Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Dec. 15, 1994, edition 1 / Page 15
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# . r j ' > j ' ' ' '? ' " Shape Up. African. Americans! Live But Don't Look Like Santa It's that time of year again Bntp. I .ik*\ ?, .omue A seasohal span when the vi\ifins Ai'Ji'plu tables in the form of large qtiani ')! Ingl; cal'u-u lard greens and string beans. staked in tat niv k, t pecan pies, chocolate cakes, butteied roll ,, v. "and smothered shoulders. The ne\t throe spiced country hams and pounds of potato salad miracally-whipped mayonnaise - The next two weeks will see African classes and, persuasions, joined, at the ii p* ing up what. First Lady Clinton is calling an ' aiai u incidence of obesity " African-Americans are coveted by. All iin'rnr Social and political forces that lie 'behind picmann excess disease and death rates. We aie imieit" i-i? , day alarming high rates and ps.vefibloni . I y'u-. poverty, unemployment,;!! literacy. dnu' VJm ?< lmiih violence. . -iV ' ?; 1/$ < ' .. i fr,? ?.'*? ? ?;K# ? ' when African-Americans. 7T , like, the majority a >J" Amen^u-"., whatever their (joys, troubles and woes. ove-MnduJ^v 'it _>?$. selves. Through the year, though, the.se piuaie indulgence '"1- ? historically and cultutally. based aV1 j/ingesting too much of the Twrong" foods becomes n*e , shovel that digs the graves into which nnlhons ,>1 blac k 1 ?!k eat themselves.. Enters the body of Sartfa Char,, i Uh.v avothV form of black-on-black crime? Many jokes will go ; around aboui ih. rotund <?-i i?... tipns. . . .(especially black, women)." Half of all adult black women are overweight, she finds, in contrast to 34 percent of jhe general population, , and 24 percent of the whit& female adults. She discusses a number of environmental ? and genetic factors that put black women at "an espe cially high risk of accumu lating excess fat." The bottom line is flavored by dietary, lifestyle, and J metabolic influences. Shape Up America is a national pall to the public health threat posed by the 1 relation more than the law allojws!" Ahiong the* blessed ones who. will ps parelthe rounds and mounds of scrumptious- ^oul food foi t h> days, African-American women arc disproportionate!} anion) 'V who are at least 20 percent above the ivvotn'i -ended v o i ? rhi !i height and age/ v v * Dr. Shiriki Kumanyika, an Atrium- Amciiutn and p-olessv the John Hopkins Univeisity School of Ihgiene and l-V-ju. II , has been on the^ stump irionp time Mhoui ?l>he.stiy ' >?> v^k \1 .. 1 Her research findings are the basis ot the loudest - -ji . that led to Shape Up Amefiea. "( )besa\ ship betweeo being overweight and a number of disabling and life threatening diseases. For African -Americans, these include high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and (some) cancers. Everybody should know that these are the leading causes of incapacity and death among blacks. Ironically, these fall within personal choice and influ ence. According to former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, who joined Hillary Clinton in inaugurating Shape Up America, obesity jr second only to "'another habit," that I have, which is dear to the heait of the economy of North Carolina. In addition, there are sedentary lifestyles (mashed couch potatoes?) among a people who watch more television than the general population ? while eating. Yes, Christmastide is a time to sup together and enjoy and savor ? ? ' , fUFT EVERY VOICE By Dr. WILLIAM H. TURNER = the full flavor of life. Bu^ many who are sick in our community are that way for the manner by which they have consumed foods. Only healthy ears can stand hearing the words of the sick and aged frail among us. We must be healthy not only to support our loved ones, but we must be fit, robust and vigorous to fight the chal lenges external to our physical person. Caesar can deny many of our rights, but not our right and responsibility to exercise and be healthy. It takes strength and stamina to bear the cross of the Christ child. Stand Up African- Americans. Let's give ourselves and our fami lies good health for Christmas and Kwanzaa gifts. Can this be the , First Christmas when meals are cooked differently in African-Ameri can homes? Can this be the beginning of a life of moderation in eat ing? Life is at stake, and without life there is nothing. As Charles Brown would sing, "Merry Christmas, Baby," But, you got to be able to get down the chimney. Up with healthy diets and lifestyles! (Dr . William Turner is a regular freelance columnist for the Chroni cle J , ' ~ r ? ? ? f ? = 1 1 vCan We A s TTt j i nu i Live Together in Peace and Justice" 1 ? : ? ~ ' T ' 5 ? " ? r ? . - ? * -?? ? ~~~\ "Mercy, mercy me, thinrs ain't wlr.r ihev u ' - ' , - line of a song b\ the poei and sinV r vlar\ m < . j * -.i-p ; our communities and the c^aiating lev. i >!* *;??;?. those words couldn't l>e more tine Vet, amidst the drive by ^looting, :iu iH'er.fl n . 1 - uing presence, of assaulr weapons. and . i , hope. There are stories, ot people who don r :.<??! i>. they just get organized. v ^ In an earlier Civil RightsHfournal I a-.kol \.?;i -? some of the sig.ns of hope that are springing ;oii ? ?. in anii^* and many of you have done that. I have heard iVm- ? >< ^ ? ittrr people in unexpected places, and from oik i oaM V another. The stories mey shared tire signs c?i i ; In Oakland. Ca. two of the nation's de id'1:, . i, 4 now beginning to blossom* I ndei an munitv Recovery Project, the residents o: *ih. s ,ing once again their sense of si* It e k\ hi an . > ties. They have drasiicallv iut i"?k < t i ? - i /ir responsible for drug traffic Kmi* \U'k 4'nv . midst nti hfli.'K ? v , -i \ i -t m ? t ^ ^ I ? a healthy inner being and that p?oi i\ ,! skills, tins ipproach trams residents unheal i1 -n , . their own communities. In addition, as 'in.m* .v >n moved into these communities, the pro\ , 1 'u> aP . togetlier the African- American and \ ^TTTT r ? \ ? ; T > uMim'iics have come together is arnnnd gar . <t t \ one v.oman. Linda Schneider. By providing ?A. manure and equipment, Schneider qtfickly got - invoked m planted food and flowers in their own CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL by BERNICE POWELL JACKSON - . > v - - - ? hi .i|e funding, that gardening project has now ??I' bn i Wings and converted them to useful purposes.' u blossoming along with the sunflowers and ? one person to be that sign of hope. In Oak i i tci. In Boise, Idaho, it is Raheem O.E. Shah ..a\e a large \ t rie an r American community, e-vfit. After several unsuccessful attempts to an men in Boise to work together in the com m.;. decided to become "a one man, community Mm works with prisoners at the Idaho State i.ctie* at a local elementary school one hour a week and participates in the YMCA Fundamental Basketball Seniinais for kids on Saturdays. He is also a full-time manager of one of the top banks in the Pacific Northwest. As we focus on violence in our communities, we must also talk about domestic violence and sexual assault. As signs of hope, one reader, Shani Bakuba of Cambridge, Ma. pointed to rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters and counseling programs which are found in many communities to treat the victims and provide safe space. There's no question that violence is swirling all around us, threat* ening like some horrible tornado to tear down whole compiunities and kill those nearby. African ^Americans and other pepple of color are especially hard-hit by it. But a few weeks ago a Philadelphia suburban white student was beaten to death by a gang of his peers. A few weeks ago assault weapon bullets pierced the walls and windows of the White House. The violence is not just a question facing our American society, it is a basic civilization question. Can we as human beings live together in justice and peace? People in Lockwood and Coliseum Gardens in Oakland would answer yes. They arc signs of the hope. Hope that our communities and our people can heal themselves. Hope that our children's children will know safe and just communities, with flowers and children playing and laughing and flourishing. There's another 1970s song which says, "There's No Stopping Us Now" and that's the truth too. (Bernice Powell Jackson is the executive director of the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice.) African-Americans ' iusi' ; ? i it Mo Pull the NAACP out of Financial Crisis This morning 1 sent off a check for > ; r r< u family obligations and the press ofoiucrv for me. But it's a stretch that 1 and .if! ^ >'< * u? r m sibly afford it, need to make becauv i \ \i" ' trouble. It has launched a fiind.dru^ it's essential for African- American*. io zation that has done, so much and ha The recent problems that led lo Uu been amply discussed, but it's clea; our \ v M 1 . . ! ? u !; M t>>. \ \ ' |?. V It deserves the wholehearted supjv n - vu ;Hi : i . community is mobilizing to do its pari ?; taking off, led by a $5 million pledi:' *! : ? including all of the largest black ikno jive because of its histonc contributions ing necessity for the positive role it tv.ii ; - 1 ? Lets never forget that the NAACV - j. segregation and institutionalized oppression ?; ? gation was buried and instiim u'.k;; i ?? ? largely to the NAACP's protests m iL: ^ . . i' an ? climbers of black representatives in Congress, . : !> al governments today because of the iiiM ( 'row voting laws and its role in helping to > >! O BE EQUAL HUGH B: PRICE ? * ? American middle class, which has made .tiv- management jobs and. in small businesses, V Organization's efforts to remove racial bar >d open opportunities. ?;->;! hat mandates support for the NAACP in its <: example, builds bridges for our people' to ? rv- ? ^ cross over into society's mainstream, but it takes other strong, viable , organizations to insist that those bridges be built We need the NAACP to protests inequities, expose discriminatory practices, and mobilize people to march for justice. I sometimes hear people wonder whether there's any need for the NAACP in today's presumably more enlight ened society. If anything, it's needed more than ever. Today's America is plagued by growing poverty; our cities are crumbling under the weight of social problems; economic shifts leave millions without a place in the new emerging Information-Age economy; and racism lives on, often cloaked in pseudo-scholarly tomes about race-based intelli gence differences. Instead of facing up to our problems, many people are in a state of xlenial, pretending they don't exist or simply uttering platitudes about "values." ? - ? ? And the post-election news from Washington suggests a new, cal lous national agenda. All Americans must respond generously to the call to help the NAACP get back on its feet. An organization that has done so much for so many now needs help itself and we can deny it at our peril. ( Hugh B. Price is director of the National Urban League .) ?m m 0mk ? ? The Choice Fop Af-RicAH-AMt r>;rjA\ <\? ki USPS 067910 61 7 N. Liberty Street Winston-Salem. N.C 271 62 The Winston Salem Chronicle >s puc j Ushed every Thursday by the Winston tsa om Chronicle Publishing Co. Inc The Winston Salem Chronicle wjs eSfan fished by Ernest Pitt and Ndubisi Bqemo^ye m 1974 Tho Chronicle is a proud member of ? Audit Bureau of Circulation ? National News papers Publishers Association ? North Car olina Press Association ? North Carolina BUr Publishers Association National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. - 45 West 45th St ? New YdrkTW 1 0036 (212) 869-5220 ?fT MMM 1U? R'!;-S3Ch U Ht. A' S ,r I l\? * 7 : ?.<128 r -t /. I'SQfi :? ?2-8S24 SALfcS 7 22 lHj2jh BUSINESS OFFICE ? , ^OOCTION ?te Newman a Evans To subscribe. . . . 722-8624 jtio" inrormation or any , - irrent subscription. ^uuscription Rates Cvipy 76 cents tn County^ $40 95 ? '30 72 20 48 1024 Out of County/State C-f ? r 722-8624 25 48 15 24 HOME DELIVERY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER ? 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Dec. 15, 1994, edition 1
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