ediMli t cornu
Perspective On Hie Death Of A Marine
Hoyle H. Martin
A great deal of emotion-laden
rhetoric has emerged in our com
munity surrounding the death of a
marine recruit following a fight with
three Charlotte policemen at Doug
las Municipal Airport on February
27.
The death of 18 year old Kenneth
M. Brown, a 6-3, 180 pound healthy
youth from New Jersey, was tragic
to say the least. Even more tragic
however - because it could have
been avoided - has been the way
community and public officials have
reacted to this death.
Elements in the black community
seized the opportunity to imply po
lice brutality, make claims that
black police officers are discrimina
ted against in promotional opportun
ities, demanded the suspension of
the three officers involved, charged
(based on information from black
policemen) that the Police Depart
-*• ment’s Internal Affairs Division is
incapable of conducting an impar
| tial investigation of the Brown case,
and asked the City Council to inves
|tigate the behavior and operations of
both the Adam 2 Police Team and
the Internal Affairs Division. Furth
ermore, City Councilman Harvey
Gantt and Robert Davis of the Black
Political Caucus suggested to the
\£ City Council on March 8 that a
Clf »v**v*T watu Oliuuiu uc CO*
?'±: tabhshed to hear cases ofalledged
police misconduct.
Taking a somewhat defensive po
:: sition, and as an indication of how
:*• sensitive the Charlotte Police De
St partment is to possible charges of
\\ police brutality, Lt. Wade Stroud of
it the department’s Central Investiga
tion Bureau is quoted in published
i; reports as saying, “I wonder whe
jl * ther there would have been all this
i|: controversy if one of the officers had
j{; been shot to death.” Significantly,
2; this comment was alledgely made
before demands for the suspension
•; of the officers involved with the
j;,, Brown ca$e were made.
Poliqe Chief Goodman has expres
sed strong oppositon to the civilian
review board idea and argued that
• : the Community Relations Commis
;; sion partially fills that role. Further
■ more, Goodman notes that the offic
ers in the Brown case have not been
suspended nor reassigned pending
the outcome of the investigation
because they used no more force
than was necessary to subdue Bro
wn. Councilman Jim Whittington
expressed support of Goodman in
opposing the review board idea.
The upshot of all this rhetoric was
the conflicting statements of eye
witnesses to the clash between Ken
neth Brown and the three policemen.
Except for a consensus that a hard
fought battle occured, there was
disagreement on eight other points
ranging from how many times the
policemen struck Brown with their
night sticks (the police report once,
witnesses say 35 to 40. times); to
what Brown alledgely hit with -
blackjack or night stick; to the
length of the fight, 5 to 15 minutes; to
whether Brown’s head injury came
from an officer’s night stick or
whether he struck his head on the
floor; and to whether all the officers
involved were white (one was bl
ack). To add to all of this, has been
the failure of the County Medical
Examiner, Dr. Hobart Wood to find
any possible cause of death other
than a blow to the head which he
says was not severe enough to have
caused death. A Philadelphia physi
cian hired by the youth’s parents
performed a second autopsy and
confirmed Dr. Wood’s findings
Putting this rhetoric in perspec
tive, it appears that the Charlotte
Community continues to plague it
self with a failure to (1) keep prob
lems in perspective by confining
them to the issues at hand, (2) take
positive steps to correct certain
long-standing policy issues and in
justices involving the police depart
ment without outside pressure and
hostility, and (3) understand reac
tions to certain events when viewed
in an historical context.
Concerned elements in the black
community led by Robert Davis of
the Black Political Caucus should
confine their interest in the Brown
case to the facts and not bring up
other problems concerning police
race relations or police personal
problems. As important as these
problems are, to inject them or other
issues simply diverts attention from
the issues of immediate concern and
makes it more difficult to get to the
facts. Kelly Alexander took the right
approach when he appeared before
City Council to pointedly request an
investigation to determine the cause
of Brown’s death and as to whether
it was in any way related to his clash
_* A.I-_1*_
niwi muulc.
Policy For Dealing
Secondly, the police department
should get on with the business of
developing a policy for dealing with
allegations of police brutality or
cases involving death. Such a policy
would be as much in the best interest
of the officers involved as it would be
in community understanding.
Finally, we are or should be famil
iar with the general view of how
people, both black and white, view
the police in North Carolina. This is
important to understanding the feel
ing and emotions of black people
when events occur involving the
police. An eight year old study
revealed that 88 percent of all blacks
in N.C. think that policemen treat
them differently than they do
whites. Only 15 percent of the white
people agree with blacks on this
point. Furthermore, hard evidence
supports this finding even today as
data shows that approximately 80
percent of all the people in our
nation’s prison’s are black and bla
cks are still twice as likely to be
arrested as whites. Given such de
pressing data, and there is more,
policemen should understand the
sensative feelings blacks have when
any incident occurs involving a
black. _
BLACK BUSINESS MEN AND POLITICIANS
SHOULD BE IN THE FOREFRONT OF LONG- cSSffSm
RANGE PLANNING, FOR IT IS ONLY THROUGH S&SSg"
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CLOUT THAT
ETHNIC GROUPS RAPE BEEN ABLE TO
MOPE UP THROUGH SOCIETY.
MKHMAN CmONKUE
REPORT FROM
^j^V/osh ington_
Black Lung Payments Liberalized
oy Jim Martin
9th District, N.C.
The House of Repre
sentatives has passed
legislation to liberalize
eligibility for black-lung
benefits for coal miners.
The present law was en
acted in 1969. It provides
a disability pension for
men who have worked
in the coal mines, bre
athing too much coal
dust into their lungs for
many years until con
ditions were improved.
But these men had to
gave x-rays to prove
their lungs were conges
ted with coal dust. Oth
erwise, without medical
evidence, they were not
eligible for black-lung
compensation.
I voted against the
most recent attempt to
liberalize the law. The
bill, pushed by the Unit
ed Mine workers, would
automatically entitle
coal miners, with 25 to
30 years of service, to
benefits. Every miner
would receive the bene
fits regardless of whe
ther he suffered from
black lung. They would
not have to show medi
cal evidence or even
pretend they had the
disease.
When the black-lung
benefits program first
passed Congress, it was
with the understanding
that it would cost $41
million a year. As usual,
that proved a low es
timate. Taxpayers are
currently paying $1 bil
lion annually to over
500,000 individuals suf
fering from black-lung.
All these men have med
ical proof with x-rays,
that they are disabled
with this serious condi
tion. They worked under
dirty air conditions that
have been greatly clean
ed up.
Under the new legisla
tion, the burden of finan
cing the black-lung ben
efits would come from
the coal producing com
panies. The producers
in turn, will have to pass
the cost along to the
consumers.'
You might think that
some of the consumer
groups, who are always
speaking up for what
they think the consumer
wants, would lock horns
with the United Mine
Workers over this issue.
They haven’t. It should
be obvious to these gro
ups that the cost will
come out of the consum
er’s pocket.
Producers of coal will
pass along the cost of
any new benfits pro
gram to the coal user,
the biggest being elec
tric utilities. Power
companies have to be
given authority to pass
along any increase in
the cost of coal to users
of electricity, or else
they can’t stay in busi
ness. It doe^ not take,
much imagination to see
that you will pay the
cost. It is estimated the
costs of the program
would be from $2 to $3
per ton of coal produc-.
ed. The total dollar fig
ure can be derived by
examining what it wo
uld cost consumers who
get electricity from
Duke Power Company
in our area. Duke used
11 million tons of coal
last year. The resulting
expense of $22 million
or more would be pass
ed along to customers if
this legislation were ap
plied.
The black-lung bill,
which passed the House
is misnamed. It should
be called a supplemen
tal pension program, or
a union pension subsidy.
That’s what it really is,
and nothing more.
TO
BE
EQUAL
mm
YKKNON K. IOHI) \\ .IR.
Young’s Marshal Plan
This March marks the fifth anniversary of the
death of Whitney M. Young, Jr., for ten years
head of the National Urban League, and one of
the most creative leaders America has produc
ed. Among Young’s most profound ideas was his
suggestion, back in the early 1960’s, for a
Domestic Marshall Plan.
The core of the plan was the reality that black
citizens suffered disproportionate disadvantage
and thus, a massive national special effort was
necessary to bring black people and other
minorities into the mainstream of American life.
Young’s plan had its genesis in the post-war
Marshall Plan of economic aid to war-shatter
ed Europe. After the Second World War, the
economies of western Europe were devastated
and the U.S. government realized that unless
those countries were aided America would lose
her natural trading parthfers'-and perhaps even
lose her political influence ojy the European
continent.
so a nara-noseo aecision was made to pump
billions into Europe and get her factories and
workshops back in operation. This wasn’t done
for altruistic reasons; Uncle Sam wasn’t just
playing Santa Claus. Policy-makers understood
that aid was necessary if our own economy was
to avoid a post-war Depression.
The Cold War had a lot to do with it too. It was
decided that the only way western Europe could
avoid a Russian take-over was to rebuild stable
societies out of the chaos left by the War. That’s
a lesson true for our own day - the strongest
defense included not only missiles and armies,
but a productive economy and society in which
everyone has a fair share and a personal stake.
The other source of Young’s plan was the GI
Bill of Righte, a special effort to aid war veterans
resume their place in civilian life. The rationale
for that was that citizens had been plucked from
their jobs and homes to serve in the armed forces
for years and were now coming back to find
themselves at a great disadvantage in compet
irfg for places in our economy. They needed
special help and'theygot it. v««i
Putting these two together VoYirtgr'?e^soh'4d/
that blacks and other monorities also needed
special help, because while black people face the
same problems everyone else faces, “the addi
finnol fo/tf r\f _.
-—— w»«^«tvuvv0 uuu U55iavaica
every other hazard.”
And the Marshall Plan model of a crash
program to achieve specific goals seemed to
Young the way to overcome the results of four
hundred years of negative special treatment.
He insisted that a Domestic Marshall Plan was
a call for “a special effort, not for special
privilege.” It would be designed to reverse the
results of discrimination through public and
private efforts that would provide black citizens
with the leadership, education, jobs, motivation
and opportunities which will permit him to help
himself.”
Young pointed out that if black citizens enjoy
ed parity with whites, the total economy would
be stronger, urban deterioration would be stop
ped, and the country would be more stable and
just.
He was right. He was right in proposing a plan
that would have made our nation more just an<f
more equal. But he was also right in his realistic
assessment of the forces resisting a Domestic
Marshall Plan. ^
THE CHARLOTTE POST
“THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER”
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Published Every Thursday
By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc.
2606B West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208
Telephones (704) 392-1306, 392-1307
Circulation 11,000
57 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE
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Gerald O. Johnson .Business Manager
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_ . Second Class Postage Paid at
charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 8,1878
Member National Newpaper Publishers
. Association
North Carolina Black Publishers Association
Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p.m
Monday. The Post is not responsible for any
photos or news copies submitted for publication
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Amalgamated Publishers, Inc.
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, 1
I
ayibee i
Word L-O-V-E Is Defined
by Gerald Johnson
Post £olumnist
There comes a time in
every make shift editorial
writer’s life when he has to get
away from the torrid contro
versial issues of the day and
relax with a philosophical
topic.
The time has come for me
because today I feel philosoph
ical. The topic is love, some
thing I know nothing about,
but that has never stopped me
from writing before. So, here
goes.
The word L-O-V-E is defined
by Webster as meaning “un
selfish concern that freely ac
cepts another in loyalty and
seeks his good: to cherish.’’
The word is used to denote a
human feeling between parent
and child, husband and wife,
girlfriend and boyfriend. Boss
and secretary, God and hu
mans, man and car, and prac
tically anything.
The problem is we abuse the
word rather than properly use
the word. This abuse often
leads to hurt and sorrow.
From personal observations
few people love. Most people
accept or get use to it. Take
as example the parent, child
relationship. Neither the child
nor the parent knows love
initially. The child if brought
up properly, becomes attach
ed to parents. This attachment
is because of security. The
child feels secure because
when he is hungry, he is fed;
when he is cold, he is clothed j
when he is tired, he is given a
place to lay hi* head. This
security as a child grows up is
eventually interpreted as love
butls it really love?
The parent, on the other
hand, feels responsible for
providing the security for the
child. Someone did it for the
parent so, the parent feels
obligated to do it for the child.
Hence, the parent accepts this
responsibly and as time pas
ses this acceptance is interp
reted as love. But is it really
lovi?
The husband and wife rela
tionship is a classic example
of abusive use of the word
"Love". Unlike the parent and
ctyild relationship where there
is hope for love, the husband
and wife relationship defies
»
Gerald O. Johnson
love. The relationship, which
is no more than an arrange
ment, is more often than not
mistaken for love. The rela
tionship exists because the
partners felt secure either,
socially, sexually, or financ
ially. Think about It!
The relationship begins us
ually from a physical attract
lion to each other. Sometimes,
however, loneliness may take
the place of physical'attrac
tion. After dating for a while
I
you both become use to each
other. You become so familiar
with each other that when you
are apart, you can only think
of each other. This is when
most people think of each
other. This is when most peo
ple think they are in love. Well
...since you can’t stand being
away from each other you
decide that marriage is the
answer. Then you rallze after
a few short years that you can
really stand to be without each
other. But now there are more
variable that have to be consi
dered. There might be child
ren involved, finances might
not warrant being without
each other, or fear might be in
your minds. The fear of
change '
Almost everyone will say
"yes” if asked ‘‘do you love
God.” I personally say no one
loves God. They merely ac
cept God. It is impossible to
love a belief in something. You
can unselfishly give of your
self in the teachings of a
belief, but I don’t see how
anyone can unselfishly give of
themselves to a belief itself.
Therefore, the question ari
ses "Does Love exist at all? Is
there anything that can be
given our unselfish concern
that can be accepted freely in
loyalty and to the good? Yes.
The love of ones self. Unfor
tunately this is the extent of
love. Because of man’s inate
nature of self preservation he
is incapable of loving anything
else. Feelings that are mlsin
terpretions of love are mere
accomodations to another's
security. As humans all of our
intentions have selfish moti
vations; if not for man's self
preservation characteristics,
love in its truest sense would
not exist.
So, I say unto you, the next
time you have the urge to telt
someone...I LOVE YOU; stop,,
think for a minute and say I’M
USE TO YOU.
Future Homemakers To Meet
cherish Yesterday, Live
Today, Dream Tomorrow’’ is
the theme of the 1976 State
Convention of the Future Ho
memakers of America to be
held March 20 in the Charlotte
Civic Center form 10 a.m to
3:15 p.m. State Representa
tive Jo Graham Foster of
Charlotte will welcome the
*®m* 3,000 members and ad
visors from across the State
who will be attending.
Jeanne Swanner Robertson
No*”1 Carolina,'
"A Rul the 1le*t'n8with
An Old Has Been.1’ Mrs
Bette Feezor, Home Econo
mist, WBTV, will keynote fea
lures of publicity and public
relations as an important con
cept of the FHA-HERO pro
gram. Bicentennial notes will
be presented on activities be
ing conducted in each of the
eight educational districts.
A special program “Music
bv th/w^’ w"1 be presented
hUk SaTny Group from
Srh^i Hn Cummings High
School, Burlington, with Bill
Gnggs as director. Other hiah
school FHA Chapters making
mnn?"ifL1!0"* include Rich,
mond Senior, Surry Central
f-lsyton, Kings Mountain and’
South Iredell.