Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / March 20, 1975, edition 1 / Page 2
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.etiiidb tcoiMJ . -T . - Black Press Catalyst To Economic Development TO ~ BE EQUAL * UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG BLACK > YOUTHS-41 Z NY. Tines ^ _\Sv With Black people shunted aside by the Nixon administration, in some measure taken for granted by the Democrats-who think they have no place to go-the two major politi cal parties,, somehow reflect the society around them. It is in this climate that the Black Press of America observes its 148th birth day. It is in this state of national crisis that the Black Press finds itself and faces perhaps, its most challenging moment. .. With un'employment hitting a high for the majority of Americans, fig ures show Black Americans at three times the figure. The Black youth hits a four-times level, far beyond what economists rate as “depres sion figures”. Despite this, however, Black people have managed to sur vive, becoming in the meantime, highly skilled economic strategists with limited resources in a land of plenty. . .As President Ford and economists urge more active spending to help alleviate the recession, statistics show that Blacks have long been consistent supporters of a viable and ■ active economy. Having literally • invested in the whole of America, Blacks spend, porportionatley, more than any other group in America. This priming of the economic pump by Black Americans has been re fined over the years by the guidance provided by the Black Press. ..As never before, Blacks have be come sensitive to those corporations and companies that have recognized their social responsibilities in turn ing back to minorities portions of the financial strengths of this country. .. The Black Press, founded to pro test the evil of racism and slavery, nourished on a crusade to bring legal equality to its readership, now finds itself fighting to bring Black Ameri cans into the economic mainstream. ..The Black Press, through its pa ges and its personnel, has taken the message to the corporate board rooms, seeking economic parity. It is no longer a seat at a lunch counter or a soda at a dime store fountain. It is now room for a Black supplier, a Black insurance broker and an offer to merchandise goods and services in its widely read columns. .. This is the role of the Black Press today, speaking to its readership as only it can. ‘This is the articulate and credible spokesman for 25 mil lion Americans who still find the American dream something to be hoped for and fought for. .. The Black Press will continue in this role, because the complete and ultimate freedom of this country depends upon the freedom of us all. That is the challenge that facesHhe Black Press, still true in the spirit of our founding fathers, John B. Russ wurm and the Rev. Samuel E. Cor nish. VERNON E. JORDAN JR. Whitney Young Remembered Whitney Young died four years ago this month, and the loss of this great man to the nation is readily seen in this time of faltering leadership and national confusion. ... . .For Whitney was a great leader, a man who could get things done. And he was a man rooted in an assured sense of self and mission that made his every word and deed ring with authority. ..Remembering his great impact, I recently re-read some of his books and other writings,' mdfcy of which are strikingly relevant today. In, this time of rising poverty, for example, it is good to recall his profoundly humanist state ment: “No one is meant to live in poverty — and no one is meant to tolerate the wrongs of oppression. Where poverty exists, all are poorer; where hate flourishes, all are corrupted; where injustice reigns, all are unequal. Our society is as strong as its weakest link - thus the links that bind black and white, poor and rich must be strengthened or we all will perish. Every man is our brother, and every man’s burden our own. Now is the time for the poor, the black, the oppressed, to unite and to turn our society around — for our own sakes and for society’s sake.” ..And participants in the on-going furor over “quotas” would do well to think about these lines, taken from his discussion of the “Open Society” in his book, “Beyond Racism”: . .“An Open Society has to be based on equality. This means neither the superficial ‘equality of opportunity’ that gets so much Up service these days, nor does it mean an impossible equaUty of Hie Black Community Must Lend A Hand REPORT FROM .Washington_ Conversation With 9th District Residents ..Recently, while visiting in my Congressional District of Iredell, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg counties, ’ I had the opportunity to talk with a number of people about their views on the state of the economy and how they viewed the problems of this country. I was pleasantly surprised by the reactions given by those with whom I talked. They were optimistic about the future, even though some had lost their jobs or had been laid off because of the economy. . .1 asked their opinions on the eco nomy, and the War in Southeast Asia.-For the most part, we talked about the economy and the energy crisis. .. I was heartened and reassured by the attitudes I found In most people who talked to me in the three counties. While most people were concerned about the economy and knew that we are in for some rough sledding, there was an abiding con fidence that we would pull through. It was almost a spiritual confidence In the American system and the economy. Even people who were themselves out of work, or had some member of their family out of work, regarded our economic problems as something they would have to temp orarily endure. They felt they could endure the troubled times. One lady who had been working at a textile Proposed Food Stamps . Congress’ move to block President Ford’s attempt to raise the price of food stamps for almost all 17 million users of them was a resounding success. Both House and Senate, by overwhelming margins, passed a bill to stop the price increase from taking effect on the first of this . month and to continue the program mill, had used the time to get her garden started. She felt that would be to her advantage when she goes back to work, saying she would already have the work behind her. I noticed that she did not say IF she went back to work. She was very positive on the subject. ..Regarding aid to Cambodia and Vietnam, while in Lincolnton and Mooresville I asked everybody I met the question: “should the U.S. spend money for weapons for Cambodia and South Vietnam with which to defend themselves?" ..The response to the question was fairly evenly divided. Some felt we need the money more at home. Others felt we should not abandon people trying to defend themselves from Communist attack. .. In Congress, I think it is clear that the majority of the membership wants to end aid to Southeast Asia, regardless of the consequences. The Democratic Caucus, which Is pretty much in control, has made that decision, and they’ve got the votes to do whatever they like. The Ironic thing Is that after they cut off aid to these countries and they are overrun by the North Vietnamese and the Communists, the Democratic Cauc us will probably find someway to place blame on the Ford Admini stration. Price Boost Defeated j unchanged for the rest of the year. . .The vote In the House was 374-to-38 and In the Senate the margin was 7«-to4. . .Faced with margins much greater than the two thirds needed to over ride a veto, President Ford chose to let the bill become law without his signature. Hcoievemem uiai assumes everyone will ao well as an impossible equality of achievement that assumes everyone will do as well as everyone else, regardless of innate differences. The mea sure of equality has to be group achievement: when, in each group in our society, roughly the same proportion of people succeed and fail, then we will have true equality." ..Washington officials who want to cut corners on federal spending by trimming social security payments to the aged or raising food stamp costs to the unemployed would do well to re-read Whitney’s pioneering views about public spend ing for public needs: "I stand in amazement at a nation that produces about a trillion dollars worth of goods and services per year but feels it cannot afford to end poverty or to improve its schools. . ."Part of the reason seems to be that we have a strange notion that investing is spending. When a business borrows money to build a new plant, we call it investment and consider it good. But when a city builds a new scchoolhouse - really an investment in the human potentials of Its child ren - we say that’s government spendlng.there fore bad. .."The problem is not mere semantics, it’s a reflection of.a basically immoral outlook on human development in a nation that simply can no longer afford to waste its human resources the way it has in the past. . ."This country has mastered the art of landing a man on the moon, but it remains Ignorant of the ways of feeding all its people and teaching all its children." . .Above all, Whitney was a believer. He believed in change, and perhaps more important, in the capacity of this nation to change: .. "1 do have faith in America - not so much in a sudden upsurge of morality nor in a new surge toward a greater patriotism* Martin Offers Grime Control Bill Legislation The Post is happy to note that a political leader has offered a crime control legislation that has teeth. ..Jim Martin, the Ninth District Congressman, has a plan that should considerably reduce crime in the Charlotte area. According to Mr. Martin, a review of the figures contained in the 1973 FBI Uniform Crime Reports reveals an alarming trend. He pointp out that during the period 1968 to 1973, there was a 42 percent increase in the number of aggravated assualts, and a 60 per cent increase in the number of armed robberies. Firearms were the type weapon predominantly used in the commission of these crimes. In 1973, 67 percent of the murders, 66 percent of the robberies, and 26 percent of the aggravated assualts were committed with the use of a firearm. .. Martin proposes to do something about this. His legislation, Imposing more severe sentences for the use of a firearm while committing a crime, was introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives last week. .. The bill provides that anyone con victed of a crime with the use of a firearm may be sentenced to an additional prison term of five to 15 years. A second offense would result in a 10 to 30 year sentence. The courts would not be allowed to re duce the term by Imposing the sentences concurrently with any term of imprisonment imposed for the actual commission of a crime. . .Congressman Martin went on re cord opposing a handgun control bill before Congress that would prohibit private ownership of pistols and handguns with the exceptions for antique guns, licensed gun clubs and law enforcement personnel. ..Martin’s reasons were easily ex plainable. He states he opposes the bill “on Constitutional grounds be cause the Constitution says, flat out, that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be Infringed. Prohibition would certainly Infringe that right.’’ .. Martin’s bill gets at the problem of illegal use of firearms pnd serves notice to all people that severe penalties will be imposed for com mitting a crime with a firearm. ..We believe the record will show that the courts have been far too lenient in punishing anyone convic ted of a crime with the use of a firearm. It could well be that impos ing more severe sentences for the use of firearms is where the prob lems lie. THE CHARLOTTE POST -as isec ic nn/\n« mm . __ ADworAriLn Established 1918 By A.M. Houston Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. 9139 Trinity Road - Charlotte, N.C. 28216 Telephones (704 ) 392-1306 - 392-1307 Circulation 11,000 Bill Johnson.Editor - Publisher Gerald O. Johnson.Business Manager Robert L. Johnson.Circulation Manager Second Class Postage Paid at Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878 Member National Newspaper Publisher! Association —.— National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc 45 W. 5th, Suite 1403 2400 S. Michigan Ave New York, N.Y. 10036 Chicago. 111. 60616 489-1220 Calumet 5-0200 Black Dominance Hurting Basketball By Gerald O. Johnson daughter 17. Now, If this male was reaUy a basketball enthusiast he would have to applaud the merits of 'people like Walt Frasier, Kareem Abdul. Jabbar, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Len Wlikens, Lucius Allen and the like. These names would become household words. There fore, the daughter who Idolises her father will naturally Idolise people who her father Idolises. Once the father realises this, he Immediately tries to rectify this situation by seeking new sports with whites that can be idolized. ,.. Another consideration Is the arena 'location. In places like Philadelphia Atlanta, and Baltimore whites will not be caught In downtown areas after dark. Since most pro games are played at night, this can lead to problems. Those arenas located in 'suburban areas are having much better attendance records than those arenas in downtown areas., . Then there Is that old ego buster ... jealousy. Most whites' get outraged at the salaries the superstars make. Even Don Crickeet, T.V. Sport announcer made a statement con cerning Bill Walton and Walt Fra iler. b ..Crickeet said he admired Walton 'because he didn't waste his money on clothes and cars like Frailer ^td. He said this on nationwide T.V. so you can Imagine how the ordinary. Joe must feel. So, it looks like basketball is head ing for a fate worse than boxing; pro basketball, anyway. I don’t know about the other superstars, but I am learning to ice skate myself!!! In a recent article by Doug Smith of Nowaday "Black Dominance Hurting Pro Basketball", it was stated that pro basketball Is a box office failure because Blacks have dominated the courts. ..Some very interesting figures were thrown in to help substantiate this argument. The most interesting vital statistic was that the World Hockey League has had an increase of over 47 per cent of last season’s , attendance. Pro basketball has had only a 14 per cent cent increase during the same period. . .The article further contended that hockey has become famous because it is an all white sport and that the spectators want whites to idolize as jSports heros. | ..As sad as it sounds it is true. Another road for getting Blacks out of the ghetto is being road blocked under the guise of capitalism. ..But the reasons, I feel go much deeper than was reported by Mr. Smith in his article; hence I will elaborate. ..Imagine a white male with a 4
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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