Winston-Salem Chronicle
"The Twin City's Award- Winning Weekly'
Established in 1974
Ernest H. Pitt ? Ndubisl Egemonyo
Editor/Publisher Co-Founder
Member in good standing with:
Nation^ Newspaper North Carols n# Audit Bureau Ametgemeted ?
P vtMtm* Association Press Association of Circulations Pubtishers, Inc.
Editorials
B 4
Taking charge
The Forsyth Community Development Council
(FCDC) last week answered the community's cry for
leadership in race relations, simply by deciding not to
J. turn a deaf ear. They, like all groups that plan our
' city's development, rightfully own the responsibility
- to act on the many ways ?
that racism affects our Community plan
daily lives: institutional nore must forgo tho"
. racism and the more pagh Into a now ear
? informal versions. of raco relations.
FCDC is a wide
ranging group of individ
uals which is responsible for overseeing the imple
mentation of goals in the county's strategic plan.
Common Vision. This plan, bound in a two-inch thick
r" report, includes more strategy than specific goals. The
FCDC reduced Common Vision to a work plan, and
appears to be trying to move the community ahead in
many areas, including improving the quality of life for
the under-employed and under-valued.
Common Vision doesn't speak to race relations in
particular, but its members boldly put race relations
on the agenda at a recent meeting: This alone is such a
simple, yet critical step. More of us must put race
relations on the agenda!
Quit listening to others say, "Something ought to
be said, something ought to be done": Say it yourself!
Do it yourself.
_ The FCDC has asked one of its task teams to look
'art'jice relations: td see if there are things they ought '
to do ? in the short and long term ? that are not "
being done.
We applaud their interest and hope it develops into
a full-fledged effoit that will inspire others to action.
EOD dreams
The Winston-Salem Urban League works year
? round to initiate meaningful, positive, long-lasting
change. Its annual Equal Opportunity Day and dinner
is a celebration to focus
| l attention on efforts to
We observe Equal insure fair and equal
Opportunity Day In treatment of citizens,
hopes the dream regardless of race,
becomes reality. creed, color, religion,
national ongin or sex:
~ it's a long checklist.
The Urban League's
programs focus on nurturing and empowering senior
citizens who have been cast aside, single patents who
have been downtrodden, people with drug and alcohol
problems who have given up all hope, and die many
individuals who need a strong support network.
Capitalizing on the hidden and overlooked
resources in African- Americans, and combining those
with the vast and sometimes hard-to-tap resources of
the business community is the admirable work of the
Urban League.
EOD is a reminder that the greatness of our coun
try rests upon the principle of equal opportunity for
all.
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 legbly. They also should include the name, address, and tele
; phone number of the writer.
Columns should follow the same guidelines and will be pubftshed tf
' we feel they are of interest to our general readership.
We reserve the right to edit letters and oolumns for brevity and
grammar.
Submit your letters and columns to:
Chronicle Maifbag
P.O. Box 1636
; Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102
Pulpit politics ... is it God's solution?
ID Um fcditor:
The rcccnt trend in the Black
community for churches and pastors
to focus more on racial and political
issues then on the pure message of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to
be ever increasing. This is not scrip
tural and, according to God's word, .
will have tragic consequences. It is
time to be honest with ourselves
and not look for the proverbial
scapegoat ^
Yes, we are all certainly aware
of the overwhelming and out of
control problems within the Black
community such as drugs, crime,
pregnancies, irresponsible sex, as
well as the decline of parenthood,
high drop-out rate, alcoholism, sex
ual diseases and welfare, etc., but
these are not due to racism, only
contributing factors.
How then must we view these
problems? Does God not express in
demn these as sin? Thesy are aspects
.and expressions of immortality. Their
solution, according to Scripture, must
reside in the spiritual realm.
"And I will make justice the
line, and righteousness the plum
met; and hail shall sweep away the
refuge of lies, and waters will over
whelm the shelter." (Isaiah 28:17)
In addition to calling people to
repentance. He summons them to
faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness
of sins through his shed blood.
(Acts 2:37, 38)
This work of Christ ? putting
away sin and breaking its power ?
is the gospel message. As such, it is *
evident that the gospel is God's
chief instrument for lifting the
world, or any group therein, from
their horrible condition. Further
more, it is evident from Scripture
that God has committed the gospel
to all Christians to be proclaimed#by
everyone, especially by those who
profess to be called to Christian
ministry. Indeed, the gospel message
rather than political or racial issues,
really changes lives. A minister
who makes any other message or
activity the central focus of his
labor ? however sincere and well
meaning he may be ? is unfaithful
to Christ!
I certainly agree that there are r
many socioeconomic changes that
need to be made to help the Black
community, but not as a substitute
for the priceless message of the
gospel. While these political pastors
seek economic and social answers
(thereby freely encouraging
racism), true men of God seek
answers to today's problems ulti
mately in Christ of Calvary. How I
wish, for the sake of the brethren,
that all pastors who say they are
called of God would place their pri
mary emphasis on the true gospel
message?
We would then see our fellow
Blacks helped, not merely in this
world, but also saved for the next
Then, as in the ministry of Jesus,
the "other works" would be auto
matic expressions of compassion ?
the fruit of our love ? not the
means to an end!
Craig Levon Conrad
Sample victimized
[This is in response to the arti
cle on Charles S. Sample Jr.]
1 To the Editor:
Charles S. Sample Jr. is a man
who, at age 24 , has managed to
CHRONICLE MAI LB AG
Our Readers Speak Out
move beyond his mental handicap
and make a life and living for him
self. He saw absolutely nothing
wrong with leaving the safety of his
apartment in the wee hours of the
morning on Tuesday, August 25, to
walk the short distance to Kroger's
24-hour grocery store. Chuck need
ed a tub of butter for his breakfast
toast.
His mother had frequently cau
tioned him about the dangers of
waling alone late at night, but
Chuck never gave much thought to
dark threats like robbers and mug
gers.
Raised to respect the police, he
had only lately come to fear the
"people's protectors" because of
incidents that have made headlines
? Rodney King in Los Angeles,
Shelia McKellar here, and other
cases of alleged police brutality
against blacks. He had been stopped
once before with apologies later
from ranking members of the police
department
Therefore, a natural instinct for
survival and self-protection can be
expected whejv oot qf the b4ue,the
blue lights qpme flashing and a
bright, white spotlight cuts out
what had been an uneventful walk
back home.
Confusion and anger are natu
ral when you are accused of
attempting to break into a huge
shopping mall because you could
not possibly just be taking a short
cut home across the mall parking
lot The Kroger bag with the tub of
butter and its receipt must be a ruse
to camouflage your true, criminal
intent!
So, you're accosted by five offi
cers, handcuffed,, taken downtown,
fingerprinted, phqjographed, put
into the hideous orange jumpsuit
that is standard prison garb, and
summarily thrown in jail.
All you wanted to do was exer
cise your freedom to go where you
want to go. You were not trespass
ing, drunk, or drugged yet you end
up charged with disorderly conduct
because the police didn't find you
cooperative enough or your expla
nation plausible enough. You lose
your freedom and your butter
(which has yet to be returned).
Chuck, and subsequently his
mother, learned what most young
Black men and their mothers and
families lean early on. Black folks,
especially young Black men, are
disproportionately victimized by
America's own apartheid. White
folks don't leave home without their
American Express card Black men
should not leave home without their
ID and night pass, just as their slave
ancestors had to do when they trav
eled from their "Massa's" planta
tions.
The one refreshing thing that is
happening now in Winston-Salem is
that more and more of the 40 per
cent of this city's population are ris
ing up and becoming vocal. People
like Chuck's mother are opening
their eyes to the fact that 30 years of
integration in this city have had the
Black community two steps for
ward and three back. Groups like
"Citizens United for Justice" under
the Rev. John Mendez are making
change happen, aiding in the
empowerment of the Black commu
nity.
My personal thanks go to
Alderman Vivian Burke for her
swift response to Chuck Sample'^
case and to Travis Mitchell, Chron
icle staff writer, for his article. On
behalf of Phyllis Sample, Chuck's
mother, thanks also go to Rev.
Mendez, Alderman Larry Womble,
Nelson Malloy, and Virginia
Newell, as well as Larry Little for
their empathetic support
The struggle continues because
the price of freedom is eternal vigi
lance.
Patricia Smith-Detrlng
'Thanks": Use family
To the Editor:
We would like to express our
deep appreciation to all the citizens
of this area, those we know person
ally and those we have not met,
who have shown such concern and
kindness for us since June 26, 1992
when we lost a loving husband
(Lieutenant Aaron Gerome Tise Jr.)
and devoted father ("Pop").
Words can never describe what
it Jias meant to us to see the over
whelming expressions of love
which have been shown by so
many^ We especially appreciate
those of you, particularly in law
enforcement, who came to the
funeral, stood outside the chapel in
the hot sun, and then drove in the
long procession to the cemetery.
The services touched our hearts,
and we know Gerome ("Pop")
would have been so pleased to see
his many friends who came to pay
tribute to him.
We wish it were possible for us
to write to each of you, or speak to
you individually, and tell you how
much your kindness has meant to
us.
However, for fear that we
might overlook someone, we want
ed to use this letter to let you know
that all the things you have done to
show that you care have helped
make it possible for us to bear the
pain of losing him.
The months ahead of us will be
very difficult as we try to adjust to a
life without him.
Please continue to remember
us in your prayers. May God richly
bless each of you for being there
when we needed you so desperate
iy
Tanya M. Tise and son**
Michael A. Tise s; ^
North Hills helped
To the Editor:
My experience Friday August
28 and Saturday August 29 in the
North Hills Community was mar
velous. After introducing myself to
the residents of North Hills and
informing them 1 was collecting
contributions for residents of Flori
da and Louisiana, they were willing,
to give.
They were also glad that some
one was coming around for the
items because many of the people
for many reason were unable to go
to the coliseum to take their contri
butions. I assured them that it.
would reach the coliseum. Mrs.
Powers, a long fime resident, as
well as other residents gave. This
experience gave me opportunity to,
meet the many wonderful people
who makes up the North Hills Com
munity. I was pleased to be of ser
vice in the community. We came
together as human beings do and*
with matters of the heart
' Hats off to the North Hills
Community. Thank You.
Carolyn Cason
We are politically correct
We talk a good game, but we
still gel snookered
One of the favorite refrains
among many "politically sophisti
cated** blacks today is, "You can no
longer buy my vote with a fish
sandwich.**
But maybe we're being duped
into selling our vote for a lot less.
Maybe we aren't nearly as smart as
we think we are.
We are being bought? and sold
down the river ? by sweet talking,
white politicians who make us feel
important by befriending us and
giving us what we think is exclusive
access to their kingdoms. .
It is natural to have the urge to
feel important, and politicians are
experts at that game when it comes
to us. They call us by our first name
and make us feel special.
What they get in return is our
undying loyalty and commitment of
our mind, body, and resources to get
the politicians elected or to keep
them in office. And whatever magic the politi
We lose our sense of logic, our cians hold over us also extends to
reasoning becomes fogged, and the clergy. We're not as bad as we
suddenly we heap praises upon an once were, but still in some cases
elected official simply for doing today when a white politician
AGAINST THE GRAIN
By ROOSEVELT WILSON
what he was elected to do. We
become grateful for nothing.
Go back to the first congress
man from this state and count every
one since, and you're sure to find
that each did some good for the
state and the district he represented.
The same goes for local politi
cians. When they run, they promise
us the world, yet we bow and scrape
to them in gratitude even when they
give us a fistful of sand. Amazing.
shows up at a black church ? which
is only at election time ? the minis
ter calls him down front and makes
grand presentations.
We as black people must wake
up and realize that whefi we help
elect someone to political office, it
is they who owe us as voters. They
are the ones who should be eternal
ly grateful and try to work in our
best interest. That's their obligation.
As powerful as our votes are,
how can we as blacks let smooth-talk
ing white politicians make us believe
they are doing us a favor by permit
ting us to vote for them? We must be
smarter than that. We must be.
We must demonstrate a better
understanding of the issues and the
political process, and examine how
we select candidates.
We should demand account
ability for our vote. We must set our
own agenda and demand that any
politician who wants our vote must
address the issues that are important
to us and be accountable to us.
Watching some of our black
"political insiders'1 at work during
the recent primary elections gave no
sign of hope for the near future.
Yes, we're right. Our vote is no
longer being bought with a fish
sandwich. Why should a white
politician waste money on fish
when all it takes is a few guarded
words and vague promises to have
us dangling from his line?