M'i 1 For Reference Not to be taken from this library 75 CENTS fofsyr^ The Choice for African-American News and Informr *? THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1995 "/\mi er cohi ( ilc s nothing without (t 2710* Rev. Mendez Views in Line j By STAFF AND AP REPORTS The Rev. John Mendez of Winston-Salem supported the Progressive National Baptist Con vention as it outlined positions on several issues at its conference last week. Nearly 3,000 delegates at the 34th annual gathering of the Progressive National Baptist con vention in Charlotte called for an economic boy cott of California after university officials repealec) affirmative action programs. "That is absolutely correct/ Mendez said. *We (blacks) pay taxes there. They don't deserve bur support." " ' ? ; Mendez, the pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, was among delegates from five Winston Salem churches who attended the convention Where President Clinton, the Rev. Benjamin Ghavis, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, -and Dr. Henry Foster spoke. Foster, the unsuccessful nominee for the U.S. Surgeon General post, also attacked recent threats to affirmative action at the convention. He said the potential damage from disman tling affirmative action could hamper blacks for years. Foster alluded to the recent decision by the University of California system to end affirma tive-action programs and of recent attacks on fed eral affirmative-action programs. "Real freedom does not exist without eco nomic freedom," said Foster, who was presented with a Distinguished Service Award by the PNBC, yif you don't have the green stuff, you're still seg regated." The convention passed a resolution uiging the government to lift its economic embargo of Cuba. <%We have done the ticht tiling with Vietnam, let us do the Christ-like thing in Cuba," the group said in a statement Mendez has preached revivals in Cuba and said that the country is no threat to the United States. "There is no rationale to continue to punish this little country," he said. "It is not right to con tinue a trade embargo, which is causing undue suf fering on the people there." The PNBC., a predominantly black denomina tion has about 2.7 million members, among them civil rights leaders Ralph Abernathy and Benjamin Hooks. The Rev. Martin Luther King was a mem ber. see MENDEZ page 12 FA'A'A-iyTASTic! Chandler Lees An American Dream By VERONICA CLEMONS Chronici* Staff Writer Three years ago, Chandler Lee jumped on a business opportunity and purchased a financially distraught car dealership here. He's been steadily increasing profits since then. "It was a big risk," said Lee, owner of - Classic Cadillac on North Point Blvd. "There were no employees, no inventory. But I always wanted a Cadillac dealer ship." In 1994, Classic Cadillac's profits were about $18 million. Lee said now the company is doing about $20 million. Contributing to that success, Lee said Classic Cadillac offers high quality ser vice that exceeds customers' expectations and excellent mechanical service. Prior to purchasing Classic, Lee was president, CEO and chairman of Chandler Lee Motors, Inc., in Southern Pines. He sold that business after purchasing Clas sic. When seeking another dealership, Lee was not particularly looking at Winston Salem, but he said it was a good location. sgot the truth i not worry about the repercussions." "Winston -Salem is an excellent business mar ket because of low unemployment and there's a lot of wealth relative to other cities in the state/ he said. Ernie Pitt, publisher of the Winston-Salem Chronicle, said he met Lee in Pinehurst at a golf tournament before the Cadillac dealership became available. When the opportunity did pre sent itself, Pitt said Lee called him to get his opinion. "Of course I told him it was a great opportu nity not only because of his personal commitment but because the city was big enough and we have a strong African American community/ he said. " I knew he was the kind of individual to make significant contributions to the community." Lee, 42, said the key to his success as a busi nessman is keeping a positive attitude 100 per cent of the time; never, ever thinking about fail ure. When people ask Lee how he is doing his see CHANDLER page 13 250 Register for D.C. Rally By JOHN HINTON Chronicle Senior Sttff Writer Nearly 250 African American men and women in Winston-Salem have registered to attend the Nation of Islam's Million Man March ached uled for Oct 16 in Washington, D.C. "We want to promote a more inclusive atmos phere surrounding the Million Man Match under the Minister Louis Farrakhan," said Minister See* X (Fletcher), the chairman of the Local Oiganfcrinf Committee for the March. 'The purpose of the March is to establish a black agenda - to force - presidential candidates to come to us and mkkess our agenda/* Scott X discussed the participation of local African Americans during die committee's meet ing Tuesday night at the F. Roger Page Business and Technology Center in Winston Salon. About 20 people attended the planning scirsion including Larry Leon Hamlin, the founder and artistic director of the National piack Theater Fes tival, and North Waxd Alderman Nelson L. Msttoy Jr. Local blacks registered to participate In Ike March for free, but they will be asked to dosnt between $1 to $10 to help defray transportation expenses. Several Black Muslim men, women, and chil dren gathered to hear Scott X outline the Natal of Islam* s plans for the March. Registering 5,000 African Americans in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County to participate in die March is the commit tee's goal. The March is only two months away, and is expected to draw blacks. Latinos, and other minorities from every m^or American city. "Minister Farrakhan has called the event a day of atonement for black men who have been rejected by black women and the black family," Scott X said. "Black men are the despised and hated people on this Earth. We are trying to dean up the mental condition of Black America." The committee needs $100,000 for 100 char lerea ouses 10 transport me csciitufuunors to ?vaan ington. 'It is going to difficult to raise the amount of money in this city," Hamlin told the committee members. "If this organization is taking the lead, they you must reach out to local community orga nizations." He suggested a modest fee for people who want to ride buses to the nation's capital. "Everyone should pay $20 to ride,** Hamlin said. "You would want to use chartered buses because Greyhound may make too many stops." His remark sparked laughter from everyone at the meeting. M alloy encouraged the committee to move see RALLY pnget Ito Becomes Spotlight in 0 .J. Trial LOS ANGELES (AP) - Judge Lance Ito ruled today that another judge will have to decide if the O.J. Simpson jury will hear explosive tapes of Detective Mark Fuhrman deriding Ito's wife and uttering racial epithets. '1 love my wife dearly, and I am wounded by criticism of her as. any spouse would be. And I think it is reasonable to assume that that could have some impact,** Ito said, chcjjpng back tears. "As I mentioned, women in male-dominated professions learn to deal with this and those who are successful, I think we all observe, are tougher than most, but having said that, the appear ance of a reasonable concern that this court could impartially rule on these issues is there,'* he said. The extraordinary ruling capped a wild day that started with the release of transcripts of sidebar conferences about Fuhrman's comments in taped interviews with a screenwriter. At one point, Ito said he may have to withdraw entirely from the case. "Just when you thought we couldn't have anything crazier happen," Ito said. Just before Ito's ruling, defense attorney Johnny Cochran Jr. said no one wen^uncriticized _ in the Fuhrman tapes. "He has no respect for any- . one. Fm just pointing out to you that if you send it to a woman, he doesn't like them, send to a Mexi can, he doesn't like them ... he doesn't like anybody unless they're white, Anglo-Saxon police officers. ... I'm telling you you're going to have a problem no matter where you send this case," Cochran said. see JUDGE page 13 Johnnie Cochran Laura Hart McKumy Poor Funding Threatens NBTF's Survival in Winston-Salem By VERONICA CLEMONS CkronicUSuft Writer The requests by some people to have Larry Leon Hamlin move the National Black Theatre Festival to another city may be given serious consideration if the foundcg and artistic director of the event does not get increased support from the city. "Until you hear differently, the festival will be here/ Hamlin said "The location will depend on the amount of funds that we will be able to attract from this area." Hamlin asked the city to contribute $50,000 to this year's festival. The S220 million city budget originally has allotted the request but alderman unanimously approved an amended budget that reduced the $50,000 to $35,000, the same amount contributed to the 1993 Festival. City Manger Bill Stuart recom mended that the Festival should only receive that amount form the Occupancy Tax Fund to maintain its level of prior support. East Ward Alderman Joycelyn V. Johnson supported the board's decision because the Festival receives funding from other sources. Hamlin said he would ask the city for $150,000 for the 1996 festival which will be the event's fifth year. Fred Nordenholz, president of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, said it was too early to know whether the Chamber can increase its commitment to the festival. The Chamber did double its contribution to the *95 event from $15,000 to $30,000. However, Nordenholz said there would be a void in the city if the festival were to change locations. "Everyone in the community would be disappointed if that happens," he said. "It's a special and unique event thai gives the community national recognition.* The festival brings national names and more than 20,000 people to the city for a week and has a profound effect on ill economic impact At the present, however, the noise level at the North Carolina Black Reper tory Company's officehas lowered. The festival staff is gone and the phones are not ringing off the hook with people catt ing about festival schedules or tickets, Hamlin says he is getting back to his see POOR page 13 ? FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 722-8624 ?