Winston-Salem Chronicle
"The Twin City's Award- Winning Weekly"
Established in 1974
Ernest H. Pitt ? Ndubisi Egemonye
Editor/Publisher Co-Founder
Member in good standing with:
udlt Bureau A
National Newapapar North Carolina Audit Bureau Amalgamated
PubMwn AetodeHon Pini kmoatitoo of Circulations Pubfeharm, Inc.
Race relations
Critical need for
cultural understanding.
Occasionally, the Winston-Salem Chronicle is
accused of stirring up trouble between the races.
"There wouldn't be any
race problem in Win
ston-Salem if it weren't
for the Chronicle," one
gentleman said recently.
We find this sentiment
nearly as amusing as it is
disturbing, and we are
reminded of the words of
a local minister, who was asked why he preached
that we must recognize the devil. "Cause if you don't
se^evit, you can't fight itr he answered.
Our opinion
We must face the real
ity of racism In our
community.
The incident last week at Carver High School is a
good example of the problems Winston-Salem thinks
it doesn't have. School officials should be the last
folks to deny the high level of racial discomfort,
since they so often point to the community as the
source of problems in schools. It's true that schools
can only do so much for the hours they have stu
dents, but it's also true that school is one of the many
places we can formally address the breakdown
between the races. Should we wait until these stu
dents are full grown adults with full blown stereo
types and prejudices? If not with children, then with
whom? If not now, then when?
The central school administration has a crisis
intervention team and emergency procedures in place
to deal with tragedies and riots in the schools. Good!
But gauze and iodine won't keep Johnny from falling
off the cliff in the dark if he's not been given a map
to the territory. First-aid is just that: emergency help
after the wound has been inflicted.
We applaud the school system for its current pilot
program on cultural differences training for teachers.
Dr. Eileen Wilson Oyelaran, a respected Winston
Salem State professor, is conducting a pilot program
with several schools to explore cultural differences
among the races, but we need more trained resource
people besides Dr. Oyelaran. We suggest that each
school offer cultural differences workshops four
times a year for students and for teachers. Give regu
lar doses of vaccine to prevent the disease. Think of
the cost in time, money, and the loss in school spirit
and confidence when racial incidents erupt. The loss
es are not justifiable.
We must be proactive in our efforts for under
standing between races. We must, as Carver Princi
pal Robert Clemmer did, admit we have a problem
and set about the task of working diligently to solve
it and put in place the very best, most comprehensive
programs possible to be sure this kind of hateful inci
dent never has cause to erupt again.
Removing the basis of hate is infinitely more
wise and important than expending our resources on
punishment alone. Especially when the punishment
is meted out more often and harsher to African
American students.
About letters ...
The Winston-Salem Chronicle welcomes letters from its readers,
as well as columns.
Letters should be as concise as possibleand should be typed for
printed legibly.
They also should include the name, address, and telephone num
ber otf the writer.
Columns should follow the same guidelines and will be published if
we feel they are of interest to our general readership.
We reserve the right to edit letters and columns for brevity and
grammar.
Submit your letters and columns to:
Chronicle Mailbag
P.O. Box 1636 . .
Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102
'Proud of those Rams' - Larry Womble
To the Editor:
Congratulations to the Win
ston-Salem State University Rams
on another successful and produc
tive football season by winning the
CIAA Championship. The sports
manship and fine play for the 1991
season have been great
The Rams football team, head
coach Pete Richardson and staff
have done a splendid job in repre
senting the school, community, and
our city. We are proud of your win
ning attitude and spirit All of you
have represented us well and we are
very proud of your accomplish
ments and achievements. Special
thanks to the Winston-Salem com
munity for supporting the Rams
football team.
Sincerely ?,??^
Larry W, Womble
Alderman
Southeast Ward
Long way to go
To the Editor:
My name is Bernard Cheek and
I am a twelfth-grade student at Hill
side High School in Durham.
As you and your readers may
be aware December 18, 1991 will
mark the 126th anniversary of the
ratification of the 13th amendment
to the United States Constitution.
This amendment officially ended
slavery in this country. It also
allowed our African-American
ancestors to begin the journey
toward full American citizenship.
Many miles have been covered on
this road toward freedomTbut even
in 1991, there is still a long way to
go.
.On December 18, a group of
students from my school will spon
sor a program that will honor the
slaves. This program will be held in
the House Chamber of North Car
olina's old capital building in
CHRONICLE MAILBAG
Our Readers Speak Out
Raleigh, where actual debates on
slavery were waged in the 1860s.
Our program will also pay trib
ute to the contributions of the Black
Press in America from the abolition
period to the present time. This trib
ute will include a portfolio of letters
and editorials about the importance
of the Black Press in the past, the
present, and the future. This portfo
lio will be presented to the State
housed at the North Carolina Muse
um of History.
Please help my class by pub
lishing this letter, by writing an edi
torial, and by encouraging your
readers to write letters that we can
include in this portfolio. It would be
wonderful if we received at least a
dozen letters from the Winston
Salem area by December 10.
Please ask your readers to mail
their tributes to the former slaves
and/or the Black Press to me at:
Room 112, Hillside High School,
1900 Concorde Street, Durham,
North Carolina 27707.
Sincerely,
Brad Cheek
Common Vision
To the Editor:
At a recent luncheon presenta
tion by Mayor Martha Wood, the
Winston-Salem Section of the
American Institute of Architects
was provided an overview of the
progress to date and goals of the
"Common Vision" program. Hope
fully this effort will help to estab
lish a firm direction for the future of
Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
As an organization which is heavily
involved in shaping the physical
environment, we have an obvious
interest in the continued develop
ment and improvement of our com
munity. By formal action, this orga
nization has sent a letter to Mr. John
HoHeman,chairman ofihe Forsyth
County Development Council, indi
cating unanimous support of the
goals and strategies articulated in
the "Common Vision" program.
Thomas H. Hughes, AIA
President
Winston-Salem Section
AIA/North Carolina
Yahweh followers
are acting like cult
They call themselves "The Peo
ple for Truth," but they are so persis
tent in their media campaign they
take on a cultish air. They are the
followers of Yahweh Ben Yahweh,
leader of the nation of Yahweh, and
their strong belief in the cause of
Yahweh stirs up memories of the
days of Jim jQnes. I have read tons
of material from them and tried to
make sense of what they call the
persecution and unfair incarceration
of Yahweh in a federal prison. The
campaign to free Yahweh shows no
signs of letting up.
On Nov. 7,1990, federal agents
arrested Yahweh and 16 of his fol
lowers and accused them of conspir
acy to commit murder, arson and
extortion, among other things.
Basically, the feds say Yahweh
is a crook who built and held on to
his quarter billion (with a b) reli
gious empire by anything but hum
ble and lawful means.
The People for Truth, however,
have a different story. They say the
government is violating Yahweh's
individual and constitutional rights,
simply because his religious 9ect is
not mainstream.
They say their "Black Hebrew
Israelite Leader" is being "cruci
I believe strongly in our constitu
tional right to freedom of worship.
But what is troubling about the
campaign of The People for Truth is
that they are being myopic and pre
AGAINST THE GRAIN
By ROOSEVELT WILSON
o >
fied." Some of their latest literature
is titled "The crucifixion of Yahweh
Ben Yahweh" and subtitled, "How is
the son of Almighty God Yahweh
identified? The son of Yahweh is
identified by 'Suffering' and Perse
cution.'" Also included is a crucifix
with Yahweh Ben Yahweh affixed
just as traditional orthodox Chris
tians portray Jesus Christ's crucifix
ion.
Far be it from me to question
anyone's religious beliefs. Certainly,
sumptuous. First, they are being
myopic in that they can't'see the law
for their religion. They talk about
the unconstitutionality of Yahweh
Hen Yahweh's incarceration, but
they act as if the term "probable
cause" never existed.
Second, they are being pre
sumptuous in that they flood the
media's fax machines with their lit
erature as if we are waiting for it,
and address us in a tone that suggest
we agree with them.
Again, my argument here is not
with The People for Truth and what
they believe. In fact, they seem to
have some valid points in criticizing
the feds for not setting bail for Yah
weh, but perhaps they would have
more success if they didn't mix
church and state.
Their arguments should be logi
cal. They should give their desired
audience all the facts and credit for
having the sense to make an intelli
gent decision about Yahweh.
Perhaps they are not aware of
it; perhaps their method is deliber
ate, but they come across like fanat
ics or zealots. That is not the way to
win public support. I anxiously
await Yahweh1* trial. Maybe then
the real truth will come out
Meanwhile, The People for
Truth should acknowledge that the
ghosts of Jim Jones, Jim Bakker and
Jimmy Swaggert are still out there,
and instead of jumping on their Yah
weh wagon, many people simply
become more skeptical as The Peo
ple of Truth become more persistent
Ways to help your body fight
My earlier column, "Magic,
See Dr. Duesberg Before It's Too
Late," included Dr. Peter Duesberg'
warning that "all growing cells are
killed" by the drug AZT, the so
called "treatment" for AIDS.
travel.
Of course, that didn't surprise
Dr. Duesberg or Lauritsen. John
son's reaction to AZT will also fit
into the theory of Dr. Robert Root
Bernstein, professor of physiology
TONY BROWN
Syndicated Columnist
A leading virologist, Dr. Dues
berg also maintains that there is no
evidence that HIV, the so-called
AIDS virus, causes the disease
called AIDS.
Chemotherapy targets growing
cells. AZT was developed to kill
cancer cells, but all normal cells
growing at the same time will also
be killed. Dr. Duesberg explained.
That's why John Lauritsen, author
of "Poison By Prescription" (26 St.
Mark's Place, N.Y. 10003), says that
most of the AIDS fatalities are
"iatrogenic" ? that means death is
caused by medical treatments rather
than by AIDS itself. After three
weeks of taking AZT, Magic John
son was reported to be too ill to
at Michigan State University, who
is writing a book called "Rethinking
AIDS."
He says that Magic should
know that "HIV may be a necessary
ingredient for AIDS, but it is not
sufficient to cause AIDS by itself.
This is a scientific fact"
If Magic Johnson's immune
system has not declared civil war on
itself (autoimmunity) and is still
able to defend the body against
infection, then, with care, he may
never lose his immunity and may
stay healthy. Dr. Root-Bernstein
believes. "Long-term survivors" of
AIDS, Lauritseri writes, "almost
without exception, have avoided
toxic chemotherapy (like AZT) and
have opted for strengthening their
bodies through healthy lifestyle:
exercise, good nutrition, rest** and
avoiding cigarettes, alcohol and
especially drugs.
Everyone seems to agree that a
healthy immune system is the key
to keeping your health or restoring
your health if you lose it
Dr. Root-Bernstein's advice to
Magic Johnson and others with HIV
infections who have not developed
AIDS is to get vaccinated against
many infectious diseases ? such as
pneumonia, tuberculosis and hepati
tis ? now while their immune sys
tem is still healthy. If you have a
herpes virus; get treatment (Foscar
net or Gancyclovir), "Herpes virus
es can trigger HIV infection/ Dr.
Root-Bernstein adds.
Get off and stay off any drug,
intravenous use or "recreational**
use. Drugs themselves suppress
your immune system and can trig
ger HIV. And, in addition to using
condoms, the professor strongly
urges the use of vitamins and min
erals that "are essential to peak
immune function."
Ron and Lexie Whitfield
(404/435-0141) have been preach
ing the gospel of good healttt
through a strong immune system as
AIDS
preventive medicine for years.
Their self-help business will be
one of 500 listed when the Buy
Freedom 900 Network (1-900-976
6670) starts on Martin Luther
King's birthday. In the meantime,
they promote their "Diamite" line of
health products from their home in
Atlanta. Although my immune sys
tem was in good shape the last time
1 checked, 1 use several products I
get from Ron and Lexie to keep it
that way.
One is a herbal drink called
Aloe Vera Plus that combines Aloe
Vera, the medicinal plant suggested
for everything from allergies to
AIDS, and Ginseng (claims say it
has curative and restorative effects).
The chamomile and passion flower
herbs that are added give it a fruit
drink taste.
I use their fiber tablets and
Night Trimming system (amino acid
supplement) that promise that you
lose weight while you sleep because
the fat cells shrink in size.
I can't prove that, but I can
prove that the state of health in this
country is in a sad state and
strengthening the body's ability to
fight back is the only defense we
have. And, for God's sake, don't use
drugs.