BITTHE CHA) LI ITTE PI 1ST [BF1
The Voice Of The BUu'k Community” -—
_ THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday/, October 8 1981 --“-„
| MOUNT PEACE
nev. iv ivi. roung, nis wile, Mane
Young, and Ella Norman were among
those attending the 113th annual session
of the Mount Peace Missionary Baptist
Association. Rev. Young served as the
jnoderato^fo^hejveekdon^jevenMSe^^
tember 28-October 2) held at Gethse
mane Baptist Church located on Carver
Road and pastored by Rev. C. E.Dew
berry. (Photo by Jim Black Photograph
ers)
Senate Majority Leads
“Crackdown On Crime”
Special To The Post
WASHINGTON, DC. -
Charging that violent
crime "has moved out of
the back alleys and into the
schools, parks and homes
of innocent Americans,"
Senate Majority Confer
ence Chairman James A.
McClure today pledged an
all-out effort by Senate Re
publicans to “stem the
nnrherkeri
lawlessness."
McClure's comments
came on the heels of Pre
sident Reagan's address
yesterday to the nation’s
police chiefs. The Presi
dent announced he would
SM>port legislation aimed
■3F curbing violent street
crime and reforming over
lenient bail and parole pro
cedures.
“Permissive judges and
lax legislators have, for
over a decade, proclaimed
a holiday for hoodlums,
freeing them from prose
cution and punishment."
said McClure. "The people
want Congress to get tough
on crime. And that’s just
what this new majority is
Greenville To
Host NAACP
Convention
The 38th Annual NAACP
State Convention will be
held this weekend in Green
ville, N.C., at the Ramada
Inn on 264 By-Pass.
The Youth Sessions will
begin Saturday. The theme
of the Youth Sessions is
, “Awareness Is The Key To
Progress .” The focus will
be on Career Guidance,
Self Awareness and Career
Alternatives.
Young people interested
in becoming more aware of
career opportunities should
attend the workshops
which will begin at 9:30
a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
For more information,
contact T. Dianne Bellamy
Small, N.C, State Youth
Advisor, 919-855-1847; or
Willie Mae Carney, 919
825-5371
Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens United
will host a program on
lowering ambulance fees
for uPhandicapped, blind
and elderly on Monday,
October 12, at 1 p.m. in the
Red Carpet Inn on East
Morehead
TIKTIMM*
^ A V
As a rule, the man who
knows what he is talking
about has little to say.
^MMi
doing
McClure noted that un
der the leadership of Judi
ciary Chairman Strom
Thurmond, Senate Re
publicans have recently in
troduced legislation to pro
vide mandatory sentences
for violent crimes,
strengthen drug enforce
ment laws, assist prosecu
tors in obtaining convic
tions for serious crimes,
—mil 11 i ntnhlish the rteath
penalty for muder in a
federal jurisdiction.
STREET CRIME
According to the Uniform
Crime Report released
early this month by FBI
Director William H. Web
ster, during the 1970’s,
crime in the United States
increased a staggering 50
percent.
And. the trend is contin
uing into the present de
cade, with murder for the
year 1980 up 7.4 percent
since 1979- forcible rape up
8 percent; aggravated as
sault up 6 percent; bur
glary up 13 percent; and
robbery up 17.5 percent.
At present a violent
crime occurs in America
every 24 seconds and a
property crime every 3
seconds, according to FBI
researchers. Murder takes
place at the rate of one
every 23 minutes; robbery,
one every 58 seconds; and
aggravated assault, one
every 48 seconds.
“For millions of Ameri
cans, these are not remote
statistics dealing with an
abstract or absent pro
blem. They represent a
daily--and nightly-terror,"
said McClure.'
1
CRIME CONTROL
The Senate Judiciary
Committee is now con
sidering a number of bills
by Republican Majority
members to curb rising
street crime. Senators Ro
ger Jepsen (R-IA) and
Charles Grassley (R-IA)
have introduced legislation
that would extend federal
protection to pharmacies
now the target of drug
_ holdup men
Senator Nancy Kassebaum
(R-KS) and Senator James
McClure <R-ID) have of
fered bills providing more
stringent penalties for fe
deral crimes committed
with firearms and explos
ives. A bill introduced by
Senator Orrin Hatch (R
UT) seeks to curb the
abuse of insanity pleas by
murderers seeking to avoid
prosecution. And Judiciary
Chairman Strom Thur
mond (R-SC) has proposed
legislation to restore capi
tal punishment for murder
in the District of Columbia.
Commenting upon the
anti-crime initiatives.
Senate Judiciary Commit
tee Chairman Strom Thur
mond said the new Senate
Majority “is clearly com
mitted to handcuffing
criminals instead of the
police; putting felons and
not citizens behind locked
doors.”
Added Conference Chair
man McClure, "This Con
gress is declaring war on
street criminals. We intend
to make it clear to the
courts that in this war, to
quote General MacArthur,
‘thre will b no substitute for
victory.
Black Caucus Tells
Blacks To “Organize”
J.C. Smith
To Hear
Julian Bond
Georgia State Senator
Julian Bond will appear at
Johnson C. Smith Univers
ity Wednesday, October 14,
at 8:15 D.m. in the Uni
versity Church. His topic
will be "What’s Next?"
A native of Nashville,
Tennessee, Bond attended
Morehouse College in At
lanta when he became ac
tive in civil rights move
ments in the South. He
helped found the Commit
tee on Appeal for Human
Rights and the Student
Non-Violent Coordinating
Committee.
Bond was elected in 1965
to the Georgia House of
Representatives, but was
barred from taking his seat
by legislators who object
ed to his statements on
Hie War In Viitimm lie .
spite winning two special
elections in 1966, he still did
not take his seat until 1967
after a Supreme Court de
cision that the legislature
had erred in refusing him a
place. He eventually
served four terms in the
House and in November of
1974 was elected to the
State Senate
as co-chairman of the
Georgia Loyal National De
mocratic Delegation, an in
surgent group at the 1968
Democratic National Con
vention, he spearheaded
the organization* that, un
seated the regular, hand
picked Georgia delegation.
Bond serves on the
Boards of Directors of the
Delta Ministry Project of
the National Council of
Churches, Robert F. Ken-/
nedy Memorial Fund,
Martin Luther King Jr.
Center for Social Change.
Center for Community
Change, Highlander Re
search and Education Cen
ter, National Sharescrop
per’s^Fund, Southern Re
gionaj Council, New Demo
cratic Coalition and the
Voter Education Project
#> I
CHERYL MCMILLIAN
;-—im fr„..irutr _
Gorgeous Cheryl McMillan
Is “Beauty Of The Week”
By Teresa Burns
I’ost Staff Writer
Who ever deduced that
women are not as bright as
men in mathematics has
not met Cheryl McMillan
A 1980 accounting grad
uate from Johnson C
Smith University. Ms.
McMillan is now working
as an EDP t Electronic
Data Processing! operator
at Wickes Furniture.
"I like to work with
numbers," Ms. McMillan
admitted. "This is an ad
vantageous field, especial
ly for black women."
Brains plus energy, mul
tiplied by ambition, equals
our beauty. Receiving out
standing academic
achievement recognition
and making the Dean's List
at JCSU are the beginnings
of Ms. McMillan's achieve
ments to come
"I felt that if you see
something in life go after it
Success only comes
through hard work, dedi
cation and faith If you've
tried and failed, try
again." she insisted
Ms. McMillan relaxes to
gospel and jazz music. She
also enjoys Diana Ross. A1
Jarreau and Stevie Wonder
melodies Her most im
pressionable public person
ality is the late Dr Martin
Luther King Jr for his
influence on the U.S. has
been extremely positive.
Her parents, Mr and
Mrs Jimmy McMillan of
Charlotte, are her favorite
people.
They've brought me up
in a way to show me what
life is all about. They've
worked hard to see that I
succeed And they put me
through school so that 1 can
have some of the better
things in life "
Local Ministers Disagree
Is The Black Church Losing Its Influence?
By Nancy Anderson
Post Staff Writer
The black church, the
most influential institution
in the black community has
endured a variation of
changes over the years. A
religious sanctuary of ty
pical authoritarian struc
ture, under the domination
of a strong male figure, has
served for centuries as the
principle form of organized
life for the black indivi
dual.
From the end of the 18th
century the black church
has been perhaps the most
important single agency in
the social and cultural de
velopment of blacks. It's a
place of sacred worship
and a source to finding
thorough tranquility within
one's self.
After centuries of having
exerted such influential
contact among blacks,
could the black church be
losing its influence? Ac
cording to Lutheran official
Rev. Richard Perry of
Charlotte, “Black people
now can buy mansions,
boats, and condos They
now can play golf on Sun
day mornings. The church
has become a marginal
Rev Robert "Bob" Walton
...Doesn't think so
part of some people's
lives." This is a recent
comment made by Perry,
published by THE CHAR
LOTTE OBSERVER on the
declining influence of the
black church in North
Carolina.
Subsequently, a poll was
conducted by the Charlotte
Post with some of the most
distinguished black com
munity leaders who re
vealed their opinions on
such a delicate and signifi
cant matter
4
Rev. Norman E. Kerry
■ Says: "Not at all! ”
Rev. Norman Kerry,
pastor of Greater Mt
Sinai Baptist Church com
mented, "Not at all." I feel
that the black church is the
most influential institution
in the community among
blacks ” Kerry added. “I
think that such an accusa
tion is entirely unortho
dox ’
As observed by Dr Re
ginald Hawkins, D.D.S.,
P A., "The church is not
losing its influence, it has
already lost it. I believe
that the church lost its
t
Dr. Reginald A. Hawkins
...Believes it has
influence years ago The
attempts to regain this in
fluence is solely left up to
the black ministry.” He
concluded. "Therefore,
they are the ones (min
isters) who can bring the
church back as a major
importance in the black
community ”
The black church itself is
an institution, that has
been the pattern for nearly
every other organization in
the lives of blacks: mutual
assistance and insurance
companies, fraternal or
ganizations, and Greek
letter societies In the mid
20th century it extended its
activities to the political
and economic spheres,
realizing increasingly that
these contained the most
potent instruments of
social change
St. Paul Presbyterian
Church, pastor Rev Boh
Walton, revealed his
opinion on the same con
cept. ‘ At this point I would
say the black church has
not lost its influence,' he
implied "However, I do
feel that the church needs
to become more involved
with its people as a whole
and not just cater to spirit
ual needs. There is more
involvement needed in
areas of social and econo
mic affairs," Walton ex
plained
The poll revealed that
with the urbanization and
fragmentation of American
life, the black church has
by far become the domi
nant shrine in the lives of
blacks Though doubted by
some, ihe church has met
many challenges with
vigor and dedication
■>
The oldest of four child
ren, Ms. McMillan has one
brother and two sisters
She also has a son,
Demarco, whom she refers
to as the fulfillment in
my life."
If O. Graham Metropoli
tan United Presbyterian
Church, pastored by Rev
Dr. Reginald Hawkins is
our beauty's place of wor
ship Sunday mornings She
is a member of the Beta
Phi Burgandy Social Soror
ity and the National As
sociation of Black Account
ants >NABA>
Born under the Libra
sign Ms McMillan has con
cern for other beings and
wishes that harmony in
stead of dissent ion could be
rampant throughout the
world "1 hope for unifi
cation between all black
people in a melody of love,
sisterhood and brother
hood." she professed
Ms McMillan's grasp of
her skills combined with
her humanitarian qualities
will continuously push her
forward into the lop posi
tron of Sturdier I
Harvey Guntt
Ik J.C. Smith
GueKt Lecturer
Harvey Gantt local ar
chitect and former Char
lotte city councilman will
be guest lecturer at John
son C. Smith University on
October 13, 9:45 a m in the
University Church
Gantt's topic will be
The Importance of Ef
fective Communication
Skills in Public and Pro
fessional Life.”
Gantt, born in Charles
ton. S.C , received his ba
chelor's degree in archi
tecture with honors from
Clemson University in 1965
He received his master's
degree in city planning
from Massachusetts Insti
tute of Technology in 1970
He served as chairman of
the Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity United Negro Col
lege Fund Drive in 1978 and
is co chairman of the Na
tional Conference of Chris
tians and Jews
Budget Cuts
Take Fro m
The Elderly
_ Special To The I’usl
WASHINGTON. In' Hr
ganize- was the d.'ininant
theme hammered home
during the Eleventh An
nual Congressional Black
Caucus i CBC) Legislative
Weekend. September 25-27.
in Washington. U.C. The
CBC Committee on Aging,
chaired by Congressman
Harold Ford iDMemphis),
Congressman George
Crockett Jr. ‘D Detroit',
and Dr Dolores Davis
Wong. President. National
Caucus and Center on
Black Aged < NCBA1 had a
twofold agenda, first, un
derstanding the full impact
of the Reagan budget cuts
on black elderly; and
second, how to change
what Dr Davis Wong de
scribed as doom unci
gloom ' through organiz
ing
l NDEHST WRING
THE CI TS
'The Reagan budget
lakes irom me old and
gives to the corporate,'
Congressman Crockett told
the several hundred parti
cipants of the Braintrust
Workshop 'Can those with
the least amount of tune
left, the older Americans,
last through the Reagan
years?", he asked
Congressman Ford point
ed out. “They just passed a
hugh tax cut bill costing the
Federal government $650
billion over the next three
years. The President wants
to delay the cost-of-living
increases lor the elderly,
but he has no intention of
delaying these lax breaks
for the wealthy
Citing recent poverty
statistics released by
NCBA last month, Dr
Davis Wong told the Com
mittee, "We seem to' be
going backwards in our
commitments to the elder
ly. I.ast month. NCBA is
sued current figures show
ing a dreadful increase of
poverty among black el
derly, with a million, or
over one third ol the black
elderly, living in dire po
verty These are the high
est raw figures and per
ventages since poverty fi
gures were first compiled
over a decade ago
She went on to say. This
administration plans to cut
services and programs in
the face of this kind of
poverty Even before the
cuts. NCBA's programs
are being hurt Elderly
Escort Service in Spring
field. Mass. is out of
money and begging for
funds Elderly residents in
our own housing project a
few blocks from our offices
in downtown Washington,
DC., do not have the
money for rent, health care
and food. What will happen
after October 1st? In this
new distribution of wealth
the rich get richer and the
poor die! NCBA believes it
is time to stop trying to
balance the budget on the
backs of the elderly and the
poor ’
Calling many of Rea
gan s budget programs ‘sa
cred cows,' Dr Davis
Wong asked. ‘‘How can the
administration justify an
additional 12 percent cut in
social services and a one
percent cut in the increases
for the bloated military V
See Blacks on Page 12
A