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Racism: When will we change?
At the beginning of this year,
we issued a warning about the
continued escalation in violent
and institutionalized forms of
racism in nearly every section of
the United States. American
racism is a hideous assault on
The racial tension in the
Crown Heights section of Brook
lyn, New York in the wake of the
tragic death of 7-year-old
Guyanese American Gavin Cato,
who was hit by a car driven by a
Hasidic Jew and the subsequent
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
By BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS JR.
human dignity, yet in America
there continues to be a reluctance
toward a national resolve to chal
lenge the increase in domestic
racial injustice.
The racial turmoil that once
again is engulfing the nation's
largest should not be viewed in
isolation. The problems of the
multiple standards of justice
based on race, the murders and
violent deaths of African -Ameri
cans and others as a result of
racially motivated violence, and
the increasing socioeconomic
racial disparities are all part of one
of the most critical problems fac
ing this society. It is American
apartheid. It is American racism.
While the public at large has
its undivided attention on the situ
ation in the Soviet Union, inside
the United States the social and
racial situation is getting worse;
violence between the African
American community and the
Hasidic Jewish community is not
an isolated case. New York City
has witnessed numerous incidents
of racial bigotry and violence dur
ing the last decade and more.
New York's Mayor, David
Dinkins, is appealing earnestly for
"healing" and "peace." But until
there is racial justice and equal
justice for all in New York and
throughout America, there will be
no peace and there will be no
healing. On the night before the
funeral for Gavin Cato, another
African-American teenager,
Anthony Amos, was killed in
Brooklyn by New York police offi
cers under questionable circum
stances.
When people who live outside
New York hear about the racial
problems in the city, some mistak
enly think "That is how things are
in New York City." When Rodney
King was beaten brutally, there
were some who considered that
case as being symptomatic only of
the city of Los Angeles. Yet, the
reality is that the problem of racial
injustice is conditioned by all insti
tutions throughout this society,
both urban and rural.
The point here is that this
nation cannot afford to keep tts
attention focused primarily on
unfolding situations in the Soviet
Union and other parts of the world
while rendering insufficient atten
tion to the growing internal prob
lems here in the United States.
Yesr we welcome the changes for
greater democracy and justice in
the Soviet Union. Hopefully, the
billions of dollars that were
unwisely being Spent by the Unit
ed States on military weapons can
now be transferred to "heal" some
of the domestic ills.
The questions are when will
America change? When will there
be a substantive national effort by
all levels of this society to eradi
cate racism and racial injustice?
How many more persons will be
victimized before racism in the
United States is really chal
lenged?
? There are many in the
African-American community who
rightfully say "our cup has runneth
wer~aml we demand a change
now."
History book critic makes sense
In this space before, we
praised the state of New York for
its wise decision to rewrite the his
tory books to include more about
the contributions of minorities.
Nathan Glazier, a Harvard
University professor who helped
more could identify Harriet Tub
man, a black woman, than Win
ston Churchill or Joseph Stalin.
More know Tubman than know
that Abraham Lincoln wrote the
Emancipation Proclamation.
Further, a survey of New York
AGAINST THE GRAIN
By ROOSEVELT WILSON "
, w
urge New York to make that deci
sion, said recently that he
believes there already is a distort
ed view of history and it is slanted
in favor of minorities.
Glazier was a member of the
committee that reviewed the
state's curriculum, and he
endorsed the committee's report
that said the state's history books
should emphasize minorities
more. Is he speaking with forked
tongue, or is Glazier speaking out
of both sides of his mouth? .
Perhaps neither.
After reading Glazier's ratio
nale, I concede that his argument
makes some sense. According to
the Associated Press, Glazier
says, for example, that a national
sample of 17-year-okJs shows that
state teachers showed that more
had attended workshops of
African history and black studies
during the 1990-91 school year
than on American and European
history. Glazier says additionally
that if it were not for blacks, there
would not be this great push for
multicultural education.
However, Glazier continues to
support New York in it's multicul
tural efforts, but he said the
schools will have to -work hard to
keep nonsense and "mindless
ethnic and racial celebration" out
of the classroom.
What Glazier is not saying,
but what is obvious, is that the
African history and black studies
workshops, and the black stu
dents' growing knowledge about
the accomplishments of their
ancestors are not enough.
Contributions of minorities are
still treated like something extra
neous to American history, and
the more special workshops
teachers attend, the more special
ftffnrtc thfty makft tf> maka thftir
lessons ethnically diverse, the
more patronizing they become.
Indeed, it is little more than ethnic
celebration.
. . *_And as one of today's stu
dent rappers might say, "We don't
want patronizing, we want recog
nizing."
The only way to treat the con
tributions of minorities is to stop
singling them out; stop making
them seem like something special;
stop having days and months for
special celebrations.
Treat minorities and their con
tributions as we treat other Ameri
cans and Europeans in our history
books.
That way, blacks and other
minorities will see themselves as
part of a homogeneous group, all
of whom played key roles and
made equally significant contribu
tions to this nation's growth and
development.
Once that happens, there will
be no need for racial or ethnic
cheerleading ... and the more
one thinks about it, the more
sense Glazier makes.
Judge Thomas' opponents gearing up j
Washington ? What do North
Carolina Senator Jesse Helms
and former klansman David Duke
have in common?
They are both part of a long
GUEST COLUMN
By GtoEN McKINNEY
social, and economic status
despite a background of poverty.
He rose to his current position on
the federal appeals court after
serving as chair of the Equal
list of foes of civil rights who are
on record supporting the nomina
tion of Clarence Thomas to the
Supreme Court.
But white right-wing support
ers have assumed a back $eat as
the controversy over the conser
vative nominee simmers to the
boiling point in the African-Ameri
can community.
The battle lines are being*
drawn as both sides gear up for
the Senate nomination hearings
scheduled to begin September 10.
"Give the brother a chance,"
insists Thomas backers.
"Actions speak louder than
color," is the unequivocal refrain. -
, Thomas supporters cite an
admirable story of the native of
Pinpoint, Georgia'who achieved
Employment Opportunity Commis
sion during both of President Rea
gan's terms.
But Thomas' opponents call
attention to a career that appears
devoted to the Reagan-Bush con
servative agenda which many say
has overturned three decades of
civil rights progress.
Ironically, opponents main
tain, Thomas* record on affirma
tive action and civil rights repre
sents the antithesis of the legacy
laid by retiring Justice Thurgood
Marshall, the lone African-Ameri
can on the Supreme Court and an
ardent champion of equal rights.
"As much as we would like to
see an African-American succeed
justice Marshall, the issue is
deeper than color," insists. Elaine
Jones, deputy director otthe
NAACP Legal Defense and Edu
cation Fund, part of the coalition
of civil rights, religious, legal and
women's organizations opposed
to the nomination.
"If we were to support
Thomas simply because he is
black, we would be giving him the
benefit of the doubt, but he has a
demonstrated record opposing
important civil rights principles."
The Bush Administration is
expected to launch a major offen
sive utilizing black Republicans to
build "unity" around the Thomas
nomination. Other Republican
supporters like Jesse Helms,
renowned for launching one of the
most racist re-election campaigns
in recent history, has taken a rela
tively low-keyed role. Former
klansman and Louisiana state rep
resentative David Duke has pub
licly given Thomas his endorse
ment.
- The opening of the Senate
confirmation hearings will coincide
with the Congressional Black Cau
cus Annual Weekend here.
The CBC was one of the first
African-American organizations to
reject Thomas for failing to meet
the standards of a nominee to
carry on the Marshall legacy
The Thomas Nomination
Pro
Clarence Thomas' $42.5 million gift to blacks
Although what they really The facts of historyrhowever,
don't like about him is the fact are stubborn things.
the he escaped the white liberal,? In 4973, General Moloch
but black liberal-supervised - and the United Auto Workers
plantation and became a were charged with discrimina
Republican, and a conservative tion against blacks, Hispanics,
TONY BROWN
Syndicated Columnist
one at that, Clarence Thomas'
black bemocratic critics pretend
that his record as chairman of.,
the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) is really the basis to
deny him a seat pn the U.S.
Supreme Court.
One black ignoramus so
called columnist from Washing
ton, D.C. even called it a "sin" to
be black and a Republican.
Therefore, you must be
careful after reading this column
that you do not divulge the facts
to others ? or you may expose
the huge lie that says Clarence
Thomas is ashamed of black
people and does not want to
help them ? and dtdn't help
them when he had a chance.
Native-Americans, and women.
The issues raised included fail
ure to hire and bias in promo
tions.
For the next 10 years, vari
ous EEOC chairpersons, includ
ing one black female Democrat
who says she would prefer a
white liberal to a black conser
vative on the High Court, failed
to settle the case during a
Democratic administration.
But on October 18, 1983,
Thomas signed an unprecedent
ed pact on behalf of non-whites
and women ? the largest non
litigated settlement in the history
of the EEOC ? and resolved
hundreds of employment dis
crimination claims against GM
and the UAW.
~TSM agreed to pay $42.5 *
niliion. Thomas directed more
Lhan_$10 million in endowments
and scholarships to increase
educational opportunities for
non-whites and women, with a
? preference given to non-white
GM employees, their spouses
and children.
The Oklahoma Eagle, a
I black Tulsa weekly, reported
that black colleges were dispro
portionately chosen to receive
endowments.
Thomas divided more than
$10 million among various orga
nizations, which included 18. :
black universities: Alabama
State, Atlanta, Central State,
Fisk, Florida A&M, Gramblingr
Hampton, Howard, Jackson
State, Langston, Morgan State,
Prairie View, Savannah State,
Southern, Tennessee State,
Tuskegee, Wilbeforce and
Xavier.
That says a lot about what
Clarence Thomas thinks of
black colleges ? and the edu
cation of black people.
Langston University presi
dent Dr. Ernest L. Holloway said
he supports Thomas' nomina
tion because of his longstanding
Please see page A8
Con
Why the Thomas nomination must be opposed
There is a storm of debate^
occurring throughout the
African-American community
' over the recent nomination of
Judge Clarence Thomas by
George Bush for the highest
court in the land, ^the U.S.
Supreme Court. Many African
Americans who mean well and
others who are clearly oppor
tunistic are pushing for his con
firmation because he was poor
and black and in the best tradi
tion of "Americanism," through
"self-help," he advanced to
become a lawyer, an administra
tor over the Equal Opportunity
Commission and an Appeals
Court Judge. Others are sug
gesting be ought to be con
firmed because he may be our
only hope of getting another
African-American to succeed^
the legendary human and civil
rights champion, Justice Thur
good Marshall. Then there are
those who want to give him a
chance even though they know
he is a neo-conservative and
opposes the traditional ways
African-Americans have, strug
gled against inequality and
injustice, but they believe he
can be saved. Most of these
views sound hopeful but are at
best speculation and wishful
tant to us and the world for it to three years ago. Now, for the
be left to chance, pity and an Republicans to appear to be
empty dream. I believe that "multicultural," they need a "new
Thomas is not to be pitied, black" face who advocates the
admired or accepted because party line and sings the compa
he is black. He is to be accepted ny song. Now it is Clarence
or opposed because of his Thomas, who is part of the new
record and what he represents, rising African-American neo
GUEST COLUMN
By JOHN MENDEZ
While I appreciate diversity, I
have no commendation for con
scious betrayal.
The nomination of Clarence ,
? Thomas must be put into con
text. The Republican Party and
the White House have already
demonstrated how skillful they
are when it comes to turning
politics into a puppet theater. It
-?seems like the Presidential elec
tion requires the presence of an
African-American face, for better
or for worse. In 1988, it was
Willie Horton, the villain convict,
who while on leave, committed
another crime which Bush, in
the Jesse Helms way, used to
conservative movement that is
disavowing civil rights, rewriting
African-American history and
redefining and watering down
the legacy of Martin Luther King
Jr. by portraying him as some
one who was a colorblind ideal
ist, for whom the issue of racism
was not important. Persons
such as Clarence Thomas,
Thomas Sowell, Shelby Steele,
Tony Brown, and others, like the
reactionary Inkatha movement
in South Africa, are being
rewarded for blocking the efforts
of not only their own African
Please see page A8