Editorials & Comments
Vote “No” For At Large Council
ine opponents ot district re
presentation have used the un
justifiable argument that dis
tricting would lead to corrupt
ward politics, less qualified can
didates and lengthy conflict
oriented Council sessions. None
of these fears have proven to be
true.
These opponents also argue
that the citizenry-at-large does
not have the opportunity to vote
for the majority of the Council
members. This is a narrow
minded view of government,
• practical and consistent only for
a town with a few hundred
people. American democracy in
any city of substantial size, and
certainly at the state and nation
al government levels, the citi
zenry at large does not vote for
the majority of the elected
bodies. The Congress of the
United States is composed of 100
Senators, two elected from each
of the 50 states. It is also
composed of 498 Represent
atives, elected on a district
proportional representation,
population basis from within the
same 50 states. Most of the 50
state governments have a simi
lar lawmaking body composed of
people elected from the^State’s
; district or counties.
Significantly, the districting
concept at the national, state,
<■ county and city levels is de
signed to provide Mr. Average
Citizen with a greater voice in
his government either as a can
didate for office or as a voter for
a candidate who .now, under
stands and can respond to the
voters’ concerns.
We need to be reminded that in
the 1979 elections the real winner
was district representation.
While we had heated and spirited
campaigns in Districts 4 and 5
with the incumbents as winners,
three of the seven district repre
sentatives were unopposed in
their reelection bids and the
other four incumbents captured
58, 63, 71 and 79 Dercent of the
votes in their respective dis
tricts. This is significant, too, in
that it proves the voters rejected
the charge of some that dis
tricting has led to chaos in
government with districting
overshadowing the broader
needs of the city.
These facts should remind the
citizenry that districting is work
ing and that they have demon
strated their faith in the system
by their votes.
r many, on April ZB, you, the
voters will be asked to vote on
whether you want to return to a
seven-member at-large City
Council. This is an indirect way
of expressing support for or
against district representation.
It means, too, that you must vote
NO on the ballot in order to
support district representation.
The NO vote is important be
cause of the way the ballot is
worded which is as follows:
“Shall the petition proposing
that the Charlotte City Council
consist of seven members, and
that all candidates for the Coun
cil be nominated and elected by
all the qualified voters of the city
be approved?”
Districting is not a black
White issue as some—have, at.
tempted to say. It is, however, an
economic issue because more
potential candidates can qualify
and afford the cost of seeking
public office. Equally important,
district Council members are
certainly more responsive to
electorate and more aware of
their concerns.
Therefore, districting is a sys
tem that will continue to allow
EACH VOTER to vote for four
at-large Council members and
one district candidate. A NO vote
on April 28 will contribute to
continuing the present 7-4 make
up of City Council which has
given us good government.
Vote “NO” in order to retain
our district representation sys
tem. You need good govern
ment, help let it continue.
Vote Yes” For Bonds
In addition to the district
- representation issue, the April 28
referendum calls for the voters
to decide on $53.9 million in
general obligation bonds for im
provements in our city.
While there has been com
paratively little said about the
bond request, we feel it is im
portant that citizens be know
ledgeable about what they are
being asked to support and why.
The bond request is designed
to make a good Charlotte a
better Charlotte. In more speci
fic terms this means a better
transit system, improvements in
our streets, more sidewalks,
more school zones, sewer and
water improvements, an uptown
parking garage, land purchases
for a. Performing Arts Center
and a new coliseum, and ad
ditional museum facilities.
Undoubtedly, one of the more
1_ ~ ' n rf...
exciting parts of the bona pack
age is in the proposed new
transit mall to be located on
Tryon Street stretching from
Stonewall Street on the south to
Eighth Street on the north. Side
walks will be widened, bus trans
fer points will be relocated and
more shelters, landscaping and
benches to make the areas more
comfortable and attractive for
bus natrons, will become a part
of the uptown scene. Considering
the thousands of daily bus riders,
many of whom are black, this
mall will be a pleasing addition
to uptown Charlotte. Further
more, 50 new buses will be in
cluded in the bond package for
use on the mall.
This should give you some idea
of one bond issue item you are
being asked to support.
Next week more on other bond
TEAMWORK CAN STOP DIS-INTEGRATION
OF THE BLACK COMMUNITIES
While the rising incidence of crime has I
been a source of embarrassment to many
black leaders, far too many have
remained ambivalent toward the pro
blem. Perhaps through fear of providing
comfort to racists masquerading behind
a mask of law and order, 1 recognize
■ these risks. But I also recognize an even
I greater risk that blacks themselves may .
I confuse the right of black people to !
" protest their unsatisfactory condition in ’
the United States with the opportunity for
criminals to prey on exposed citizens.”
-Dr. Andrew E. Brimmer
Like it really is
Ways To Achieve World Peace
Some folks have written
to express shockingly, si
milar sentiments: That I
please not dwell so much on
unpleasant subjects such
as war and global annihi
lation. Others have said I
“pick on” Acting President
-Bay-gun too much, and one
went so far as to bluntly
state that Reagan "hasn’t
started one single war.”
Well, he hasn’.t not on the
international plane... not
yet.
And finally, one 'fellow
wrote in last week to say
that I’m just an alarmist.
An alarmist? Let me quick
ly relive you of the notion
that it would give me any
kind of pleasure to be vin
dicated as this man dodges
radioactive fallout.
I wonder if Noah felt this
way when he delivered his
final weather forecast from
the Ark? As for those Rea
ganites who think I pick on
the acting president, I
guess I’m just forced to
realize that there are those
who worship the ground
Reagan has his head buried
in.
As if I wasn't feeling
irritated enough after read
ing this batch of mail, I got
a long distance call from
my brother, a sergeant in
the Army for more years
than I can remember, who
unfailingly raises my fight
ing spirit when he indulges
his Army fighting spirit
conversation. He’s only a
drill instructor, but he’s
been around.
He revealed no secrets,
of course, but I know my
expression must have be
come increasingly grim as
he told me of “our” com
plex and elaborate defense
program, our early wram
program, our early warn
ing system, our lines of
communication, and our
enormously ingenious
means of anticipating a
sudden nuclear attack. No
thing secret, nothing in
detail, just a broad outline
and its vast ramifications.
Talking with him of such
things never makes me feel
very safe, but plenty sorry.
The contrast is so appall
ingly great between our
technical ingenuity and our
lack of machinery for keep
ing- and holding -the
peace.
+ + + +
If one-fiftieth of the .
brains and funds and time
and energy the nations of
_ the world put into devising
ways to kill would be put
into devising ways to
achieve world peace, we
would all be well on the
way to a solution of current
international difficulties.
Why ought so much of our
intelligence and cunning
and resources go toward
creating a war apparatus,
and so little toward the
common problems that
face the race: food and
shelter and disease and po
pulation explosions and
economic justice?
It's not enough to blame
the Soviets for this cur
rent impasse, as Alexander
Haig keeps trying to do.
Long before Communism
was even a word, nations
behaved in the same man
ner. Exactly the same
manner, but with different
manners. Nuclear man
ners today, y’all.
The difference in these
times - the dismal and de
pressing difference - is that
we now have the scientific
and technological ability to
provide a means of decent
habitation, and subsist
ence, for most of the rest of
the world. Imagine what
tens of billions spent for
arms could mean in terms
of productivity in every
corner of the globe!
The problem extends far
beyond mere politics. It's
the central moral problem
of humanity, of survival
itself. You have no doubt
seen the television and
newspaper coverage of the
survivalist groups crop
ping up all over the
country. Have they given
up?
+ + + +
Are we to perish wholly.,
because we mobilized our
vast resources for annihi
lation and not for cre
ation: Is it the ultimate
irony of the human race
that we deliberately use
our wealth and skill and
intelligence for mutual de
struction?
And this proble, cannot
be solved at the political
level; it can only be solved
at the moral and spiritual
level, only when enough
people stand up as indivi
duals to protest against this
~TUIiatil' hetius'fil iif Ihp hn.
man race.
How can we invest such
magnificent machines, de
vise such brilliant technic
al systems, cooperate in
such magnanimous scien
tific ventures, and yet fail
to use any of our God
given reason to construct a
world order that is sane,
just, and truly civilizec?
There have always been
paradoxes. We're condi
tioned to laugh at those
thought of as “the back
ward nations.”
We snicker at the African
who beats a drum to ward
off evil spirits, while Ame
ricans blow a horn to break
up a traffic jam. When
Native Americans and
Africans wear paint on ther
Africans wear paint on
their faces, some of us
laugh; but not at the Ame
rican woman with her face
all painted like a Dali mu
ral, and isn’t she dressed to
kill? No savage has ever
dropped an atomic bomb
on anybody.
Our means are miracles
of ingenuity, and our ends
are barbarous remnants of
prehistoric times. We are
now living in the most
crushing paradox of
history.
And it may be the last
one.
Urban Designer
Kevin Lynch, renowned
urban designer, will be in
Charlotte in early May to
study the built environ
ment of this City.
He will make a public
presentation at McKnight
Hall on the campus of the
University of North Caro
lina at Charlotte (UNCC)
on May 7, at 8 p.m.
For further information,
contact the Charlotte
Mecklenburg Historic Pro
perties Commission at
332-2726.
——— By Gerald C. Horne, ESQ
Affirmative
Action
Hack PoKtical Power?
For those concerned about the poli
tical future of Blacks, these are clearly
times that try souls. First of all, there are
the statistics that chronicle the continuing
underrepresentation. A recent study by the
Joint Center for Political Studies shows that
Blacks while constituting an estimated
12 percent of the population hold only 1
percent of the elected posts. Moreover,
most of these posts were not high in the
corridors of power but mostly at the muni
cipal level; indeed, nearly half are at this
level. A
That this lack of political power has^
manifold consequences has long been
known to many. Take such a basic issue as
tax assessments of property. In Philadel
phia, for example, it has been an open
scandal for some time now that the Board of
Revision of Taxes (BRT) tends to tax
property in “certain neighborhoods” higher
than others. Property owners, unable to pay
soaring tax bills, sell their homes for a song
often to those with close connections to the
BRT, who then re-sell it at a dramatic profit
- often to young white professionals trying
to beat the cost of commuting by moving
back to the inner city. So goes the process
of “gentrification” so familiar in many
large cities, which is creating a new class of
“Black nomads.” But the point is that lack
of political power is at the root of this
problem.
The hni/tg—mnfTS transit
While inner city buses, street cars, sub
ways, etc., often are filthy, breakdown
frequently and have less room than cattle
doe in cattle-cars, commuter trains that run
from the suburbs to the downtown area are
spic-and-span, uncrowded and generally the
antithesis of inner city transportation. Prof.
John Pucher of the Department of Urban
Planning at Rutgers University in a recent
study has confirmed this notion. His figures
demonstrate that riders of inner city
transportation receive an average of sub
sidy of 78 cents per ride from government
subsidies, while mostly white commuters
received a hefty $1.53 subsidy per ride.
Again, one sees lack of political power af '!
root of this problem.
Further, there are ominous signs on the
. horizon that do not auger well for the growth
of Black political power. The census, which
is taken every year, is used to determine
apportionment of the House of Represent
atives and state legislatures. A suit had
been brought to delay the release of the
figures; it had been maintained, inter alia.
that Blacks and other minorities had been
“undercounted.” Justice Thurgood Mar
shall of the United States Supreme Court^l
agreed, stating that minorities would suffer
an “irreparable injury” if the figures were
released. But his prescient words were
overridden as the Court ruled 7-1 that
population figures should be released.
Already there is talk about how the seats of
the Congressional Black Caucus members,
e.g., William Clay, Charles Rangel, et. al.,
may now be in jeopardy because of a
decline in the Black population of their
districts. Gerrymandering, or the delibe
rate drawing of districts to dilute the power
of some and maximize that of others, has
jong been a familiar tool in this country and
is expected to become even more pre
valent during the 1980s.
The outline of the dream of Thurgood and
Company is apparent - a return to the bleak
post-plantation days where none are “bound
to respect” Black rights. "
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4
From Capitol Hill
Reagan’s African Policy Empediment To
Black Liberation
■1J niirrna L. rianison
Special To The Post
President Reagan is ask
ing Congress to repeal the
Clarke Amendment, which
prevents the President
from taking any military
action in Angola without
consent of Congress. When
White House Press Secre
tary Jim Brady was asked
if Mr. Reagan is planning
to support the forces of
South African-baked
UNITA that are trying to
overthrow the Angolan go
vernment, the response
was that no African policy
has been formulated, but
the President just wanted
his hands untied by the
Clarke Amendment
Recently four South Afri
can military officials came
to the United States How
ever, the State Department
which had to grant them
visas, denied having any
knowledge that they were
officials and it was report
ed that there was no meet
ing with them. Yet. it has
been learned that United
Nations ambassador Jeane
Kirkpatrick met with some
of them. The Congressional
Black Caucus is calling for
4
Alfred* L. Madison
her dismissal
These recent events
make the House African
Affairs committee's hear
ings that are presently be
ing held, very timely.
The committee is concen
trating on a specific phase
of the African situation,
each day of the several
days' hearings The hear
ings began with the refugee
problem. Representative
Wolpe. the chairman,
stated that public officials
and the media have fo
cused greatly on the Indo-*
Chinese refugees, Haitian
boat people and Afghanis
tan refugees, but very little
attention has been given to
the African refugees. Ac
cording to the United Na
tion's report, just about
half of all the world’s re
fugees are in Africa. Civil
strife and drought in the
various African countries
are the main causes of the
huge refugee population.
Notwithstanding, the tre
mendous number of Afri
can refugees as compared
with Asian refugee pro
blems in fiscal 1981, the
United States government
requested only $54 million
for Africans and $324 mil
lion for Asian refugees
This is approximately $28
per african capita and an
excess of $300 per capita
for Asians.
Several witnesses who
have visited the countries
that make up the Horn of
Africa reported on the
homeless, ill from malnu
trition, and starving men,
women and children. These
witnesses stated that, even
in the midst of these deplor
able conditions, the African
people moved about with
dignity, and created and
sang inspirational songs. It
was strongly emphasized
that a deep concern for
humanity will alleviate
world hunger. A year ago
American attention was fo
cused on starvation in
Cambodia, the people mo
bilized and dispelled hun
ger there. The nation's at
tention on East Africa’s
condition can be alleviated
by the same method.
The Reagan Administra
tion’s aid to African coun
tries has been pronounced
by Secretary of State Haig
who said the United States’
national security is the de
termining factor. This se
curity is based upon the
Administration’s percep
tion of Soviet and Cuban
participation in African
affairs.
Administration author
ities stated that the Presi
dent cut appropriations to
Africa in the budget cutting
process. Some African
countries that reouested
aid have been refused be
cause the Administration
has determined that their
policy situation is not con
ducive to American aid
The committee said that
request for repeal of Clarke
Amendment, at this time,
is highly unwise. Angola
has played an important
role in pursuading SWAPO
cooperation with U N. in
Namibian negotiations. It
also rendered valuable ser
vice in the Zimbabwe set
tlement, aided in reducing
tension in Zaire. It has
encouraged and protected
United States' investments
in Angola The committee
greatly stressed that sta
bilization of the African
countries can be secured
by economic assistance,
rather than by military
force.
'Cven though this same
African Affairs committee
asked the Carter Adminis
tration to refrain from sup
porting King Hassan of
Morocco with arms in its
conflict with the Polisario
liberation movement, this
support continued and is
being continued by the
Keagan Administration.
Military assistance is pro
vided King Hassan with the
hope that he will negotiate
a peaceful settlement,
through military strength.
However, tne committee
rejected that idea. It em
phasized that the Reagan
AcTmTi nisTrallori's ' 's'erRITflg
of arms to Morocco imme
diately after Algeria had
arranged the released of
the hostages was a slap in
the face to Algeria. Espe
cially since it was unneces
sary for the United States
to remind Algeria that its
help is resolving the Iran
crisis gained it nothing by
w«y of change in U.S.
policy on the Western
Sahara.
Former Ambassador Ul
ric Hayes said that arms
sales to Morocco should be
restricted against use in
Western Sahara, U.S.
should support organiza
tions that call for a peace,
ful solution and that the
Polisario should be includ
ed in any negotiations
Since the Algerians sup
port the Palisario move
ment, Representative
Crockett is commenting on
the State Department's
maintaining that it is neu
tral in the Morocopn situ
ation said, “The
ment is not using
sense when it
arms to one side i
to give the imf
it is a friend to L