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10-THE CAROLINA TIMES—SATURDAY, JUNE 30,1990 commentary Civil Rights Journal Support National African American Museum By Benjamin F. Chavis Washington, D.C. is the city where national debates routinely occur on numerous serious and complex issues. The emerging debate on whether or not the United States should establish a National African American Museum in Washington, D.C. in proximity to or within the prestigious Smithsonian Institute merits our comment. There are some who take the position that there are more serious issues that deserve the attention of the African American community and the issue of a museum is not one of them. We believe, however, that this is a very serious matter that should engender concern by all Americans, in particular African Americans. One of the things that perpetuates racist myths and sterotypes in the United States is the "institutionalized” denial of African American otory and culture. In other words institutionalized racism has prevented most Americans from having opportunities to study and understand the African American experience. We support the efforts of Congressman John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia, and Senator Paul Simon, Democrat of Illinois, who have introduced legislation to establish the National African American Museum. Last year Congress passed legislation establishing a Smithsonian American Indian Museum. The most bagic, and therefore important aspect of American history, that is the histories of Native Americans and African Americans, have been hidden from the American people. Ms. Claudine Brown, an Afiican American professional with a distinguished career in museum education, is helping to gather data and public opinion on this issue. Ms. Brown told the New York Times: "Certainly our experiences here are very different from other Americans. Many people are appalled at the lack of progress that Native Americans and African Americans have had in terms of overcoming po - erty. We are a group of people who have had laws made and enforced which have perpetuated our poverty, and we’ve spent lifetimes bying to change those laws. I lliink it is important that tourists who come from around the 'country and from abroad to this capital know about the unique experience tliat both these perries have had." The official name of the proposed institution is the National Museum of African American Heritage. Congressman Lewis, himself an historic personality of the African American struggle for freedom, stated, "We want to tell the whole story of the passage from the west coast of Africa, the system of slavery, the anti-slavery movement, to depict in Washington on the Mall the whole struggle — the sharecropper system, discrimination, segregation — bringing the story up to contemporary America. It would demonstrate the distance we have come as a democracy and the distance we still must travel." No, a national museum will not solve the nation’s racial problems. But, we know tha^ such an institution will help a great deal to move this nation forward toward the truth of United States history. Therefore, let the word go out: the National Museum of African-American Heritage’s time has come! Let your members of Congress know of your support for the Simon-Lewis legisbti^n. Write to Ms. Claudine Brown at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. to register your support for the establishment of the National Museum of African-American Heritage on the Smithsonian Mall. This will help us to continue "to keep our eyes on the prize!" Vantage Point The KKK Should March On S&L Bandits By Ron Daniels Recently David Duke, the Klansman turned State Legislator from Louisiana, was successful in getting a bill passed which in effect banned affirmative action programs in the State of Louisana. Meanwhile in Missciuri City, Texas, that great American protector of white American rights, tlic Ku Klux Klan, was preparing to mount a series of marches and demonsUations to protest the alleged rape of a white woman by a black man. But while David Duke and the KKK are laboring to protect white righ ts from a perceived enemy called black people, poor people, working people, the struggling middle class of all races and nationalities is being raped by whites in key positions of political and economic power. The Sa'vings and Loan scandal is a case in point. While the David Dukes, Archie Bunkers, "Joe Sixpacks" and the KKK of America have been i'diirecting their anger at black people, white millionaires, politicians and regulators"havc been involved in the biggest rip-off in U.S. history. More than 300 billion dollars has been squandered in the S&L scandal tlirough fraud, theft and waste. The American people including Joe S.ixpack will have to pay for the "S&L Bailout". When interest is factored in, the American people will be stuck with a 900 billion to 1 billion dollar tab to be paid out of tax dollars over the next 30 years. Why isn’t the KKK angry about that? Why isn’t the KKK organizing to march on the S&L bandits? ‘ Poor and working people, African Americans, other minorities and yes millions of while people will have to disproportionately bear the burden ' for the callous mismanagement, calculated deception and the oufright thievery of rich white folks and their political cohorts and allies. The fact of the matter is the rich pay very little in taxes, so the little people will be the ones who are forced to pay the bill. Ronald Reagan, the erstwhile hero of the rightwing, the conservatives, and Joe Sixpack, is prindpally responsible for creating the atmosphere which encouraged the flyD scanrkil, and the monsbous S&L rip-off. Reagan’s policy of dqreguiation and lax enforcement of regulations was intended to enhance the riches of the wealthy. Joe Sixpack got a big dose of red, white and blue, love of counby and pabiotism and llic notion that those lazy, shiftless, pushy/uppity blacks are what’s dragging America down. The rich people in American could care less about this kind of nonsense. The rich people exploited the Reagan era to make more cash! Jesse Jackson characterized'the Reagan policies as "reverse robinhood", robbing the poor to give to the rich. While Joe Sixpack was saluting the flag and keeping his eyes and anger fextused on black people, a whole lot of wealthy white people had their hands in the till further enriching themselves. The S&L rip-off will stymy theilevclopmcnt of huge numbers of poor and working people for a considerable period of time. According to data cited in Newsweek Magazine (5/21/90), the enormity of the S&L scandal can best be illusbated in terms of what 250-300 billion dollars could purchase: "...EDUCATION - fully fund every existing government ^ program from preschtxjl through college - for the next four years; HEALTH CARE - provide universal insurance and long term care for the elderly and disabled for nearly four years... INFRASTRUCTURE overhaul the nation’s water systems, repair all bridges and money left over tft start fixing highways." The tax dollars spent on the S&L Bailout will also mean deferring allocations that could have been spent for education, housing, the environment and other social and economic programs. The net effect of the S&L scandal on poor and working people is the loss of jobs, economic advancement and other opportunities for stxtial. uplift Much of the tension which is behind the current outburst of overt Tribune Media Services Ik "CpCKl FLYMETO AMERICA WERE THEY STILL THINK I'M WNDERFULl" iiiiiiiiiiHniHiiMiiiiiiMiHjnimiiiiiniiiiinHimniimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiininniniiiiiiiiiMiniiiiiiimiiiiMiiiiiiiiiHiiiitiiiiiiiniiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiititiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiitiiiiiiiiM To Be Equal Racism Still The Enemy By JohnE.Jati National Urbanli Racism is thrusting itself back into the nation’s consciousness. For years we’ve been told that racism is no longer a force to be reckoned with, but African Americans have always known that it’s alive and kicking. We know that, because we’re the ones who have been kicked. From mob attacks and racially-inspired murders in New York to violent outbursts on college campuses, reality is burying the myth that racial antagonisms are fading as fast as we want them to. Alongside such well-publicized incidents are the insidious ways in which too many people ignore the importance of the issue and feel free to demonstrate racial insensitivity. Just recenUy, for example, Arkansas voters in the Republican primary gave an alarming share of their votes to a former member of the American Nazi Party who was once an aide to former Klan leader David Dukes, himself a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Louisiana. Typical of the myopia that afflicts too many people who should know better when it comes to race, a Georgia state judge recently called the Ku Klux Klan a "persecuted group." He said a state law restricting the group’s right to wear masks restricted free speech. That’s an incredible ruling. The statute was enacted because the cowards in Klan sheets murdered and terrorized African Americans. Now, we’ve got a state judge actually comparing these hate-mongers with their victims, ignoring the fact that behind the mask of the Klansmen is a terrorist. Next, we’re likely to see some judge saying it’s unfair to stop the Klan’s exercise of free speech if you ban the bombs they throw at churches. Fortunately, the new racism has inspired a counter-trend of people banding together to proclaim their belief in racial unity and respect for differences. In a New York tom by the media hype given inter-racial frictions, many people are reaching out across raci^, ethnic and religious lines to sfrenglhen then relationships. Friction between African Americans and Korean store-owners have led to new efforts to help the groups understand each other better and to work together for a better community. Another hopeful sign is the new federal law that gives the government better tools with which to track racially-inspired crimes and incidents. '' It indicates a new seriousness at the federal level. And it’s an essential first step to help put racism out of style and to combat the growth of extremist hate groups behind many of the incidents taking place around the country. If it’s any comfort — and it shouldn’t be — racism isn’t just an American phenomenon. The end of communist dictatorships in eastern Europe has resulted in political freedom, but the downside of that is the emergence of nationalist and racist thinking that was prevalent in the pre-war years in those countries. In other parts of the world too, ^e see a resurgence of inter-ethnic and inter-racial frictions. Just one example is the last-ditch aftempt by die-’ hards to revive and strengthen apartheid and to sabotage a peaceful, biracial settlement of South Africa’s future. Racism is a disease we’re all going to have to work hard to combat' IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIMIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIMIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIinillMIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiniinillllllll It’s an evil in any society, but especially in a democracy suchu which the measure of society’s strength is its treatment of minoiiji And those among us who have been its targets must fight tel both to erase racism as a factor in society and to fight its ags wherever it shows itself, even among ourselves. “ENVIRO-TAXES”: AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAM By Edwin Feulner racism and racial violence is rooted in the intense competition for jobs and other kinds of opportunities. The S&L scandal is contributing to a combustible situation because rich white folks have squandered resources that could have been utilized to generate jobs and expand opportunities for social and economic advancement. That’s why I want David Duke, Joe Sixpack and the KIUC to take to the streets for a cause that could really make a difference. The KKK should lead a "March on Washington" to protest the rip-off of the American people by-the S&L bandits. The KKK needs to take aim at some real enemies for a change. There’s a new buzzword in Washington: “Enviro-Taxes.” lima on companies and individuals that produce pollutants, and those who renewable resources. The plan calls for taxing “fuel guzzling” aiHo as much as $4,100 a year, sulfur emissions from factories at $300a for lumber companies to pay a hefty “severance” tax for harvesting wood trees. Environmental activists and liberal lawmakers on Capitol such taxes as the cure-all—at least in pan—to the problems ofenvifw pollution and the federal deficit. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski D-1 of the House Ways and Means Committee, told the Christian Scieiw tor that Enviro-Taxes could raise .$3.2 billion in the first yearaloK he didn’t say is vho will fool the bill Let's not pretend industry will pay the price. We will, asproi come more 'expensive. And if U.S. products become even lesscoi and manufacturers have to lay oft workers, w'cil "that's just the pn have to pay“ say the environmental aciivi.sis. Go tell that toanuK factory worker with a wife and four kids. How's that for the ultimais down”? Idealistic one-worlders may,call their plan Enviro-Taxes, butakli would be “Enviro-Scam." First, because it's not a new idea. Seconi! it won’t work. We've spent hundreds of billions of dollars in the last 20 up the environment, yet environmentai activists keep telling us ting worse. Each year it’s the same story all over again: We needmotf more regulations, more penalties or the world is going to selUs they had their way, we'd all be eating seaw'eed and running arouM rickshaws. What is really needed—at our universities and on Capitol Hill' basic understanding of how the laws of nature and economics interreli ply put, if you tax pollution the incentive is to pollute up maximum—no’more; no less. By using a “market” approach, how ban make it profitable for companies to pollute less than the maM lowed by law, ^ ^ One approach, known as the “clean credit” program, is beingtf successfully in a numbej- of localities around the country. Factories tliJi less pollution^an the government allows-get “clean credits."-Thess ean then sell a percelitage of their credits to “dirty" factories. Fof if 100 units of pollution are allowed, and a factory emits only gets a credit for the other 50 and is allowed to sell part of its crediH^' factory. The result, however, is a net reduction in pollution. In this way the forces of supply and demand, profit and loss work cleaning up the environment. Another example: Annual emissions of lead into the air—fin^P| to lead-treated gasoline—have dropped 94 percent since 1982. Sincf the government has required refineries to sharply reduce production' fuels. Some refineries could easily switch to kerosine production of' gasoline; many could not. So the government gave each refinerj' to produce a set, but reduced, amount of leaded fuel. The owners* to decide whether it was in their best interests to halt the produclioi" gas and sell their rights, or to continue leaded gas production an° antll? one else’s credits. The result: a 94 percent reduction in lead damaging the economy. The Environmental Protection Agency osW ^program already has s£^ed $200 million, compared to shutting all gasoline refineries down at one time. Other examples abound. The simple truth is: Free market most Acceptable way to clean up our environment, preserve wonders, and revitalize our economy, j Feulner is president of The Heritage Foundation, a Washington- policy research institute. i-bas
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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June 30, 1990, edition 1
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