Et tu, Vivian?
'* WHEN Afro-American voters went to the polls on Nov.
17 and ushered Martha Wood into the mayor's seat, many of
them believed it was the dawning of a new era in Winston
Salem politics.
Black voters were euphoric. They believed that the Afro
American community finally would have a^Board of Alder
men sensitive to their needs. Newly-elected Mayor Wood
had proven her commitment, and another Afro-American
alderman was elected to fill the vacancy left by Patrick
Hairston.
Those hopes were dashed on Monday when it became
apparent that Alderman Vivian H. Burke had no allegiance
to the Afro-American community or the Democratic Party.
With assistance from Burke, the four whites on the board
were able to oust two black aldermen as chairs of crucial
committees.
Blacks lost chairmanships of the powerful Finance and
self the title of mayor pro tem and retained her chairmanship
of the Public Safety Committee.
Thanks to Burke, Afro-Americans now have less power
on the board than they did before Wood came into office.
Burke betrayed the black community. She betrayed her
?constituents and-she-betrayed her fellow black aldermen.
And for what purpose?
The most obvious purpose was self-aggrandizement.
Burke sold out the Afro-American community for a title. She
said that she decided thatit would be good for the black
_ community to have a black female as mayor pro tem.
If that is true, then her sense of what is beneficial to the
black community is warped, to say the least. Certainly, it
would be more beneficial for the black community to have
two Afro-Americans chair the Finance and Public Works
committees than to have one Afro-American in the inconse
quential position of mayor pro tem.
Burke said her position as mayor pro tem would "bring
distinction" to her ward and black women. Some misguided
soul may buy that; but more enlightened people would agree
that it brings distinction to no one other than Vivian Burke.
There also appears to be an element of vindictiveness in
Burke's actions. Her dislike for Martha Wood is well-known.
Despite her opposition to Wood, however, Burke's ward sup
ported Wood in the mayoral election. So, apparently to
avenge her fractured ego, Burke decided to sell her con
stituents' vote to conservative white Republicans.
What did Northington promise Burke for her betrayal
besides the title of mayor pro tem and retention of the Public
Safety Committee chair? Did he promise to support her for
mayor in four years? Did he promise to put her name on the
Public Safety building?
Does Burke actually believe that Northington and the
other whites on the board would do more to further her polit
ical career than her own constituents?
Burke's actions prove that she has no regard for the wel
fare of anyone other than herself. That is a sad commentary
for the Northeast Ward.
It is a sadder commentary about Burke, who justified her
actions by saying that blacks needed to learn to be more
"sophisticated" in the political arena.
We can only hope that Burke will one day learn that there
is neither sophistication nor glory in vanity and malice, and
that traitors eventually lose far more than they ever gained.
Mother laments change in her alma mater
To The Editor:
My career as a Winston
Salem/Forsyth County school parent
began in August 1988. My little girl
was very excited about going to
school. But she was not as excited as
1 was. *
The school my daughter would
be attending was the same school I
had attended 25 years earlier. I had
-such good of Kim^r]Cy
Park School. You see, I only spent
two years in the Winston-Salem
school system, and the remainder of
my school days were spent in New
York City. But I never forgot those
two years. Those years spent with
teachers who really cared about who I
w as and where I was going, and being
around children that all looked like
me, gave me a sense of identity I was
not able to find in the impersonal and
insensitive integrated schools of New
York. '
I'll never forget one day at Kim
berley Park when I was in the fifth
grade. My teacher, Mrs. Bohanah,
took me aside and told me, "Child,
you have a good mind, and I mean for
you to use it!" Those words echo in
my mind even to this day when f feel
like giving less than my best.
On the day. my child was to go to
orientation at my old alma mater, it
was all I could do to keep her cxcite
walked inside the Kimberley Park
building, I felt a sense of nostalgia.
Even though this building was an
entirely new one, I still could see in
my mind those old gray walls and feel
the supernatural presence of my prin
cipal, Mis. Lewis. IrJimn: Talunung
after that, however, to realize that this
wasn't the school I remembered of 25
years ago, but instead had turned into
the same impersonal and insensitive _
school that I had to endure most of
my school life.
Valorie A. Hall
Concerned Mothers of Forsyth
County
A better world
To The Editor:
The youths of the world, bom of
men who fought during World War II,
are now putting their lives on the line
for a better world.
.In the spring of 1989, our son,
Maurice Patrick Bycrs, born in
Louisville, Ky., at the end of World
War II, had a group of youth in Win
ston-Salem (financed by people of the
arts) accompany him to Soweto,
South Africa, traveling at expenses
paid only.
Patrick's wife, Niki (of the same
generation -- the "Life Giving Gener
ation," I will call them), remained
with their eight children at home.
Niki and their oldest son rose early to
carry newspapers to help out at home.
A tomado touched down in Winston
Salem during Patrick's absence while
working to promote cooperation, help
and improvement with those in South
Africa, both black and white.
Niki and the eight children gath
ered in the center of their little home
by a wall as the tomado leveled much
of Winston-Salem and uprooted six
trees in their back yard. They gath
cred in prayer and confidence that all
would be all right.
Meanwhile, Patrick in Soweto,
battling in his own Christian way,
with prayers not only for his family at
home but for the youth of Soweto,
gathered with a group of youth of the
Muslim faith. The youth from Sowe
to, knowing that Patrick was there for
love of mankind, surrounded his
table, and even though they knew his
lifted their prayers to Mohammed for
his blessings and safety for both
Patrick and Niki and their family
(unaware of the tribulation being
faced at that time by the little family
back in the United States). The
prayers were heard and honored. The
little family under the siege of the tor
nado, probably at that very moment,
was not touched.
Patrick and the-yeu^v from Amer
ica and SowetcTtoorked together with
classical music. Black and white
youths from Soweto arc very talented
and know Bach and Beethoven.
African music has a beauty that the
West docs not understand. When
blended together by African musi- '
cians and American musicians, it
becomes a blend of bcautv.
Our son, Patrick, worked atong
with camera talent. A film was made
showing African and American youth
working together. He wrote the
music. The films are now arriving in
America. It is the desire of all that
this will permit a musical conservato
ry similar to the School of the Arts in
Winston-Salem. Hands across the
oceans. Youthful hands. Lives being
offered for the life of our world. Our
' son and his family are willing to sell
all their worldly goods ... march on ...
putting all of their lives completely on
the line. They are willing to give it all
and on the other side of the ocean, the
same creative winds are blowing
through youths there.
Where have we heard about "giv
ing a life for those who are yet
unborn?"
3 Thelma Byers
Dublin, Ga.
In appreciation
To The Editor:
On behalf of the Pfafftown Pack
er Football Association, I want to
express my appreciation for the
CHRONICLE MAI LB AG
Our Readers Speak Out
extensive coverage that you gave the
Packer program and Pop Warner foot
ball in general. Your willingness to
print the news of the Packer program
allowed us to distribute positive news
throughout the community.
Many limes the general public
only hears of the negative actions of
today's young people. Pop Warner
Football is a positive aspect of the
lives of all our boys and girls. It is
refreshing to be able to read about the
good things they are doing. Also, I
would like to publicly thank all of the
parent^ CAaahits, hoard mcmhers,
community businesses and other adult
volunteers who assisted in making
our 1989 year a success. It takes
many hours oLhard work to do the
things necessary to make this pro
gram successful. -
Thank you once again for your
support of the Packer program. I look
forward to continuing our relationship
in 1990.
Keith A. Riser
Tinyi^eker
Football Association Inc.
Pfafftown
Making peace
To The Editor:
In response to the Winston
Salem Chronicle's Nov. 30 article,
"Cartoon sparks racial violence at
Glenn High School," I agree with
Assistant Superintendent Palmer
Fricndc that he would be conccrncd if
it were a deliberate act that was
designed and precipitated to offend.
It's now time that some of these
blacks stopped wearing their feelings
on their sleeves, stop being so petty,
stop all this controversy, get those
"Concerned Mothers" involved in a
workshop so that they can learn how
to get all the facts before raising hell.
Introduce them to the Lord. "If my
people which are called by name shall
humble themselves, pray, seek my
face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will they hear from heaven and I
will forgive their sins and I will heal
the land."
Those black leaders who cried
wolf against Glenn High School were
silent when Larry Little leveled
charges of racism against then may
oral candidate Dee Smith, a man who
has supported Afro-American causes
with his dollars. I also saw that letter
in the Chronicle signed by some
called leaders calling for peace. Now
that the "election is over, l oner tne
following prayer that everyone should
pray:
"Lord, make me an instrument of
Thy peace. Where there is-hatred, let
me sow love; where there is injury,
despair, hope; darkness, lighi; and
where there is sadness, joy. And it is
in dying that we are born to eternal
life." I
I love Lee Faye Mack, but God
has called her to preach the gospel of
Jesus Christ, not feet involved in all
this worldliness. Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called
the children of God. ThankS.
o
Mary Sloan Jones
Winston-Salem
Thanks for support
To The Editor:
To the staff of the Winston
Salem Chronicle: Thank you very
much for your enthusiastic support of
the 1989 CROP Walk for the Hungry.
We appreciate the use of the Chroni
cle's officc as a distribution office for
materials, as well as the work done,
especially by Robin Barksdale, in
helping with publicity. In addition, we
are grateful for the participation of so
many of you in walking, collecting
money and food, and buying shirts.
Though the figures are not final
for this year's walk, we anticipate
raising a total of about $40,000, an
increase of almost 40 percent over
last year's amount.
On behalf of the CROP Walk
-Committee, and the hungry, thank
you again.
Nancy Nelson
Dixie Sheff
Co-Coordinators
1989 CROP Walk
Chronicle Camera
How effective are city-sponsored drug awareness/education programs?
' 9 * '
Winston-Salem joined abuse and related crimes. which declares the week. the community about the drug Attendance in the majority of Citizens Drug Task Force. Their
municipalities across the nation this "Drug abuse continues to Educational seminars, public epidemic in Winston-Salem, the the forums has been sparse, mission is to enlist city residents as
week in celebrating "National Cities devastate the lives of individuals and forums, a dinner and a march on state, nation and abroad. However, as assistant manager soldiers in the war on drugs.
Fight Back Against Drugs Week." families and reduces neighborhoods drugs arc just a few of the activities Parents have been shown drugs, Alexander Beaty said, "I think if we Members of the group, who
Dec. 3-Dec. 9 was set aside to to war zones and causes the planned for the special week. told how they can determine if their only have one and we reach that were surveyed this week, said they
encourage citizens throughout the expenditure of exorbitant amounts of However, this is only one of children are users and given an person, we've done all right." are confident in city-sponsored
United States to demonstrate their public funds and energy," reads the several such informational platforms opportunity to publicly denounce the Afro-Americans and whites, programs and their ability to make a
commitment to alleviating drug city Board of Aldermen resolution, designed by city leaders to educate illegal substances. men and women comprise the change.
'The City's 'They're "Most Of all mmmmmmmmmamm 'They're "> think
I IHkI AffArtSi/A Kut I Hin Bfcfct. I ai P ?
programs
effective but they're giving they're very
seriousness 0?J citizens drugs are grievances ^ jfe. educating
howfjwo^le'* Involved so children and JH understand . 'fli the problems
Can take Dart I I our etforts | | grownups as | \hat\here\s W v-end wo vate
In fighting I ? I I can orow>" | mm 1 well.1' ? 1 BnPT/ M | power in r < I solve them."
H*n|fy beck." Sheila Sophia Delores numbers." Sidney
Jones Jr. Reynolds Brown McGaa welch