Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Nov. 6, 1975, edition 1 / Page 2
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emionAii c cominu Is The Black Church Doing Enough? —To men and women who are inti-, mately involved in and thus have a strong love for the Black Church, __ (and I proudly countjBysetf-among— preserrt period of seeming disaffection among our young people for the church is a troubling time indeed. I have alluded to this in a number of speeches and, of course, I am aware that noLonly black youth, but many other minority youth and yes, white youth, and indeed black and white adults are not as supportive of the churches as they might be. The church in general seems to have come upon lean times. But since my lifelong affiliation has been with the Black Church, I know this subject best and it is where my heart hurts most deeply. There are yet loyal followers of the Black Church which, I have stated over and over again, is the only strong black institution in our his tory that has survived and .... been the bridge over troubled waters. These faithful institutions keep alive the beacon light in a world that is often shrouded in mists of uncer tainty and darkness of doubt, and have done so since the days of its birth, growing out of a white church that refused to address blacks as equals in the sight of God and man. - Dr. C. Eric Lincoln, noted theolo gian and educator who has taught at Columbia and Fisk, talks about this in a two-part article in Tuesday Magazine. He notes “the two distinc .tive reactions to religion (which) are predictable” during widespread per iods of confusion, frustration and~r dispair: “some people will r61y less on traditional means of problem-sol ving and more on the assurance and security that religion offers them; others become increasingly impat ient with religion and ‘the church’ and may even demand evidence of what the church is doing to justify its existence. Criticism of organized religion,” he says, “..is almost al ways intensified when hopes and dreams seem to fall apart.” Dr. Lincoln reminds us that it is hard for folks to develop a sense of security when “change is very ra pid” as has been the case since • World War II, but that’s one of the important values of the church is that though the values change, they db so much more slowly and imper ceptably, “giving man something to hold on to as nthpr familiar grounds keep slipping from under him.” For those who in times of stress and rapid change-our disaffected youth and some indefferent adults— question the church’s worth, it might be well to remember that black religion is exceptional, as Dr. Lin coln points out, “because of the peculiar circumstances under which the black experience developed in America, black religion has at times meant agitation for civil rights, political advocacy, selective pur chasing and in times past, insurrec tion, rebellion and escape from sla very.” Although the Black Church “never forgot its spiritual commitments,” and its very existence “is, of course, a commentary on the social involve ment of black religion,” it “symbo lizes the independence of black peo ple and their willingness and capa city to assume control over their own destiny. I was particularly struck by this section of Lincoln’s very important article for it is something I talk about every day in speech, in occas sional sermons and in private con versation: “Ninety five percent of the blacks in this country were slaves when the first black denomin ation was founded, and the prospects for any change in their situation were very remote indeed. “Yet today, the Black Church represents an investment of hund —|rods^-miiiinnft nf dollars. Thou sands of black rneriarid women have been graduated from colleges found ed and supported by the Black Church, and tens of thousands of jobs in church-related activities and enterprises represent the single most significant economic impact we can point to thus far. “Looked at objectively, that is a longway from a pew up under the rafters in the white man’s church a hundred years ago.” To which I say an empathic, Amen, despite the fact that some critics, as Dr. Lincoln points out (some of whom I have met) of the Black Church, yet assail it with this query, “Is That Enough?” Something On Your Mind? Something on your mind is the name of a column devoted to you the young at heart reader of this news paper-as long as it relates in some way to young people, regardless of age. It will be written by you and about whatever is on your mind! So, if you have something to say.... WRITE ON! Some subject that may be of special interest to you are: Drugs, Generation Gap, Welfare, Gangs, Schools, Going Steady, Police Revo lution, Whites, Blacks, Integration, >■■■■" " — Busing Draft, God, Negro Churches, etc. Or any other subject you want to write about. Remember it’s your column. Your article should be at least 250 words, type-written and double space preferred. Include your name, age, school, and a clear photo, and send it to the Editor, Charlotte Post Newspaper, Post Office Box 97, Charlotte, N. C. 28201. We will pay $10 for each column used. BLACK BUSINESS MEN AND POLITICIANS SHOULD BE IN THE FOREFRONT OF LONG - SBStHSgT RANGE PLANNING, FOR IT IS ONLY THROUGH muhIties1, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CLOUT THAT ETHNIC GROUPS HAYE BEEN ABLE TO MOYE UP THROUGH SOCIETY. MICHIGAN CHRONICLE F \ Blacks9 Destiny In Own Hands t REPORT FROM Jy^Woshingtofl Congressional Mail By Congressman Jim Martin 9th District, North Carolina Members of Congress are often accused of losing touch with.the public by failing to communicate with their constituents. As I see it, one of the most important roles of a Congressman is communicating with the people in his district. I use various methods of communicating with the public from news conferences to newsletters. This weekly report is one of the avenues open for communicating with constituents in the 9th District. By far, the most often used met hod of communications is the mail. On an average day, my office will receive 80 letters from constituents. The subject matter ranges from requests for assistance in dealing with a federal agency, to inquiries about my position on various issues, to straight talk about how the writer wants me to vote. Occasionally I receive a letter which expresses doubt over whether Congressmen read their mail! Rest assured that I personally read every letter written to me by a constituent with the exception of duplicated form letters or printed post cards. Even then, with the form commun ication, I review the information to see who is writing. Form letters or signers of petitions still get a reply from me. My philosophy is that a Member of Congress must take the time to read his mail and communi cate wit constituents about their problems and concerns about government in order to be effective in representing the people. To give you an idea of what other people are thinking, permit me to give you a few examples of what people are saying or askng about issues and my response. On a typical day, I receive approx imately 5 letters asking whether I support “common situs” picketing (or secondary boycotts) by labor unions. I do not, because Congress should not sanction secondary boy cotts against innocent third parties in labor disputes. Private sector unions have the right to strike, but not hurt outsiders who aren’t invol ved in their dispute. Several constituents asked whet her I would support the new Agency for Consumer Advocacy. No, be cause another federal “watchdog” agency will only result in increased costs to the consumer because of new rules and regulations. Another writer wanted to know if I support National Health Insurance. My answer is “no” if you are asking about full coverage of the “cradle to the grave” plan being supported by some Members of Congress. My proposal,cosponsored with Senator Brock, is a simple plan covering only catastrophic illnesses. It would operate through the Internal Revenue Code by way of a single tax credit. The government can’t afford to raise taxes to pay all your bills for all your ills. TO BE EQUAL VKHXOX K. JORDAN JR. Why Help New York? Why should the federal government help bail out New York City and save it from default and bankruptcy? That’s a question many people are asking, some out of genuine concern for the federal system and local self-government, and others with a hostile snarl and an undeclared wish that the City would sink into the earth and never be heard from again. Those glib dogmatists, not excluding high government officials who don’t want to lift a finger to help New York, can’t seem to under stand that if New York Cit^defaults it will start a chain reaction that would inaugurate a world wide crisis that could make the Depression of the 1930’s look positively benign. When Washington was trying to sell the Vietnam War it concocted a false “domino theory” that said if Vietnam goes, so too would all of Asia. That was a gimmick, but there really is a domino theory of New York’s fiscal collapse. It goes something like this: If the City defaults it can’t pay its bills. That means city workers stop working. Paychecks, welfare checks, pay ment of bills all stop. No cops, no firemen, no teachers, no garbage collections-nothing. A city of 8 million people totally paralyzed. Businesses that sold goods to the City wouldn t get paid. Because of the size of city purchases that would mean not only the collapse of many small businesses, but also bankruptcy for the big utilities. c Meanwhile, New York State would also go down the drain, since it has committed its credit to the City in an attempt to stave off fiscal collapse. The big banks, heavily committed to City paper, would face enormous liquidity prob lems, perhaps on a scale that even the Federal ReserVfe might have trouble meeting. The chaos in the financial markets would quickly spread. States, cities and towns all across the country are already payipg. .millions more in higher interest rates because of the Jslew/ • York fiscal problems. After default they couldn’t get a penny from the markets. Stock prices would nosedive sharply. As European leaders have warned, the dollar’s value would shrink, and the~dollar’s weakness combined with the shock waves throughout the banking community would herald a world-wide Depression of hair-raising proportions. That’s quite a picture, and it all may yet come true if Washington doesn’t step in and do for the City what it so willingly did for big businesses faced with cash problems and for foreign na tions. And it would be a lot cheaper, too. The cost of federal loans or guarantees-not grants-re quired to put the City back on its feet again is a small fraction of the outright costs the govern ment would face in running the essential ser vices in case of collapse. But instead of realistic action to head off certain calamity, some officials seem to be anxious to emulate the old Nixon crowd that talked of letting its victims “twist slowly, slowly in the wind.” New York Ciy is twisting slowly in the wind today, and unless help is provided, the rest of us will be twisting right along side her. Help in the forip of loans and guarantees for state bonds earmarked for the City is essential. It should be kept free from mandatory steps that would ensure ultimate disaster for the City. THE CHARLOTTE POST “THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 By A. M. Houston Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Ino. 9139 Trinity Road - Charlotte, N. C. 28216 Telephones (704) 392-1306 - 392-1307 Circulation 11,000 57 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE 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 Publishers 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 Charlotte Post Has New Public Watcher by Sidney Moore Post Staff Writer Pint sized ghosts, witches and such crowded around my door on Halloween Night. They threaten to do nasty tricks and perform evil deeds if I did not treat them to candy and such. Motivated by their most awful and fearful appearances, I took to my cabinet to find what sweet foods the begging hoard might be pleased with. Luckily the ants had not eaten it all. The frightful group took what I had, said ‘Thank You’ and left my door. Night passed. All my fears eased. I had faced and enjoyed the fun and fear of Halloween. Now I was ready to take on new challenges. There are no ghosts or gobblins here at The Charlotte Post. Here, Sidney Moore Jr. there are people and machines eager to serve the Charlotte Public. In our little corner of Charlotte, we are trying to watch the going on of our time. We labor to put our watch ing in print so that our community can be informed and aware. My role is small, at this point. I am new in this role of Charlotte watch er. I do not yet even know what to look for. But, my fellow watchers assure me that all it takes is a willingness to stay awake and be truthful. So, the truth it will be. I was not really afraid of those ghost. It was more that I was afraid for them. At Halloween, our children have a chance to learn a serious lesson in life. It is a drama acted out in the streets of-our cities. The plot of this play calls for the innocent to pretend to be terribly ugly and devious. These innocent children get their turn at being villians. Most children play their parts well. They are good sports. Thev learn that people will be kind to even ugly ghosts if their tricks are fun and entertaining. But, whether you are °! u8Jy. you do not have to right to hurt other people. So I am glad to be joining The Charlotte Post Staff in the season of Halloween. As a Charlotte watcher, d will please me to use the Hallo ween lesson as rule of my daily tTwrif^A Toh Week as 1 sit down As 1 ^ It”, I will discuss the good vs. evil drama being played^. lottey WeCk 'n thC streets of Char* Note: Whenever there are things happening in Charlotte that you think our paper should know about, please call us. If you would like to make comments about what is right lineWr<>ng WUh Char,otte- dr°P ula
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Nov. 6, 1975, edition 1
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