Editorials & Comments
; Keep Basketball In Perspective
. Last week we referred to the
■ NCAA and NIT basketball tour
• naments as “basketball mama '
; because of the paralysis these
* events appear to have imposed
on much of the nation and the
thinking of normally rational
peoplewho are often seeking an
outlet from the day-to-day pro
blems and frustrations of life.
We noted too that there are
many human stories that com
prise the web of competitive
collegiate sports that too often is
rooted in a foundation or philo
sophy of “winning is the only
thing,” even if it means charact
er ancUntegrity Jte damned. For
example, one human story is
about the group of 25 ministers in
Chapel Hill, home of the No. 1,
nationally ranked UNC Tar
— heels, who expressed to CBS
television and the NCAA big
brass their opposition to starting
the Eastern Regional final game
at 12 noon. They said the early
tip-off time “needlessly com
promises the traditional sanctity
of Sunday morning in this region
as a time for family and the
church.” As might be expected,
the ministers’ plea was ignored
and thousands, if not millions of
— people, skipppd thpir IraHitinpa^
even if weak, communication
session with Almighty God.
Money, the sports event itself,
and the human madness called
basketball tournament play be
came me uocuamer.
In other human story, Char
flotte News sports editor Ron
[Green teUs us of the first known
•divorce resulting from watching
* sports events on television. A
[woman reportedly divorced her
husband because he spent so
much time watching basketball
and other sport events on tele
vision that his family life was
seriously damaged. Mr. Green
adds another human story about
his roommate and others who
used his hotel room at the NCAA
East Regional Finals in Raleigh
as the center of social activity
that consisted solely of watching
basketball on television. One of
Green’s social guests, a “basket
ball junkie” he called a “Super
Freak” said herd seen “17 bas
ketball games live or on TV last
weekend.”
Agony Of Defeat
In the midst of seeing the
48-team NCAA basketball tour
nament field reduced to the
•“final 4,” we have seen grown
men cry over the “agony of
defeat” on national television;
we have seen coaches soil $300
three-piece suits as they hug the
sweaty bodies of their winning
team super stars; and we have
seen primarily white, female
cheerleaders abandon, at least
temporarily, their usual restrain
to hug and kiss their team’s
usually black super stars at the
“end of an emotional down-to-the
wire tournament victory. We
have witnessed also the frustra
tion of coaches criticized by the
media for not winning the “big
one” and some we see are
suffering the hurst of being fired
because winning 15, 18 or 20
games in a 28-game season was
not enough for school admin
istrators. students, alumni and
friends who demand a win “it all
or nothing.”
Now, as we journey into the
weekend of the NCAA basketball
finals, let us hope that God does
not decide to send Jesus back to
earth at the time to regain lost
souls. If He does, most of us
won^t make it to Heavpn hecatisp
viewing TV basketball would
cause us to miss the greatest
coming event in human history.
We’d better hope too that the
Russians don’t use this basket
ball mad weekend to attack us
and start World War III. If thev
do, we’ll lose the war for sure
because our mesmerized mental
state would not allow us to
respond to the urgency of armed
attack.
Proper Perspective
If all of this sounds slightly
insane or out of proper per
spective, it is ;~antTlS'liiUjrided to
be. After all it’s been the basket
ball skills of a “sleepy” eyed kid
named Eric Floyd and another
named James Worthy who have
made the little town of Gastonia,
N.C. nationally known. Further
—mnra, it’c winning hflskptbfljl
and football teams, not acade
mic excellence, that usually in
fluences student enrollment. And
it’s winning, attached to televi
sion appearances that earns
money for universities and pro
vides athletic scholarships for
some kids who otherwise would
not be able to afford the cost of a
college education and maybe not
even desire it Considering the
number of unemployed college
graduates.
In all of this, there are never
theless some comforting signs
that maybe we have not fully lost
our sense of perspective.
Finally, there is Curtis Hunter,
the first team high school All
American from Durham, who
has the maturity to have kept the
hundreds of basketball scholar
ship offers in perspective and
advised most schools with a
polite but firm “thanks,” but no
thanks,” while he ponders a
choice between Duke and UNC
Chapel Hill.
In summary, it is past time
competitive collegiate sports to
regain its sanity. By this we
mean that the order of priority in
sport events, particularly school
sports, should be character
building, physical and mental
development, and a competitive
winning spirit. If winning occurs
in accord with these properly
ordered priorities then true
Jjpictor^Mvill have been achieved.
" ^H«S«aB8Sg.a,M,u'”
IW t..£ 01* 1 1 fM>H
BLACK BUSINESS IS SUFFERING FROM THE EFFECTS
& CRIME ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE, ITISSTRU6
GUN6 TO MEET THE HIGH COST OF DEATH INSURANCE
VANDALISM, SHOP LIFTING, AND ROBBERY. THE PROBLEM
CENTERS AROUND NARCOTICS DRUG RELATED CRIMES.
_
Tony Brown’s Comments
Historian Talks Common Sense
Pi: Cliaiiccllui Williams,
author of “The Destruction
of Black Civilization,” is
being discovered near his
almost 84th birthday.
It was my pleasure to
introduce him via national
television to an apprecia
tive, if you believe the
mail,—and—eeatatic—au
dience. The volume of
letters was extremely
heavy in spite of cancel
lations on about 50 percent
of the public television sta
tions because of pledge
week activities and one
station that cut it off after
40 seconds “due to tech
nical difficulties.”
What did he say? This
brilliant historian, basical
ly, talks common sense-a
rare find these days. You
must respect yourself be
fore others can. Your herit
age is the only civil right
you need, he proclaims.
Africa is our origin, not
slavery in America.
I want to share with the
readers of this column
what so many people
around the country had to
say about his philosophy of
self-help based on self-love.
Mrs. Velma Brooks of
Cleveland Heights, Ohio,
wrote: “Please thank Dr.
Williams for his determin
ation to search for the truth
solely on feelings that his
people had made great con
tributions to mankind. Be
cause I, too, have that
feeling, and now with Dr.
Williams supplying his
Iknowledge, I now know it,
too, to be a fact!”
Other comments: “In
deed you touched upon the
very ideas I’ve been
’preaching for quite a
while. I thoroughly enjoyed
your program, -ms.
Diane Plummer of Athens,
Ga. "Let me take this op
portunity to say ‘thank you’
for producing a show like
-VOlirs and fnr giving ns all a
better perspective of our
selves.’’-John Morgan of
Atlanta, Ga.
Ms. Shirley Hawkins of
Los Angeles, California,
was cjeeply moved by Dr.
Williams. “I never got a
chance to see your show
■miil March 9. when I
viewed the segment on the
destruction of Black civil
ization with Dr. Williams.
It was very interesting and
informative. It had the
effect on me of a thirsty
person receiving a much
needed drink of water. Now
that I have seen your show,
I try never to miss it. How
you could interview Dr.
Williams as he talked about
Black civilization and
especially how some
Blacks see themselves and
each other in the present
day without letting tears
fall from your face is a
mystery to me. I almost
cried because I know the
man was telling the truth.
And, yes, there needs to be
a mass educafion of self
awareness for Black peo
ple, because I see Blacks
exhibiting negative beha
vior towards themselves
and each other nearly
everyday.”
Mr. Lisle H. Davis of
Westbury, N.Y., wrote:
“I’m enclosing $2 for a
transcript of Dr. Chancel
lor Williams’ interview
with you. I fully agree with
both of you that we as a
Black race need to go back
to learn about all the con
tributions we have made to
civilization.”
Some viewers were im
pressed with Dr. Williams’
notable information. “I will
take this chance to thank
you for telecasting such
useful truth and relevant
information.’’-John Mor
gan of Atlanta, Ga. “Mv
—family and I walCilgd ynnr
program... Our young ones
are searching for words of
•truth and wisdom like you
shared today.”-Yvonne
Young, Far Rockaway,
N.Y. Mt. Peter Bailey of
New York wrote the fol
lowing: “Saw your pro
gram ■ "iph* i -hirh
you interviewed Dr. Chan
cellor Williams. It was
righteous, informative,
educational and produc
tive. In other words, bril
liant! One of the best I’ve
seen on television.”
Mr. Verne A. Hodge, of
Las Vegas, Nevada, felt
proud after watching Dr.
Williams on television.
“Dr. Williams' words have
the power to emancipate us
from an externally im~
posed self-accusation that
we are the cause of our
distress. When we know
our true history, then we
can achieve our true des
tiny; to bring peace on
earth and goodwill to all
men.”
Ms. Georgia Go wan of
New York, wanted to pur
chase a copy of Dr.
Williams’ book: “I hope
that I will have no difficulty
purchasing “The Destruc
tion of Black Civilization,”
for that surely is my in
tention this week.” (Note:
It is available at Pyramid
Bookstore, 2849 Georgia
Avenue, Washington, D.C.
20001).
Dr. Williams is our hero
and the mail from truth
hungry viewers proves it.
“Tony Brown’s Journal",
the television series, can be
seen on public television
Saturday, on Channel 42, at
8 p.m. It can also be seen on
Channel 58, Tuesdays at
7:30 p.m. Please check
local llstintfc
I By Rev. John Perkins
Walk
Your
Talk
Rev. Perkins
God’s Command
Is Economic Justice
The resources in our world are distri
—hutori in a trpmpndniicly unjust way. The
result is brain damage, stunted bodies, and
starvation for a billion of the people of our
world.
It isn’t that there aren’t enough re
sources to go around. The problem is one of
distribution. The average annual income for
each person in the United States in 1975 was
$5590. In Brazil it was $530. In Bangladesh it
was $70. Well, you say, the cost of living
mu3t be lower in their countries. A person
couldn’t live on $44 a month, much less $6!
But often, the prices are higher. The people
can’t live.
Meanwhile, the livestock in the world’s
rich countries eat as much grain as all the
people of India and China combined. Our
world’s unequal distribution means a
quarter of the children in the developing
world die before they’re five years old.
Even within our country there is gross
inequity. Thirty-three million Americans
live below poverty level--15 out of every
hundred people. At the same time, millions
of others live at a level of affluence never
before seen in history. Again, it’s a problem
of distribution.
"Those who have been denied access toThe-.
world’s resources are aware that their
suffering is the result of the greed and
luxury of others.
Gradually the affluent are beginning to
pay a cpst as well. Crime is becoming a
backlash of the increasingly angry poor.
Although the poor lack resources, they do
not lack destructive sort—of—power^ The^
Third World’s revolutions are fueled by the
desperation of millions of poor with nothing
left to lose. In the coming years the global
scene will be increasingly marked by
battles not simple political power, but
for its real ingredients: energy, food. land.
What is God’s perspective on this situa
tion? Psalm 140:12 says, ”1 know that the
Lord secures justice for the poor and
upholds the cause of the needy.”
God’s justice for the poor is also justice
against the rich. “Woe to those,” Isaiah
cried, “who deprive the poor of their rights
and rob my oppressed people of justice...
What will you do on the day of reckoning,
when disaster comes from afar?” (Isaiah
10:1-3). _
For god, justice is equality.
When John the Baptist commanded the
Jews to repent, the people asked, “What
should we do then?” John answered, “The
man with two tunics should share with him
who has none, and the one who has food
should do the same.” (Luke 3:10-11).
pie Apostle Paul wrote to the Corin
thians, “...as a matter of equality your
abundance should supply their want...” (2
Corinthians 8:14).
Economic justice is a command of God.
We look around us today and see the global
economy straining, the gaps between rich
and poor widening, and the resultant
tensions of crime, hostility, revolution, and
war.
Let us remember that in the Bible,
prosperity, peace and the protection of God
came in response to the people practicing
economic justice. This is the rile that God
set forth after giving His prescriptions for
mcH/io on/1 a#«i mil *
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" •»-- • I
From Capitol Hill
Pope Paul Responsive To World Opression Of Blacks
By Alfreds L. Madison
Special To The Post
BotiTfiere in The "OnHW
States and around the
world President Reagan
has taken an anti-Black
stance. The Administra
tion's efforts to abrogate
very civil rights gains
made by Blacks in this
nation, his Haitian, African
and recent deceptive
Caribbean policy are
nothing short of racism.
The one hopeful sign that
is looming on the present
fiorfzonis the stand that is
being taken by the Con
gressional Black Caucus,
other Black organizations,
and Black leaders with a
determination to become a
viable force on the Ameri
can scene for correcting
the Reagan policy against
the-right* «n4 human
itarian treatment of Blacks
both on the home and in
ternational fronts. These
leaders having had all of
their requests for fair, just
equal and human treat
ment of Haitians, and
Africans unnoticed have
gone international with
their views.
The United States go
vemment has constantly
resisted with all its power
Alfrrda I.. Madison
fair and equitable treat
ment of Haitian' refugees.
The sanitation, lack of any
recreational facilities and *
housing conditions, in
general, are highly in
humane. Haitian camps
are a direct contrast to the
Southeast Asian and Cuban
refugee camps, where
proper sanitation, recre
ational facilities and good
housing are provided.
While alien Cubans and
Mexicans are allowed
United States' residence
and granted work permits,
these are denied the Hai
tians Southeast Asian refu
gees are provided a quick
settlement in this country
Interviews with the Hai
tians take less than 20
minutes They are asked if
they came here for work
and are told that they are
- here.-illegally, aadif they .,
refuse to sign papers
stating that they will return
to Haiti, voluntarily, they
will be jailed. Haitians are
not informed of their right
to seek political asylum.
Asian refugee interviews
are wide ranged and,
usually, last hours ascer
taining the political repres
sion for their flight While
all refugee Asian hearings
are about ten a day, Hai-,
tian hearings are 150 a day.
This does not allow the few
Haitian lawyers any time
to prepare their case. The
only refugee interdicted on
the high seas are Haitians
The Congressional Black
Caucus, other congress
men, Civil Rights Commis
sion and leaders, have all
requested both the Caitei
and Reagan Administra
tions for fair and equal
treatment of Haitian refu
gees, but all have been of
no avail. Because of the
Administration's utter deaf
ear to the Haitian situation
and its refugee policy
which is only accorded peo
ple whose skins are Black,
after a visit to the Haitian
refugee camp by Rev.
Jesse Jackson and other
Black leaders, they de
cided that the time had
come for moral''aulh6rF"
tative assertion Haitians
are largely of the Catholic:
religion, so the decision
was made to seek an ap
pointment with Pope John
Paul II to give him a full
picture of the inhumane
treatment Haitian refugees
receive from our govern
ment.
In January Dr. Jackson,
Congressman Fauntroy,
Chairman of the Congres
sional Black Caucus andl
Dr. Mary Berry of the Civil
Rights Commission met
with Archbishop Pio Laghi,
Apostolic Delegate to the
United States, where they
described the United
States' mistreatment of the
Haitians. Archbishop Pio
Laghi, had submitted a
paper to the Vatican which
emphasized strongly the
inhumanitarianism the
Haitian refugees receive in
the United States, through
Archbishop Laghi, Pope
John Paul II. immediately,
granted the request for a
meeting with Rev. Jack
son, Dr. Mary Berry, Con
gressman William Gray,
Camille Cosby, wife of co
median Bill Cosby and
Mrs. Jacqueline Jackson.
The group reported that
the Pope questioned them
about Black cohaitI6ns“Tir
America. The Pope was
asked to undergird the ef
forts made by Archbishop
McCarthy of Miami and
Father Gerard Jean-Juste
a Black Haitian priest in
their struggle for just and
humane treatment of the
Haitians. They explained
to the Pope the contrast in
America’s handling of Hai
tians and other refugees.
His aUcotipn was also
called to the similarities
between the repression of
solidarity and martial law
in Poland and the repres
sive conditions facing
Blacks in South Africa,
many of whom are Catho
lics. He was given docu
mentation of these
matters. ---
- - Archbishop MeCurthy
appeals to both Presidents
Carter and Reagan to turn
the Haitian refugees over
to the Catholic Church thati
they would provide homes
and secure jobs for them.
Both Presidents have
ignored their request By
turning the Haitians over
the Catholics, instead of
placing them in jails and ,
unlivable camps, the go
•
vernment would save
<600,000 a month. >
Rev Jackson said that
when whiles and Asian re- :
fugees come to this coun
try. they are greeted by the
Statue of Liberty, while
Ha itians are greeted by the I
Statue of limitations.
The group came away
with a feeling of encour
agement, because the Pope
responded positively to
their request. It is hoped
that his concern will cause
the American government
to abide by the United
Nations’ Protocol and Con
vention on the Treatment
of Refugees, to which the
United States is a sign
atory. These Americans
also hope that the Pope will
have some influence on the
Administration’s African
policy, since he has visited
Africa. The church has the
t>hHgatlon to resist oppies
sion anywhere in the world
One of life s saddest facts
is that a square meal
makes people round.