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Editorials & Comments Time To Offer Thanks On this Thanksgiving Day in 1980, many people are wondering why should we be giving thanks or what do we have to give thanks for? These questions should serve to remind us that Thanksgiving every year comes within the midst of our national problems whatever they happen to be. On Thanksgiving Day 1980 our national problems of inflation, youth unemployment, the host ages in Iran, a diminishing in ternational image and a con tinuing decline in confidence in our national government, ap pears at times to completely overwhelm us. Nevertheless, we have a traditional sense of hope that things can and will improve. This was demonstrated by the 51 percent of the American elector ate who, concerned about our nation’s problems, voted for can didates on Election Day whom they believed would turn our national hopes into progressive realities. This take-it-for-grant ed freedom to vote in free elections and to have a smooth transfer of the powers and reigns of government dictated by the ballot not the bullet are some thing we should continue to be thankful for. We should be thankful, too, that in spite of an unemployment rate of over seven percent more Americans have jobs than ever before. In addition, 38 percent of the work force is female which reflects declining sexism in the labor market. Thankfulness should be of fered, too, for the fact that even with inflation the vast majority of Americans will have ample food on the dinner table this Thanksgiving Day. Thanks should be granted also for the fact that we are in an era of peace and not war; we can worship God freely whenever and however we desire or not worship Him at all; we can speak and write freely without fear or government control; and we can travel freely or change our places of employment at our own choosing. These are free doms that too many Americans assume are rightfully theirs. However, we need to pause and offer thanks to God because such freedoms still do not exist in most parts of the world. These freedoms, for which we should forever be thankful, are the telescopes through which we can see the visions of better Thanksgivings in the future. Thus, Thanksgiving is a unique holiday in that it causes us to reflect on our nation’s past, to have a deeper appreciation for the present, and to see in the visions of the future a hope for a better tomorrow. FOCUS: A Giant Step Forward Weekly throughout the month of October, 150 black Charlot teans met in ten separate topic sessions to discuss problems, analyze facts, and identify issues that have a direct impact upon the quality of life of Charlotte blacks. These discussions, and the cross section of blacks who made them possible, were all a part of FOCUS - a Black Sym posium on Urban Problems in Charlotte. Marnite Shuford, chairperson of, the FOCUS Steering Com mittee says, “The purpose of the Black Symposium is to bring together Black people from all areas of Charlotte to begin the process of planning long range goals and strategies on twelve key issues affecting the Black community...and increasing citizen...monitoring (public) re sponse to these issues and pro blems....” FOCUS took a giant step to ward achieving its purpose last Saturday when the key issues that had been analyzed, defined, and debated were brought to gether in written summary form. Among the relevant issues identified in the committee sum maries as presented at the No vember 22 “People’s Town Meet ing Day” were the following: 1. Preserving Black history and culture and the development of Black artists; _ 2. Inequities experienced by the Black community from the white-controlled news-media; 3. The need for well organized Black communities to sponsor effective crime prevention pro grams; 4. The judicial system is not adequately meeting the needs of the emotionally and mentally handicapped Black juvenile; 5. The unavailability of capital to sustain Black-owned busi nesses; 6. Greater parent account ability in the education of our children; 7. The availability and quality of health care; 8. The lack of affordable hous ing for Blacks, especially lower income households ; 9. The availability of adequate park facilities in Black com munities; . 10. Equitable zoning to protect Black residential communities; and 11. Black apathy toward the political process. It is evident from this partial listing of the issues identified by FOCUS that much needs to be done before Blacks in the Char lotte community can share in a level of quality of life that they are entitled to. One thing is for sure, if you and others reading this editorial don’t join in the struggle for justice and equality in the pursuit of resolving these issues, nothing will change. "We Cannot Wait Until Discrimination Ends Before We Rid Our Communities Of Crime, We Can No Longer Excuse £5— Crime Because Of Society's > Inequities,. We Stand ^ Menoced By Our Own Kith And Kin. It Is Inconceivable To Me That We Who Have Prevailed In Soit*» Of The Of White People In The Last Quarter Of The Century, Stand As Mute Spectators Our Doom." mwM 1^-., "If The Government Will Not Protect Us And If The Police Cannot, It Follows That Block Citizens Must Protect Themselves." , Bertrand Says: Extension Must Focus On New Economic, Social Areas special To The Post SULPHER SPRINGS, W. VA. - “Extension family education programs can, and must, take the lead in teaching skills people need to promote individual growth and development and to meet needs for foods, fuel and housing,” Anson R. Bertrand, direc tor of science and educa tion for the U S. Depart ment of Agriculture, said here today. Bertrand spoke to mem bers of the National Asso ciation of Extension Home Economists at their annual meeting here this morning. “Today, extension must focus its attention on meet ing new social and eco nomic demands facing peo ple who live in both rural and urban areas. Exten sion must provide a broad scope of educational assist ance to help them identify needs, make decisions and utilize resources to im prove their quality of living,” he said. Now more than ever, USDA’s Science and Edu cation Administration re search and education pro grams must work together to find answers to serious questions involving energy, nutrition, family resource management, human de velopment, housing, taxes, food, fiber and health and to deliver those answers to the people we serve, said Bertrand. Extension - a partner ship of federal, state and local governments - pro vides “a rich base of know ledge for every county,” he said. County home economists need to be involved in public policy formation, said Bertrand. “In coming years your input on a num ber of tough issues facing the family will be needed to develop sound public policy,” he said. These areas, he said, in clude the nature and di mensions of personal space and the kind and quality of community services; the need for conserving re source supplies and pro tecting environmental quality and the means of doing so; and information resources that make sure sources of information are sound and credible. Bertrand said scientific research findings must be transferred to the public if we are to improve the quality of life. “An essential role of ex tension home economists is to provide the link between the family and the research both in interpreting re search findings to the family, and conveying pro blems needing research to the scientific community,” he said. The fact that people can be reached directly in their homes and involved ~u ough leadership roles in the extension system is not only important to exten sion’s success, but also the envy of many agencies and groups which wish to use extension’s delivery sys tem to reach consumers, Bertrand said. "In home economics, and nutrition, a Gallup Poll showed 17 million persons - about 10 percent of the U.S. adult population - have participated actively at least once in some as pect of these extension home economics pro • gram’s,” he said. “I am confident that as extension home economics proceeds on a course of providing new programs, developing new and inno vative evaluation systems, and responding to the public policy issues con fronting families, that its 66-year history of success will not be broken or diminished,” Bertrand said. Letter To The Editor An Appeal For Correspondence . c:.. t* i_ ii a I am presently incar cerated within the Ohio Penal System. I’m 39 years of age and I write this letter as an appeal for corres pondence and what I hope will lead to a viable and new beginning. I’m further hopeful that through your paper, I will be fortunate enough to meet and share through letters experiences such as I have never known...my appeal...are to those people who, like myself, are want ing to share a communi cation that will be of sin cerety, honesty and seek ing to start a new life... friendship...Prison can be come awesome...At times, filled with that darkness of lost hopes, disparity, lone 10 nupv uiai someone or that many readers of your publics tion, will take a few shor' moments out of their dailj lives to correspond and not stifle my needs of enthu siasm for contact...After all..."A little sharing is ar open door to learning”...! will answer all letters...1 thank you in advance for taking the time to read my letter... Won’t someone write? J.E. Hines Sr. Box 57-145-053 Marion, Ohio 43302 Small Appliances To operate household equipment economically, use small appliances rather than the range, for small-portion cooking. Affirmative Action f Reagan And Affirmative Action By Gerald C. Horne, Esq. Special To The Post Though Ronald Reagan has yet to come to office (that won’t happen until January 20, 1981) it is already clear that affirmative action and other issues of concern to Blacks (e.g., busing), will receive less than a receptive ear. The lame-duck Congress, reacting to a perceived right-wing shift in public senti ment, recently passed a rider barring the Justice Department from court actions to enforce the use of busing to achieve dese gregation. This Senate maneuver was in response to a similar provision passed earlier this year by.the House. Though several constitutional scholars have ex pressed grave reservations about the constitutionaility of these measures (Prof. Lawrence H. Tribe of Harvard Law School blasted the proviso as an “attack on the very heart of the executive’s duty to enforce the laws, including the Constitution”), conservative Congresspersons have promised to press on with similar measures. For example, Senator Orrin Hatch has vowed to introduce a constitutional amend ment to ban affirmative action. He has promised that the Office of Federal Con tracts Compliance Program (OFFCP), an aggressive federal agency mandating af firmative action among government con tractors, will be forced to toe the line. This follows hot on the heels of the rider attached to the Health and Human Services De partment appropriations bill to prohibit use of funds to implement programs which include racial quotas in employment and education. These types of measures have been welcomed with open arms by Reagan and Company. The President-Elect’s transition director and top advisor, Edwin Meese, said on November 9 that “the governor op poses... quotos.” Those who have been heartened by the incremental increases in Black lawyers at the Justice Department should know that Reagan’s transition team has criticized the “quota system” for hiring and promoting lawyers. ¥~*___« A m xicogau a team nas unea up witn white male lawyers in the department who have scored the program under which a com mittee reviews most hirings and promotions i to insure that women and minorities have been considered. Symptomatic of Reagan’s antipathy to equal opportunity is the fact that this Justice Department program has been criticized by civil rights advocates as weak since it does not involve quotas or goals, yet the transition team still feels that it has gone too far. Unfortunately, there is some support in certain influential circles for Reagan’s anti affirmative action approach. For example, a new Department of Transportation pro gram recently took effect requiring that companies headed by minorities and women be given roles in highway and mass transit construction. This innovative pro gram, which may be a precursor to others in federal departments, has been greeted with resistance. Nineteen states have re quested waivers from provisions in the program. The virtually lily-white Associ ated General Contractors, a major trade organization, has sued the Government over the program. The NEW YORK TIMES, voice of the liberal (?) “Eastern Es tablishment” has editorialized against this THE CHARLOTTE PuST Second Class Postage No. 965500 “THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER’’ - Established 1418 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. 1524 West Blvd., Charlotte. N.C. 28208 Telephone (704)376-0406 Circulation 0,200 62 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson...Editor, Publisher Bernard Reeves...General Manager Second Class Postage No. 96550 Paid At Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association North Carolina Black Publishert> 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 1 Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 2400 S. Michigan Ave. 45 W. 15th St.. Suite 1493 Chicago. III. 60616 New York. N.Y. 10036 Calumet 5-0200 ( 212 ) 489-1220 9 inajui ciiui i uu reverse discrimination. From Capitol HiU Reagan Dims Lights For Black Justice And Eoualitv Airreda L. Madison Special To The Post President-Elect Ronald Reagan gives blacks great concern about civil rights an uneasiness that is not entirely without merit. In talking about his fa voring the amendment which prohibits the Justice Department from bringing suits to implement the Su preme Court’s decision to bus children for the pur pose of integration, Mr Reagan said that busing has been a failure. Evi dently, the President-Elect is not familiar with a re cent study which showed that busing has been a step forward in housing inte gration. Busing opponents, generally, use house inte gration as a remedy for school integration, but even while that remedy is beginning to work they op pose the means for ac complishing it. In the press briefing, press secretary, Jim Brady was asked if Gov. Reagan’s approval of the anti-busing amendment and his stand on states' rights are not turning the clock back on civil rights sains and that 4 Alfreda L. Madison his actions give aid and comfort to the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Brady replied that the President-Elect will not turn the civil right's clock back • that many blacks are against school busing and that Mr. Reagan denounced the Klan. The follow-up re sponse was; that denoun cing the Klan was one thing, but supporting Klan views was another, which makes the denounciation somewhat hypocritical. Even though Brady said that some blacks are against busing, he admit ted that he could not name any. There are more than 200 members of the Transition Team; we were given names of three black mem bers; Arthur Teele Team Leader of Transportation Department, Constance Newman, Team Leader of Community Services Ad ministration and Clarence McKee whose name was given to us, but no one seems to know what his position is or where he is. Gloria Toote, a long time Reagan supporter says she is serving in an unofficial advisory capacity to the Transition Team. She stated that Mr. Reagan will surround himself with the most talented people that can be found for positions, irrespective of race or creed. She said that the President-Elect will assure that civil rights will be implemented in all federal programs, that he is against quotas but for af firmative action. Gloria stated that Reagan will create a climate that will reduce racism. However, she refused to say Just how V the climate will be created. For his African policy, Gloria said the President Elect will gather inform ation from Black Africans and Black Americans. He is for implementing of the Sullivan Codes by Ameri can corporations doing business in South Africa • that he will also create a South African climate which will lead to majority rule. At this point Reagan is not for economic sanc tions against South Africa which the United Nations calls for. It is reported by some transition members that Toote can get any job with the Reagan Admin istration that she desires. In a conversation with Rev. Abernathy who, along with Hosea Williams, had a conference recently with Ronald Reagan. Rev. Aber nathy stated that he and Mr. Williams were assured by Mr. Reagan that there will be blacks in all policy making positions - that he is for human rights for all people. Mr. Abernathy stated that he and Mr. Williams will present the President-Elect with a black agenda, In the new few days. He did not reveal the contents of the agenda. He did say that he will be monitoring the President’s actions concerning his re sponse to issues that af fect the poor and minor ities. Abernathy said he is not a member of the Tran sition Team and does not desire any position in the Reagan Administration. Melvin Bradley, a black man who was a member of the Reagan California Governor Administration, has been appointed as Spe cial Advisor to the Director of Personnel. Bradley says his Job will consist of re cruiting qualified blacks for positions in the Ad ministration. Both he and Jim Brady, press secretary refused to say whether or not any blacks will be the number one person in a position, other than per haps a cabinet post. Brad ley said that Reagan ap pointed more blacks to positions as Governor than any other California go vernor. When he was told that none of the black appointees held top posi tions, he said that was a start. #/ After more than 100 years, blacks are still at the starting point. It is encumbent upon Mr. Rea gan now to carry them to the finish line by placing - some of them in the very top most positions. Masons Conclave continued from Page 1 Worthy Matron; Naomi • Chapter No. 1, Sts. Ruby Hayes, Worthy Matron. The Charlotte area is District No. II in the state. Officers are: Bro. Law * rence Davis and Sis. Eliza- • beth Murray, Supreme . Grand Deputies; Bro. Grover Gatewood and Sis Odessa Surratt, Special Km- ' sistants to the Supreme Grand Deputies; Sis. Panton, District Secre . tary; Bro. Grover Gate wood, District Treasurer and Sis. Ruth Richardson end Bro. Roosevelt Red fern, District Reporters. 4
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