OPINION - - T= J 5=r The Chronicle ERNERT H. PITT hMuhrnco-romJtr NdIIIII CittNONYl CfhrumUr Elaine Pitt i*?**? maw Fannie Hendeeaon ajtmitrng uanaur t" iERI YOLNC Sianagmt BJlivr Talk has always been the norm for race panels - President Clinton has said that if his race panel's initia tives wind up as just talk, it will not be enough. He's certain ly right. But, even in saying that, he seemed to imply that the panel's anemic proposals for continued support of his affir mative action policies, stronger efforts at preventing police abuse and the elimination of racial disparity in drug sen tencing probably won't go anywhere. Considering the sharp rise in racially motivated hate ? crimes, all-out political assault against affirmative action in California and other states, and the never-ending gut of social programs for the poor, this a tragedy. The fact that Clinton is unable or unwilling to put any political mu?cle behind the panel's proposals pretty much dooms it to be yet another commission on race that makes recommendations for reform that are quickly and quietly for gotten. But, none of this should be surprising. Commissions that are set up to deal with racial problems are notorious for rehashing tne same problems, and then either talking or studying tnem into oblivion. In fact it's a long-standing joke that tne best way not to deal with racial issues is to form a commission and have it study them to death. A quarter of a caitury ago psychologist Kenneth Clark figured out that this is a favorite technique: stonewalling racial solutiona He told the Kerner Commission, established by Lyndon Johnson to investigate the cause of the riots that rocked America's cities in 1967, that he had read the reports of nine other "blue-ribbon" commissions that studied racial problems. And, he hoped that things would be different with < It. They weren't. The commission proposed what appeared to be bold reforms in housing, education, employment and social ser vices. But, not one of the major recommendations was ever implemented. Johnson, like Clinton today, was knee deep in political woes with the Vietnam War and the mounting attacks on his failed Great Society program! Johnson imme diately tabled the commission's recommendation! The big problem is the make-up and tunnel-vision aims of the commission! They are established by directives from presidents, governors or mayor! The members are almost always politicians, businessmen, civil right leaders and schol ar! The people they call on to testify about racial conditions are the same types. They conclude that poverty, discrimination and police abuse are the prime reasons for racial discord; and they pro pose the standard social remedies such as more jobs, more funds for social programs and better police-community rela tion! The commission! and that includes the "radical" Kerner Commission, probe in only the most superficial way the causes for the deep historical divisions of race and class in America. They are careful not to assign major blame for those problems on corporations or political institutions. They make no demands on them to come up with real pro grams and commit real resources to deal with racism and poverty. ' Clinton's race panel ? for a brief moment ? got the pub lic talking about racial problem! But, as with all the other racial commissions of the past that's all it did. Perhaps that was all it ever intended to ao. V' f Earl Ofari Hutchinson is columnist for the National News paper Publishers Association. To the Editor: Thit letter it written with urfent appeal to your reader* in the Happy Hill* Community and Wintton-Salem State Univertity who vote at the Sim* Center. We thould be aahamed of our telvet for pur ditmal turnout to vote in the recent 12th Dittrict Congrentional race. We can and mutt do better. We all know how diverte tpirited thote Republicant are. Yet, tome of ut are ditap pointed, hurt and anjry with our Pretident. However, in the rejec tion that the newt media it forcing on ut, let u* pleatc not reject the politic* that Pretident Clinton hat put in place and which continue to lervc ut to well. The challenge! before thit city, itatc and nation are ttill poverty. homclcMnctt, teen pregnancy, the migration of our young people, the elderly and the environment. Hopefully, The Chronicle will print a map of our new 12th Con grettional Dittrict to that everyone who it regiitered in Happy Hillt will get out and vote on Nov, 3. If not rcgittered, tee me, go to any Public Library or call the Board of Electioni at (336) 727-2162. It it to very necettary that my people vote in thit next election. Floy Howie, Precinct Chairman Sims Center, Happy Hllla Gardens V P.S. Not one itudent voted from WSSU. We mutt continue to educate thete young people that too many died and tu/iered to get the right to vote. Register To Vote To the Editor: We all know the history behind the right to vote movement in this country, but it is our responsibility to make sure that everyone becom ing of voting age should know that history also And exercise that right. For too many times we have stood by and watched while the gains we have made over the years are taken away, one by one. For during every election now, it becomes more and more critical that we work together to register everyone and make iure they vote on election day. The voter turnout it getting worte with each paMing election. And that only meant that the people are having leu tay-to in how our tax dollart are being ipent, leu tay-to in how our tchoolt are. run, leu tay-to in the judicial tyitem, and leu fairneu, leu iuitice, leu equality and leu freedom. The deadline to regiiter to vote in the Nov. 3 election it Friday, Oct, 9. The Black Leadership Koundtablc encourage* all individ ual*. churche*, organization*, col lege* and neighborhood associa tion* to take an active role in mak ing sure everyone i* registered and that they go out to vote on election day. For if we fail to vote, we have no voice or sayio in thi* Democra tic *y*tem which govern* every aspect of our live* from the day we are born until the day we die. Reg ister! Vote ! It's your right! Black Leadership Roundlable \ >? ' - taf Let's choose to be healthy Junlous Hltmro gtmnton Guest Column i "Many people believe that , health is the absence of physical ' symptoms. For me health Is about being at one with your environment, being at one with your God, being at ] one with yourself Health Li not Just physical, health Li mental and emo tional as well. Health Is very much lied to your mental and emotional ' slate." - Dr. Andrea Sullivan, Nature- ' pathic Physician We are in a health crisis in this country. Africans in America suffer 1 disproportionately higher rates of I life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, dia- J betes, obesity, addictions, cancer i and HIV/AIDS. When you add the 1 depression, frustration and anper J which triogcr the abuse, homicide , and escalating suicide rates, the | implications or negative health are mind-boggling. We are literally killing ourselves. Optimum health require* men tal. emotional, spiritual and physi cal well-being, harmony ana bal ance. Our health and well-being are our responsibility. We cannot expect a socioeconomic and politi cal-system that communicates to us daily that we are second-rate, to be concerned about our well-being. The stresses of living in a thor oughly racist society have not abat ed. Despite preposterous assertions that America is a color-blind, equal opportunity society, the Tacts tell a decidedly difTerent story. Our dilemma ? confronting and dealing with the hypocrisy and obvious contradictions between rhetoric and reality. Good health is the result of a combination of things balance and harmony in mind, spirit and body. If one is ill, the first step toward wellness is recognizing that you are ill and deciding to become leallhy and whole. By whole I mean complete, fit, well-integrutcd. We are ill. Look at the statistics Look at our communities! How do w become whole? By no longer ooking outside ourselves lor acceptance, validation or affection. We are magnificent and wonderful. We mu*t reprogram ourselves for |ood health and wellnea by getting in touch with our divinity within. The iaolation, alienation and ichizophrenia that pervade* thi* society can be tranicended. We^juit have to regain control of our mind* and think for ourselves. We don't have to accept Caucasian idea* about God. We certainly don't have to accept their definition* of us. We are fully capable of defining our selves for ourselves. The uune intel ligence and power that guide* the ttar* and planet* keep* our heart* beating regularly, digests our food and control* our body temperature. We are ipiritual being* clothed in physical bodies. As such, it i* our responsibility to keep our bodies tuned in harmony with the in dwelling spirit and intelligence. The be*t way to do that is to give it plen ty of water, fresh, wholesome foods, adequate rest, relaxation and recreation, and by thinking, Npeaking and adopting a lifestyle consistent with being tnc custodian of the vehicle that houses a spark of God. I know it's hard when we are bombarded with advertising which prompt* ui to overindulge and encourages gluttony and con ipicuoui convumption. Nevertheless, we can think and ..act in our own beit interests. Truit me. I understand how difficult it !? when you are under ttreia and you feel overwhelmed by life. But, you are greater than you realize. You have problem!? Overeat ing, drinking and drugging can't lolve them! Being proactive and reiourceful will. We are fully equipped to deal with whatever life lend! our way. - Our health and the future of the race and planet are at itake. We cannot attune to or reeitabliih MA'AT if we are addicted to food, substunccH, sex, work or our ene mien' value*. We must purposely choose to be healthy, sane and whole. It is within our capabilities and well worth the effort. The rewards are improved vitality, men tal and physical functioning and quality or life. It's a "win-win situ ation. Let's decide to be healthy and do what it takes to make it so. You may contact Junlous Stan ton at e-mail address: JRSwriteiij^aol. com Voices from the commit., _ _____ The CI A A basketball tournament will convene in Winston-Salem for at least one more year. This past Tuesday, city leaders sent off a bid to keep the tournament for another three years. Raleigh, Fayetteville and Richmond, Va. are the other cities in contention for the tournament. We asked Winston-Salem residents about their thoughts on it. ?/ (/" /?'a fofn* to he kepi here, I helieve there should he more ways for hlack entrepreneurs to benefit from It." 9 Jomoi Thompson "They should go on ahead and keep It. I don't see anv proNem with It." f (llAU/Ara %wfw "Iguess It's a good thing (f it's in the stale of N.C. ? Raleigh and Fayettevllle are good ? (hut) living in Winston-Salem now, I would pre fer It to keep in Winston. It brings revenue to the community and it gives Nacks a place to get together. It's like a big reunion foreach college except they are doing it all together and it's good for basketball fans " I*|ImW Smith "I worked last year with my fra ternity and wr had a booth at the col iseum. You could see the growth every year. In the first year a lot of people didn't know about it but now everybody? looks at It like an annual e\