Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / July 21, 1977, edition 1 / Page 2
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ediMij tcoiicnij Rev. Battle’s FaitH Aids Needy By noyie n. Marun i>r. Post Executive Editor ‘‘I used to fight all the time, but now I don’t fight ‘cause I like this program and I want to keep com ing.” These are the words of a 12-year old who lives in the Five Points area where recreational faci lities were non-existent, boredom was wide-spread and young people were often caught up in acts of vandalism and crime. In the spring of 1973, the Rev. George Battle became aware of these problems and immediately conducted a door-to-door survey of over 550 homes in the Five Points area to determine what his church - Greater Gethsemane AME Zion - could do to help the community. Finding much of the poverty and depression so characteristic of poor neighborhoods, and without the a vailability of city, county or federal funds, Battle set up a volunteer program in the summer of 1973 with 50 children. ‘‘Starting on faith,” Battle said, wim no nnancial support except from a few faithful church members and church volunteers,” a summer cultural-enrichment program with emphasis on family involvement was instituted. Battle’s success led to community development support for the sum mer of 1974, $88,000 for a six-months after-school program in 1976; and $85,000 in revenue-sharing money for a 1976 summer program. In addition, Rev. Battle and his church began their first year-round pro gram last month with a long waiting list of interested persons. Considering the shortcomings of so many community-based pro grams, we might ask, why such meaningful success in Battle’s pro gram? The answer, we believe, was a beginning with unselfish faith. The Post salutes Rev. George Battle and his congregation for their practice and concern for the needs of their fellow man. Looting, A Senseless Act Last week’s 25-hour electrical black-out of New York City was another serious economic blow to the “Big Apple.” Not only was the city’s pride, prestige and economic recovery from near-bankruptcy se verely impeded, but an estimated 2,000 businesses - black, Hispanic and white enterpreneurs - lost mil lions of dollars due to the blackout itself or the looting, stealing and burning that engulfed many areas. Undoubtedly, and second only to the question of why and how did the blackout occur, many people, in and out of New York, are asking why did the stealing and burning erupt im mediately after the city was plunged into darkness? Furthermore, why was there such a contrast with the 1965 blackout when New Yorkers were extremely helpful to each other , • and crime nearly disappeared? Why did thousands (3,700 arrests) risk the possibility of imprisonment? Looters articulate enough to ans wer these questions would probably say the answer lies in our nation’s 1_S_A_ il . _ __ maiui y uvei uie pasi id years, mis period began with John F. Kenne dy’s “New Frontier,” Lyndon John son’s “Great Society” and the rising expectations of millions of poor poverty-stricken depressed people - blacks, whites and hispanics. The expectations of these groups were frustrated by the pull of Viet nam War expenditures away from “Great Society” social programs, the Nixon-Ford administrations’ a bandonment of the poor and the . delayed emphasis to human welfare improvement by the Carter admi nistration. Add to this, recent re ports that white businessmen were using blacks as “front” to get federal funds earmarked for minori ty business plus the 40 percent unemployment rate among black youth and you have the conditions for creating spontaneous looting as happened in New York City. The Post would take strong excep tion to these answers, not based on the question of their truthfulness, but on the basis of the fact that they are no excuse for the looting and burning of businesses that serve the very communities the looters and law-abiding citizens live in. Further more, such answers by the looters imply that it was primarily the poor who were stealing. This is not necessarily true since published reports note that the looters “took toasters, not bread; liquior, not milk;” and other non-essentials. In addition many of the looters were •relatively young children who should have Men- : pnr<«wi-aT * supferCfelSfi*"' durfhg ’' the" %la dft'dnt: It is time for us Americans-all black, Hispanic and white, rich and poor alike - to realize that we have carried our value of individualism too far and in so doing have forgot ten our sense of community and the realization that one man’s freedom ends where another’s begins. Let us revive the spirit of brotherhood and romomKar fhof urn o rn no/>K nn«* brother’s Keeper. LET US HEAR FROM YOU For the last 6 weeks the editorial page has consisted of articles which are contrary to the belief of some, agreeable with others, and erron eous to others. The editorial staff welcomes this patronage and we are extending an invitation to all to “Let Us Hear From You.” We welcome the chance to print your opinion. Just mail your letter to: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR P.O.BOX 97 CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28230 ■. ■ BLACK COMMUNITY I SELF HELP -MUTUAL AIP $ELF IMPROVEMENT - COOPERATION Blacks9 Destiny In Own Hands! LETTERS TOTHE EDITOR! Love Is The Essence Of Dr. Kings Memorial Dear Mr. Johnson: Our mere existence is be cause of the love that was shown for us on the cross. Love holds no blame, or for ever find faults. Love is under standing and respect for all people. The love of people will see that there is no more hunger and starving in this world of plenty. The family will again become the moving force in our community. Love will get that young man or woman off the street corners and help them to find a better way of living more beneficial to themselves and their fami lies. iLm^ wlll bring about a Government will become of the people, by the people and for the people. Neighborhoods will become neighbors. Love will lead us all to the mirror to take a look at what we really see in self and see if the changes that have got to be maae in our society may need to start at home, deep within us individually and to accept and understand that changes must take place for the better ment of all people, i When love prevails, the Ben Chavis’ will be set free, injus tices will be no more. When love prevails there will not have to be the memorializing of ones name in steel. The memorial will be the carrying on of the works of the ones who gave so much for us to have a better way of life. We will take time to embrace that way ward child. Love will recog nize the abilities and talents of the brother or sister that needs employment. Love will see that people need people. Love came into the world that we may all have life more abundantly. Love is the great est of all. No we should not just be satisfied with the statue that hopefully will be placed in Marshall Park. I see the deep meaning of this statue and the concern black citizen’s that have been a part of Rev. Barnettes dedicated efforts since the unsuccessful effort of the renaming of Beatties Ford Road. We are reminded daily of the George Washingtons and Abe Lincolns and confederate soldiers and all those who lived and breath hatred be cause of the color of opes skins. The statue <}f Dr. King is a symbol of love andapprecia tion for all those who see it. The symbolic place i Marshall Park. The culture background of almost every black person that lives in Charlotte. The starting ground of black busi ness, the crime, the poverty, the haDDiness anH tnsethor. ness that was in our schools, the dedication care and love that teachers had for students, the family unit, the sharing anc caring that people had for each other. Yes all of this was a part of Dr. Kings love and dedication for all people. One young man said this to me, “Dr. King could have just stayed in his church, bul I believe God sent him to do this for us (Black people) so we would open our eyes and see what we had to do. He didn't have to do it.” He said “Yes I want to help to keep the dream alive. Everybody in Charlotte knows how many times I’ye asking for help for someone that needs it. Recently, a bus load of black women attended the state meeting for women, financially they could not at* ford it but people came to their aid. Only 4 were black. Now these women are very much aware of why we should care aooui our puuucai system. Yes I would like to see Black people start a fund to help blacks help themselves. I would like to see the black community be responsible for this same bus load of women going to Houston, Texas in Nov. of 1977.1 would like to see the black community have a fund to help buy clothing and buy food for people in need. We never know when need may Mt at home. I would like to see black people in Char lotte start a fund to do this as of now. I would like to see the kind of funds set aside to help people that would not label a person or would not be the same kind of beauracratic stumbling blocks that people now have to go through seek ing help. Can Charlotte do this, it has taken almost 4 months to raise $50,000. We have no problems with paying $10 to go to a jam or $15 or $25 to go to a luncheon or dinner, should one have a problem with helping our selves. 1 say no! Let’s start the fund now. Send youf donations to the Post and let us see what we can do for each other. Let’s begin to move on our own progress and let’s move some body else with us. Let us start to enhance the talents and will to do in our own community. Lets move Charlotte, we’re about 10 years or is it 20 years late. Mrs. Carrie Graves TO BE EQUAL W 14 Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Downing The B-l President Carter’s decision not to go ahead with production of the B-l bomber was a bold one, and he’s catching a lot of flak because of it. But it was a sound decision, a good one from every standpoint. Despite the cries of alarmists, there’s plenty of doubt that the weapon was needed. We’ve already got stockpiles of enough destructive weapons to blow the entire world up several times over, along with the delivery systems to do the job. So I don’t buy the arguments for the necessity of an additional costly weapon - the B-l. Especially when the cruise missile makes even the new bomber obsolete. By grounding the B-l, President Carter also takes a step toward dampening the arms race. It is obvious that new arms development by one side just leads to counter-developments on the other. The arms race escalates, more weapons are produced, more billions are spent by both sides, and the relative capabilities of both sides remain the same. TL__if j_a._ i ^ « ocu-ucau ucuvc bpiicti mat aoesn i make sense, especially when you consider the price tag on the B-l. Some estimates are that the projected fleet of the new bombers and support and maintenance systems would ultimately cost about $100 billion. Just one plane would cost about $100 million. And then there are the extras, not to mention the inevitable cost overruns that continually plague our major defense systems. So just one plane could cost quite a bit. How many houses and schools can you build for that price - quite a few. And just think of the members of jobs that sum could create. One of the major problems this country faces is high youth unemployment. About a third of teenagers who want to work are unemployed, and for blacks the figures is around 60 percent. The Administration’s proposals for special youth job programs are interesting to compare with the coetsthe B-l would incur. An inner-city . Youth Community Conservation and Improve ment Project, for example, would create 30,000 jobs for teenagers at a cost only a bit higher than two B-ls. To the extent that we can create economic opportunities and reduce social inequalities, we will be a stronger nation. While it is important to keep our defense capabilities up to full strength, it would be a mistake to squander scarce resources on new weapons systems that don’t add all that much to our power while imposing terrible costs on our economy and our social order. It would be well for critics of the B-l decision to remember General Eisenhower’s statement: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed...This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.” The President made the right decision. And he can even improve on it by committing some of the funds saved by not producing the B-l to producing the housing and jobs people need. THE CHARLOTTE POST •THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. 2606-B West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28206 Telephones (704 ) 392-1306,392-1307 Circulation, 7,185 58 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE Bill Johnson.Editor-Publisher Hoyle H. Martin Sr.Executive Editor Bernard Reeves.General Manager .Circulation Director Albert Campbell.Advertising Director Second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid At Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878 —.. » ■ ■ — Member National Newspaper Publishers ' _Association North Carolina Black Publishers Associ»*i' Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p.m Monday. All photos and copy submitted becomes the property of the Post, and will not be returned National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 45 w. 5th Suite 1403 2400 S. Michigan Ave. New York, N Y. 10036 Chicago. 111. 60616 (212 ) 489-1220 Calumet 5-0200 iC nn i ne Lignter side- A Bible Story r BvGerald0. Johnson In the beginning the word was with God and the word was God. So, God decided to make man. He made two; Adam and Aaron After he finished he couldn’t see Adam and Aaron because everything was dark. So, he said let their be light and General Electric was formed. God looked over his work and he was pleased Then God decided to put Adam and Aaron over every thing else he created. They were put in charge of the land and the seas and the animals thereof. God worked hell out of Adam and Aaron. One day Aaron got fed up with the whole thing and he decided that he would give God a piece of his mind. So, Aaron got Adam and told him of his plan to defy God. When God gave them their next order. Aaron refused to do it saying that he and Adam were overworked He told Gt that they demanded to have eek ends off So, God said 'Let their be weekends Since God is a knowing God. he also said let their be AMF so they could have something to do on the weekends God looked at "ou wire emu lie WM pleased. Aaron and Adam were pleased because they got the patent on formulating un ions. But one day God was think ing and he said it is not right that humans defy me. If I let them get away with this then they will try anything. So, God decided to pay man back for his defiance He said "Let their be woman," and Eve and ETA were created. Man has been suffering ever since. Now that women were around things changed. They shot the hell out of the week ends So, Aaron and Adam decided to go to God and repent Adam said "God relieve us of this burden and we will ne ver defy you again, so God said okay. He told Aaron and Adam to go out into the world and multiply After three days of doing this Adam and Aaron had created mathematics. Of course, they got the patent on this, too Aaron and Adam went back to God to ask why he w anted them to do this You see they had misunderstood God God realized that he hadn't taught them about the i birds and the bees. After a quick lesson on the birds and the bees the boys ran right out and began to beget They begot so often that the women were getting sick of it all Hence, the headache was in vented by the women They also formulated a women s group to get equal rights With everybody wanting -ights. God decided he was spending too much time nego iating with humans So, he said Let their be govern nent" to relieve his load God looked over the situation and be was pleased. Not long after Government created man thought up the need for money. They wanted something that could be used to push their weight around Moreover, Govern ment had gotten so big that a lot of people didn't have any thing to do So the invention money would give these peo ple the task of conning the rest of the people out of their money So it was. taxes With money around, man became very materialistic He started buying cars, clothes, and anything that he could worship. Adam bought a deu ce and a quarter, white on white, with rim spokes and silver plated mags. He would ride around earth with his gangster lean, wide rim brim, radio blasting God was beginning to get upset with all of this material ism He tried to contact Aaron and Adam but the radios were up to loud and they couldn't hear him. This really got God teed off He said "A fool and his money must be parted". God began to study the situation trying to come up with an idea to con man out of his money. He wanted man to worship him and not material things. After months of deliberation, it struck him. God knew what he had to do. The next morning after God had rested he woke up and said “Let there be Billy Gra ham, Oral Roberts, Rev. Ike, Jim Bakker, etc. The rest of the story you know. WGIV NO. 1 Many people within the last two weeks have confronted me with the question on "how is WGIV the number one soul station irf the country?" At first I didn't give it much thought. But when so many requests came to me I decided to look into it. Obviously, the soul stations from Norfolk, New York City, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and other big cities are beyond a doubt much better than WGIV. The truth is WGIV is the number I station with a given wattage and a certain number of listeners. In other words WGIV did not compete in the same class as the big stations. Consequently, WGIV is the number one station in its class. This is not to say that WGIV shouldn't be proud of its ac complishments. But those of you who couldn't believe it, that is the way it was. It strikes me as a stupid situation that cars are made to travel at speeds of 120 mph and highways are built to allow travel speeds up to 80 mph, yet we can only travel at speeds of S5 mph. Since the 55 mph limit is for real (I received a ticket this weekend for being a disbeliev er) I suggest that we start making cars that will travel at a maximum speed of 55 mph. This suggestion has a lot of merit. First, with cars limited to 55 mph maximum speed, gaso line would be saved by force rather than by chance Moreover, highway patrol men could spend their time doing something worth while rather than sitting on the highway giving speeding tic kets
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 21, 1977, edition 1
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