Editorials & Comments Homeowners! lip -The Elusive Dream! A. jnonth aga the Charlotte Board of Realtors reportecTttrat— less than nine percent of the potential first-time homeowners in Charlotte-Mecklenburg can afford to purchase a new home. The Board’s year-end residential unit sales figures placed the average 1980 cost of a house at $61, 104. Board president David A. Reule reportedly said “cur rent prices force most home buyers out of the market.” This week the Board said the average cost of a single family house in January 1981 had climbed to $66,037 - up nearly $5,000 over the year-end average of 1980. Reports of this nature remind us all too well that the American sense of entitlement to a new home has now become the elu sive dream, a dream that a growing number of families may never realize. Even with the variety of inno vative financing plans by savings and loan associations and commercial banks, people who want, or more significantly need homes, cannot get them. The proble, is particularly hard on black people when it is noted that market rate housing is primarily in response to the income of white Americans. More important is the fact that btactrpeeple earned 61 percent of that of whites in 1970 and that~ percentage has fallen to only 57 percent in 1980. Black people’s housing pro blems are difficult enough with massive inflation and high interest rates. Yet, they have to also cope with a 14 percent unemployment rate which means it is a struggle just to keep a rental unit roof over their heads. Here in Charlotte blacks make up 28.7 percent (89,201) of the total population and occupy 28.8 percent (33,788) of the house holds. However, of the 16,000 households in need of housing assistance in the city, 44.7 per cent of those households are black citizens. Thus, as we get concerned generally about the housing problem, let us not forget that locally a substantial number of black citizens are on the edge of an on-going housing crisis. The only way to deal effective ly with such a crisis is to get involved with programs such as FOCUS to find out what the problems are and to work through the political process economic system to seek solutions. New York Symbolizes Hope New York, the nation’s largest city, saved from bankruptcy six years ago by a combination of federal aid and painful belt tightening, may finish the cur rent fiscal year with a surplus in its treasury. The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics has announced that New York may finish fiscal year 1981 with a surplus of $200 million. This would indicate that the “Big Apple,” as New York City is often called, will have fared better than the nation as a whole. New York’s mayor Edward Koch claims the city’s economic upswing arose from the theatre industry boom on Broadway, Wall Street’s record trading and the burst of foreign tourism. Furthermore, revenues from stock transfers and more person al income and corporate tax revenues also played a part in the city’s revival. Not to be overlooked should also be the rebirth of Brooklyn, one of New York City’s five boroughs with 2.2 million inhab itants. It began with the big push now under way to restore the once-vibrant shopping areas like (downtown Fulton Street and Flatbush Avenue. The rebirth has resulted in the creation of thousands of new jobs. "New people are coming to Brooklyn,” said on borough of ficial. European immigrants are -moving into neighborhoods in transition and revitalizing the commercial and housing sectors. This has also revitalized another of Brooklyn’s characteristics, that is, a melting pot of a multinational, multiracial, inte grated population. This includes about 400,000 undocumented aliens and thousands of legal immigrants - Greeks, Italians and Chinese - to name a few - who arrived since the early 1970s. In addition to the thousands of blacks and Spanish-speaking re sidents, Brooklyn has also at tracted many wealthy Manhat tanites, another borough, who have become weary of high rents and small apartments. Ironical ly, too, these more well-to-do whites are even buying homes in formerly all-black impoverished neighborhoods such as Fort Green (site of a large public, housing project) and Bedford Stuyvesant. What is encouraging afcout-aH this is that there are some in the nation’s capitol who have said the nation should abandon the metropolitan cities of the north east as hopeless an concentrate on other areas of the nation. Maybe its too early to make a judgement about what is really happening in New York City._ However, it’s worth taking a look at as others may learn a lesson in survival and the role of to getherness - racial, national and cultural, in making it work. This is what America is all about. Let’s adopt New York City as a symbol of hope. BLACK Wrosy "A RACE IS LIKE A MAN-UNTIL IT USES ITS OWN TALENTS, TAKES PRIDE IN ITS OWN HISTORY. AND LOVES ITS OWN MEMORIES IT CAN NEVER FULFILL ITSELF COMPLETELYm ^ JOHN W. VANKRCOOK Letters To The Editor A Slap In The Face! Dear Editor: It has always been said that children are far more crueler to one another than adults are to one another. Witness the ending to the 444 days of captivity of our 52 American hostages. The action of the Iranians re fute this belief. To delay the transfer of the host ages until after President Carter was no longer pre sident was perhaps the crudest blow of all-- the last of many slaps in the face to be dealt to James Earl Carter by his enemies. The sound rever berated like a "shot heard around the world.” We have been deluged by the media of all that trans pired on that fateful, great day - January 20, 1981. We saw a former President of the United States return to his home in Plains, Ga. and announce with only one break in his voice, the release of the hostages - hours after - it has been officially announced by the new President of the United States, Ronald Wil son Reagan. One can only imagine the fierce stress and tension President Carter was ope rating under as he left office, knowing all the facts but bound not to make them public until after the hostages RafTIeft Iiauian — air space. For his careful and un • relenting pa tiencein. X)Y£T-_ seeing the hostage negoti ations, the former Presi dent was bestowed the pri vilege of greeting the re turning hostages as citizen Carter. Thanks to the 40th President of the United States, who nobly an nounced he was designat ing the out going President as a special envoy just ..hours before his own swearing-in ceremony. This magnanimous ges ture made by President Reagan and accepted so jubilantly by citizen Carter could easily be construed as another slap in the face or as the magnificent ges ture it portends to be. While James Earl Carter will certainly take his place in the history books as one of the most patient, con cerned, religious, and God fearing Presidents of the United States, he like the lackluster pro fighter ‘‘lacked the killer punch.” Unfortunately, the gen tleman in Mr. Carter could not be subjugated by the politician in Mr. Carter. Was that good or bad? Only history will tell. It is rather ironic that while the nation was deeply concerned about the safety of 52 U.S. citizens, one of the first official acts per formed by President Rea gan after his swearing-in was to sign into law a freeze on goverment hiring. My God. does that bring back memories. I can remember over 28 years ago sitting at home and waiting for the letter that would send me to Wash ington, D.C. to work in the Treasury Department. It was Inauguration Day 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower fur loughed 15,000 government workers. One month later he furloughed another 15, 000 workers. I never did get that letter. Very truly yours, Jacquelyn C. Moore National Editor National Editor National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees Understanding The History Of Blacks Dear Sir:__ All Americans can be proud of the accomplish ments and goals of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History. Knowledge of our past is one of our most treasured possessions, for only with an accurate, pic ture of where we have been can we see where we must go. The observance of Afro ~AmeTTcan IBIaCk) His,fury Month serves to focus na tional attention on an en -deavor.xtf -awareness that should follow us throughout the year. Understanding the history of black Ameri cans is a key to understand ing -the strength of our nation. Their struggles, achievements and perse verance help us understand the moral fiber of America and our commitment to freedom, equality and justice. This month’s theme of “Black History: Role Model For Youth” goes to the very heart of our best hope for the future of our nation. We will hand to the youth of this nation the responsibility of preserv ing our heritage for future generations. The minds be ing shaped today in class rooms -areund-the-cnnntrv must be fully enriched. The achievements and courage of individuals provide an inspiring example of the essence of the American spirit. I urge all Americans, particularly those in our schools and civic groups, to study our history and in corporate in their activities projects to help us all un derstand those individuals -who plivpri <;n grpflt a part in our development. We must ensure that the gains of the past are not lost in ‘flie'Tuttrrr.antHir-s© doing— we can look to tomorrow with confidence. Ronald Reagan President of the U.S. AMERICA IS SICK Dear Editor: The Lord has spoken to me, the verse below and told me to put it in the papers. Will you please publish it in your paper. Many thanks for your help in advance. God said America is sick, God said America needs to go to the emergency room and have heart surgery. Stated by Minister Benkie McKinney sBv Gerald C. Horne, ESQS Affirmative Action Rarari, The Struggle Continues It has become fashionable in certain circles to frown upon the mention of the _ wordracism.” The underlying idea is that the mere use of this term is 4nflammatory and constitutes some form of “baiting.” One who charges racism is frequently told that he-she is “paranoid” or “too sensi tive.” As is readily apparent, it is easy to understand why the thief would yell “Stop Thief” and try to deflect attention from his misdeeds. And in an era when a right-wing celluloid cowboy can become president, raising the cry of racism will not be universally popular. _ ^ Yet it would take a peculiar ostric*with head buried quite deep in the sand to ignore the disproportionate number of blacks on death row or the higher infant mortality rates or lower life expectancy or higher rates of unemployment in the black community. Are the voluminous statistics, reports, studies, etc. detailing the parlous nature of the black condition merely acci dental or coincidental? Or are more sinister forces and elements--e.g., racists and racism--at play? Yes, history is not con spiracy but there decidedly ARE con spiracies in history and it would be naive to ignore the fact that it is in the economic interest of some to, for example, pay blacks at a lower wage rate than whites. All this serves as a backdrop to an examination of the question of blacks and prisons, for this lamentable situation serves as a microcosm for the entire community. For here are “dumped” the blacks that the economy cannot absorb in an era when robots and computers are rapidly replacing human beings. It is accidental that there are more blacks in California prisons than colleges or that in the large prisons from Soledad to Attica there is a disproportionate number of people of color? This volatile bundle of contraditions recently came to a boil in Marion, 111., where the longest work stoppage by inmates in the history of the federal prison system recently came to a screeching halt. The strike began last September when inmates refused to report to job assign ments in the prison print shop and fUeniture - factory^-It is^jirtUBllv astonishing that inmates working in prison industry earn~ wages ranging from 43 cents to 94 cents^n hour. Some might argue that this in only a just way of inmates “repaying their debt to society” but when one considers not only the fact that many of the inmates -- especially the black ones - are incarcerated prin cipally because they couldn’t afford a lawyer and are most likely innocent b^ that in an era of unemployment a “reserve army of laboF7~worEmjT~for pcunuts piesents a grave threat to all those who work for a ibllDiL. 11 should be obvious that it makes - sense from an employer’s point of view to seek employees at 50 cents an hour rather than $4.50 or $9.50 an hour; hence, this is a material, objective force propelling so many to prison. It was this recognition that fueled the bitter struggle at the turn of the century to abolish the notorious "convict-lease” system which allowed inmates to work in the mines, on the farms, etc. and drove the labor movement to virtual starvation. Apartheid South Africa, whose history is so similar to that of the United States, also offers instructive parallels. Blacks there must carry a “passbook,” i.e., an ID card at all times and the slightest violation leads straight to prison. •* * THE CHARLOTTE POST Second Class Postage No. 965500 “THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. 1524 West Blvd.. Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Telephone (704 >376-