OPINION
I The Chronicle
Ernest H. Pitt
Ndubisi Egemonye
, ' Sharon Hodge
Elaine Pitt
Pannie Henderson
Carol Trader
Pub!isheriCo-Founder \
Co-Founder \
Editor I
Business Manager /
Advertising Manager
Production Manager
y ? X/ oiaaJaDon
tmrntmm
Minority contracting is
Cavanagh's first test
Winston-Salem Mayor Jack Cavanagh says he wants to do more
than pay lip service to the concerns of his black constituents. He wants
the policies of city government to reflect those concerns. That's what
Cavanagh says.
The fact that he met with a group of concerned black people almost
immediately after taking office is considered by some to be an indica
tion of his sincerity. It may be. We, however, believe the true test will be
in how significantly policies do in fact change.
The first opportunity has already presented itself. During last week's
meeting with state and local NAACP leadership, the city's commitment
to contracting with black companies was challenged. After that meet
ing, both the mayor and the NAACP said that the Minorities and
Women Business Enterprise program was one of the two issues left
unresolved. The other was affirmative action.
For some time, blacks who want to make sure minority businesses
have a fair shot at getting government contracts have had a problem
with the way the M/WBE program has been administered. One legiti
mate complaint is that the program has been denied the management
necessary to fulfill its purpose.
Since its creation in 1983, the M/WBE program has been reorga
i nized. And during the evolution, time-consuming responsibilities have
been added, support staff has dwindled, and respect for the program
has waned. Cavanagh agrees with the NAACP's assertion that the
implication, if not the reality, is that Winston-Salem has a half-hearted
commitment to the program.
The latest report on the M/WBE program was released this week.
The information contained in it substantiates the NAACP's allegations.
Winston-Salem tracks spending in four areas: materials and services,
construction and demolition, discretionary spending and subcontract
ing activity. Is it mere coincidence that in each category the city spends
more money dealing with white women than black men and women
combined?
In the materials and services category, for example, the city awarded
less than 1 percent of the $35.6 million to minority-owned companies.
At first glance, the appearance is that 5.7 percent of those purchases
and services were provided by minorities. The reality is that companies
owned by white women got the lion's share. They garnered five times the
amount of purchases made from black vendors.
A strong argument could be made challenging the notion that the
city has a responsibility to recruit contractors and suppliers, black or
otherwise. Some people believe that a successful company will actively
compete for a share of the city's business. Since tax dollars are being
used, however, it is reasonable to expect the city to do its best at pur
chasing from vendors and contractors representing all segments of the
community.
Currently, the city is not doing all that can be done with the
resources available. We're not suggesting that quotas or set-asides be
used to increase minority participation.
The state Transportation Board is under a microscope right now
because people with the power to make decisions on spending decided
to help themselves or their friends and relatives. Few, if any of those
alleged to have benefited from the debacle are black.
Before the state began its investigation into improprieties of indi
vidual board members, black legislators had asked for a study on why
blacks receive only 1 percent of the $5 billion the state spends on road
projects. So there is some foundation to claims that blacks can be and
MN been excluded from lucrative government contracts.
* Of Course, the fact that state officials have been unfair in their deal
ings with contractors doesn't necessarily mean the same thing is also
going on in Winston-Salem. But it does make the possibility a little eas
ier to imagine.
The city has a program that, if structured properly, could make sure
that minority firms know when bids are requested, as well as what the
city requires of its contractors. Cavanagh has an opportunity to do
more than talk about commitment. He could give this program what it
needs and deserves: a director, not a coordinator stripped of respect by
other city employees.
It is silly to expect the person who runs this program to also admin
ister other programs, which take time away from the true purpose ?
creating equal opportunities for minorities and women in business in
this city. It seems apparent that the city has mastered the task of doing
work with women. Now it's time to live up to the program's name. The
next move is the mayor's.
I
\ ??*!
The Qvonick iwfcimw IiHwi at woM at jirwf eaktmnt front bt rood
art. Lmttmrt thouM bo at concitm at pottMa and thoufd bo typod or lagMy
printmd. lb wmw Iho outbonMty of Ihm bum, you mutt Indudo Ihm noma,
addrott ond tolophono numbor of tho writor. Columnt mutt
our gonocol roodorthip. Tti* Chronicle wf not pubtsh any loUort or cobimns
6tn*o6 JMJLM ujalikA.^ bAain saa ? aL? J?La ^ laJ^M noo^A
wrwfMw OfifTv wiiimUi TwltM miw niwiivfl. Wf IW0I VV rn# rfyfrr TO KMr wnvr* owv
columnt for bravity ond clarity. Submit lottorr and columns tot
Chronidm Modbag, HO. boo 1636, Wlntton-Salmm, NC 37102. f-ma?
addrossi wschronOnotundmbodjtat >j
. ,f1
Patient rights need
attention
To the Editor.
This letter is for females ? Do
you think male aides should bathe
female patients without their con
sent? Should President Clinton add
on to the Patient Bill of Rights a
penalty for neglect and abuse? It is
happening in some of our hospitals
today.
Marie Stanley
Chronicle
\mighty dam good'
To the Editor
I confess, I can no longer hold
my piece. I am so impressed with
The Chronicle ? so impressed that
each week I say that I m going to
write to you. But you know the deal;
we do not always follow through.
Well, when I saw the front page
cover on Art Milligan Jr, a man I
deeply admire and respect, I said,
"That's it, I'm going to write to the
paper."
Please tell your staff that their
work does not go unnoticed or
unappreciated. I look forward to
receiving The Chronicle each week
because I know I will have a funda
mental knowledge of the happen
ings in the Triad and elsewhere as
well.
I've long since stopped placing
only racial classification on this
paper. True, we need an instrument
that will reflect the positive contribu
tions of the African-American expe
rience, but The Chronicle is just a
darn good paper. Period. Excellence
is excellence no matter where it is
found. Your coverage is good ?
vastly superior to many of the
papers I read elsewhere. What can I
cay? You guys are just mighty darn
good!
1 read every page, every week.
Love your editorials and columns.
Also, I enjoy especially your calen
dar of business and community
events.
Ain't nothing like being informed.
Hats off also to your reporters, writ
ers, advertising (yes, I take note of
the ads) and circulation people.
You are on target! So much so
that I extended my subscription for
an additional year. And know, as my
Momma says, "every closed eye ain t
sleep." We appreciate your great
work. Press on.
John Raye
Breaking the Chains ofX-mas
The rush of X-mas is once
again upon us. In the weeks from
Thanksgiving to New Year's Day,
consumers crazed by capitalist
induced consumerism will spend
hundreds of billion^ of dollars,
thereby bolstering the bottom line
of giant retail establishments. In
large measure the real meaning of
Christmas as the birthday of one
who came to liberate humanity
from suffering and bondage has
been buried by an almost obsessive
commercialism. Christmas has
become a prisoner of X-mas.
Unfortunately, African
Americans, an oppressed people
still plagued by racism and eco
nomic exploitation, are also
caught up in this counter produc
tive charade.
An oppressed people must be
deliberate and purposeful about
plotting their liberation. It should
be clear, therefore, that Africans in
America cannot afford to partici
pate in and support X-mas. El Hajj
Malik Shabazz, Malcolm X, called
upon black people to achieve liber
ation by "any means necessary."
One of the most important
weapons at our disposal as an
oppressed people in this capitalist,
greed driven nation is our hard
earned, precious dollars ? green
power! By some estimates, black
consumers now spend some 400
billion dollars each year, much of
which goes to feed huge business
es/corporations, which are the pil
lars of U.S. capitalism ? the
backbone of this oppressive sys
tem.
Beyond a few jobs, these corpo
rations contribute nothing to the
social and economic uplift of
black communities. Indeed, it is in
their best interest to keep us in
chains, slaves to a mindless con
sumerism that drains desperately
needed resources from our com
munities to fill their corporate cof
fers. X-mas is an integral part of
this scheme. I would venture to say
that black consumer dollars con
stitute the critical margin of profit
for most retail establishments dur
ing the X-mas season. In fact pro
portionately black consumers
spend more than any other group
during X-mas. And, since X-mas is
the make-or-break season for
retail concerns, the black dollar in
effect is the major factor ensuring
the profitability of these giant
companies on an annual basis.
We must break the chains of X
mas if we are serious about our
liberation, If the black nation can
mobilize millions of men and
women for the Million Man
March (MMM) and Million
Woman March (MWM), then we
should be able to educate, mobilize
and organize millions of captives
of X-mas to escape the plantation
of self-destructive consumerism
striking telling blows with a awe
some weapon, which we have in
our own hands ? black dollars.
For years Bob Law, host of the
nationally syndicated radio pro
gram Night Talk, has been urging
Africans in America to utilize eco
nomic sanctions as a means of
advancing our struggle. Simply
stated, economic sanction is with
holding our dollars from corpora
tions and business concerns
outside of our community for the
purpose of investing those dollars
in black businesses and communi
ty-based economic development
ventures inside our community.
For example, instead of spending
$1,000 on X-mas with retail estab
lishments outside of the black
community, you could make a con
scious decision to spend $1,000
with black businesses, or better
yet, invest $1,000 with one of the
economic development ventures
being organized by Dr. Claud
Anderson's Harvest Institute.
In addition to the economic
sanctions concept, I have been
advocating a full-scale boycott of
"white Christmas," tied to the
demand for reparations. Again, if
we can mobilize millions of people
for massive demonstrations like
the MMM and MWM, we must
use the same organizing skill, ener
gy and resources to mobilize mil
lions of people to use their dollars
to target a specific political ecor
nomic objective like reparations.
There is no better time than the X
mas season to flex our economic
muscle to strike a major blow for.
our liberation. I am still advocat
ing a highly publicized, well orgar
nized and effective boycott of
X-mas in the year 1999 to carry us
into the new century/millenniuQi
forcefully pressing the demand for
reparations.
An oppressed people must use
any and all means at its disposal to
achieve liberation, Africans in
America must use green power to
enhance our power/capacity as a
people to liberate ourselves. We
can withhold black dollars from
oppressive corporations that
undermine our potential for eco
nomic development and self-deter
mination. We can invest black
dollars in our own economic enter
prises and strengthen our econom-.
ic infra-structure. We have the
power in our own hands to liberate'
ourselves. But we will never be free
until we break the psychological
chains that bindvtis to the very sys
tem that is oppressing us.
Withdrawing our support from X- -
mas is a good place to begin the,
process of ending our bondage,
Vantage Point
Hon Danlmla
Response to Tragedy Must Be Positive
When a shooting incident occurred
an the Ifcnnessee State University cam
pus recently, claiming the life of a
young man, it helped to recall the truth.
We are not rnrmne; therefore, we are
not alone.
Wfe faced the choices many before
Ui have faced?many after us will face
them too We could freeze, immobile in
fan; or work together to find answers
and prevent other tragedies We could
retaliate with anger and point the fin
ger of blame at someone else, or we
could act out of concern and compas
sion and turn our energies toward
making tomorrow better than today.
Our students chose to participate
by being part of the solution. They rep
resent what TSU is all about a com
mitment to thinking, working and
serving, as our motto suggests. They
affirmed another truth for me: Action is
contagious.
The tragedy of that night turned
positive in light of how our students
acted when it occurred. They rallied
around each other first, staying up all
night to comfort each other and begin
to resolve their pain with the help of
university counselors. First thing the
next morning, they met with me to dis
cuss campus security. They talked with
candor and sensitivity and displayed a
diligence and maturity that would
make not only their families, but the
citizens of Nashville and Tennessee ?
people who invest both tax dollars and
private funds to ensure their,suooess ?
proud. The following evening they held
a candlelight vigil for the TSU family, a
time to grieve, share our strength, and
reflect on the inner values that enable
us to grow and change
TSU has enhanced its security in
many ways in recent years We hired a
full-time crime prevention counselor
two years ago. She conducts numerous
educational workshops and special
events in addition to individual coun
seling with students For some time, we
have had officers who patrol the cam
pus on bicycles and have installed
I
emergency phones throughout the
campus We initiated a neighborhood
watch last spring, knowing that the
partnership of TSU with the sur
rounding community will benefit all
people involved. Each year we host the
nonviolence rally following the city
wide march honoring Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. and his principles of
peace
In the wake of the recent shooting
incident, TSU has continued to expand
its services to make the campus safer.
Residence hall security officers,
who previously came on duty at 10
p.m., will be on post a few hours
1
earlier, and we will be reducing,
where possible, entry to each resi
dence hall to a single location after
dark. Students entering residence
halls now must show their student
identification cards to gain entry
beyond the lobby. Guests must
leave a picture identification at the
entrance desk, which will be
returned upon departure, in order
to be permitted to go beyond the
lobbies. Other security measures
include searching residence hall
rooms and student vehicles parked
on campus; installing card-key
entry systems in all residence halls,
where budget allows; and
installing security booths or guard
houses at strategic locations
throughout the campus.
Obviously, we cannot insulate
the campus from the world at
large. The problems that plague
our urban communities will find
their way onto our campus. What
we can and will do, however, is
make it exceedingly difficult for
either illegal drugs or weapons to
remain on our campus, and make
sure that those who are not
enrolled at TSU (as was the case
with the two men ? one killed and
one wounded) understand that
message.
Now, as we move forward in
the face of this tragedy, our prima
ry concern centers on the safety
and well-being of every member of
the TSU family. TSU has enjoyed
a rich heritage of talented and
dedicated students. As I move
about the campus, they stop me
and share with me their dreams for
tomorrow. My wish is that they
?
reach those dreams, and I will do
everything in my power to see that
their stay at TSU is both intellec
tually satisfying and personally
safe. That wish extends beyond the
bounds of the North Nashville
campus where I reside with them,
into our city, and ultimately into
our nation.
I venture to believe you experi
ence the same feelings as I do
when you glance at the headlines,
listen to the radio or watch the
news. A shooting at Tennessee
State University ... a stabbing at
Brentwood High near Nashville ...
a shooting ait Pearl High School
near Jackson, Miss. ... where does
it end?
I don't know. What I do know
from watching TSU students in
the wake of such a tragic event is
that the solution begins with us.
Tliey challenge us all to give posi
tive action a try.
James A. Hefner is the president
of Tennessee State University.
*
Guest Column
Jam9$ A. Hmfnmr