..cdiioddu commcnu
*
Criticism Of Carter Is Questionable
tayo hi wcuitic rworra ana nauonai
-health insurance, abandoning tho—
$50 tax rebate and the proposed
minimum wage increase to $2.50 per
hour instead of $3.
The POST shares these concerns
however, we believe that much of
the criticism of President Carter’s
policies is unfounded for at least
three reasons. First, government
policies and programs are no pana
cea for resolving all the nation’s ills.
- Jesse Jackson himself noted this in a
recent MESSAGE magazine article
where lie said, "many black and -
white leaders demand Federal aid
as the only solution. More federal
aid is certainly needed, but money
alone...will not significantly change
multitute of federal anti-poverty and
urban-renewal programs should
have proved that by now.”
PoKey Priorities
Secondly, changing conditions re
quire changes in policy priorities
even when such changes are not the
most politically expedient thing to
do. For example, President Carter
dropped his $50 rebate plan with the
argument that the economy did not
need any help since all indicators we
are on the plus side except the stock
;market. Furthermore, the President
decision to delay welfare reform in
the face of a mounting energy crisis
makes more sense when viewed in
the context of past efforts and future
plans. Past efforts to bring about
meaningful welfare reform have
been quick, poorly planned blue
prints designed to pacify the imme
diate demands for “reform” and
allow the administration in Wash
ington to remain popular with the
poor. On the other hand, at the risk
of loosing considerable political sup
port, but out of a concern for more
than piece-meal changes, President
Carter is trying to resolve the
energy crisis in a manner that will
aid the long-range welfare reform
—plans.-Briefly stated, federal reve
nue from Carter’s energy policies
could generate as much as $75 billion
a year bv the early 1980’s. “Such
sums,” the WALL STREET JOUR
NAL noted recently, “could prove
essential as the President seeks to
deliver his promised welfare and tax
revisions while at the same time
achieving a balanced budget by
1981.”
Lastly, the POST believes many
of the Carter’s critics have failed to
look-around to see what is really
taking place in the nation. The
President’s shifting of priorities
from unemployment to inflation is at
least partly consistent with a recent
New York Times-CBS News poll
which shows that inflation has gain
ed considerable headway as an
economic concern of Americans who
generally think only of the fears of
unemployment. For example, two
~ months before the presidential elec
tion, blacks ranked unemployment
as the number-one economic pro
blem bv a 3-1 margin Fivp mnnthc
after the election (April), unemploy
ment was still first but by only a 2-1
margin. Nearly similar results were
evident among other lower income
groups.
Furthermore, inspite of the strong
opposition to Carter’s proposal to
raise the minimum wage to $2.50
instead of $3, there are thousands of
youth - Those most affected by the
vote - who naturally desire more
income but strongly believe that a
higher rate might cost them their
jobs. "
fioononfic Indication
Finally, economic indicators over
the past two months (March and
April) show a small but important
movement toward price stability
and a slight drop in unemployment
rates. While such a trend must last
through 90 days to be considered
significant, it is nevertheless a
movement in the right direction.
The POST believes therefore that
much of the criticism directed to
ward Mr. Carter’s first four months
in the oval office is questionable to
say the least. He has demonstrated
that he is a man of character, good
judgment and determination. Fur
thermore, he has shown the courage
to be president and has not become
intimidated by political pressure or
the instant popular demand for
change, when such a change will not
be in the long-term best interest of
the American people. What more
can we ask of any man?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
» .* 1 *
Devoted User Of Cloroa
June 3,1977
Dear Readers,
For the past 33 years which
have been all of my married
life, I have been a devoted
user of Clorox. I have been
watching their TV commer
cials and they have complete
ly been turned off by thenw
Why would they pay a white
woman $100 for a pair of cheap
socks and a Black woman only
$40 for a more expensive pair
of jeans? I am appalled at
seems perfectly obvious that
they are prejudiced against
Blacks who have helped to
make their company, the
success that it is today.
1 will never use Clorox again
using
with other Blacks until ClorWt
corrects their obvious biased
treatment that they show o
ther blacks. I sincerely hope
that Blacks will discontinue
their use of this product. I sent
the Clorox Co. a copy of thfe
letter also.
Yours truly,
Audrey G. Wall
Discredits Chavis
May 29,1977
The Editor
Wilmington Morning Star
P.O. Box 840
Wilmington, N.C. 28401
Dear Sir:
I found the letter written to
you by Mr. Jim Jordan mak
ing light of Rev. Ben Chavis’
religious title a very sick
attempt to discredit a sincere
ly dedicated man of the chur
ch. The fact that you would
print the letter rather than
forward his questions to those
with the answer was equally
sick.
Let me set the record
■airniflhmi RpnChnvm pnq
cipal defendent in the Wilm
ington 10 case was duly or
dained in the Black Christian
Nationalist faith by Rev. Al
ber Cleage, founder of that
religion and leader of the
Shrine of the Black Madonna
complex based in Atlanta, Ga.
with other churches in Detroit,
Michigan, Washington, D.C.
and several cities throughout
this country. Rev. Chavis is
also currently enrolled as a
Masters Degree student in the
School of Jleligion at Howard
University in Washington, DC:~
Rev. Chavis comes from a
deeply religious family and
has been associated with the
church since boyhood. His
faith and leadership-4n the
«<*riatl»n church' Is Unquea
I tinned. His ordsfoiation Is as
legitimate as the Pope’s in
Rome.
As for your readers, might I
suggest that they spend more
time in church developing a
keener sense of justice for all
mankind. A true Christian
should recognize these 10 peo
ple to be political prisoners as
was Christ himself in his time.
Very truly yours,
Mrs. Imani Kazana
National Coordinator
, National Wilmington Ip
Defense Committee
Rev. Benjamin fK Chavis Jr.
McCain Prison
McCain, N.C. 28361
June 1,1977
President Jimmy Carter
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Because of the continued
immoral and unjust imprison
ments of the Wilmington Ten I
find it absolutely necessary to
write to you a second time in
regards to the gross violations
of our human rights.
_ For six long years we have
“suffered hum the chronic di—
sease of American racism and
Jim Crow injustice of the old
“New South.”
Since my last letter to you
dated March 4, 1977, our situ
ation has not changed. We are
still ten innocent victims of a
racist and political prosecu
tion. We are still political
prisoners. We are still prison
ers of conscience. We remain
in prison, for a collective total
of 282 years not because of
criminal conduct but as a
direet result of our participa
tion in the civil rights mov
ment in the United States.
-Despite the overwhelming
facts and evidence now re
vealed, " ' ‘ *
are! ’
cent t. , ^3
three state's witnesses; des
pite the U.S. Justice Depart
ment and federal grand jury
investigations; and despite
the constant pleas of millions
of 'people from around the
world calling for our release,
the torture and persecution of
the Wilmington Ten continues
in North Carolina unabated.
Our nation can never stand
before the world community
as a beacon light of democra
cy and human rights as long
as the Wilmington Ten, Char
lotte Three, Georgia Five, and
hundreds of other citizens of th
United States are behind bars
because of our race, creed,
and or political activism. _
Therefore, Mr. President, I
renew my appeal to you to
estabiiah a national priority of
freeing all U.S. Political Pri
soners.
How long we remain in
prison will ultimately be de
termined by your executive
action.
Rev. Beniamin F. Chavis Jr.
tf •- .
"!!■ ..
TO
BE
%.
EQUAL
Vernon E. Jordan Jr. I
I
The Proverty Numbers Game
_There’s a delusion abroad in the land that
poverty doesn’t affect many people, an<T that
delusion is being fed by absurd arguments that
social welfare benefits have removed almost all
poor people from poverty.
But the facts are that some 26 million people -
two thirds of them white - live in families whose
income is below the federal poverty line, while
another 11 million people are within only $1,400 of
the poverty level.
That’s a lot of people. And they’re living in
terrible conditions most middle class people
cannot imagine.
But that’s only part of it. That so-called
“poverty line” is itself a false and misleading
standard.
The “poverty line” is currently set at about
$5,500 for an urban family of four, as if such a
family isn’t poor if it earns $6,000, $7,000, or even
$8,000.
How is that figure arrived at? The poverty line
goes back to the 1960s, when the government, for
convenience sake, had to determine some
poverty limit tn use as a guideline in the now
defunct War on Poverty.
Thn fifTlirn i fonlt uroo A
Department estimates of emergency diet food
budgets - how much families would need to get
by for a limited period.
Since then, the figure has been frozen into a
benchmark for determining poverty in general -
as a permanent condition. And it’s got absolutely
nothing to do with measuring minimum living
standards. For that, you’ve got to go to the
Department of Labor, which publishes annual
estimated budgets for living standards, -
Last month, the Department published it’s
finding that an “austere” living standard for an
urban family of four requires $10,000 per year.
That’s the real poverty line, for it<
vacations. ^.
Instead of abandoning that old “poverty line”
figure and replacing it with the “austere” budget
level, some-claim that neither is adequate since
the cash value Mjvartonft Social welfare benefits
should be included. Thus, food stainps^Tedi-„ -
caid, the value of subsidized housing, and other
benefits should have cash value attached to them
and added on to real income.
The result? Presto - only nine million poor
people. That shows you can do anything with
mathematics, even obscure social reality, if you
want tv.
So despite claims that poverty is vanishing, it
is still with us. The recent recession was a
Depression for the poor, and they’re still in a
deep economic Depression while the rest of the
nation is climbing back out of the recession.
That’s something forAdffilnlBtratiuir officials to
ponder as they continue to delay the sweeping
changes poor people need in return for the
conservative budget-balancing assurances well
off people want.
a
■ •* • ’ V
I rn 44._ a.alfMa IWa.. —*--Al-4
out pain. They must learn to
strive for perfection, but tem
per that drive with the under
standing that to err is human.
They must not condone wrong,
but they must be able to
understand wrong and forgive
It when the culprit is truly
sorry.
In conclusion, it's my opin
ion that second only to Mack
children, Mack women are our
greatest assets. And as they
strive to assume an individual
leadership role, black men
should be encouraging, helpful
and understanding of their
needs.
As much as humanly possi
ble, Mack men must provide
those needs, whatever they
are, with tenderness end ea
gerness. In other Vorde, we
must applaud Mack women’s
development.
As bless men develop a
sense and purpose of indivi- *
dual leadership and as black
women do the same thing,
then the onlv thing left to do is
du] that all together -
Next week in this column,
I'll discuss putting it altoget
her. Our goal should be a
dynamic due of well-develop
ed, self-sustaining Mack men
and well-developed self-sus
taining Mack women.
sturggle against the odds, do
ing what they can and hoping
constantly for something bet
ter, then they’re worthy of
respect.
Black women have to un
learn that sense of competi
tion which seems to premeate
most relationships with Mack
meg. That's all right in the
business and professional
worlds, because that Is what
those worlds are baaed upon.
But in the personal realm,
competition has no place.
Having unlearned these ne
gative things which keep
black men and women from
their rightful places as per
sonal black leaders, there are
other things that black women
must learn.
I’ve already discussed
learning to be independent,
financially solvent and men
tally and psychologically sti
mulating. Finally, black wo
men must learn to be emo
tionally objective.
This isn’t to imgly that black
women aren't emotionally
strong, they are. But we all
must learn to view emotions
as objectively as we view all
other things.
For example, black women
must learn that pain Is ines
capable and that as often as
|
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
Many black leaders, congression
al liberals and organizations — in
cluding Jesse Jackson, Vernon Jor
dan, Senator George McGovern and
the Congressional Black Caucus —
have begun to express growing
dissatisfaction with President Car
ter's domestic economic policies:—
While many of the black political
leaders are said to be reluctant to
publicly criticize Carter, a member
of the Black Caucus reportedly has
said, “The administration has given
us no clear signal that it has a solid
commitment to real solutions to the
problems plaguing blacks, other
minorities and the less advantaged
among us.”
While the critics have applaud
ed Carter lor restoring reductions
in some employment programs
made by President Ford, they are
disturbed that the administration
has abandoned social welfare needs
in favor of controlling inflation and
, creating a balanced budget. _
In more specific terms, the Con
gressional Black Caucus has be
come disenchanted with Carter de
1_»_ I# « a .. . .
THE CHARLOTTE POST
“THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER”
.4 Established 1918
Published Every Thursday
By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc.
2606-B West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208
Telephones (704) 392-1306,392-1307
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58 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE
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New York, N.Y. 10036 Chicago, 111. 60616
(212) 489-1220 Calumet 5-0200
By Gary Gregg
Post Staff Writer
Black women have always
been at the forefront of the
struggle for freedom from
oppression.
They have more often than
not had to contend with, not
only the racism of white Ame
rica, but also the insecurity of
• black men.
' It hasn't been an easy row to
hoe, but black women nation
wide must be commended
because they made sure the
next generation got bom. Say
what you must about illegiti
macy, about welfare chislers
and all the rest but if those
wonderful women hadn't con
tinued to have those babies,
none of us would be here today
in the relative peace of 1977
1 having philosophical discus
sions sbout the hell they lived
through.
It is time black women
I assume their natural leader
ship role in this scheme of
things that will mean freedom
for all of us.
Last week I said it is time
that blacks shake the messiah
syndrone, looking for that cha
rismatic black leader who will
lead up to freedom's promise
land.
It is time that each of us
assume the role as leader,
THAN I HAVE BEEN IN ALONG
TIME. DR. HAMILTON SAID HIS
ENCOURAGEMENT DID NOT COME
FROM THEENLIGHTMENT OF
WHITE PEOPLE, BUT FROM THE
DETERMINATION OF BLACK ~ '
PEOPLE TO DO FOR THEMSELVES.
PR.CHARLES V. HAMILTON
* ^fil
TEAMWORK^!
SELF-HELP »«i "
SELF-DETRMINATION
Blacks’Destiny In Own Hand
THE VIEW FROM HERE
Black Women In Forefront Of Struggle For Freedom
first of ourselves, ana then of
our families.
Here black women must
have definite input.
One of die first things I
recommend that black women
do, is drive for personal inde
pendence.
While the rolee of wife and
mother are laudable, in to
day’s economic uncertainty
those two specialties are im
practical. bo black women, all
black women, should be deve
loping salable skills. 1 don't
mean maids, waitresses or
cooks, though these jobs are
honorable. But women must
not limit themselves. Strive to
be businesswomen in the
grand tradition of so many
other black women. Enter any
of the so-called non-tradltional
fields which interest you. Be
secretaries, accountants, file
clerks, executives and doc
tors, lawyers, professors and
technicians. But slso be bus
drivers, mechanics, engi
neers and sales persons; any
thing that men aspire to. In
otherwords, be economically
solvent first.
At the same time, black
women must fight for a posi
tion beside their men not two
steps Jp the rear. I'm not
talking about competition, but
about viable teamwork.
To do this, you must over
chological development it an
educational process. And
while there is a lot for black
women to learn, there is also a
great deal they must unlearn.
Erase from your mind the
almost pathological distrust
and disrespect for black men.
This doesn’t apply to all black
women, of course, but there
are many out there who know
what I’m talking about.
Black men aren’t dogs.
Take time to discover the
subtle sides of black men, the
secret hopes and desires, the
ambitions and aspirations.
Learn what they are and add
your strength to the drive to
achieve them.
If none of that is present and
if you contend irrevocably
that all black men are dogs,
then wnat are an oiaca wo
men?
Black men aren't all non
thinking brutes who can't ap
preciate you, respect you or
protect you from the vagaries
of this hectic life. Apprecia
tion and respect must be
earned. They must also be
mutual.
So you must learn to appre
ciate black men, the problems
they must face dally, insecuri
ties and all. And if those who
don't cop out snd go hang out
on the comer have something
Vickie CUvm
come some, and 1 kid you not,
it won t be easy.
There are many black men
who will fael threatened by
your mind, believing it to be
some alien force which guard*
your body. But insist that he
learn to appreciate the fact
that you can think, make
decisions and function well in
this fast-paced society in
which we live.
Prepare to be lonely some, if
that is necessary. But like a
friend of mine Vickie Clives
said recently, "you won t oe
lonely if you like yourself.”
This process of economic
solvency, of mentaTand -psy