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The State of Df acti Araoriea-rl 9 77
: t..' I,
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says
yes
death
to
penalty,
no to
school
busing
The Outcry Against Bell
The outcry against confirmation of
Griffin Bell as United States Attorney
General stems from the extreme im
portance of that particular cabinet
post.
Basically, the influence of an
attorney general goes far beyond what
may be seen in bis public acts. It in
cludes advice to the president on cri
tical public issues; on his appointments
of Supreme Court "rnembers; Circuit
Court arid Distxi&fage!S;Sto&
Attorneys and many other policy mak
ing positions.
The post also includes supervision
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI), Bureau of Prisons and other
parts of the Department of Justice. It
also includes the power to make de
cisions on which prosecutions to start;
appeals to take; wiretaps to authorize
and invesitgations to launch.
Many Americans and citizens of the
country have just been made aware of
the many unknown Trios against them.
This is again what makes the post so
important.
Knowledgeable individuals who
have looked carefully at Mr. Bell's prior
record cannot find any assurance that
his decisions will be made in a manner
thatcoinpUes with ;hev; spirit of the
rrVnstittrtionaL coaran&e of freedom
and equality that is so important for
the advancement of minorities and
other less affluent groups.
It would seem, based on Mr. Bell's
past record and attitudes that he would
not be the type of individual that
would justify both the confidence and
respect of Black Americans for the post
of U. S. Attorney General
Old Man Weather Plays Havoc
The continuing unusually cold wea
ther all across the county has affected
all types and styles of living in the
nation as means of keeping and con
serving energy.
It would seem that some of the
people have forgotten how bad it
could be when energy ' or heat is
limited. From manufacturing centers,
to rural lanes and resort areas, cold
weather has brought new respect for
nature and for the Man upstairs, it
would seem.
On all sides, one hears sentiment
expressed in our city that at least it
isn't raining or we do have a little
. heat in spite of the huge utility bills.
However, there are some families that
are without, heat due to insufficient
funds to purchase it or other reasons.
We would hope that when asked for
aid, many of us will come to the
rescue as we have and should do.
Perhaps such acts of God as the un
seasonably cold weather beyond our
control, will make us county our bless
ings instead of our complaints. v ,
Bfcp You Sioufd Keov7
TUB
MAN
. . .Born a suve in Maryland; a
HEROINE OF THE UNDERGROUND Rftltf; .
ROAD. FOR WHOM SLAVEOWNERS Of FSR-EOAtWOORfWARDALSOASCOUT
NURSE A SPY PDR UNION ARM C3 IN THE
SOUTHAT THE SAJu Tt,IN THE NORTH CIVILIAN WKf dywg!
WHTTE MOSS RAZED A NEGRO ORPHAN HOME 6 BURNED NEGRO
CHOPS AMD HOMES KHUHO HUNDREDS 'f
The report just released by the National Ur
ban League, The State of Black America-1 977"
makes for grim reading. A'
It covers eleven broad areas of life and con
cludes that, in most of them, blackf slipped fur
ther behind in the year just ended. , '
: In employment, despite, a slightly improved
job picture for white .workers, three million
blacks were out of work last Tyear, about the -same
as for the Depression year of 1975. Twice
as many black adults were jobless in 1976 as in
1974, and about half, never collected a dime of
unemployment insurance; ' -
Let's skip past the rest pf the chapters on
the economy and unerrrplovmentIn the chapter
on education we leartt of the black lag in kinder
garten attendance, black tracking into vocational
schools rather than colleges, continued black
exclusion from prestigious schools and many
more indicators demonstrating black education
disadvantage in a general climate of declining
support for public education. ' '
In housing, it was, as the report states, "a
year of noose-tightening : for blacks and other
low-income groups." Housing construction is
down, moderate income families are being priced
out of the market for existing housing, public
housing programs are at a standstill, and we see
new trends of redeveloping predominately black
neighbrohoods at the expense of their inhabi
tants, v . ; . -j, 1 ;- ,-
: AH across the board, the situation of black
people was bad. The report cites health statistics ;
more appropriate for an isolated improve rished ,
island that for people living in the world's richest
, and most technologically advanced nation. The
welfare system continued its decline into utter
collapse, leaving basic needs unmet.
Young people faced continued crisis in the
absence of a constructive national youth policy.
Crime continued its relentless attack on black
communities while drug" traffic made fortunes
for some and the official criminal justice esta-
. blishment continued to neglect black community.
needs. ' - : .
. The Teport goes on in this vem, examining
other areas of importance to black people, but
it is of major, importance to note that one of its .
most important, conclusions is that the do
minant feeling among blacks today is hope.
This was confirmed in a section of the report
on opinion surveys of Urban League affiliates
who reported that despite . deteriorated black
white relationships in the cities, black people
viewed the election results as the most important
event of the. year, and a majority reported more
confidence in political leadership because of
Jimmy Carter's election.
For the first time in eight year black people .
feel they have a President in the White House '
who' will listen to their concerns and, more .
important,' take action tolife , the curse of ;
poverty and dlscrhninationr.frora their "backs.
: That's a big responsibility for our new Presi
dent, for failure to take long deferred action and
failure to satisfy the" just expectations of
minorities "and the pBbr of all races .could
' threaten the democratic process itself. .
: .What kind of action? 1 .
Wen, first, there should, be Presidential
affirmation of his resolve to work ' toward a
society that no longer tolerates inequaUty and
racial discrimination. It should be bold state
ment that lets black people know mat their
basic problems will be dealt with sympathetically
and imaginatively, and lets white people know
that the actions black people need, and want will
benefit the whitajority as weU.
Second, he could begin moving toward
acceptance of the 24 recommendations in the
report, ranging from a national income main-.
tenance policy and guaranteed jobs for an
through concrete proposals in health, housing,
revenue sharing allotment!, and a host of others.
Taken together, such steps would amount
to formulation of a new social 801 of Rights that
would answer the human needs of our society,
needs never imagined two centuries ago when the
originial Bill of Rights was designed to guarantee
, our political freedoms.
Benjamin 1. Hoofis
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Minority Cable TV Ownership
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After many rumors and reported false starts,
a small group of cable franchise holders and
owners got together in Washington D. C. in
December to discuss formation of an association
of minority cable television ownersfranchise hol
ders. They named themselves The American
Association of Cable Television Owners (AAC
TO).
it's about time. Minority cable television
owners (holders of franchise papers for the most
part.) for only black cable system is currently in
operation: Gary, Indiana Communications
Group headed by Dr. William Douglas for yean
have faced almost insurmountable obtacles in
attempting tqci9btaiar,f-necessary financing,
management assistance .anid, once operational,
adequate programming and other industry needs.
Under the auspices of the National Cable
Television Association (NCTA) and the Inner
City Communications' of- Atlanta, 16 minority
cable system owners and franchise holders, met
and grappled with the thorny problems they face
from a hostile or indifferent financial community
that applies different standards to minorities for
short and long term financing.
Three reasons for withholding financing are
usually given: (1) lack of sufficient equity; (2)
lack of qualified management experience; and
(3) the unspoken but accepted practice of
leading institutions not to risk money in
"minority-owned new ventures.
At its December meeting AACTO decided it
would establish an office in Washington, DC so
that it can begin to do serious battle with those
who deny them equal access and participation
in the growing television industry.
Principal speaker at the organization meeting
was dynamic Jesse Hill, president of Atlanta Life
Insurance Co., and an official of Inner City
Communications of Atlanta, Ga. He praised the
group for coming together "to lay the founda
tion for a plan of mutual support and coopera
tion.... "There is great significance in the fact that
the initiative for this meeting has come from the
National Cable Television Association, an organi
zation representing the entire industry.
. : "Clearly in taking this initiative, NCTA has
recognized thatthe broader interests of the Cable,
industry, as well as of the nation, will be best
served by assisting those minority entrepreneurs
and groups holding franchise licenses to become
successful industry members and an integral part
of the industry's structure."
Hill emphasized the great opportunities and
challenges facing the little band of minority
franchise holders, and added: There can be no
doubt that the CATV industry, which over the
past 26 yean has grown from a local antenna
service to the hills and valleys of Pennsylvania
and Oregon to a vast artery of communication
which today serves almost 12 million American
homes, offers tremendous opportunities.
This industry today generates more than.
S777 million in revenues, employs over 25,000
people and has a total capital investment of al-
most one billion dollars." ''
A practical, hardhead ed businessman, Hill is
painfully aware of some of the hurdles confront
ing minorities seeking to enter the industry. He
knows that many minorities have been oversold
on the "Blue Skies" prposals of CATV, but that
many of those components, two-way communi
cations, data-transmitting services, etc., are today
practical realities. -
He is also aware that many blacks and other
, minorities are now beginning to realize that cable
is a capital intensive business often requiring
enormous outlays of money including capital
costs of constructing cable systems, especially in
- urban areas, and that .the "payout period - the
time required for system revenues, to permit
payback of the origuial capital WVestritent, make
it almost impossible for all but the hardest to
survive, This period is variously estimated at
between five and ten years,
v This long term investment is called "patient
money." It is the hardest money to come by in
capital markets generally and for the minority
community in particular, Hill says. "Because of
these high capital requirements, as well as the
special conditions necessary to assure successful
market penetration, the risks of cable invest
ment also tend sometimes to be high.
Finally, the specialized nature of the indus
try puts an even nigher-than-usual premium on
that most indespensible of ingredients, capable
management."
More on minority cable ownership, next
weekfNNPA).
Coagrossnan Hautihs' Colcmn
Living Each Day
My great friend Senator Hubert Humphrey,
the "Happy Warrior", was interviewed the other
day about the relationship between his current
.political fortunes and his recent battle with
- cancer.
In that interview a series of questions arose
about his rapid recovery and his high spirits. Mr.
. Humphrey said , that he thinks positively, and
. that he lives each day as it comes.
He felt that his good thoughts, and fully
; living each day,-has a way of giving one the edge
" in times of great stress and strain.
If anyone is the living proof that this kind of
philosophy has the power of fight off adversity,
, Mr. Humphrey is such an example.
We could all take a page from Mr. Hump
hrey's life, and use it to great advantage.
During the Senator's stay at the New York
City hospital where his surgery took, place, I
- understand that Senator Humphrey's bouyant
. spirits so dramatically changed the atmosphere
on his floor, that patients did things which sped
their recoveries along, which were not ordinarily
done prior to Mr. Humphrey's cheerful ministra
: tions.
One nurse was quoted as saying that the
hospital was not going to be the same when Mr.
Humphrey left In other words it was going to re
turn to its routine dullness.
Mr. Humphrey practices the same kind of
magic in the Senate, (At least I think its magic!)
He's an activist, interested in doing and
accomplishing. He takes victory in its stride, and
does not despair in defeat.
He's committed to the best in American
idealism, and never backs away from a fight,
especially if the fight is over principle.
I once -heard him lay his commitment On
the line, when school desegregation and busing
was taking its usual beating. (And when respect
ed liberals, wanted to make some serious com
promises.) ' ' f.' ' N '
Mr. Humphrey said in essence, that, his
whole political life was one dedicated to the de
livery of equal, opportunity to all Americans;
that equal access to education by Black
Americans was America's greatest challenge, and
that he for one, was not going to be deterred
from ' the struggle by the weak-kneed, who
wanted to pick up their marbles and run home. '
Mr. Humphrey intended to stick to his guns on
school integration,, and not , retreat one inch.
No one's seen him retreat yet! The miracle is
that he continues on - and how milch better we
are for his strength. )
Surely it would be understandable, if he
were to slow down a bit, develop some pessi
mistic viewpoints, begin to complain about the
restrictions of the American ideal and talk about
amending the Constitution (instead of amending
our wrongful ways of resolving the nation's pro
blems.) But this is not how Mr. Humphrey operates;
he's not a pessimist, he's an optimist. He thinks
we can aU be better than we are.
And he's right! So right!
Ethiopian Peasants Tclto Activo Pert la Correction
ADDIS ABABA (Hsinhua)
:' In a spirit of self-reliance
peasants in different parti of
Ethiopia are building feeder
roads and bridges. Sinking '
wells and digging canals to in
crease production and improve '
. their living conditions. i
' Local press reported re
cently that peasants in 14
places have built 820 kilo
metres of feeder roads and
seven wooden bridges in the
past two months. Over 5,000
peasants in Kullkonta District, '
Kaffa Administrative Region,
have constructed a 143 kilo
metre unpaved road in less
than i a month. Linking the
District with Jimma Capital
of the Region. Peasants in
Denchia District have built
a Bailey . Bridge across the , ,
Denchia River with : 20,000
Ethiopian dollars raised by
themselves. . '
The peasants have to pay
high transport charges in mar
keting their farm products and .
buying manufactured goods
due to poor communications. .
The new roads , and bridges
will therefore change the
situation.
To make good, the short
age of drinking water, over
. 1,500 peasants from 63 asso
ciations in Agarffa District, ,.
Bafle Administrative Region,
have built a dam across a river
and a 60 kilometre main canal
with six branch canals . for
bringing water ''to 'the near
by villages. . ( ,
Ten wells are reported to
have been sunk by the pea
sants in FentaUa Sub-district,'
Shoa Adinimstrative Region.
L&$USTIN
Editor -rubHiher-, 1927-1971
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