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eminûfiis 4 oiSq Expanding Black Capitalism federal Office of Minority Business Enterprise (OMBE) on one hand, and the questionable commitment of private sector responsibility on the other, has led to considerable debate over the expansion of black capita lism. ' One of these debates took place at a conference on minority business held in Atlanta recently between Jesse Hill, Jr. and Eugene Baker. Hill, president of Atlanta Life Insur ance Co. and the first Black to be elected president of Atlanta's Cham ber of Commerce, argued that 'ronomic initiatives must come m the private sector. His views v. re based in part on the federal government's deficit of $500 billion and its inflationary impact. Baker, president of the National Assn. of Black Manufactures in Washington, D.C., insists that the federal government, not the private sector, has the central responsibility for building expanding black capitalism. «<&·> » Mack Bmmeaemen The debate between these distin guished black businessmen appears to be largely academic in part because they both are admitting two fmwlamAnfAl ·*«»«♦« i First, the so-called private sector is not in fact so private as evidenced by fact that it receives subsidies or "welfare capitalism" from the fede ral government in excess of $77 billion annually. Secondly, it will take the combined efforts of the federal government and private sec tor - about any meaningful and permanent expansion of black or minority business. This is particu larly important because of the addi tional obstacles that minority busi nesses face ranging from pure economic racism to a limited or no past business experience. Black business itself may be doomed because it has failed to fully understand the range and scope of minority economic develooment. - ouv;ii au unuersianaing musi Degin with a rejection of Richard Nixon's narrow view of "black capitalism." That view calls for the development of a small number of black merc hants to operate within - to repeat "within" - the nation's black com munities in selected business vent ures. Economic Parity Therefore, if black business is to , develop, expand and contribute to the revitalization of our urban com mercial centers, and thus gain a degree of economic parity, it must embrace the minimum require ments for viable economic develop ment. These are: (1) increase of management, accounting and qua lity control skills; (2) ownership and operation of community-based and profit-making businesses; (3) the effective enforcement of Affirma tive Action policies to assure non discrimination in procurements and competitive business practices; (4) the acceptance of social responsibi lity on a par with money profit in the policy-decision-making philosophy of white private corporations; and (5) a public policy of economic freedom designed to make the first four points obtainable. These then are the minimum requirements for guaranteeing black equal opportunity in the market place and the expansion of black business in our free enterprise system. Motivation Is Key To Testing We have noted in this column a few times that some knowledgeable observers believe that the quality of public school education has declined considerably. Some teachers and some parents are said to be apathe tic and "social promotion" has dampened the motivation of too many youth to learn. The latest evidence of such allegations comes ie *>fcour CBS-TV new* report, "Is Anyone Out There Learning?..." The first hour of this program ν**ν*OMU ι ιι··^ iacio auuui why competency test scores of high school students are low. For exam ple Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores have been declining since I960 and they "plummented" in 1970. Furthermore, 13-15 of all high school seniors are functionally illiterate. Among black its reportedly 47 per ent compounded by a 30 percent absentee rate, a poor home environ ment and low motivation. Some how, some way, black parents, teachers, ministers, and community leaders must begin to find methods to motivate black youth to gain a thirst for knowledge. To do less means to give up the economic, social and legal gains achieved since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Black youth must begin to under stand that a good éducation offers no guarantees, but without it there is no hope fen* a better future. oy nu^ie murun ar. Post Editorial Writer An editorial in a June issue of The Wall Street Journal reminds us that while Black Enterprise magazine (June 1978) lists the top 100 black owned and-or controlled businesses in the United States, the largest of these - Motown Industries - had only $61 million in sales last year. The Journal added that to appear on the Fortune (magazine) 500 list in 1977, a firm needed $355 million in sales, or nearly seven times as much as the largest black-owned firm. Those who may accept this com parison as a measure of black business success are undoubtedly sensing increasing frustration with the difficulties in obtaining venture capital. Thus, the question arises as to how can black businesses increase their capitalization base? Undoubtedly, the bureaucratic webb THE CHARLOTTE POST i "THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER" Established 1918 Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Poet Publishing Co., Inc. 1524 West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Telephones (704)^376-0496, 376-0407 I 60 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE t Bill Johnson Editor-Publisher ' Bernard Reeves General Manager Hovle H. Martin Sr Executive Editor Julius Watson Circulation Director L Albert Campbell Advertising Director, ujr UC1IJCU1IUI Li. nVUU In explaining why they felt impelled to request the NAACP's participation in the Carter-Artis murder case, the lawyers for the two men noted that few institutions in this nation were so equipped with resources and capabilities for leading such an extended straggle against gross miscar riages of justice as was this nation's oldest civil rights organization The lawyers, Myron Beld ock and Lewis Steele, review ed the history of the case. They concluded that racism was such a strong factor in the two trials and convictions of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter end John Artis and now the refusal of the New Jersey Appelate Court to grant a motion for s new hearing that it was impossible to continue the defense by themselves. What waa clear to Attorneys Beldock and Steele was that only with the help of experi enced constitutional lawyers could there be any hope to win freedom for the two men who have been sentenced for life for three murders they ada mantly maintain they did not commit. Furthermore, not only does the case call for extensive legal resources, but immense public pressure must be brmutht on New Jer Second Class Postage No. 065500 Paid At ι Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878 Member Nstional 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 jwoperty of the POST, end will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 4» W 5th Suite 1403 2400 S. Michigan Ave New York, N Y. 10036 Chicago, 111. «0616 (212 489-1220 Calumet 5-0200 BLACK CONVENTIONS sPHwrnuxcgssor Λβ,000,000"POU A US ËACH Yew WITH N0 > mtvrn to black a / COMMUNITIES. '-V n CONV£NTf<M%/ , DOLLARS, M %.Μκί· ν'" H Η ■ Are We Too Eager For Prestige? LETTERS TOTHE EDITOR Accurate Assessment Of The Woman's Rpvnlntinn Mr. Bill Johnson-Editor The Charlotte Poet 1524 W. Blvd. Charlotte, N.C. 28208 ι Dear Editor, The August 17 As I See It 1 column by Gerald O. Johnson 1 was an accurate assessment ! of the effects of the women's < revolution on the family unit. ' Mr. Johnson spoke of the I growing dissension between men and women and it is especially important that we . concern ourselves with this problem as it is one that has gotten s6 out of band that if threatens to destroy the little unity that black folks have in the U.S. and I am not being over dramatic either. We < already suffer from numerous economic and psychological ' problems stemming from past 1 and present discrimination. < Add the tension which sur- 1 faces when an angry black man feels his manhood is in ι danger or when an embittered black woman sees her rights disregarded, and you've got a time bomb on your hands! Because most women are physically weaker than men, they are the ones who get knocked around or literally beaten up when this tension ι manifests itself. There is an abused woman in half of the ] families I know, but we can't | keep these skeletons in our ι closet much longer; even they are demanding "Freedom ι Now!" ι Only hours after I read Mr. . j Johnson's comments, I wit iessed an altercation while iding West Boulevard bus lumber 1097. Soon after we eft the Square, the driver had ο call for police assistance >ecause the safety of the other tassengers was in jeopardy, àiss words echoed in the bus vhile a young woman was hreatened with a good Uck ng. After the police finally ame and left, I could hear the ^oung men in the back sup porting a "good whoopin" for Jie woman. Meanwhile, some hey "wouldn't take no licks." My seven year old son and my our year old daughter saw ind heard all this too. If this is how we're teaching >ur young children to resolve lifferences, we don't need to ear genocide; we'll eliminate >urselves through suicide. Once we were a race of ι laves who were abused by hit masters at will. When we }egan our struggle for free iom, they fought us and they thought we were really crazy. To say they were spoiled would be a gross understate ment! Now, black men accuse heir woman of being 'uppity" because they are no onger content with "staying η their place." Are they polled in a different way? Though I was a naive a dole cent when the civil rights novement surged in the early ixties, I honestly don't beli eve that people like Martin Luther prayed, marched, and died for the freedom of black men only. Sincerely, Mrs. Ruby Minter State Government Internship Program Set Learning by doing is the goal of thé Fall *78 State Government Internship Pro gram which will run from October to Decmeber.. Any student attending a North Carolina college, uni versity, technical institute or community college or any North Carolina resident at tending such a school outside the state is eligible to apply. Students are required to spend at least IS hours a week "on the job" and may carry regular coursé loads. They do not recieve stipends but are eligible to receive academic credit through individual ar rangements with their respec tive schools. The program is sponsored by the N.C. Internship Pro gram of the Department of Administration'· Youth In V UIVCIHCIU VUILX. Our New Day Begun Defending Carter And Artie jcjr β icgai s/sicui. One of the most poignant reminders of this travesty of justice was the Scottsboro Boys case, which began in 1931 when nine black young men were arrested in Alabama for raping two white girls. This case finally ended in 1976, when the NAACP won a state pardon for Clarence (Willie) Norris, last of the Scottsboro Boys. Unfortuantely, despite the greet ideals of this nation's founding fathers, the Ameri can Judicial system is too often perverted for political ends, by racial prejudice or vindlctiveness. Consequently, there are many more examp les of such miscarriage· of Justice. For the victims who escape without being lynched, as waa commonplace in past years, everyone must be thankful. America's conscience is free of this other stain. But, there can be no escaping the person al suffering and the broken Uvea that result from locking up someone for crime· based on manufactured or withheld evidence. The NAACP lawy ers are convinced that both Carter snd Atls have been denied their freedom for pre cisely these reaons. The sttemnt to an convicieu ine men was iauuy. Certainly, American· can be no leu concerned about Good Discipline Working 1 Special to the Poet Raleigh - "Parente and educators working together can establish and maintain good discipline in our public schools," said Lloyd S. Isaacs, executive secretary at the North Carolina Association of Educators. "Ola- whole society is based on the concept of universal rules of conduct which every one must obey," Isaacs conti nued. "Children must learn that they have to behave wherever they are - at home or at school." "Children can learn to be have when parents and teach ers work together. But when parents do not support the school's efforts, then disci pline problems begin. And when discipline problems arise, instructional programs suffer," Isaacs said. Isaacs, the top staff mem bers of the state's largest professional organisation, made Ms statement as North Carolina's 66,000 educators prepare for another school Benjamin L Hook· ...NAACP Director overturn of the conviction will therefore be based on the points that: - The Initial convictions was based on the testimony of two white habitual criminals, Al fred Bello and Arthur Dexter Bradley, both of whom later recanted their stories. - The two surviving victims of the shootings in a Paterson, N.J. tavern in June, 19M, gave conflicting descriptions of their assailants. - An upstairs tenant who had been aroused from her sleep by gunshots gave conflicting testimony. - A parade of black witnesses corroborated the Carter-Artie testimony. - The process by which the ■ tl-wMt» hrrv that inittsllv m BE EQUAL The New Negativism Throughout our history, Americans have been known for their optimism, their generosity of spirit and their willingness to make sacrifices for the greater good. Those attributes were the ones that struck such foreign observers as de Tocqueville, who saw in America the wave of the future. But today's America seems gripped by pessi mism, selfishness, and a toleration of the sufferings of minorities. This mood is typified by a reactionary counter-revolution against the economic and social advances of the 1960s. I call it the "New Negativism." The New Negativism says No to effective government, No to full employment, No to affirmative action, and No to efforts to revive our failing cities. It stands against measures to help the poor. It justifies itself through myths about big government, cheating and laziness on the part of poor people, and supposed reverse discrimination that favors minorities. The real effort to transform our society and mane it more equiiaDie nas soured into a mood of general nastiness, and the issues championed by the New Negativism reflect this. The so-called tax revolt, for example, doesn't focus on making the tax system more equitable. ' Its real intent is to cut down the size of government, while the tax breaks for the affluent are expanded. Moderate income working people will be hit with a massive rise in social security taxes after next January 1, but Congress' response to the tax revolt is to cut capital gains taxes, which already get favorable treatment. The beneficiaries would be few - and well-off. The New Negativism wants to fight inflation by letting unemployment rise, a practice that is questionable economics and of dubious morality. Not only would higher unemployment be inef fective in curbing inflation, but poor people would be placed in a double-bind. Since prices for food and other basic essentials are rising at tfcw^ee· ««au inflku°n ntet pMi-SMUte' WtittRFbe subjected to higher inflation and to higher joblessness. The reverse discrimination issue is the real phony of the lot. With black joblessness well Over Hmihlp U/hîfo rafûO Oiul /lanlimnrr μιιμιΚα·» of blacks getting into schools and universities, where is this reverse discrimination? Affirma tive action programs are under massive attack in the wake of the Bakke Case, and the New Negativism wants to eliminate all special efforts to make up for past discrimination. So there's a streak of racism running througn the New Negativism, a streak that can also be found in the refusal to help the cities. Today's conventional wisdom has it that cities can only be saved by inducing the middle class to return from the suburbs. In other words, save the cities by changing their populations. Since urbanités are dispropor tionately minorities, the racism becomes clear. Surely cities need a strong middle class, but the way to get it is by providing the jobs, education, housing, health and other opportunities that move poor people out of poverty and into the middle class. violations of human rights here at home, as is clear in the Carter-Art is case, than thev are about intensifying the struggle in behalf of political prisoners abroad. ogether Can Establish ® The executive secretary also urged parents to viait their children'· schools early in the year and meet with their children's teachers. "Every paftont who wants à child to do well in schools needs to establish a working relationahtp with the child's teacher4' he explained. "Educators welcome the help and cooperation of parents. When both work together, sue ceee Is certain snd the child ren benefit so much more. Teachers can't do everything alone. , "For example, when the teacher assigns homework it doesn't do any good unleaa the parent makee sure that the child does the homework," Isaacs continued. "If a child doesn't do his homework then others are encouraged not to do theirs. And soon we have discipline problème. Not to mention the fact that lees learning ia taking place." Isaacs pledged that NCAE will do anything it can to make M«V AW 9 ν ι w OUWU1 7«NU MIWW sful for all children NCAE's membership Include· teach era, principal·, supervisors, superintendents and other» in each of the 145 school systems In the state. Dried Foods All dried foods deteriorate to some extent during storaae which can range from β months to a year depending on the kind of food. To keep nutritional loaaee to mini mum, vegetable· and fruit·, especially carrot·, onion· and cabbage, should be used in r—onable length· of time ·.,.<« «ainiu» ι»τ»··
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Aug. 24, 1978, edition 1
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