Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 29, 1977, edition 1 / Page 2
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αιιωι.ί ç commcnii 1977, What It Means For 1978 m. vajiviw muu iu> * wvr uiavA needs and concerns did not stop with the election of these key office holders. Andrew Young and Patricia Harris, off to questionable starts in their respective positions as ambas sador to the UN and secretary of Housing and Urban Development, have performed admirably and sou r therner Griffin Bell has undoubtedly performed well in the view of most 'black political observers in his pursuit of equal opportunity and affirmative action needs. At the state level, blacks in increasing numbers are serving in the Hunt administration and nine blàëks - an unprecedneted number - from Char lotte-Mecklenburg serve on appoint ed boards and commissions. Locally too, Ken Harris has indicated a strong intent to respond to black needs and concerns in his first term as mayor. Foreseeable Future Undoubtedly, too, 1977's witness of an epic television story - "Roots," a 12-hour 8-part series viewed by 80 million Americans - that helped both blacks and whites to better under stand their past and thus to grasp a sense of the meaning of the present and the foreseeable future. The year 1977 was also a year when much was said about human rights. To that end, the 150th birth day of the black press reminded us again that black oriented newspap ers have always been in the fore front of providing the news that is often overlooked, ignored, misun i ■■ ■ aerstood or distorted by the white press, particularly when such news is favorable to blacks and their causes. The concerns here were dramatized by Charlotte's black elected officials in February when Commissioner Bob Walton, School board chairman Phil Berry and Councilman Harvey Gantt reminded a Charlotte audience of ministers that racism continues to linger in the Queen City. Mindful of this lingering evil in our community, the talented Sis Kaplan was appointed chairperson of the Community Relation Committee to succeed the retiring Warner L. Hall who had placed his imprint and that of CRC on the positive factors of our City. Neighboring Educator The year 1977 was also the year a neighboring educator was appointed superintendent of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. Little noticed was the fact that the new school head, Dr. Jay Robinson, told a group of state legislators at a get-acquain ted luncheon, "I don't want anything extra for Mecklenburg County. I just want us to be treated equal." The remark was in specific reference to a technical point in law that denies bus service to a school where many black children must walk along heavily traveled road edges to get to the school. More significantly, Ro binson's "treated equal" remark appears to be a hallmark in his administration. lmisi ouc ηοι least, urn was the year they saw the return of district representation to the City of Char lotte. Districting has resulted in four women, three blacks and more younger representation in city gov ernment. Of greater significance is the fact that every section of the city now has a voice in government and with the efforts of Talent Bank (nipt , spearheaded by the Community Re lations Committee more equitable representation will appear on ap pointed boards and commissions. We have attempted to put the year 1977 in perspective in order to gain some sense of the meaning and direction of 1978. While the POST has no desire to attempt to predict the future, it does see in the past some sign of what the future -1978 - can be. We believe, for example, that the gains blacks have made in 1977 were the direct result of a sense of togetherness and unity but with conformity. Therefore, as we step on the starting line of 1978 we must, as blacks, as Americans, as Charlotte ans and as members of the human community, begin to embrace the challenges of crime, poverty, unem ployment, inferior education, dis crimination and injustice wth a new and greater energy because of strug gle for equality in lifelong. uwrer could, for all INTENTS, AND PURPOSES PUT HIS 6UNS AWAY. WE V Ε ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO HILL OUR SELVES BETTER THAN HE CAN NOW WE SEND EACH OTHER DEATH IN SMALL BAOS. CLA\ TO* BILE Y LlêKBATOK 'OW -Λ -W· Ν ·- ^ w . \ Time For Action In The Black Community Credit Counseling Program Eliminates Financial Woes Special To The Post EDITOR'S NOTE: Several months ago Clark Cox of the Richmond County Daily Jour nal wrote a feature on a credit counseling service offered by the Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. Recently, two ar ticles were printed which have caused the Chamber to be flooded with calls for similar help. Cox has approved com bining the stories into one story for statewide distribu tion in hope that similar pro grams might be started by other Chambers. Names are fictitious to avoid embarrass ment. '— ' nuv/miiunnm — l nree years ago Roger Browne of this small southeastern North Carolina community suddenly found himself owing far more than he had income to pay. His debts totaled M,286.29, which he was obligated to repay to eight major creditors and an attorney at a rate of $280.86 a month. Browne, at that point, "did not care anymore," and even thought about leaving town to start over somewhere else. He also considered filing bankruptcy under Chapter XIII of the Fedeal Bankruptcy Act, and went so far as contac ting an attorney and Filling out the necessary paperwork. But then fate, of providence, stepped in. The restraining orders whi ch went out to Browne's crédi tera included one to Bob Spe ars, manager of Carolina Loans, Inc., and a volunteer staff member of the Rocking ham Chamber of Commerce Credit Counseling Program. Spears immediately contac ted Browne and began giving him financial counseling. Hie two worked out a system of repaying Browne's debts with out filins bankruntcv. and today Browne says, "I'm not hurting anymore for anything. I have money to spend, and my credit is good just about anywhere. I could buy any thing I want on credit." In another similar case whi ch came to light, Roy Roecoe had overextended his finan cial resources woefully throu gh poor spending habits com pounded by family illness and the failure of a business. He had heard of Spears and the credit counseling service offered by the Rockingham Chamber, so he went to him for assistance. Now, a year and a half later, Roecoe and his family are still far from being debt-free, but they have made enough pro gress to qualify as one of the nuiw success stflrics of. the m ~ * ^ ^ ·ι counceling Service > as ne αια «M1 vrowne, Spears took over all the details of handling the Roecoe fami ly's funds, allotting an allow ance to the family and using the remaining income to apply against a multitude of debts. He obtained agreements from creditors to make smaller payments over longer periods of time in order to make the family's funds stretch to meet the debts. These documented cases of financial collapse and recove ry are not unique. Calls for credit counseling have mush roomed since the Richmond County Daily Journal featured it in a news story several months ago. Now the Chamber is even looking for additional counse lors. Spears cannot handle the details of new credit counsel ing clients, although he conti nues to manage the Roecoe family's money. He explained he simply doesn't have time to give each client his attention and IrAAn Uu <WoHoX h**rvk<> which sucn a service requires. "Most clients," he said, "need only budgeting help or advice on sound business and money-handling practices. O thers may need more." The Browne and Roscoe cases required more. It meant being strict. At one time, Spears allowed Browne only $5 weekly for cigareetes and spending money. The Ros coe family was allotted (40 per-week during a 16-month period of repayment of debts. Browne admits he was "miserable" at frist, "but I Finally just go out of the habit of wanting things, and got use to not having money. Then it wasn't so bad." Mrs. Roecoe said before . counseling the family went to movies two or ■ three times time in 16 months," she added. Spears, in counseling onx credit, is opposed to declaring bankruptcy. Such a move cou ld make matters worse, he thinks. "...Chapter XIII destroys a person's credit, and in the long run it costs everybody involv ed," Spears points out. "It is designed for relief from har raaement by creditors and succeeds in that respect, but many people are not aware of the ramifications of the law; they're gullible and they jump without knowing what they're getting into." It is estimated that some 40,000 people file bankruptcy under Chapter XIII each year. Under this plan, a debtor makes periodic payments to a court-appointed trustee who distributes the money to credi tors, but first takes a 5 percent commission which immedi ately increases the debt. Sometimes the process covers as much as eight years. ι By Vernon E. Jordan Jr. TO BE EQUAL Vernon Ε. Jordan Jr. 1977 — Year Of Disappointments 1977 is μ year that began with high hopes and ends with considerable disappointment. A new Administration took office last January, full of brave hopes and bold plans. It had been elected with the votes of blacks and other minorities, who now looked to Washington for decisive action to deal with long-neglected problems. But for black and minority citizens, for all poor people and for the jobless, 1977 saw no change in their condition. In fact, given the heightened expectations shared by so many, the year was a» disappointing bust. ^ Perhaps the most obvious trend of the year was the continued rightward drift of popular opinion. This was reflected in continued resis tance to steps designed to help the poor, and in the intensified reaction against affirmative action programs. The Bakke Case typifies this. Not very long ago there was a general consensus that blacks and other minorities should be drawn into the mainstream of our national life through special efforts. After all, we've had hundreds of years of special efforts to exclude black people, so why not special efforts to include them? But this year a general consensus against such special efforts seems to have emerged. The focus is all on the few white males who lost historic privileges, and not on the many women, blacks and minorities who are given the opportunity to compete through affirmative action programs. So the Bakke Case has become a sort of shorthand symbol for America's drift away from social justice. 1977 was also marked by the lack of action to rebuild the cities or to create enough jobs. The Administration, after a very slow start, did make some moves in this direction. A youth jobs program was passed, a welfare reform measure proposed, and agreement on a compromise Humphrey-Hawkins Bill reached. In addition, a high-levplJtask.tpi^.te pdt^;') toget^4?*|iû®fban b* η unveilea sodtï. Such steps, while welcome, don't begin to deal with the problems facing the cities. The Admin istration has to share part of the blame. It set a balanced budget by 1981 and an energy policy as its priorities and other issues were put on the back burner, or at least treated with less urgency. But this was partly offset by its openness, its willingness to consult with groups previously ignored in poicy-making, and by the energetic activities of some Departments. A larger share of the blame must be alloted to behalf of the cities and the deprived. It's a behalf of the citids apd the deprived. It's a national disgrace thatiwith so many millions of poor people and unemployed people, one of the hottest issues on Capitol Hill is the Panama Canal Treaty. So 1977 was a year of disappointment, a year of promises rather than achievements, a year of symbols rather than substance. It was the year a President of Egypt went to Israel, and a year in which a President of the United States went to South Bronx. So seeds were planted. If the climate is right, we may see a better 1978. THECHARLOTTEPOST "THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER" Established 1918 Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Poet Publishing Co., Inc. 2606-B West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28206 Telephones (704 ) 392-1308,392-1307 Circulation, 7,185 58 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE Bill Johnson Editor-Publisher Hoyle H. Martin Sr Executive Editor Bernard Reeves General Manager Julius Watson — -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 Association Deadline for all news copy and photos is S p.m. Monday. All photos and copy submitted becomes the property of the Poet, 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 Auto Mechanics iNeed standardizing By Oerakl ο. Johnson It is a frightening but a true fact that we a* automobile consumers are at the mercy of the automobile industry. It is the second largest investment most people will make in thier lives, only surpassed by hous ing. Its popularity can only be surpassed by the television as far as households having them. With a market as lucrative as the automobile industry it is no surprise that the quick buck people have saturated the industry. The automobile mechanic more than any other person involved in the auto industry is the most deceptive. Because most of us do not bother to learn anything about an automobile except how to drive it. we become easy targets for the garage gurues. One of the things you should be on the lookout for when having your car serviced is if the mechanic is commissioned or on salary. If a mechanic is commissioned, he is paid only when he fixes a car and usually his pay is a percentage of the service charge If this is the case, lookout! Your car will have more ailments than vou can dream of once a commissioned mechanic gets hold of it. If you have a problem with your car but you don't know why you are hav ing the problem, then explain the symptoms to the mechanic and have him look the car over. Then let him tell you what he thinks the problem is and how much it will cost to fix it. Make sure that he does not work on the car until a price has been agreed upon. Make sure that there is a guarantee on the work. The guarantee should stipulate that the work being done will correct the problem. If the work being done does not correct the problem then some compensa tion should be given. Ask for an itemized list of all parts and coat of each part and ask for a return of all old parts. Not all mechanics are croo ked, and when you find a good honest one you had better hang on to him. To give you some incidents that have hap pened to me will show both honesty and dishonesty. Once my car wouldn't start in fact the motor would not turn over It would only make a clicking sound. I know a little about cars and a diag nostic check told me that the starter needed to be replaced When the tow truck came and towed my car away, I told the service station man that the starter needed to be replaced Later, that evening when I went to pick up the car he told me that my battery didn't have any acid in it so he put some in and recharged the battery. He said "your starter is fine." Now this mechanic could have charged me for a new starter and the labor thereof, but instead he was honest and fair. However, on another occa sion mv heater went out on my car. I called all around town trying to get a good deal on replacing the heater. The low est price I got was $45 so I went with that. When I came to pick up my car I received a bill (or $85. The bill included some things that the mechanic had not told me needed to be done This particular station has gone out of business since then. The problem with auto me chanics is that there is no standards in the field. There is nothing that is required of a mechanic. Most mechanics learn their trade from another mechanic who learned from a mechanic. Now if the mecha nic he learned from was inade quate as a mechanic then he will be inadequate, also There are schools that offer courses in auto-mechanics, but the courses are not stan dard either No one knows what a mechanic should know to be a mechanic. Hence the field of auto me chanics must be standardized in order that the consumer will get his dollars worth. Degrees should be given and displayed to indicate that a mechanic has finished such and such a course and it qualified to work on your car. Standard pricing proce dures should be published for the consumer so that he will know approximately bow mu ch a job will cost before going to the mechanic, i.e. standard price for a tune-up $45, brake adjustments $23, etc. The policing and control of this auto mechanics field is a good model to follow in setting up standards for the auto mechanics field. It's funny how people spend more money on cars than they do on both medical and legal services combined. Yet they insist on both doctors and lawyers having the finest pos sible training available, but their auto mechanic can be a dunce. This is yet another episode in how "It Can Only Happen In America." 60 Minutes Is A Revelation It never ceases to amaze me how we as tax payers pay approximately 33 percent of our money to the Government to do absolutely nothing. 60 minutes, the popular TV news show, has done more to expose fraudulent businesses than any government agency Yet, the government agencies were formed to police such fraudu-. lent cases. 60 minutes revealed that medicaid scandals, the dope traffic, the commodity ex change crooks, and countless other cases. In each of these cases there is a Government agency set up to do what 60 minutes does. Yet these agencies, always, use as an excuse that they are understaffed and underfinan ced. It seems to me that they could break one of two cases every now and then But since they can't I have a suggestion. ; Let's dissolve those agencies and let 60 Minutes keep up the good work This seems to be a sure fire way to cut taxes and not lose anv services. Has your name been in the Charlotte Post lately7 Keep us informed on what you are doing so that we can let your' friends know by running it in · the Charlotte Post. By Hoyle H. Martin Sr. Post Executive Editor The year 1977 began with the last shadows of Watergate leaving the Washington scene, a Republican in the governor's office, Democrat Big John Belk in the mayor's chair and the nation's economy racked with rampant inflation and intolerable levels of unemployment. The year 1977 ended with the smile of our new national leader - Jimmy Carter - dimmed by a failure to get some needed legislation passed by Con gress, the emergence of a Democrat in the governor's seat, the "little Republican" Ken Harris in the mayor's office' and the nation's economy still caught in the grips of high inflation and higher unemploy ment. Between these year beginning and year ending developments, a num ber of significant events, pattern setting changes and political forces have taken place. Significant - and probably pace-setting - among these events was the realization of the forcefulness of the black vote. Bla cks were a prime factor in putting Jimmy Carter in the White House and Jim Hunt in the governor's chair in late 1976. Furthermore, in an s unprecedented fashion, blacks were a key factor in making Ken Harris Charlotte's first Republican mayor ; in recorded history. n.i:n ι :i. j l ι—■
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 29, 1977, edition 1
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