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Editorials & Comments Is “Power” Personal Influence? Philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote in his book, “Power, A New Social Analysis,” in 1938 that “the fundamental concept in social science is Power, in the 7 same sense in physics.” He added that the laws of social : dynamics can be understood only in terms of the concept of power. Finally, Mr. Russell defined power as “the produc tion of intended effect” and dis tinguished “three forms of power: influence, the use of in centives and deterrents, and coercion.” Since few social psychologists responded to philosopher Rus sell’s views, there exists a mini mal, if any, theoretical or em pirical research on power. Nevertheless, much of The Charlotte News’ series on “Power In Charlotte” appears to reflect Russell’s assumptions and his definition of power. Both Mayor Eddie Knox and Mayors Pro Tern Harvey Gantt were viewed by the 25 panelists as men with great influence both in the political arena and to a lesser exteritlnfhe economic arena. Furthermore, while the series noted that “business leaders see the monolithic power of the business community— waning” there is no doubt that business continues to provide the incentives or could be the deter rents to certain accomplish ments. Coercion, while not openly discussed, is an underly-9 ing factor In businesses leader ship role, for example, in United Way campaigns. Right or wrong, many employees feel they are coerced into giving to United Way to help achieve goals they had no involvement in setting. Black Power Undoubtedly, the 25 mostly white professionals whom the Charlotte News relied upon to 'J-_ select the so-called powerful people in the city, were correct in concluding that “power,” by whatever definition, among blacks is “diffuse and elusive.” However, the basis upon which the black power brokers were presumable selected - names of people the panelists had heard of, people identified with certain issues, visibility through the white news media and people who fit the panelists’ ideas of who should be a power force - simply confirms how little white people know about blacks and reaffirms the still existing gap or lack of communication between blacks and whites in our city. It is for all of these reasons that City Council member Ron Leeper said of the list of so-called black power brokers, “All of those people have some influence. But powerful? Some of them are powerful. That list will make for good conversation in the black community, but that’s about all.” Undoubtedly; Teal—people power is best exhibited in the black community or at other dimensions where there is the absence of a powerful economic i basis. White power leaders, to 1 some extent, inherit their power by the simple nature of their position of economic power over money, jobs and related factors and the freedom, such positions give or require participation in civic and social activities. Black leaders, influence ped dlers, power brokers or what ever you care to call them, cannot so easily be identified as “powers” by the economic criteria measure. Black min isters, for example, who can use their pulpits to build a power base must rely solely upon their ability to influence peopleT thinking. They can’t use the threat of job losses and related economic influences to get quick cooperation and support from people slow to respond to their wishes. Therefore,, the -..black "minister,' who has a captive audience weekly that other aspiring black “powers” don’t have is in a position to influ ence community thinking and thus by Russell’s definition is or can be a “power” in the community. Personal Power "Influence power wa6 what— Harvey Gantt exhibited when, according to the Charlotte News series, support for district re presentation was questionable and he telephoned economic power broker Hugh L. McCall for help. Gantt asked McCall to con vene a meeting of economic power leaders to hear a talk about district representation. McCall responded favorably to Mr. GantrsTequest. Equally, If not more significant, is the fact the many white business leaders believed that district represent ation would be a factor in re ducing their presumed “mono lithic power,” yet the meeting Gantt requested is believed to have helped secure the victory he sought. . Who are the black leaders or power brokers? Your answer to that question is as good as any one’s. Ask yourself, who influ ences you the most, who do you think gets things done best through other people, what issues are important to you and who best responds to those issues? If you answer these questions then you can answer the question - who are the black leaders or power brokers? Why? Because it is how you react to issues that determines who the real leaders or power people are. MRS.ROSA PARKS V WHO REFUSED TO GIVE UP HER BUS SCAT * IF I CAN DO MY DUTYAS A CHRISTIAN OUGHT. IF I \ CAN BRING SALVATION TO A 1 WORLD ONCE WROUGHT. IF I j CAN SPREAD THE MESSAGE. 1 AS THE MASTER TAUGHT. 1 THEN MY LIVING WILLNOT 1 fein vain.it> LIKE FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY THAT DAY, THAT MARTIN LUTHER KINO JR. TRIED TO LOVE { SOMEBODY" L Less We Forget Weaver Puts Death In Its Place “It seems to me most strange that men should fear death, knowing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come..” A wonderful, brilliant, powerful, honorable man had his transition from human to spiritual form recently at 69 years of age. And like his great grand father, Frederick Dou glass, Frederick S. Weaver put death in its place. Of course, he had lived his life in such a way that life was a matter of expres sion of his character. Character, of course, is not cnmolhind that uau 3Uinrilitlt5 wldt jvu \_an borrow, steal or inherit. It is something that you must develop. And you can only develop it by doing the right thing because the -righfthtngts the right thing to 0o. Needless to say, most people lack character. So much so that to many, Weaver was called “con troversial.” Moreover, it is downright amusing to watch black people become obsessed with being “re sponsible” when in a racist society blackness is auto matically controversial. Furthermore, it is safe to say that Fred was neither well-loved by blacks whoi lack blackness, thus cha racter, nor by whites who insist on their racial pre ference. And like Frederick Dou glass, who took his master's whipping stock from him and in turn gave the bigot some good lashes, Fred Weaver was always disarming injustice. He lived his life by fighting against ignorance-black and white-and in his week ly column in New York’s Amsterdam News, he crossed swords with any and everybody he found on tne wrong Side ol the truth But it was in dying that he made his greatest state ment. Writing his column on his death bed in pain and, I assume, some dis orientation, he reminded all of us that he would still be watching. “For in this new home, I no longer need a telephone. Cause I now have His ear directly. So..” So he admonished all of us, as he had in life, to do the right thing because the right thing is the right thing todo-“Mr. President, you better think carefully about how you treat my people. Because now that I’m sit ting by my Father’s side, I know that he has a political adivsor too.” He reminded me person ally that I should continue “telling it like it is” and warned: “Don’t let ‘them folks’ shut you up... I’ll be whispering in your ears from time to time.” I know lie will and I’ll know him when I hear him. He’ll say, "Fight injustice, Tony. Struggle for a racial peace based on truth-not on racial annihilation based on self-hatred.” I’ll know you when I hear you, Fred. And when I go, I hope that I will demon strate the same dignity that you did. I already know, as Weaver obviously did, that death is not an end to anything but the human form. When a tree dies, it decays and the earth, in turn, gives life to other forms of life. So it is with us. Nothing physical en dures. A baby becomes a child, a child becomes an adolescent, an adolescent becomes an adult and the adult becomes the earth and homes an infant all over again. Since materiality does not really live, what does? Me. I am my soul. And truth is my food. And, if you are black it takes standing up to racism to feed your soul. In effect, life should be lived in preparation for more life - not "in pre paration for death -- which cannot come anyway. Fred Weaver, like you and I, will take with him the charac ter he developed in human form wherever he goes. Conversely, what he did not develop, he could not take with him. those wno retuse to live by the laws of God are already-here on earth living in hell. They have made a religion out of hating themselves because they are black or out of attempting to convince themselves that the lack of skin color is manifesto for hatred. They are living in hell because of faulty problem solving because they are out of touch with God’s harmony of the universe. What they fail to under stand is that we are super physical persons inhabiting a physical self in this journey on our Path to Return. See DEATH on Page 5 —■—Rv Rev. John Perkins" ■■ Walk Your Talk Rev. Perkins Posture Of Leadership Many people have created a posture of leadership that diagnose a particular set of problems, but fail to offer an effective solution to these problems. I believe that our political system has instilled within us a mentality that requires a leader alone to do things for his dim munity. However, a leader is responsible for communicating the problems to his people as well as providing them with a creative solution. With this creative solu tion, he must motivate the people within his community to constructively change their environment. As I look at the massive problems engulfing our community and nation, I am convinced of our need to reject the welfare mentality that our political system has thrust upon us. Even though our fore fathers were slaves, sharecroppers, and without educatioft, we need to take the responsibility for the condition that we are in today. I am going to organize people around me to take this responsibility and bring about some constructive change._ The fifth chapter of John describes a setting where a multitude of sick, blind, lame and withered people are waiting by the Pool of Bethesda. In their midst, an angel would come down and trouble the water so that whoever stepped in was made well of any disease they suffered from. There was one man who had been by the pool for thirty eight years waiting for someone to push him in. Jesus came by the pool and told this man to be responsible for his own condition by taking up his bed and walking on his own. Why don’t we in the black community of America take up our bed and walk? I believe that Ronald Reagan that. : If we are going to take up our bed aiu^ walk, we must be obedient to the word of God. We must see our conditions, repent for our sins ami release’ trom ourselves our damaging past. As we learn to understand our history, it should stimulate us today our new life in the future. The way to do this is to do it in accordance with the word of God. Jesus said “ye shall receive power after the holy spirit has come upon you. You shall be witnesses unto me.” The key to our future is for us to have the holy spirit. How do we get the holy spirit? Well, the Bible says: “He that has the son has Life.” So what we need then is the spirit of Jesus Christ. We can get this by asking him to come into our lives, looking into the word of God, and becoming obedient to it. Jesus said that he is standing at the door of our hearts wanting to come. Once we let him in, we can be responsible for the conditions that we find ourselves in today. THE CHARLOTTE POST Second Class Postage No. 965500 "THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. Subscription Rate $15.60 per year Send All 3579’slo: . 1524 West Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Telephone (704)376-0496 I ’ Circulation 7,151 104 Years of continuous Service Bill Johnson Editor, Publisher | Bernard Reeves General Manager FranFarror Adve ‘ * J Director Pannette Gaither Office Manager second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid At Charlotte, North Carolina Under the Act pf March 3,1878 Member, National Newspaper Publishers' Association North Carolina Black Publishers 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 Representative Amalgamated PnbttetreiT,Tnc. 2100 S. Michigan \vr. *.*» W. IMh SI., Suite | |<»:t Chicago. III. WKilK New York. New York. ioo:lt> ’ fnlumrt .->-0:200 <2121 MIM2M From Capitol Hill Chisholm’s Works Mandate Her Congressional Return! By Alfreds L. Madison Special To The Post The old adage, precious jewels come in small pack ages, certainly portrays the ninety pound Shirley Chisholm, who has been in Congress for the past four teen years. Even though she is physically small, Shirley is a giant in ability, perseverance and courage in championing concerns for people. When she speaks on the floor of the Home, testifies before committees or bravely argues for action on issues that are, especially, rele vant to the poor and needy, Shirley stands with the very treetop national leaders. The Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn community has been greatly enriched by the persistent monumental efforts of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. She was instrumental in securing many new construction sights in her district. Among these were: Sat. Mary's Hospital, Woodhull Hospital, that is yet to be opened. Nostrand and De Kalb nursing home, 1,023 new housing units and re habilitation of 1,831 units Among the district's edu * cational funded projects, because of Mrs. Chisholm’s efforts are: Medgar Evers College, National Youth Project Grants, Commun ity Anti-Crime Grant to Brooklyn Coordinating Council, Biomedical Sci ence Program at New York University, Bilingual Edu cation Grants and several cultural enrichment pro jects. When new buildings, which were federally fund ed, Shirley worked out agreements on ail projects, not only for employment of minorities, but that minor ity subcontractors bad to be given work. All of the district's demolition work was given to minority contractors. All during her congres sional days, Mrs. Chisholm has forged a hard fight for improved education, espe cially for minorities. She most often testified on behalf of the Congres sional Black Caucus, befor the Education and Labor Committee on education issues. She vigorously objected to the Reagan reduced funding of education programs and the loosely administered grant consolidation. In her testimonies, Shirley point Alfred* L.Madison ed out very strongly the progress millions of child ren have made through these special programs. Besides giving opposition to the Reagan education cuts, she emphasized to her congressional colleagues the devastating effects the budget cuts would have on , health, housing and social welfare programs that im pact on the poor. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm has been intense ly involved in the fight for the United States' fair and just treatment of Haitian boat people. She has argued before both House and Senate panels, that Haitian aliens are not given the same humane treat ment that is accorded re fugees from Europe, Cuba and Southeast Asia. Haitians are the only aliens who are incarcerated upon immediate arrival in this country and they are also ! interdicted on the high seas. She attested to the fact that this country has a double standard of refugee treatment based on race. Mrs. Chisholm has been working diligently for con gressional support of her bill which requires that Haitian* T>e glveii legal refugee status. Along with other Black Caucus members. Shirley has been persistent In her efforts to get more econo mic assistant for the Carib bean Islands, free of this Administration’s East-Well linkage. In speaking on the House floor concerning Mr. Reagan’s Caribbean pro posal, Mrs. Chisholm said: “Under the guise of econo mic development for our neighbors to the south, the Administration is actually proposing a dose of assist ance to right-wing Central American regimes who are friendly to U.S. business interests Despite Presi dent Reagan's lofty rhetor ic, no meaningful help is I Deing otlered to the island nations.” President Reagan has strongly worked for com plete abolition of the Legal Services Corporation, Mrs Chisholm was visably instrumental in getting the House of Representatives to extend authorization of the corporation. 1 Among the bills the Con gresswoman has intro duced in this 97th Congress are: the Farm Workers Rights Act, which will pro vide a comprehensive solu tion for alt areas of farm worker needs When the Tarmers tied up Washing ton about two years ago, they told some reporters that Shirley Chisholm showed more concern for their plight than just about anyone else on Capitol Hill. I'm sure they applaud this Farm Workers Rights Act. A bill authorizing the Attorney General to study the appropriate role of the federal government in the establishment and enforce ment of alimony and child support has been intro duced by Mrs. Chisholm. As a ranking member of the powerful House Rules Committee, Shirley has worked hard to get many bills that are particularly relevant to minorities, out of the committee. The Congressional Black Caif: cus Constructive Alter native Budget and the Martin Luther King birth day bills would never have seen the light of day on the House floor had it not been for the diligence of Mrt Chisholm. When the Voting Rights Act came to the House floor for debate, Mrs. Chisholm along with other Black Caucus members, gave a very fervent speech urging passage of the Act as it came oat of the House Judiciary Committee. On affirmative action she says; "For millions of minority and women work ers still experiencing em ployment discrimination in this country, President Reagan has called for elimination of key compon ents of affirmative action programs.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 29, 1982, edition 1
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