FORUM
Lessons from Yassir Arafat to Minister Louis Farrakhan
Yassir Arafat of the Palestinian Liberation Organization is a lot
like Minister Louis Farrakhan. They share some tenets of Islam. Both
have exercised immense stature in a world of politics overlain with
religion and race for many years. Arafat and Farrakhan are representa
tives of organizations and spokesmen for people whom both portray as
"despised ... living in distressing and despotic conditions."
Both have described their people, the Palestinians and (inner city)
African Americans as "victims of tyrannical politics." Both have long
experienced resistance to their positions and sometimes to their very
LIFT EVERY VOICE
By BILL TURNER
presence. Both have been hated for what they represent and for what
they say. Both continue to fight for the same thing. One of them has
changed.
Lately, Arafat has made some recasts of himself and his approach.
The results of the "New Arafat" are instructive to Mr. Farrakhan. Yas
sir Arafat, long screened through a public image of pariah and mad
man, has long found himself cloaked as the shadowy figure in Middle
Eastern politics: the demonized, pistol-toting and crafty terrorist,
someone no one could ignore, but whom few wanted to deal with. That
has changed. There is a new Arafat.
In a trip to the United States earlier this
month, he said, "We are looking for a new
era; why put obstacles in front of it."
Seems that he and his advisors figured out
that he ? and his image as the aggressive
and non-compromising "Arab" ? was the
heart of the problem of miscommunication
with the Jewish people. On the larger stage,
Arafat ? or at least his image -? was the
major hurdle and hindrance between the
Palestinian people and the world's under
standing of their claims.
On his official visit to the United
States, Arafat was warmly greeted, like a
visiting head of state, at the United Nations
in New York. Arafat and his ?oup ? the Palestinian Authority ? met
with the 15 members of the Security Council of the United Nations.
Near Plains, Ga., tourists waited in line for hours to view Arafat in
the company of former President Jimmy Carter. Former President
George Bush and former Secretary of State James A. Baker held a din
ner for him in Houston. Most significantly, Arafat had the once
unthinkable invitation to address a New York City breakfast of the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
The lion sat with the lamb and neither told the other which used to
be thought of as which. "We've come a long way," said the past presi
dent of the conference, Howard Squadron. Arafat went back to Gaza
? literally the high ground ? with public opinion in his favor. In fact.
President Clinton rebuked a recent decision by Israel to build housing
in East Jerusalem. Arafat's new approach ? based on the value of
advocating his people's posUtQP Vyit^OMt adversarial ? has bro
ken the pattern of tha$|jji|pFMat<rs rouftfietred habitual rejection of
any UN actions thought to be uni*ua^|M*ferae 1.
There was a lesson NTUi^jtlsljlh Minister Louis Far
rakhan, who has alwIjpdAWlr^^cMragHfctved inconsistencies
between what he htt said in thefEt about (American) Jews ? and
their relations with African Americans. FyjakhaQ^s constantly having
to state and restate i)irpositid?fr^ttyri?ues. Hisp3<fer and leadership
to settle some of the dihlcult^udBM^il^gpg American blacks and
Jews suffer because
Farrakhan needs to be IflceXrafat. Ae needs to step back from the
fire and brimstone and critiqgfng, and ins&ad embrace some confirm
ing and positive crusades toj^ndeethe&pps in black-Jewish relations.
If Farrakhan did this*-?- (MImm ways to get black and white
Christians and Muslims aadfeta|y(^uuthe table of partnership and
negotiation ? the respect fk^JHflMP^tgrves would come much
easier, and he would pot lose any face.
Why can't you, Mr. FarrtUmi^^ Arafat seems to have done
penance, what you Wight call areiwlwlnt In so doing, he removed a
high barrier not only between his people and the Jews, but between us
and the need we all have to shape a future that gives peace a fighting
chance.
(Bill Turner is a regular freelance columnist for the Chronicle.)
t
Urban League Supports Baptist Hospital Proposal
I am compelled to add my points to the dialogue and decision
points relative to the proposal by Baptist Hospital/Bowman Gray
School of Medicine of Wake Forest University to the County Com
mission to assume management and delivery of health services, thus
replacing the county-run Reynolds Health Center. I do so both from
personal and professional perspectives.
First the professional. The organization I represent in our com
munity ? the National Urban League ? each year publishes its
"State of Black America" report. Our presiuent, Mr. Hugh Price,
often notes that "health issues in the black community ? infant mor
tality, cancer, AIDS and numerous other health problems ? afflict
the black community disproportionately, and in many cases these dis
parities continue to increase."
We know that health issues in the black communities of our
nation are closely linked to racism, sexism and classism, which
makes clear the need for inclusive conversations when major deci
sions are being made, and we need holistic responses to meet the
needs of all citizens.
I have been encouraged by the approach of the Medical Center
having shown their sensitivity to these concerns. I have talked with
persons on both sides of the issue ? building a new facility or
remodeling the present one. The Center has proposed that it will
assure that 1) access and the quality of care will be enhanced for East
Winston citizens ? especially the indigent ? whose costs will not
go up as a result of the change in management and administration; 2)
the old facility will be made available to the county to fulfill other
needed purposes; 3) a joint community Medical Center advisory
board will be established; 4) it will continually expand and nourish
the element of trust in the community through open and honest com
munications; 5) consultation with Winston East community leaders
on naming the new facility;- and 6) assure job stability to Reynolds
Health Center employees in good standing at the present facility.
GUEST COLUMN
By DELORES "D" SMITH
For these reasons, the Winston-Salem Urban League, with its
human and organizational resources, recommends that the county
commissioners accept the Medical Center's proposal to assume man
agement of the delivery of health services now provided by Reynolds
Health Center.
For personal reasons, I wish to go on record in support of the
Medical Center's proposal because I am a firm believer in preventive
medicine, which the Center (as an educational institution) is far bet
ter able to provide than our county government. 1 unequivocally trust
the endorsement of Dr. Charlie Kennedy and his health care provider
colleagues, who went on record that the new facility and its policies
will not only be innovative, but importantly, culturally sensitive and
will significantly raise the level of health care for all concerned.
I pledge my full support to the implementation of the Medical
Center proposal and to help, as appropriate, to take a proactive stance
which will lead to improved health care for the East Winston com
munity.
The Winston-Salem Urban League is uniquely qualified to assist
Bowman Gray/Baptist Hospital in this new venture. We are here to
help shape the ways to integrate the social, environmental economic,
psychological and physiological elements that go into health and
wellness.
1 strongly recommend and implore our county commissioners to
accept the Medical Center's proposal and 1 ask all citizens of Win
ston-Salem ? East, West, North and South ? to get behind this new
effort to improve health care and disease prevention. We're all in this
together, for a better Winston-Salem.
(Delores Smith is president and chief executive officer of the
Winston-Salem Urban League.)
Working Parents Squeezed Out of Health Care System
\
At the end of each month, Tom and Michelle Lancaster would
.gather up all the new medical bills that poured into their
Vestaburg, Pa., home and tuck them into a quiet corner of the liv
ing room.
"All I can do is stick those bills somewhere out of the way,"
said Michelle, who, along with her husband Tom, is struggling to
make ends meet and yet makes too much to qualify for Medicaid
for themselves and their three daughters. "I just got two bills in
the mail for over $1,000.
I really want to pay them, but I can't do anything about them
right now. My kids have to be fed, we have to have heat in the
house, and we can't do without electricity."
Although Michelle works full-time and Tom works 20 hours a
week ? he goes to technical school for another 20 hours ? nei
ther is provided health insurance through his or her job. Their
mortgage costs $184 a month, and their monthly grocery bill is
over $100. They no longer have a car payment because their car
was recently repossessed. Together, they earned $15,000 last year.
The Lancasters' middle daughter, Candi, age 9, has asthma
and other medical complications, which cost $300 a month to
treat. And all three children and both parents have caught the flu
several times this winter and visited doctors. In addition, Michelle
broke her arm and Tom had to get extensive tests to see if he had a
blood clot in his lungs. They are still waiting for the results of his
exams ? and the latest stack of medical bills.
"A lot of people forego doctor visits for their kids because
they can't afford it," said Michelle, who suffers from asthma too.
."But I would never do that to my kids. If they get sick, we go to
n in m m m m hi m m a a a a m
the doctor, they bill me, and we do the best we can to pay I can
only give what I have."
The good news is that the Lancasters were notified just days
after the original interview for this column that they now qualify
for a special Pennsylvania health insurance plan that will cover
the children.
bad news is that there are millions of other parents in
By MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN
CHILDWATCH
America who work hard every day to provide for their families
and still earn too little to afford private health insurance and too
much to qualify for Medicaid ? and there is no special state plan
to rescue their families.
Ten million American children ? one in seven ? lack health
insurance, mainly because their parents have been squeezed out of
the health care system because of high insurance costs. Many of
these families are forced to live from paycheck to paycheck with
few choices but to pray and hope their children will stay healthy.
This is wrong, and we must insist that our political leaders pro
? ????? m a a a a a a a a a a ???? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
vide coverage.
Too many children suffer with ailments that would otherwise
be treated routinely by doctors. Studies show that most uninsured
children with asthma, like Candi, and one-third of uninsured chil
dren with recurring ear infections never see a doctor during the
year. Many children with asthma are hospitalized with preventable
problems, and many children with untreated ear infections suffer
permanent hearing loss. Some children never get a healthy start in
life, as at least 400,(XX) pregnant women a year are uninsured and
often lack access to critical prenatal and postnatal care Every day,
hundreds of low-birthweight babies are born to mothers who
received late or no prenatal care.
Every child deserves a healthy start in life. Providing health
coverage for 10 million children, mostly of hard-working families
that are playing by the rules, is morally right and economically
necessary. Write, call, and meet with your state and federal legis
lators. and sign and circulate petitions in your congregations,
clubs, or places of work during lunch, urging federal officials to
vote for sound health coverage for all children.
(Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children's
Defense Fund, which coordinates the Black Community Cru
sade for Children (BCCC), whose mission is to leave no child
behind and ensure every child a healthy, head, fair, safe, and
moral start in life. For more information about the BCCC, call
(202) 628-8787.)
? ? mm / / / / /////// a
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