Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Jan. 17, 1980, edition 1 / Page 2
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Editorials & Comments We All Live In “Public Housing”? We “cannot be a dumping ground for the city’s rejects.” This sounds typical for an irrate, emotionally up-set white-Anglo Saxon-Protestant citizen expres sing opposition to the City’s scattered site housing program. However, these are the words of Malachi Green, a Third Ward resident and community leader, as spoken at a City Council public hearing last week on the City’s 1980-83 community devel opment plan. If Mr. Green’s statement in any way reflects the sentiments of other black community lead ers, then people, most white, in south and southeast Charlotte must be pleased because it in .... turn reflects accurately their general attitude toward scat- _ tered site housing for the poor. However, it should be noted that there are significant differences between Mr. Green’s comment and what the opponents of scat tered site housing think he means. Green’s point is that Third Ward has been inundated with poor people relocated from the Brooklyn, Greenville and First Ward urban renewal areas dat ing as far back as 1962. Data compiled by Green indicates that 90 percent of the residents of Third Ward are relocatees di rected there because there were few other areas in which the blacks could find housing in the days before the City’s policy commitment to scattered site housing. On the other hand, the people who oppose scattered site hous ing have few if any low-income households residing in their areas. Those who have opposed the Muddy Pond site, for example, have argued that with in a lVfe mile radius of the site there are 614 “public housing projects.” There are two im portant facts that nullify the low-income impaction point of view in the Muddy Pond area. First, the IVz mile radius from other “assisted housing” sites is fully consistent with the “Locat ional Policy Statement” as noted in the City’s Housing Assistance Plan” which calls for a radius of l/z to ^4 of a mile between sites. Secondly, and more signifi cantly, only 48 of the 614 housing units with the t Vi mile radius noted are in fact conventional public or assisted housing in terms of what assisted housing is. That interpretation or de finition refers to multi-family housing developments with hun dreds of low-income families living in high density areas in poorly designed dwelling units with high rates of crime, unem ployment and a host of other social ills. It is precisely because of these kinds of impressions, whether fact or fiction, that the City’s housing policy calls for a lower density or fewer units per site. The Muddy Pond site calls for constructing only 35 housing units on a tract of land contain ing 4.32 acres. Furthermore, 568 of the so called “public housing projects” with the Vfc mile radius are in fact not public housing projects. Four-hundred and four of the units comprise two single family housing developments where the tenants are in a home buyers’ program. These units are lo cated in the developments called Windsong Trails and Pine Val ley. Another development, South Park Terrace, has 164 units that house the elderly and handi capped. Neither of these de velopments fit the traditional definition of “public housing” per se unless we want to stereo type people simply because they are elderly, handicapped or seek a non-traditional way to become a homeowner. Finally, millions upon millions of American families have or are attempting to purchase a home with FHA or VA or other federal assistance of one kind or another. Many such families are among those opposing the Mud dy Pond site. They don’t consider themselves living in public or assisted housing and neither do the Pine Village or Windsong Trails residents. Maybe the question really is, who does not live in (federally) assisted housing? Move lhe Olympic Games une oi me instant reactions to the Soviet Union’s “invasion” of Afghanistan has been to boycott 'the summer Olympic Games to be held in Moscow. Much of this argument centers on the point that the Soviets plan to exploit the “Games” by using them as a propaganda mechanism for spreading communism. That argument appears ill founded as a basis for boycotting the “Games” since we’ve known long before now about the Soviet’s political use of the planned historic event. Secondly, since we like to boast that American athletes are truly amateur in that they are not paid to participate and no public iunas are used 10 support tneir participation, it seems unfair that after months and even years of training, often a great person al sacrifice, that the participants should be denied this competi tive opportunity for political or ideological reasons. The alternative, that is, to denying the Soviets an opportun ity to propagandize the “Games,” to demonstrate world displeasure with their invasion of Afghanistan and to enable the American athletes - who have little or no voice in the nation’s political decisions - to fulfill their training ambitions, the Olympic Games should be moved to another site. MATfA A AY HAM MC0ON ATLANTA AAyC* HICHAM AHHINSTON Btftn W6HAAf A LAMA* b v,v «r MAVC* \ JfiOHAS J. HtADLE V \ UMM6BJ3-M Tf k MAYOR & KCNHETH 61BXH Amtym,NtujkRse^ )-< nAYoe x\^Ti I' COCSAAM YOUH6 / DCviorr JM MATOff V HARK#0AA*Y JK. UAfHmroNl&c, 'ZmAn f929-f9b^d What A Happy Birthday It Would Have Been As I See It A Childhood Memory By Gerald O. Johnson Post Columnist I have fond memories ol my childhood growing up in Oaklawn Park. I grew up with a great bunch of kids from the neighborhood, all of whom were retarded. But there is one incident that stands out from all the rest and I thought I would share it with you. Why? Because there is nothing else to write about...That’s why! u was a mud summer night and I had just left my girlfriend’s nouse. I de cided to go to the “Igloo” and talk to my buddy, ole man Howell. Mr. Howell and I were having one of our rap sessions when all of a sudden we heard foot steps rushing past us. I looked up and asked isn’t that Steve (Steven Chiles)? Mr. Howell said, “I think so, but he was moving too fast for me to tell.” Mo ments later five boys, a few years younger than Steve, came rushing past. I looked down Russell Street and realized that Steve was in hasty retreat while the boys were in hot pursuit. Well, after a half hour of laughter, I regained my composure andwent home. The next day I saw Steve and he told me that he had hustled the youngsters on the pool table and rubbed it in. Steve was a great pool shooter. The 2nd best in Oaklawn Park. I talked Steve into letting me buy him a drink. So, Steve, Kenny Faulkner, Jimmy Lee Washington and I walked up to Mrs. Holmes’ place on the cor ner of Beatties Ford and St, Mark. Andrew Perry later joined us. Mrs. Holmes’ mother always ran the store at night. I told her to give us the usual. “Hold back some of the cherry Gerald O. Johnson syrup,” I said. Well, we all started drinking and I started feeling a little tip sy. The fizzle from the cherry cola always did that to me, Anyway, five little boys came in and sat in a booth. Steve started nudging me. ‘‘That’s them, that’s them,” he kept saying. “Those are the guys who chased me home,” he con tinued. As he walked over to their booth and started selling wolf ticketST ‘‘Yeah, you chased me home the other night didn’t you, punks,” he shouted. He kept taunting the kids and they were visibly sha ken. ' Before continuing, let me set the scene a little better for you. Mrs. Holmes’ • mother would always leave and go into the back when ever we came. I think they had a hidden camera back there to catch us stealing. But we never stole any thing while she was in the back. We always waited until she came back up front! Andrew and I were sitting at the counter. Jim my Lee and Kenny were sitting in a booth. Steve was across the room bad gering the boys. One of the boys slipped by Steve and headed out the door. Andrew, realizing what this meant, got up and left. Now, Andrew was the only fighter in our bunch. Jimmy Lee was in numer ous fights but never won one. Kenny was just a peaceful person. I didn’t know anyone who didn’t like Kenny. So, Kenny wouldn’t start any waves. Steve had demonstrated his solution to fighting the day before. I was all bark, no bite. So we were hurting in the self-defense depart ment. Something told me, ‘Gerald, go home.’ But, then, I hadn’t done any thing so why should I be afraid? wen, the little kid re turned with a bunch of not so little kids. Steve had stopped badgering and started backing towards us. The biggest guy (who knew Jimmy Lee) came in and said, “What the ?+!-+!? you picking on these ?+!-+!? kids for?” Jimmy Lee stood up and said, “Man you are too big to be..+?N.+,Z with these people.” The boy said, “If y’all step outside, I'll kick your black + !?-+?!.” Jim my Lee said, “Well we will come out there.” Well, I had taken all I could take so I got up and spoke my mind. I said, “Jimmy Lee shut + + !?-+ up.” Mrs. Holmes' mother ran out from the back shouting, "What’s going on out here?” Kenny came over and explained what was going on. Mrs. Holmes’ mother said, “alright, all of you hoodlums get out!" She told Kenny and Steve that she would take them home. The hoodlums indicated that they would be waiting for us. I immediately ran over and said, “Remember us?” “We are with Steve.” see As I See It on Page 10 ————Vernon E. JordaMr^gg— TO BE EQUAL King Tribute Overdu^ Congress’ calculated insults to blacks and minorities are becoming more frequent, the latest being its rejection of the proposal to make January 15, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, a national holiday. Passage of the bill in the House of Representatives seemed possible, but then, when the bill hit the floor, all sorts of phony excuses were invented for not voting for it. After a counter-proposal to make the holiday one of those Sunday non-events was introduced, the sponsors of the bill rightly withdrew it. Making the King Birthday a Sunday holiday would put it on par with other routine “Days” ignored by all. Martin Luther King, Jr., black people, and all believers in the message of non-violence and racial equality deserve better. In fact, the nation would be well-served by making January 15 a national holiday. It would be an act of homage to the greatest American of modern times, a symbolic assertion of the vast contributions blacks have made to America, and a substantive commitment to the humane values that inspired Dr. King and, for a brief time at least, his fellow citizens. King’s stature is indisputable. His moral leadership inspired the nation. His cou rageous non-violent strategies toppled the institutions of segregation. His contributions to the entire world, a world hungry for spiritual and humane leadership, was recognized by his 1964 award of the Nobel Peace Prize. There are those who object to a national holiday in his honor on the grounds that he was an ethnic leader and if Dr. King is so honored, other groups will come forward with parochial claims. That’s the kind of argument that can’t be taken seriously, even it its adherents are temporarily in the majority on Capitol Hill. The very fact that he led black people, the nation’s largest and most influential minor ity, through a period of peaceful revolution, is a strong claim for honoring him. This American that has treated its black citizens so harshly needs to make a strong symbolic gesture that reaches across the troubled past with new hope for the future. A Martin Luther King, Jr. Day would do just mat. x. i Through such a gesture, the nation would! be striking a great blow for the pride of all! its neglected people. It would be saying ini the most effective way, that it too honors! and venerates the memory of this greafl black leader. I But Martin Luther King, Jr. belongs to alfl Americans. His efforts to free black peopld from the vicious heel of segregation result! ed in freeing all Americans from thft economic, social and moral wounds jft inflicted on the nation. a Our America still needs to learn hi! lesson; it still needs to heal its rachfl wounds and become whole again. ^ And an important step toward tbft wholeness would be to make January lfl national holiday honoring the birthday oft true national hero -- Dr. Martin Luther Kift The South, especially, should exalt £>ftk King and support a national holiday in hflf honor. ft THE CHARLOTTE POST Second Class Postage No. 965500 “THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. 1524 West Blvd.Charlotte, N.C. 28206 Telephone (704) 376-0496 Circulation, 9,915 , 61 Years Of Continuous Service BILL JOHNSON...Editor Publisher BERNARD REEVES ..General Manager 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 become the property of the POST, and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 45 W. 5th Suite 1463 2460 S. Michigan Ave. New York. N.Y. I00M Chicago. III. (MMIfi (212 ) 489-1220 Calumet 5-6766 \ From The White House 1 Carter’s Education - Youth Employment Proposal I By Alfred* L. Madison Special To The Post President Carter has an nounced a major youth education and employment initiative to prepare the nation's youth for the labor market in the 1960's. The amount ot money the Presi dent is asking for, includ ing that which is already provided for current pro - grams will total $6 billion by 1982 These programs will be established in both Labor and Education De partments. Emphasis in the Labor Department will be: on additional jobs and train ing for older and out-of school youth, stringent per formance standards for participants and program operators, financial incent ives to encourage greater cooperation between CETA sponsors, local employers, and school systems. It also provides consolidation of three of the existing pro grams under the Youth Employment and Demon station Projects Act (YEDPA). Education Department *will concentrate on: basic skills for low-achieving Alfreda L. Madison youngsters, including help for students with limited ability in English; school wide planning with the act ive involvement of teach ers, parents, employers and community; using the link between work and classroom-learning as a way to motivate students to stay in school and, finally, a major role for vocational education in preparing young people for work. It was stated that these new proposals are based on the findings of Vice Presi dent Mondale’s Task Force and also on experience gained from Youth Em ployment and Demonstrat ion Projects Act. These programs are tar geted at the untrained hardcore youth, of which minorities certainly make up a disproportionately lar ger number. While it was stated that the money will go into the areas of the poor and disadvantages. There is nothing to prevent local, state and community authorities from utilizing it in the same way as pre vious funds have been used; that is to increase white employment with a continuous widening gap between white and minor ity youth. There appears to benothinginthis new initiat ive which requires com munity-based organiza tions to plan and oversee these programs and fi nances In these proposals, it ap pears that more emphasis is placed on combining old projects than there is on additional funding of new ones. Even though the ad ministration says that training America's youth is its most important func tion, this budget falls short *3 some of the other budget proposals jm f When Secretary of De fense, Brown presented the administrations huge de fense budget to the Senate Armed Service committee, some of the members hailed it but stated that Its passage would require a cut in the social programs. So this education and em M ployment budget will have rough going in Congress Just how much force the administration will put be hind getting this program passed remains to be seen. Is this a parallel to Mr. Carter’s endorsement of Humphrey-Hawklns bill, Martin Luther King Na tional Memorial Day i fail to push implementat of them? Since this f posal was presented at I time, with an intense ef! on the part of the admii tratlon, to get black att« ance at its launching raises the question whet or not this is a political | for black voters. tHA Io Conduct 33 Screening Clinics I By Susan Ribwort* Post surr Writer The Community Health Association, a United Way Agency, is conducting 33 health screening clinics for people over 60 in Mecklen burg County. Registered nurses are available to talk with client* about their health and provide blood pressure testing. For the clinic nearest your home call the Com munity Health Association at 375-0172 or plan to attend at one of these locations: St. Andrews Methodist Church, January 17 from 9-11 a.m. Christ Presbyterian Church, January 17 from 2-4 p.m. Bethlehem Center, Jan uary 18 from 9-11 a.m. Spencer Methodist Church, January 21 from 9-11 am. Greenville Center, Janu ary 21 from 1:80-3:30 p.m. Booth Gardens Apart ments, January 22 from 9-11 a.m. Charlottetown Terrace Apartments, January 22 from 2-4 p.m. Robinson Presbyterian Church, January 23 from 2-4 p.m. St. John’s Baptist Church, January 24 from 9-11 a.m . Church, January 24 from 2-4 p.m. Huntersville Presbyter ian <£hureh, January 28 from (Ml a.m. *£ Trinity Presbyterian Church, January 28 from 2-4 p m. The Community 1 Associations holds health clinics every months and will reti April. It also provl health screening for ' ness, industry, org ations and church gr
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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