Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 18, 1978, edition 1 / Page 2
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Cdiloodl) tL COIWIIU Welcome, “Newspaper About People” By Hoyle H. Martin Sr. Post editorial Writer A 151 years ago John Russworm and San)uel E. Cornish pioneered | the field of black journalism when L-.-they co-founded the Freedom’s Jour nal newspaper in New York City. In the first edition they wrote, “We Br cause,” that is the cause of and black self-determina ough education, courage, d hard work. ling from these humble be , and in spite of insurmount s against their success, the ress in the United States g|oday comprises approximately 385 [ly and five daily newspapers, t of these newspapers are lo I in North Carolina. As one of lumber, The Charlotte post is ed to “Welcome” the newest n the block, The Weekly Jour s Journal, subtitled “The News r About People,” is “just that,” Alvin Midgett, circulation iger, “because we focus on about people-articles, stories i£jjad announcements about black people in our communities.” He B added that, “people are our product j:?|iot headlines.” HI True to that statement, the May 11 Edition of the Journal features three :*rtiarge close-up pictures and stories about local black personalities. Nearly 30,000 copies of the Journal are distributed weekly in seven counties-Mecklenburg, Union, An son, Cabarrus, Rowan, Gaston, and Iredell counties-through retail out lets and commercial banks. We commend the Journal for its good beginning, its innovative ap proach and its wide circulation efforts. We wish however, to remind our new friends in the newspaper business that American journalism has historically provided a place for the small newspaper which reports the activities of special interest erouDS iust as their tabloid does. We wish to note, as we did in this column on the 150th anniversary of the Black Press last year, that a newspaper, like any other business, cannot survive on its past accom plishments; it is what it is doing today, and plans to do tomorrow, that determines its success or fail ure. Black people, we believe, must do more to insure the continued existence and success of the black press. To do less would be to abandon a vital voice in our never ending struggle for equality of op portunity and human rights. Support The Weekly Journal and The Charlotte Post too, and the black press will support you. dividual Or Collective Interest H: A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Pro ductivity Study says “Opportunities fsjfor reduction of some $9,454,960 in Annual costs in the City and County ^governments have been identified.” In more specific terms, the study ^-recommends reducing 519 city jobs |§t an annual savings of $6.3 million s^nd cutting 301 county jobs at an Ijpnnualpavings of $3.1 million. It has E^een assumed further that if the two g#|V«?wttebte accept the recom- s Emendations without adding new pro jects or services the city-county tax rate could be lowered by about 16 cents per $100 valuation. Undoubtedly, many citizens will applaud the recommendations on the assumption that their ever mounting taxes will be lower for a change. Others, who may loose their jobs or their hopes for city or v ' county employment will probably be dimmed. Blacks and women will probably begin to wonder about the Impact of the study on affirmative : action an equal employment hiring ^practices. This reminds us of one of the great paradoxes of American life. That is, the conflict between our needs as individuals and our needs as mem bers of a community, a city, a state and the nation. For example, with all the criticisms of deficit spending by the federal government, a big protest arose when it was suggested recently that the Defense Depart ment might close the Fort Jackson, S.C. military base. Thomas a Murphy, chairman of General Motors Corporation ex plained this paradox well when he said in an article in 1976, “we business people are not consistent in what, we say. Too often we rail against foreign competition. We oppose government handouts-except those used to bail out particular companies or particular industries. We are dead set against controls on Drices-but wage controls might be worth a look.” The point we are trying to empha size is that as the Charlotte-Meck lenburg Productivity Study unfolds into reality, it behoves each of each view its implications or impact in an objective manner. We make this observation because we believe that only action or no action with regard to the study will hurt some indivi duals financially while helping others. Thus, it is important that we think in terms of our individual as well as our collective needs and attempt to recognize that within the American tradition actions are usually followed that provide bene fits for the majority often at the expense of the few. But hopefully, you will be in the majority the next time. BLACK COMMUNITIES r ' THAT CARE ABOUT THE BLACK FU JURE, SHOULD HELP IMPOSE ORDER UHERE NEEDED. 6f ntHF.I M Working Together Can Do The Job Letters To The Editor New Progressive Political Party Dear bir We, the undersigned citizens of North Carolina, do hereby issue an urgent call for the founding and building of a new progressive independent poli tical party in North Carolina. We make this call because \ye have no other choice or alternative that will lead to the end of the continued cruel oppression of our people. Year after year, election after election black people and poor people across the state are repeatedly tricked and led to believe that the Democratic and Republican Parties wiU fairly and equally represent the interests of all citizens. .But history and present ex perience have made it clear that these two, status quo political parties have served only the exploitative interests of the oppressor. It is long past time for the oppressed in North Carolina to unite and to build a new progressive independent movement at the grass roots level throughout the state. Yes, we must continue to increase our voter registra tion. Yes, we must continue to vote on every election day. But this alone is not enough. If‘ we are to survive, we must begin to organize. If we are to survive, we must provide our people with a viable political alternative. The arrogant unwillingness of elected state officials to stop the persecution and un just imprisonment of the Wil mington Ten further exposes the deliberate conspiracy to keep black and poor people from organizing for human rights. The Wilmington Ten and the Charlotte Three sym bolize the state of our oppres sion. . The refusal of the Univer sity of North Carolina to fully desegregate, the increasing victimization of black youth, the imposition of racist com petency tests in the schools, the reinstitution of capital punishment, the official state anti-union campaign, increas ing police brutality and many other crucial issue are issues that only an independent poli tical party will address forth rightly. V. ,, Therefore,' we declare <Jur independence from the mahi pulation ot the Democratic Party and from the Republi can Party. We affirm our God-given human right to organize ourselves for our liberation. We call on you to join us and to help us build the Progres sive Independent Party. Signed: Rev. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. McCain State Prison Rev. Howard W. Wiley Winston-Salem, NC Ms. Evangeline G. Redding . Halifax County. . Russell McDonald- — •■jm v Robeson County Height Of Irresponsibility The Editor CHARLOTTE EVENING POST 2604 West Boulevard Charlotte, North Carolina In our profession there are those, thankfully a very small percentage, of whose ethics and practices we are neither proud nor do we approve or condone. So it is with physi cians, dentists, ministers, merchants, police officers, realtors, insurance agents, mechanics, plumbers, electri cians, carpenters, painters... and the list goes on...ad infini tum. Yet, with little ex ception, only the medical and legal professions clean their own houses and police their own. Many of their members have their licenses suspended or revoked annually-and we do It ourselves as a rule. For one top U.S. Judiciary member to recently indict one-half of the atfbrneys in this country as being incompe tent and for another to indict all of the physicians and attor neys on generalities, with no specific or statistics, is the height of irresponsibility in my own opionion. We all have from 7 to 12 years of post high school education and training and annually take hours of continuing professional edu cation, great distances from home at our own expense—not to mention reading daily from professional publications to keep current on the latest techniques, theories and me thods. The indictments bear the sounds of Hitler on the Jews, as well as other ethnic, racial and religious prejudices and persecutions so prevalent in out time. Sincerely, June O. Yarborough Attorney at Law piww|j>»Bv Vernon E. j BE EQUAL Buying “Merit” A recent series of stories in the New York Times has focused on what many people knew all along-that coveted places in medical and other professional schools have been won by students , receiving preferential treatment based on their • family’s contribution? to the school. One student mentioned had college grades below the standards set by a medical school and was rejected for admission. His father then donated $250,000 to the school. He was promptly admitted. Another instance cited by the Times involved &k j, girl who was admitted to the medical school or a the University of California at Davis although i. “her admissions score was more than 30 points ~ below the level normally required for accept ance.” The Times alleges her admission to the 'i school was based on preferential treatment due ~ to her father-in-law’s position as chancellor of - the university. p This last instance is of particular interest since ? the medical school at the University of California at Davis is the scene of the crucial Bakke case, j Allen Bakke, who was refused admission to that - school, sued, charging his rights were violated J when 16 of the 100 openings were set aside for ;; disadvantaged minorities. -I That case, now before the Supreme Court, has j: been one of the most widely publicized cases in recent history, with many people backing him ;; and calling affirmative action programs “re verse discrimination.” wnai uie i lines siones indicate is mat me real discrimination in professional school admissions has nothing to do with special efforts to include *'* blacks and other minorities previously denied "• entrance to the mainstream of American life. Supporters of the “merit system” who really believe that our system works on merit alone, are in for a rude awakening. The Times ^ revelations suggest that “merit” can be bought. 21 Family connections, wealthy parents and friend^ p willing to donate big money to a school, and other* short cuts to success are more common than - v most i Yes, this is a far harsher world than Bhlieverl '^ in pure merit can imagine. Even the naive belief in “merit” is open to serious challenge. Test f scores don’t tell the whole story about candidates * for professional schools, nor are they accurate predictors of professional success. Tests most * often only measure the ability to take tests-a /* circular process that has nothing to do with f merit. some ot tne people mentioned in the Times j storv graudated from medical school with high <1 grades, despite the fact that their previous ' v college records and test scores would have ^ prevented their admission. Which pnly proves a all over again that drive and desire to be a doctor ft a- a lawyer counts more than artificial test u scores. In fact, there have been instances where 4 people falsified admissions applications and * went on to success in professional schools £ without ever having gone to college. ' -j There are several lessons to be drawn from the ■] growing scandal about placement practices of 0 professional schools. The obvious one is that there is no real merit system, and that family wealth, prestige and high position will often i override previous college record and test score results. * :.9i a «s 11 f>i a iM | a A Historical Ball Game??? After listening to the likes of Joe Gari...( whatever) and Tony Kubek announce base ball. Brett Mu*burger and Don Criqui announce basket ball. and Howard Cosell and Don Meredith announce foot ball, I am convinced that sports announcing is an easy as A B C. After all, Oscar Robertson did it for years and the only thing he ever* said was, "Wow!” to prove that I can do it, I thought I would give you a demo., today. Here goes! Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your play by play announcer, G O. John son bringing you today's I action between the Christians and the Lions It is going to be an exciting game and I know you rc going to enjoy It. With me today is my colored man "Ned the Nigger " Hello Ned ' Hello G O." The coach for the Christians is that perenial winner and all around good guy Billy Gra ham His assistants are Oral Robert* and Rev Ike For the Lions we have Alex Karras as the head coach with "Klmba" the lion and the cowardly lion assisting him. Klmba used to play with the Lions before Decomming an asaiatant coach. Ned, what's your outlook on the game? "Well G.O., I think we are in store for a classic battle, here today. The Lions outweigh the Christians by about 400 pounds a man, but the Christians have been known to pull out a few mira cles when things are going rough I look for Leo, Lippy, and Snaggle Puss to carry the Lions while Samson is the key man for the Christians. Moreover, I think...’’ . The Christians are taking the field and the Lions are being let out of their cages, so we are ready for the start of this big game There is the gun and the game is underway. The Chris ta ins throw a Javelin at the lions but it fails to hit the target. The Lions seem to be stalking out a Christian for the kill What do you think about that, Ned? "The Lions seem to be stalking out a Christian for the kill. G O." Thank you, Ned I sort of wish you were out there on the Field. The Lions have a Christian running up the sidelines Leo and Lippy are closing in with two other Lions cutting him off at the out of bound markers Look at that son of David go -fer.UJ.Uon Wow! Leo leaped and knock ed that Christian down. Now all of the Lions are charging over to the area...ooohhh! The Christians are down by 1 and struggling. Snaggle Puss has a Christian down on the 40 The Christian is twisting and turning trying to get some extra yardige, so ha can go before the rist of the Lions appear on the scene He is not going to make it because here comes the rest of the Lions. Boy, they are teaming up on that Christian and. ooohhh The Christians are down by 2. Billy Graham is asking for a time out Well, Ned, are things going the way you expected? "Yeah G.O. things are going pretty much like I expected.” Are they really paying you, Ned? Play has resumed and some of the Lions are lying down. They appear to be going to sleep. I don't under stand It. What de you think, Ned? "I think some of the Lions are lying down and they ap pear to be going to sleep, G.O.” Thanks Ned, where would I be without you. Some of the Lions have Samson cornered on the Christian's 10 yard line. If the Christians lose Samson they can forget it. But the Lions are closing in on him. Look at this! Wowl Samson has pulled out a jawbone of an ass and is beating three Lions to death. This unbelievable Samson is creaming three Lions Single-Handedly What a surprise! Before the game 1 asked Assistant coach Rev Ike if Samson would use his ass' jawbone. Here is what Rev Ike had to say: "I don't think so. G.O. Samson was out last night and he got lit up. Today, I don't think he would know his rear from a hole ip the ground ” Those were the words 01 Rev. Ike, Assistant coach for the Christians. That play has to give Sam son the lead in our mup of the game. Of course, the winner of our mup award will have $1000 scholarship sent to his alma mater. “G-O.” Yes, Ned. "Samson told me to tell you that he didn't go to school so just have his money for warded to Delilah." You know Ned, Samson could have used you to slay those Lions without loss of generality. "1 missed that G.O." 1 know Ned, I know. Ladies 4 Gentleman, Sam son has taken the gun from the official and he Is beginning to shoot the Lions. Karras is really upset He Is screaming bloody murder at the officials. Oh, they called Karras with a technical. Samson will get one free shot. He is aiming it at Karras. What a cheap shot. Poor Karras. With plenty of time but no Lions remaining the Christ ians are the winners. What a game. The Christians have pulled out another victory. Ned is down on the field with the winning coach and the ,;ames mup, Samson Take it away Ned. •Thanks, O.G. That's G.O. fool I 'Who cares?" Will you do the interview „j before you have to have an >q enema to have a microphone jJ removed. ii “I have with me Billy Gra- 3 ham and Samson from the ni Christian team. Billy, what c was your game plan?" "Well, we felt if we sacri- l ficed two' of our boys, we k would be in good shape. We » noticed from the films that ti they relax after devouring a couple of people. Our only *< problem was finding volun- ’ leers to sacrifice themselves 1 for the team. But I've always , said where there is a will, there is a way. So, 1 talked to a couple of the boys’ wives, . drew up a will on the property i and the wives did the rest. Kind of slowed some of the boys up, you know what I mean.” 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. 28208 Telephones (704) 376-04%, 376-0497 *-Circulation, 9,915 ; 60 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE cBill Johnson.Editor-Publisher Bernard Reeves.General Manager iHoyle H. Martin Sr.Executive Editor 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 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 4 _
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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May 18, 1978, edition 1
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