Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / June 5, 1971, edition 1 / Page 2
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—THE CAROLINA TIMES SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1971 2A Ok Hima rw i.r=7irltft EDITORIALS Dr. Martin D. Jenkins, director of the Office of Urban Affairs of the American Council on Education told graduates of North Carolina Central University that the crisis in urban areas today are occasioned by poor race relations and poverty. Jenkins challenged the college graduates by relating that many of them had come here as ruralites and would leave out as urbanites. Therefore, the solutions of urban problems will require the ap plication of educated intelligence for them as well as for the faculty of the institution. It was pointed out that several fac tors, including the federal government itself, were responsible for many of the shocking conditions by its many, and long standing practices of concem trating funds for individual housing in the suburbs; of financing expressways and tliroughways to facilitate access to the suburbs; and of providing in adequate financial support for urban services. He also emphasized that ci ties throughout the world share simi lar urban problems, occasioned by deprivation and poverty, but it is accentuated in the United States by • 5.21 racism. The involvement of institutions of higher education in urban problems is expected to be one of the major de- No Capabilities Of Blacb The statement reported in the Ra leigh News and Observer, May 31, 1971, by Charles Crutchfield Char lotte Chamber of Commerce presi dent, that Negroes are not "econo mically or mentally qualified" ar pre sent to run large cities reveals that he is fighting hard to promulgate old myths, now that many blacks are run ning and being elected to high public offices in many of our cities. It is well that Charlotte's city councilman and mayor protem, Fred Alexander, required that this state ment be retracted or clarified. Cham ber of Commerce presidents are most influential and powerful in cities, no matter what the size. It takes only a very small amount of bigotry and ra cism to light the fires of confusion, animosity and bitterness among its ci tizenry. Many of us recall how Adol phe Hitler started such myths about another minority as they sought their freedom and determination and our world was thrust into a crucial con- Things You Should Know HANNIBAL JFT CA. 1692-1782 I j BORN A SLAVE IN AFRJCA,HE BE CAME THE ADOPTED SON OF PETER THE GREAT AND LEARNED MILITARY EN GINEERIN6/ LATER, HE WAS COM- R MANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE RUSSIAN X ARMY/ATTHE TIME OF HIS DEATH//AST \ HE OWNED 2000 WHITE SLAVES Food For Thooght velopments of the next decade. Many universities have already become in struments of social changes. Black colleges and universities are in a uniquely strategic position to have ef fective impact and give input. Amer ca's basic institutions are changing in response to a growing sense of power among the people and a determina tion to build a better world now. Graduates must become politically involved by studying issues, evaluat ing candidates and voting to bring about changes in our society. Run for all offices and get in that game called power. Our cities will be re juvenated only if blacks and other minorities can share in the responsibi lity; the decision making and the power. You are the educated elite and help save us from further war, pover ty and injustices. Leaders of revolutions throughout history were not the poor, downtrod den and uneducated; they were educa tors and educated people in the dedi cated sense. The true revolution is not the young people in the streets nor the women's liberation, but people who are working to solve problems. Revolutionaries who ignore the solv ing of concrete problems and merely exhort rhetoric becomes cop-outs be cause they ignore this basic truth. flict from which we have not yet to- tally emerged The time to speak up is now and we commend Councilman and Mayor Protem Alexander of Charlotte for his most timely rebuttal. Council man Alexander, who has served six years on the city council and was the top vote getter in the latest election race said, "Given the same opportuni ties, Negroes can and are doing the same things white people are doing. I defy any person, white or black, to question my competa run a city. Just as I can fulfill such a responsibility, there are other Ne groes who can do likewise." Crutchfield issued a statement on Thursday in Charlotte, saying he had expressed himself poorly. As a noted anthropoligist once told me, when you hear an expression of bigotry or prejudice, correct it right then. So we commend Fred Alexander, council man and mayor protem for his fourth right action. They Don't Give A Us 3lt OKmortom TW BLACK STUOemS MLLEP HISSBSIPf* STATE HIGHWAY IT UAS WEN AN OFFICER WENT TO A BAM CAR,CAUEP/NAND&AIP HILLEPIM Comments from the Capital jfa RUMORS, REPORTS AND REFLECTIONS by Vant Neff Incongruities: A certain arrogant union lead er feasted at world-famous res taurants, and in general, lives high off the hog, while his rank and file followers pressured for more money. Ironically, this very same "leader" was on the Sani tation Department payroll, though records prove that over a period of 15 years, he never once reported for a regular job of work. With his unsavory back ground, is it any wonder that once again he is under govern ment investigation—this time, for alleged misuse of union funds? The Russians urge an end to biological weaponry. Lonq ago, the United States, at the direc tion of President Nixon, curtailed all biological warfare. What, if anything, in war-making capa bilities have the Russians dis continued? American car sales are up 12%. Foreign car sales in the U. S. are up almost 50%. Yet our own auto workers are enforcing demands for higher wages, so that the price of American cars are automatically increased in the vicious wage-price push. Are the unions so short-sighted that they will price us out of world markets? Black artists at the Whitney Museum exhibition insist that their work only be selected and judged by black critics. Racism, anybody? Russia exhorts that the Israelis give back the captured lands to Egypt and Jordan. How- about the Russians giving back all the Baltic states, the Finnish border, Poland, East Germany, Czecho slovakia, etc., etc. Have you noticed that the stu dents of South Korea are battling the police and authorities? They are against government military training programs. Korea is highly vulnerable to guerilla in filtration from Communist North Korea. What you can't notice is that the student demonstrations and battles are financed by the Communists. The same sDonsor ship is undoubtedly true most of ten in most parts of the world. It's a fact that radical groups work towards the destruction of our country. Yet our own courts have ruled that the government may not tap radical phones with out court permission.Which means that by the time the jus tice department secures an order the whole community knows about it. Incongruous, huh? Since U. S. troops are with drawing anyway, I wonder why it has never occurred to the North Vietnamese to disengage from the fighting? Could it be the dic tates of the Communist high command j? Met a good-looking, long haired" Harvard student on the train. Making conversation on the long ride, I asked him what he intended to do after graduation. "Nothing for the Establish ment!" he spouted. "I'm a chem major, so naturally JL've had nib bles from the recrflitment boys from the industrial companies. I told them, 'thanks but no thanks'!" "Have you better plans?" I inquired. "Of course," he scoffed. I'm going back to the bench. Do things with my hands. Create." "What kinds of things?" I queried. "Useful things. Leather craft ing. Shoe 6. Vests. Belts. Maybe woodworking. Unusual furniture. Designs. Americans have to get back to doing things that essen tially benefit mankind, not de stroy him. No bombs for me." I was curious to know whether the rest of his Harvard mates shared his hippie resistance to technology, "Not all," he admitted. "But some of the enlightened ones do." Then', Tn seething tb'nea, h4 demanded: "Can you name one person who ever did anything worthwhile for the human race, locked UD in a stuffy chemistry lab?" Controlling myself, I an swered, "Yes, Jonas Salk, for one." Let them die, the chief of the hospital employees' union virtu ally said of the patients. Crusty Leon Davis, leader of the way left Local 1199, Druq and Hospi tal Workers' Union, pulled no punches about priorities. "The welfare of our members comes first. The public's welfare, second." Sickening, I say. But isn't this the callous attitude of so many labor leaders? (Luckily, not all of them!) During one of the many strike threats that hit hos pitals on the Eastern seaboard, Mr. Davis unequivocally stated that an actual strike would be "real tragic, real serious, and real deadly." Davis' use of the word "dead ly" is all too true, referrinq to the helpless victims —the critically ill, the injured, the patients just out of surgery—who might not make it through the night with out vigilance, care and concern. Aside from the threat of strikes in hospitals, millions of people are victims of the union's exor bitant wage demands which have to be met through jacked up costs of hospital services, rooms and medicines. It's the public, whose welfare is rele gated to second place by the Letters To The Editor'' I would like to notify my Black brothers and sisters that as of May 31, 1971 my em ployment status will be changed. On that date 1 will begin working with United Durham, Inc. (UDI) to co ordinate its work with the wishes and needs of the low income Black community. This is not a farewell letter, because I am not leav ing UOCL Nor does my change of employment signify that UOCI'B work will change. It will not: the problems which UOCI .has been fighting since its beginning remain to be eliminated. And UOCI will continue as always - and I will continue to support UOCI •• in its efforts for the Black community. This is, first and foremost, a thank-you note. I can not words to pro perly thank, the community people for their participation, their understanding, and their active support for UOCI's union masterminds, who has to pay. As usual. Or else die. * * • Well suited: an enraqed local of the United Auto Workers union is suing officials of the na tional union. Why? They're in furiated at the spending of union funds on political candidates, and on radical and left-wing causes. The men don't want it. They won't buy it. And what's more, they're telling the world that they won't pay for it. It re mains to be seen whether the union's leaders, whose power is absolute, will yield to their mem bers or the courts! Inside information: It has been whispered that almost s2oo' mil lion appropriated for welfare programs has been mishandled, "misplaced," or perhaps just plain mulcted' Scandal? Tbat'^ ; putting it mildly. Where did the dough go? And wasn't it tax dollars, culled from you, me and the rest of the gar den-variety taxpayers in this country? Pay attention, Americans! We work too hard for our money to let it flow down the drain. Or worse yet, to permit it to pass into the pockets of inefficient or unscrupulous persons who don't really give a hoot about anyone els«j. as lona as they get theirs. Time to take the wraps off, I say. If you or I swiped "$5, we'd be up on petty larceny charges. How can these guys get away with it? Let's not kid ourselves. The higher wages skyrocket, the higher the cost of everythinq must soar. It's an endless wage price push, and nobody, least of all the worker, stands to gain very much. His so-called raise all too quickly turns out to be merely momentary paper profits and may often buy him less . . . and less . . . and less. The only real increase in purchasing power comes from increased productivity. Final note: Disgusted by the British auto workers' perform ance, the Ford people are cutting off any new investments in Eng land. But from where I sit, this is just one more case of organized labor using its excessive power to kill the goose that lays the golden wage. efforts to make the lives of Black people better. I can not think of a single instance when UOCI has called upon the poor Hack people of this city - housewives, working men and women, welfare re cipients, students, unem ployed people - when the people haven't come through. They have responded every time. Because of the support of the community, I have en joyed being with UOCI. It has been a challenge. It has been a real experience and frus trating experience. But my strongest feeling ia that, be cause of the people, it baa been rewarding. I am happy that UOCI has never been a one-man organl zation and that it will remain on the case for the problems that persist. Everyone In the Black community knows the problems by heart: the arrog ance and injustices that am present in public housing; the By JOHN MYERS { i—,■ • .'ii ' ' Ask the man on the street about Durham and surely one of his replies will be an expression of concern regarding the cleanliness of the city. In my five years in the Durham area I have heard remarks ranging from "needs a better sanitation de-! partment" to "one of the dirtiest cities I've ever seen." I cannot blame the citizens for feeling this way about blatant filth on the city streets. I would not think to condemn a man for degrading his city for its filth if there was nothing he could do about it. On May 1 several town committees sponsored "May Day," A day to clean up Pettigrew Street, one of the streets in the immediate city, hardest hit by unsightly landscaping. The purpose for May Day was to clean the tracks and bordering grounds on Petti grew Street, dig holes for planting, and plant green ery along the tracks. Here was a chance for the truly concerned citizens to remedy their complaints. On May 1, a handful of people showed up for work. By the end of the day two lonely men finished their work and headed for home. The public response has been the same every Saturday following May 1. A job which could have been completed on one Saturday has now been con tinued into the fourth week. This Saturday, June 5, will hopefully conclude the planting and landscaping of the foilage. Five weeks spent on cleaning and planting one mile of track be cause the people who screamed the loudest were silent when it came to production. I cannot condemn people for not coming out to work on the one day they have to take care of duties around their own homes, but if the beauty v- of the city was as important to them as their cries indi cated, they could surely have devoted two hours of time sometime during the day. If the commissions in Durham had taken it upon A themselves to clean up our city with no advice or consent from the citizens I could say "let them do it themselves," but they yielded to the demands of the citizens. They gave time money, and equip ment for a venture which should have been import ant to all the people who complained. Their venture was met with indifference, neglect, and above all, apathy from the very ones who asked for something to be done. After this display of concern by the Durham citizens it is any wonder people are put in the position to ask "Is anyone really listening to me?" You were listened to when you asked your question but when the city answered you, you failed to hear. continued problems of sub standard private housing; the absence of Black faces behind the counters in downtown stores. Two specific, recent inci dents deaerve special mention: the arbitrary firing of two Black men, Ervin L. Hester and Charles Tillman. The way in which their white em ployers fired them - Brother Hester from WSRC radio and Brother Tillman from the Dur ham Housing Authority - in dicates that Black people in Durham are a long way from equal employment opportuni ties. Ibis is the sort of pro blem which remains to be re solved. I look forward to working with the people of UOCI to resolve these and other problems which we share. I also am happy to be working with UDI, which has drawn upon the people of UOCI for support since the initial idea for the United Durham project. UDl's plans •\ • • « # • . . .7 ... ')•!• few garglittaCinteg |. j i Published every Saturday at Outturn, N. C. by United Publisher*, Inc. L. E. AUSTIN, Publisher-Editor CLARENCE BONNETTE Business Manager J. ELWOOD CARTES Advertising Manager Second Claaa Postage Paid at Durham, N. C. 27708 SUBSCRIPTION RATES United States and Canada 1 Year $6.Q(r States and Canada S Years $ll.OO foreign Countries 1 Year $7.80 •ingle Copy ...' » Cants > Wndp«lOffke Located *4M East Pettigrew Street, ; Ms* *™* for creating businesses owned and operated by low-income Black people depend, for their success, on the very snme people with whom I've been working as director of UGCI. So I am not saying fare well to anything. I am saying thank you to the Black com munity - especially the low income people - who have made my experience ivith UOCI so rewarding. 'Hank you is not enough, but it's all I can say. Perhaps most of all, I'd like to state very clearly that Black people in Durban are still faced with very serious, very deep problems. Because of this, I am grateful that we have two such strong, com mitted groups as UOCI and UDI. We will need every ounce of energy from both, groups - and from all parti cipants in the struggle -ia the years of work that lie i head of us. Signed Ben Ruffin
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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