OPINION
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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\