Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Nov. 3, 1983, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Bonds The upcoming city-county bond referendum shoulci be voted down, says Chronicle Columnist Clifton Graves. Our editorial writer also reacts. Editorials, Page A4. The Heat Is On Though WSSU easily defeated J.C. Smith last Saturday, the Rams must outdo Elizabeth City State if they hope to win the Southern Division. Sportsweek. Page B3. Not Funny Columnist Joey Sasso has no kind words for Eddie Murphy^s second HBO TV concert and labels the rising comic’s performance “a witless, jokeless onslaught.” Arts, Page AlO. -Salem Chr^onicle "Serving the Winston-Salem Community Since 1974” Community VOL. X, NO. 10 U.S.P.S. No. 067910 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Thursday, November 3, 1983 35 cents 32 Pages This Week llli f The Candidate Jesse Jackson, who has been on leave as head of Operation PUSH, is expected to announce today that he will seek the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination. The 42-year-old Baptist minister informally announced his candidacy Sunday on the CBS television program “60 Minutes.” And will he try to choose a female running mate? “There’s no doubt about it,” said Jackson. Index Amusement All Arts and Leisure A10 Ask Yolanda AlO Classifieds B8 Editorials A4 Food ' Cl People A 6 Religion B4 Sports B1 As Bond Vote Nears Roundtable Holds Opposition; Says Bonds Unfair to Blacks By JOHN SLADE Assistant Editor In less than a week, city and county voters will decide the fate of the $35 million bond package that city and county officials say means jobs and quality education for Forsyth County. But some local black leaders still hold fast to their stance that the eight bonds to be voted on Nov. 8 are not in the best interest of blacks and the poor. “We urge people to exercise their right to vote,” says Bill Tatum, chairman of the Black Leadership Roundtable Coalition. “But if peo ple want to vote for discrimination, they can vote for discrimination. But I have real serious problems with that.” Both the Roundtable and the local NAACP have publicly opposed the total bond package, which includes the following: •$15 million to expand Benton Convention Center and to build an accompanying parking ''All we have to do is look at the annex ation patterns and see how annexation is moving away from black areas - which helps to dilute the building black voter population. ** — Mel White deck. •$7.5 million to help finance the reorganiza tion of the city-county schools. •$4,5 million to expand Forsyth Technical In stitute. •$3 million to develop an industrial park. •$2.2 million for street improvements. •$1.1 million to improve downtown sewers and drainage. •$900,000 to prepare eight acres of land across from City Hall for development. •$800,000 to upgrade downtown storefronts. Though Roundtable members have said they understand the city’s concerns, they also say that the bond package is unfair to blacks and the poor, that its various goals seem inconsis tent and that many questions remained unanswered. “There is no way the city and county can Please see page AS Says NAACP President Bond Stance Affects Banquet Support By ROBIN ADAMS Staff Writer The opposition of the NAACP and its presi dent, Patrick Hairston, to the $35 million bond referendum might mean a loss of money for the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, Hairston says. “Each year white businesses buy tickets, tables or give donations for the banquet,” says Hairston, “but this year they have been hesi tant to do this.” The Freedom Fund Banquet, which will be held Jan. 12, 1984, is the largest fund-raising event that the NAACP sponsors. The monies are used to support the continuing operations of the NAACP. But, as Hairston says, his opposition to the bond is costing the banquet white supporters. “Although what they (white supporters) have given in the past has not been that much, there has been some support.” The NAACP Executive Committee voted several weeks ago to oppose the $35 million city-county bond referendum, the bulk of which, $15 million, will be used to expand the M.C. Benton Convention Center and build an accompanying parking deck. The other $8 million the city is requesting will be spent to establish an industrial park east of Winston- Salem State University, make improvements to eight blocks downtown for development, im prove the downtown sewer and drainage system, improve the downtown streets and upgrade downtown storefronts. The $12 million that the county is requesting will be us ed to finance the reorganization of the city- county school system and to expand Forsyth Technical Institute. None of the money, Hairston says, will be us ed to address one of the worst problems “If it means sacrificing my principles and what this organization (NAACP) stands for, we can very well do without it. ” — Patrick Hairston Winston-Salem has - decent, affordable hous ing for its citizens. The total bond package has been endorsed by the local Chamber of Commerce and most of Please see page A3 ‘It’s Just Progress’ Says Local Barber By JOHN SLADE Assistant Editor When the bond referendum is held next week, the most important thing for blacks is to get together and vote together, says the Rev. W.E. Brannon, a barber at Lincoln Barbershop on North Liberty Street and pastor of a local church. And before taking a stance on the bond package, he, along with his colleagues and numerous customers, also stressed that blacks ought to go to the polls regardless of what their position might be on the bonds. Of the upcoming bond issue. Rev. Brannon says the majority of blacks are skeptical. “We have been used in the past,” he says. “We have been shown a lily-white surface. And behind and under that surface is corruption. Whenever white folk make a move, it is for the interest of white people. “Blacks need to be concerned (about the bond issue),” he says, “and not only for self, but for the whole community.” The customers at Lincoln Barbershop Satur day morning agreed that they are suspicious of the bond issue, but none said they wouldn’t support it. Bobby Eldridge says he does not believe city officials when they say passage of the bonds won’t bring a tax increase. And another elderly gentleman, who works at Winston-Salem State University, says he wonders why $4.5 million is needed to expand Forsyth Technical Institute since WSSU could cover any educational needs that Forsyth Tech can’t. Responding to barber B.D. McKoy’s comment that the expansion of Forsyth Tech would mean that people could be trained for the high-technology jobs that an industrial park would bring, the gentleman countered that WgSU is already equipped to train people - black and white - for those jobs. “But how many people do you see over there training for anything?” he asks. “If they (WSSU) had a white chancellor, I bet the place would be runn ing over with white students.” Boris Simpson agrees that the bond package isn’t perfect, but he emphasizes understanding the total bond package, which includes $7.5 million to help finance the reorganization of the Please see page A9 Cynthia Hill Boris Simpson Rev. W.E. Brannon Local Groups Gather To Criticize U.S. Takeover Of Grenada By ROBIN ADAMS Staff Writer !). group of local black leaders held a press conference last week to denounce the Oct. 25 U.S.-led invasion and takeover of Grenada. Said Clifton Graves, a member of the Black Leader ship Roundtable Coalition, and the lead speaker at the Thursday press conference, “We further condemn the reasons put forth by the Reagan administration for this terrorist invasion as merely a pretext for the current war-mongers in power to bring “gunboat diplomacy” out of mothballs and exercise brute force on a tiny predominantly black nation; smaller in area_ than Detroit, smaller in population than Winston-Salem.” Graves added, “We say pretext simply because: (1) the facts indicate that American citizens were not in danger prior to the terrorist attack; (2) the Reagan ad ministration has been searching for nearly two years for a reason to disrupt or destabilize the Grenadian govern ment; and (3) we have information from Transafrica that the United States planned the invasion two weeks prior to (Grenada’s Prime Minister Maurice) Bishop’s “Black soliders have been positioned, set up and conditioned to kill their own people for the United States of America. ” - The Rev. Carlton Eversley death and the takeover (of the island nation) by the military junta.” The local chapters of the National Black Independent Political Party, the Institute for Islamic Involvement, TransAfrica and the NAACP joined with the Round table in opposition to U.S. troops being sent to the Caribbean nation of Grenada. American military forces, along with those of three other Caribbean na tions, invaded Grenada after the tiny nation’s govern ment was overthrown by a military junta. President Reagan said U.S. forces would remain in Grenada until “free elections” are held. “Black soldiers have been positioned, set up and con ditioned to kill their own people for the United States of America,” said the Rev. Carlton Eversley, a member of NBIPP. “This country sent three times as many troops to Grenada to rescue the 1,000 students there, some who didn’t even want to leave.” Said Alderman Larry Little, “I oppose imperalism and the invasion of any country into the sovereign ter- rifory of another.” Eversley added: “If it was wrong for the Russians to be in Afghanistan, it is wrong for the United States to invade Grenada.” Although the group said it realizes that one press con ference will not change what has happened. Little said, “We want people to know that we did not sit silently by and allow this sort of thing to go on.” Graves said in his statement, “Therefore, we urge all African Americans and concerned citizens of all races to condemn this senseless, unprovoked, racist and illegal invasion, and make their displeasure known to Con gressman Steve Neal, President Reagan, and the Secretary General of the United Nations.” Eversley stressed after the press conference that a condemnation of the United States’ invasion of Grenada is not a show of support for Bishop’s Please see page A3
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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