nationalist group working to overthrow the
Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Lt. Colonel North was up to his eyeteeth in the
great deceit, and was convicted in 1989 of destroying National Security
Council documents and lying to congress. He was fined, given two
years of probation and ordered to perform community service. On appeal,
One conviction was dismissed and the two others were sent back to t
the courts for review. Due to legal technicalities. Colonel North was not j
prosecuted further. ;
As he has said on occasion, sometimes the ends justify the means. 1'
don't agree with that, even if it helped overthrow the Sandinistas iri
Nicaragua, obviously a communist regime. You know how we hate them
communists. Right?
Anyway, Lt. Colonel North was glib, conservative and patriotic. B\lt
he still lied about his role in the Iran-Contra Affair Other than that, a gam
I say, Lt. Colonel Oliver North is an interesting American, but flawed /
About this "citizens group"...
LUMBERTON-This crowd hooting and hollering about carryings on in
Ol' Robeson, in my opinion, have a hidden agenda. They believe minorities,
especially Indians, have more than their rightful share of power,
especially in the elected positions they hold.
The group is going to call itself Robeson Community Achievement
Network (CAN). Most of them are unable to get elected to public office
in Robeson County, and want to circumvent electoral democracy by
activating CAN to give them a forum that they cannot win at the ballot
Jjbx.
Look at some of the people involved, obviously some of them are
right-wing conservatives, as well as a Black here and an Indian there to
give them some color and legitimacy.
I say to all of the CAN crowd, especially Dr. Ernest Brown and Rod
Redfearn, who were quoted in Sunday's Robesonian as great
pontificators about what is wrong in OF Robeson, "put yourself up for
electoral office. I double-dare you!" You know, as well as we do, that
you would probably not get elected in Robeson County. You would
have to convince 38.4 % Indians and 25% black Robesonians, in addition
to the 34% White populace, to vote for you That would be a tall
order, indeed!
Mr. Redfearn did say to me, in a recent telephone conversation, that
he just might run for office, that is, as soon as he becomes a citizen in a
year or two. Mr. Redfearn is a Canadian, but he knows just what we need
in 01' Robeson. And when he gets the vote, by God, he just might run
for office.
Run for office, I say. We would like to cast a vote for whatever
august office you dare run for. We might even express an opinion here
and there about such a candidacy.
Redfearn did say too, in the story, that he wants the membership of
CAN to include people of all races, like Mr. Wyatt Johnson, a Black
Lumberton City Councilman, but he also said, in Sunday's newspaper
that "I m sure there are people, particularly in the Native American community,
who will say, 'It is our turn now' and that 20 years ago, whites
were in control". Redfearn dug himself a deeper political hole when he
said further, "But if the pendulum was swung too far in one direction
then, it has swung too far to the other side now." That sounds dangerously
like racial profiling to me, and not to be accepted in the Indian
camp.
. ROBESONIANS AWAIT EDDIE HATCHER VERDICT
LUMBERTON-Finally, the Eddie Hatcher Trial in Robeson County is
underway, with jury selection now taking place. It promises to be interesting,
as always, when Mr. Hatcher is a participant.
Mr. Hatcher is charged with first-degree muraer in the May 31,1999
shooting death of Brian McMillan, 19 at the time of his death. Earlier in
October, Hatcher was found guilty of assault with a dangerous w eapon
in the May 19, 1999 shooting of Michael Anthony Locklear, then 17
when he was shot outside Bud's Grocery near Maxton. Hatcher, who ,
says he shot Locklear in self-defense, received 75 days in jail for that
conviction. Locklear & McMillan were living in the same residence |M
when the incidents occurred. Ms. Amillia Chavis, then age 15, was also I
in the house and was shot and injured in the drive-by shooting in which I
Hatcher is charged.
Many people have rushed to judgment in the matter. It is best to wait I
. and see ifjustice will prevail in 01'Robeson. Mr. Hatcher is a sore point |
to many, but his civil rights should be protected at all costs, and the
evidence should be allowed to be presented fully without hindrance Sj
from outside sources. Mr. Hatcher, who has pled not guilty, is entitled .
to his day(s) in court. If Eddie Hatcher cannot receive a fair trial in Li
Robeson County, then neither can you and I. Let common sense and |
justice prevail. It is Mr. Hatcher's right as an American citizen, and it is j
the right of the family of the deceased. Both parties deserve justice, j
and no less even in Ol' Robeson
, - 1
The Carolina Indian Voice
Published each Thursday in Pembroke, N.C. by
First American Publications
The first issue of the weekly newspaper, The Carolina Indian
Voice was published on January 17, 1973, by then editor,
owner and founder, Bruce Barton with a $500 personal loan.
It has a proud history of continuous publication, having never
missed an issue since its inception. Bruce's sister, Connee
Brayboy, the current editor, is the only person to have
; enjoyed full-time employment since the newspaper's inception.
A brother, Garry Lewis Barton came to work full-time
in 1973 and ended his affiliation with the newspaper in 1985;
j its founder, Bruce Barton left to further his education shortly
thereafter. Another brother, Ricky Barton, has been affiliated
on a part-time basis with the newspaper since its inception.
For the first time in years, the four siblings are reunited
and dedicated to publishing the best newspaper humanly
possible.
Connee Brayboy Editor
& CongThe !%p6eson Trait
by Dr. Stan Knlck, Director, UNCP Native American Resource Center
Much attention has been given
' to the topic of federal recognition of
' Native Americans, especially as it
concerns the Lumbee. Some people
seem to believe that federal
recognition would be the magic
potion for everything that ails many
Native American communities ?
poverty, geographical and political
isolation, substance abuse, poor
health and so on. Other people,
including some Native Americans,
see federal recognition as an
unnecessary and unwanted "stamp of
approval" from the federal
government. After all, what other
ethnic groups in the United States are
required to carry a government card to
prove that tbey are who they say they
are?
From much of what has been
printed in the popular press in recent
years, perhaps it would be easy to
come to the conclusion that the
Lumbee V" 'he only Native Nation
confronted with life in the supposedly
unhappy state of being federallyunrecognized.
But is this true?
Current estimates have it that there
are between 115,000 and 200,000
people in America who could be
classified as "federally-unrecognized"
Indians. Some of these are
descendants of Native people who
refused to sign what they saw as unfair
treaties with the government during
Hie nineleenih century (for example, a
small group of Chippewa people who
lived in northern North Dakota).
Others are people who migrated away
from refrvations and into cities
generations ago and did not maintain
"enrollment." A few are those who
simply fell through the administrative
cracks.
Many of these "unrecognized'
people, are enrolled members of the at
least 133 separate groups (bands, tribes
and nations) which the federal
government does not accept as being
"Indian tribes." Some of these groups
are very small, with less than 200
members. The Lumbee happen to be
the largest such group ? somewhere
between 35,000 and 63,000 people in
the United States, most cf whom
reside in Robeson County, identify
themselves as Lumbee.
As is the case with the Lumbee,
some groups are recognized bv their
respective state govern.?ents. But
many others are not. Of these Native
American people it has been written:
"There is no simple explanation as to
why some tribes were not recognized.
Failure by the federal government to
recognize certain Indian tribes has
usually been the product of longforgotten
historical accidents, or of
the belief that many tribes became
extinct. Whatever the reason for the
non-recognized status of many Indian
groups, one thing is certain: they have
not vanished (Miller and De Jong,
1994; in The Native North American
Almanac)."
Why do these Indian
communities remain "unrecognized?"
Miller and De Jong argue that many
of these tribes were small, peaceful
and/or isolated and therefore not
perceived as a threat by the
government. Indian tribes which the
government has not feared, or whose
lands and resources it has not
coveted, have frequently been left
"unrecognized."
Many of the federally-recognized
tribes achieved that status by virtue of
wars they waged against the U. S.
government ? wars which led to the
necessity for treaties and reservations.
It is ironic that Native American
communities which were peaceful (or
which were decimated by European
epidemic diseases) would now be
denied services by the federal
government because hundreds of
years ago they did not (or could not)
resist more violently that same
government.
For more information, visit the
Native American Resource Center in
historic Old Main Building, on the
campus of The University of North
Carolina at Pembroke (our Internet
address is www.uncp.edu/
nativemuseum).
Fayetteville Museum of Art is
proud to be a part of the city's newest
cultural attraction, The Cultural
Caravan. This shuttle will begin on
April 14, 2001. and will take its
riders to various attractions in the
city including the Cape Fear Botanical
Gardens, the Convention
and Visitors Bureau, the Airborne
and Special Operations Museum,
the Fayeneville Museum of Art, the
Ml'"1''"1 nf 'h" Fpar Fascinate-U
Children's Museum, and the
Arts Council. The shuttle will stop
at each of these destinations every
twenty minutes, and will run all
day, ailowing it's users time to view
all'that Fayeneville has to offer. In
order to coincide with the shuttle's
scheduling, the Museum will be
changing it's weekend hours to 10
am to 5 pm on Saturdays and 12
noon to 5 pm on Sundays beginning
April 14, 2001. We hope that
by forming this partnership with
other community cultural organizations,
the Museum will be able
to further its mission of enhancing
the appreciation of the arts in our
surrounding area.
29th Annual
Competition for
NC Artists thru
May 20
The Annual Competition for
North Carolina Artists is one of the
Southeast's most distinguished and
highly competitive professional
exhibitions, 65 artists from across
the state will feature-cutting edge
art, chosen by President of International
Arts and Artists David F.
Furchgott. The finalists will also
appear simultaneously on-line for
a cyberspace exhibition. You can
even vote on-line for your favorite
artist! Log on at www.fmoa.org.
Wholesale Auto
Parts Under new
management
To You Our \fclued Customers,
We would like to invite you to
our Opening Under New Management,
Open House and Customer
Appreciation Weekend, Thursday
12th, Friday 13th and Saturday
14th of April. We will have refreshments,
giveaways and register for
prizes Thursday at 10:00 A.M., we
will have a welcome and Dedication
Service. We will be looking to
see you here at NAPA. Again we
Thank you for your Support, from
all of us here at Pembroke NAPA.
Locklear Brothers and Sons
Whole sate Auto Parts
521-2800
WE NOW DELIVER 5212800
We're just a phone call away.
Come on In....
I Know you are standing and looking in through the gate.
But you do notwant to come in, but just open the gate and walk on in. This
place has no sin and it is not Betty Jane's end. Jt is a place that should not have
been, but you may come on in. In this place is Betty Jane. This is where a young
man's senseless bad mistake ends; a place where our pain and grief begin So
just come on in and look around and see why we weep. Come on in and take
the time and pray that not more things like Betty Jane's senseless death will
happen to anyone again
This gate we will always walk through, the pain and grief will never go away
for Betty Jane's family. We will forever weep. We will cherish and love Betty
Jane. The world's greatest loss. Heaven gained. Memories of Betty Jane and
pictures is all we have now.
So come on in and look around and hope it doesn't happen to your children
So come on in. You are welcome. .
The Oxendine Family
April 5, 2001
We extend our heartfelt thanks for everyone for there prayers and
concern and we recently re-lived the pain of Betty Jane Oxendine's death
while an employee at Hardee's in Lumberton. Her killer, Travis Walters, was
sentenced to death row last week. Sitting through the trial was hard and
painful Please continue to pray for us.
The crosscut saw front the past and the chainsaw today along with
tangible results from wood aerobics. Ronald Lowry shown
In parts of rural England It was once believed by some that after
the mulberry tree had sprouted Its leaves there would not be another
frost that year.
Remembering An Energy
Source From The Past
Today we read and hear about some problems concerning the nation's .
energy supply. The people in California have experienced a shortage of
electrical energy. We on the East coast have seen our natural gas prices
climb upward, said to be due to a problem with supply. The easy life we
live today is accomplished to a large extent by use of equipment powered
by natural gas or electricity. I remember when only wood was the
energy source around the family farm in Robeson County in the 1930s.
Wood was used for cooking, heating, curing tobacco, and heating water
in an outside pot for the clothes washing process. The outside pot was
also used to heat water for the hog-killing activity..
The 2-man crosscut saw was the primary equipment used to convent
trees into usable wood for an energy source. Wood sawing was one of
many ways to maintain ones physical fitness during the family farming
era. We did most of our wood sawing in the fall and winter months of the
year while the sap was down. Pine trees kept cook stoves operating on a
daily basis. Gum trees have a tough textured wood which is very hard to
split. I recently completed an engagement with a large gum tree which
grew in the wood portion on my property. In 1960 when 1 was having a
house built on the property, a local resident pointed out this gum tree to
me growing just inside the back property line. He said that he and some
of his friends had chased raccoons up this tree. It had a large hollow
inside which extended up to the branches. I had to get this tree cut down,
because it was becoming a hazard to a neighbor's house. I decided to
save some money by not having the wood removed. It took 3 tree removal
experts 2 hours to get the tree on the ground, delimbed, and sawed
into fireplace size blocks. I have seen raccoons climb this tree and go out
on a limb to sleep in the daytime. Five raccoons were chased out of the
hollow at the top of the gum tree while being topped.
It took me 2 months to convert the blocks of wood into fireplace
pieces. I used 2 steel wedges, sledge hammer, and wood splitter to split
the blocks from the limbs and upper tree body. Local senior citizens are
being urged to get aerobic exercise on a regular basis. My vegetable
garden and lawn maintenance keep me active during the warm months of
the year. My wife goes to the YMCA and participates in water aerobics
three times a week. I claim to have spent about the same amount of time
doing a form of "wood aerobics" working out on the gum tree over a two
month period. The wedges, sledge hammer, and wood splitter plus manpower
could not do anything with the blocks of wood from the main
truck of the tree. The hollow in the blocks measured 35-36 inches in
diamctcrwith 6-8 inches of outer wood. I decided to break in my 14 inch
gasoline powered chainsaw received as a father's day gifl on these
blocks. I had no problem transforming the large hollow blocks of gum
w ood into fireplace size pieces. There is a certain amount of satisfaction
a senior citizen, enjoying the middle of his 7th decade of life, can achieve
by completing a task like this. While this wood is seasoning. I will be
participating in a form of "garden aerobics", and enjoying alt the benefits
of this activity
Ronald H. l.owry Virginia Beach, Virginia
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