CflilOUdlj C COMCdlj
In Victory And Defeat
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Pose Executive Editor
The POST greets the primary
run-off election with both smiles of
joy and tears of sorrow.
Our smile results from Lewis C.
Coleman’s stunning victory in being
the front runner and winner of a
place on the Democratic ticket in
November as a candidate for the
Mecklenburg Board of County Com
missioners. Our tears arise from
Howard Lee’s defeat in his bid for
the Democratic nominee as lieute
nant governor.
Coleman said Tuesday night, “I
was very pleased with the turn-out,
especially with the way the black
community turned out for me. Many
of them told me that this (voting)
was their way of saying thank you.”
Lee and his supporters were saying
on the same night, black and urban
dwellers let us down because they
did not vote in large enough num
bers.
^ I /\r» /\ AM L. - iL a J* J A. _ -
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to what the voters did or did not do
points out one of the complexities of
modern day politics and the attitude
that some have toward the political
system.
Approximately 40 percent of Cole
man’s voter support came from 14
predominantly black precihcts.
However, what is significant is that
the 40 percent or 4,235 votes repre
sents the support of people who were
often assisted directly through Cole
man’s wide range of community
activities and community services.
Coleman got these votes because
people know him, have been helped
by him and because he is, in their
minds one of them. This has nothing
to do with race or skin color, it
simply refers to how people react to
other people for performing good
deeds.
Howard Lee, on the other hand,
received 5,478 votes or 1,243 more
votes than Coleman from the same
14 precincts. However, Lee’s votes
were motivated by different con
A College Degree, What’s It Worth?
in a ruai article (.page con
cerning the nation’s school enroll
ment it is pointed out that further
increases in college and university
enrollment are anticipated until the
early 1980’s. For this fall, a jump of
about four percent, from 9.7 million
to 10.1 million, is expected...” Fur
thermore, the article notes that
1,353,000 graduate, professional and
bachelor’s degrees will be awarded
by institutions of higher learning in
• 1976-77.
While the POST would be among
the first to defend the value of
education. we have begun to ask, as
have some others, considering the
above data: Have we as a nation
misplaced our emphasis on educa
tion?
The job prospect for Ph.D.’s is so
poor that the National Board on
Graduate Education has said recent
iy, as few as one in 10 new
doctorates may secure faculty em
ployment in the next decade.”
Furthermore, a five year study by
economics professor Paul Taubman
of the University of Pennsylvania’s
Wharton School of Finance con
cludes that a college degree does not
increase a person’s income “all that
much and certainly not enough to
justify society’s investment in edu
cation on a purely dollars-and-cents
basis.”
We know that every parent is
proud to boast that his or her child is
off to college even when there is
great financial strain on the family
budget
We believe it is time that Ameri
cans put higher education in per
spective and begin to establish
priorities for educating citizens just
as we do everything else.
cerns. These voters have read about
or been told about Mr. Lee’s good
deed as the mayor of Chapel Hill, but
they don’t know him and some don’t
trust and some voted for him just
because he is black or because
Coleman said he “is a good man.”
Specifically, voters who are poor,
unemployed and abused too often by
the system, both economic and
political, don’t much care what color
a candidate is or what he promises,
if they have not seen first-hand how
he can or will relieve their plight
they simply will not take the time to
waste their time to vote.
We have come to this conclusion
after asking constantly why more
blacks do not register and vote and
after stating repeatedly that blacks
must and should vote.
In spite of the best intentions, no
doubt all of Lee’s campaign workers
and planner were middle-class with
middle-class values and a middle
class orientation. This means that
all the rhetoric about what Lee
wuuju do xor uie ciuzens meant little
to the black dirt farmer or lowly
paid black textile worker. Appealing
to him to vote and then telling him he
let us middle-class folk down by not
voting further discourages that po
tential voter from voting in the
future.
The same voters, who might reject
Lee’s middle-calss orientation and
style, view Coleman as one of their
own kind. They identify with Cole
man. A candidate who was “expos
ed” by the press, Coleman ran his
campaign with limited finances, a
small organization and very little
support from either the black or
white middle class political leader
ship.
Coleman won in part because
many poor people, both black and
white relate to him. Lee lost in part
because he did not identify with this
same population, yet he blamed
them for his loss. There is a lesson
here that deserves further conside
ration, by local and national political
leaders.
REGISTER
—SO YOU CAM |
vote!
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an individual: sam^(wt-WWeZ Xj
W.R. WILLIAMS ASEMP&Hi lVv"Z
ILETTERS TOTHE EDITOR]
Board Haunted In Face Of Honesty
Sept. 11, 1976
3115 Clearview Dr.
Charlotte, N.C.
Editor:
To say that I am appalled at
the methodology employed in
the firing of Dr. Jones would
be an understatement. This is
the very same type of beha
vior that the present outgoing
(thank goodness) board has
flaunted in the faces of hones
ty, fair play and our children
since its inception; or was I
the only one who noticed that
Mrs. Marilyn Huff and Dr.
jJones were the only parties
involved in this fiasco who did
not know what was to take
place before hand? Was it
necessary? Did Dr. Jones do
such a terrible thing that he
deserved to be humiliated on
public television?
Moreover, to place such
treachery, each, lack of ethi
cal commitment, callousness,
and plain bad taste before the
public, (via the live media),
no less serves to cast the
grand city of Charlotte and
the entire Tar Heel Communi
ty in a sad and bad light before
God, the nation, and the world.
• Too long have we of the South
fought against the unfair ste
reotype that those in other
parts of the country have
placed upon us, only to have
our victories overshadowed by
acts of this nature.
Was it an accident or coinci
dence that caused the board
to wait Until Mrs. Jane Scott
was out of town before taking
this controversial action? As it
happened, Mrs. Huff, seem
ingly, was the only one present
with the requisite character
and honesty to realize that
Dr. Jones is the gem of an
administrator that he is realiz
ing, of course, that there were
probably those present who
did not know this, but who
were unwilling to admit same.
Thank God for the fact that
those recalcitrant (expletive
deleted) are on their way out.
Unfortunately, however, this
comes too late for a man of Dr.
Jones' brilliance. In my opin
ion, it was just this degree of
brilliance which sparked the
envy and jealousy which LI
feel) was the real crux of the
problem.
Finally, we are faced with
the question of who will be the
real persons to suffer the loss
of Dr. Jones. Being the great
educator that he is, the answer
is obvious—our children will
be the real ones to suffer.
What man (or woman) in His
or her right mind would come
to this school system in the
wake of such happenings? We
can be assured that if there is
q,man in existence willing to
take the chance at this time,
he is not likely to have creden
tials that even approach those
of Dr. Jones. Our salvation
might lie in the fact that a new
board is forthcoming and with
it, a change in the degree of
risk involved. I have always
maintained that there should
be more educators on the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board
of Education. It is they who
best understand the needs of
the educational system...the
needs of our school children. It
is up to us as interested
parents and citizens to see
that this time of change is
brought about. We recently
had the opportunity to make
some positive steps in the
direction when Mr. O.N Free
man, an educator par excel
lence, ran in the last school
board primary. Although he is
a dynamic educator, he was
'not elected. This matter can
and should be corrected the
next time as the polls open.
Remember, the education and
future of our children are at
stake!!!
A disabled, retired teacher,
Audrey G. Will v
- Something On Your Mind?
Something on your mind is the name of a
column devoted to our readers of this news
paper-as long as it relates in some way to young
people, regardless of age.
Special subjects that may be of special interest
to you are: Drugs, Generation Gaps, Welfare,
Gangs, School, Goirife Steady, Police Revolution
Whites, Blacks, IntegratQfti, Busing, Draft, God,
Negro churches, etc.
So if you have something to say...WRITE ON'
TO
BE
EQUAL
Vernon E. Jordan Jr. |
Black Leadership Diverse
If there’s any single factor about black leader
ship today, it is that blacks have a diversity of
leadership displaying a variety of philosophical,
regional and political viewpoints.
Just as no single individual can presume to
speak for all of America’s broadly-based white
population, so too are blacks represented by a
pluralistic leadership. In part this has emerged
from the successes of the civil rights struggle,
and in part, it carries on a historic tradition.
Since the early 1960s, we’ve seen the emer
gence of several new sources of black leader
ship, whose interests must be taken into account
by anyone presuming to understand the black
community.
Hno Clink rfrm I rv «« _1 - _X
-—--o* viuvn UUlLiai.
Barely a handful of blacks held elected office;
now several thousands do. Another important
leadership group is the black appointed official.
Yet another is his counterpart in private
industry - the black corporate official along with
the black union official. Still another leadership
group is found in the ranks of community-based
local organizations.
These groups are relatively new, emerging
from the successes of the civil rights movement
to join traditional leadership groups in the black
church, the black college, and in the civil rights
agencies.
This healthy diversity of leadership is often
confusing to those who think in terms of The
Leader. And it is also confusing to those who
expect diversity to extend to disagreement about
goals, but if there’s anything all black people are
unified behind, it is the goal of racial equality
Pluralistic leadership is not new for black
people. Throughout much of our history the
efforts of acknowledged leaders have been
buttressed by the actions of individual black
people, rising from the masses to stand up for
justice and equality.
One such man is mv friend Primus vino o
country preacher, who, in 1944, alone and
unafraid, challenged the white primary system
in Georgia. He stood literally alone when he went
down to the Muscogee County Courthouse in
rural Georgia to register to vote in a primary
barred to blacks. And in those days when
lynching was common, he was threatened with
being drowned in the river, and Primus King
answered that if he had to be thrown in the river,
it might as well be for a purpose.
Because this rugged brave man dared to risk
his life, the white primary system in Georgia
was broken and the road to black voting was
opened. Our history is full of Primus Kings - lone
men who challenged the system at great
personal danger, and their leadership helped
bring about the changes we see about us today.
Over a century before the Supreme Court got
around to declaring segregated schools unconsti
tutional, a black Bostonian, Benjamin Roberts
sued Boston’s school board for forcing his
daughter to attend an all-black school far from
her home rather than tlje white schools nearby
He lost that case in 1849, but history has
sustained the argument of his black lawyer
Robert E. Morris, that “the separation of the
schools, so far from being for the benefit of both
races, is an injury to both.” Boston still hasn’t
come to accept that.
THE CHARLOTTE POST
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2606-B West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208
Telephones (704) 392-1306,392-1307
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Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878
Member National Newspaper Publishers
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Deadline for all news copy and phototisS p.m.
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photos or news copies submitted for publication.
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The Right And Responsibility Of Voting
oy ireraia u. Jonnson
Post Staff Writer
The Right And Responsibility
of Voting
Doug Mayes on his "On The
Square” program did a very
interesting thing this week. He
asked people who they were
going to vote for for Lieute
nant Governor. Then he asked
for the reason of their choice.
Here is the actual conversa
tion with a middle aged white
woman:
Mayes: Who are you going
to vote for for Lieutenant
Governor?
Lady: Mr. Green
Mayes: Why?
Lady: I think he is more
qualified to do the Job.
Mayes: Do you know what a
Lieutenant Governor’s duties
are?
Lady: No, I don’t. _
Now isn’t that stupid. Here
is a lady exercising her right
to vote but ignoring her re
sponsibility. It would be im
possible for anyone te know
who is more qualitied for a
particular Job if they don’t
know anything about the Job.
The alarming thing about
this is that over 90 percent of
the people who voted failed to
be responsible voters. None of
those Individuals interviewed
by Doug Mayes knew what a
Lieutenant Governor did.
The case is cut and dry, we
are our own worse political
enemy. We have abused the
right to vote by being indiffer
ent towards getting out and
researching for facU about
the candidates.
The next time you shake
your finger at our political
process remember that your
thumt> is shaking at you.
THE JUICE HAS
RETURNED
There is quite a stir in
Buffalo since the Buffalo Bills
football franchise re-acquired
the great running back O. J.
Simpson. As you've probably
heard O.J Simpson asked to be
traded to a west coast team
for personal reasons. He said
that be didn’t want to play for
Buffalo anymore.
Many Buffalo fans and some
Buffalo players are a little
disheartened by the “Juice's’’
return. The reasons are sim
ple to understand. The Buffalo
Bilb’ owner, Ralph Wilson,
wouldn’t negotiate new con
tracts with several of the Bilb'
players These players played
L _
Gerald O. Johnson
during the pre season without
contracts. Moat of these play
ers are playing now without
contracts.
Mr. Wilson’s shrewdness in
negotiations sedlhlngty disap
peared when it came to O.J.
Mr. Wilson signed O.J. for 2.a
million over the next 3 years,
with no fine for missing the
entire pre season.
The pfiyers feel that this is
a dual standard and that it is
unfair.
I think Mr. Wilson's shrewd
«#■
ness manifested itself even
more by wrapping up this
deal. Without the 'Juice”, tic
ket sales had fallen off tre
mendously. The Bills did not
have a full stadium for any of
their pre season games. Mr.
Wilson realizes that the
"Juice” is what the people
pay to see. So, now, he is
giving the people what they
want. As far as Mr. Wilson’s
partiality, it is understand
able. If a man can gross me S
million bucks per annum then
I can afford to give him half of
the gross. Pew players in the
N.P.L. can boast of such a
feat; certainly, none of the
Buffalo Bills. Therefore, for
all of those players, fans, and
sports writers who feel bad
because the "Juice” has re
turned I leave these worda of
wisdom; who gives a dog what
you feel!?
TfHTnrXLLftFFTCI ALS
NEEDED
While on the Subject of
football I must make mention
about the officiating of the
Johnson C. Smith home open
er last Saturday night against
Lenoir Rhyne. It was atro
cious. It was equalled only by
the appearance of Smith’s
Band.
There were times when the
officials were uncertain about
a call, so instead of throwing
his flag to the ground, he
looked around to see who
was watching and placed it on
the ground, nice and neat.
Then there was the time
when the Bulls quarterback
practically ran over the center
before the ball was snapped.
There wasn’t a flag in sight.
Then there was the time
when both a Bull comer back
and the LR Bear tight end
were going for a pass. The
Lenoir Rhyne tight end trip
ped over the Bull corner back
and the officials called inter
ference on the Bull corner
back.
There were numerous other
calls, equally as bad, but I
think you get the point.
I think good vision should be
a pre-requisite to officiating I
also think that knowing the
rules of the game would help.
If you know of anyone with
one of the qualifications men
tioned above, have him come
to Memorial Stadium Septem
ber *5, 1976, at 7 p.m. Please
have on the official officiating
uniform.
w
WEEK’S BEST BET
Ole Ned called the Bulla’
game right but was a little off
with the pros. The Giants
haven’t forgotten how to
snatch defeat out of the Jaws
of victory.
BUT THIS WEEK:
The Bulls will not find if
hard to down Va. Union. The
Bulla by 14. San Francisco will
burst Chicago’s bubble. Colts
will edge the Bengali
Muhammand AH To
Appear On Dean
Martin Roastee
World heavyweight boxing
champion Muhammad All is
the "roaitee” in a presenta
tion of ‘‘Dean Martin Celebri
ty Roast” to be colorcast on
Channel Nine Friday, Sept. 17
at 10 p.m.
The MGM Grand Hotel in
Las Vegas is the setting as
host Dean Martin is Joined on
the stage by Orson Welles,
Nipsey Russell, Wilt Cham
berlain, Red Buttons, Gene
Kelly and many others.