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EDITORIALS & COMMENTS Map~&n<3~Plan~Not-Rap-Aml M«n At the annual meeting ot tne Congressional Black Caucus in September 1981, the talented plus actor Ossie Davis urged the assembled group to develop a “map, not the rap; the plan not the man.’’ Today, some 12 months later, just as it has been —past-40 yearsr^laok Amo ricans are still rapping and not mapping (planning). In other words, black America is ap plauding the man (some lead ers) while still searching for the plan^that is. an effective stra tegy that would resuIFin improvement in the quality of life of black Americans. This has been evidenced by a series of major conferences held recently by four national black organizations, namely the Op portunities Industrialization Centers, NAACP, Operation PUSH and the National Urban League. Each of the well known organizations was armed with carefully named agendas. OIC continued its basic traditional theme of “Jobs and Training.” The NAACP carried the banner “Ballots, Boycotts and Books.” Operation PUSH centered on “Trade, Not Aid” and the Na tional Urban League’s series of seminars and workshops focused on the topics “Teen-aged Preg nancies, ‘Black-on-Black Crime” and “Jobs and Train- • ing.” At the core of these confer ences, workshops and seminars were attacks on the motion picture and television industries and possible boycotts of its “all white” shows while Jesse Jack son of Operation PUSH was telling the 2*5001 delegates at the NUL conference about his ar rangements wittr major indus tries. In addition, President Rea gan’s “New Federalism” was attacked by NUL-’s- new top officer, John Jacobs. He noted the declining federal programs designed to aid the poor. Concrete Reality Each of these national organ izations should be commended for having identified and held “rap” sessions lied by the “man” of the hour on issues and concerns important to the wel fare of black Americans. How ever, there was little evidence of “maps” and “plans” leading to progress in any of the issues discussed. For example, while the NAACP talked about boy cotts little was discovered in the way of getting blacks more in volved-strategy wise in the entertainment industry. Neither was this viewed in coordination with Operation PUSH’S “ar fangements” with many indus tries. - Jesse Jackson’s “Trade, Not Aid,” has been widely applauded nationwide but when one looks beneath the surface there is'no ‘ plan” to make it a concrete reality. For example, it’s fine to “rap” about more black auto dealerships, but first we must ask, how successful are the existing 89 black auto dealer ships and what can be done to build more support for them? This is particularly true con stdei'lng - all uf the media talk about the significant buying power of the black consumer. The concern with substituting a “map” and a “plan” for “rap” and the !‘man” is a reality at the local level too, that is, while blacks have had marches, held rallies, made speeches, listened to sermons, little in the way of mapped out plans and imple mentation strategies has been developed to create more and better jobs, business opportun ities, housing and educational opportunities leading toward an improved quality of life for black Charlotteans. Effective Plan \ For example, those blacks who took the iniative to be appointed to the Charlotte Area Fund board of directors to help that anti poverty agency begin to resolve some of its major management problems are to be commended. However, since the agenCy lacked an adequate “plan” of action and efficient management tarn, 17 employees, mostly low income people, were laid off, the Headstart Program has suffered without leadership and there has been general chaos within the agency. Thus, while many blacks, both inside and outside the CAF, were spending time attacking Reagan’s “New Fe deralism” instead oFmonltbring . and supporting what they have, CAF was falling into disarray, array. —Seeondlyr-while-the—City—of Charlotte had worked dilieentlv to institute an effective minority and women’s business enterprise program aimed at assuring that such groups would get a larger share of the City’s 'goods and services dollars, there has been no known effective^ plan or strategy developed by blacks to share in and increase trade and business with local government. For example, a major reason that black construction contrac tors cannot get a larger share of local government’s public work construction dollars is the in ability, to post performance bond money. This has been well known for many years but no plan for dealing with the issue has ever been developed. The same problem undoubtedly pre vented black contractors from receiving a larger share of the multi-million dollar airport con struction project. inis column has often dis cussed the need for a black -agenda, - that isr~~g~~pfafi and strategy for the decade ahead. rv — LET'S WORK TOGETHER FOR A SAFE COMMUNITV i-—-— —— Letters To The Editor Honest People Have Rights, Too Dear Sir: - After you have achieved a high level of ability, you wiH be the first to insist upon your rights to live with honest people. When you know the tedu nology of the mind, you know that it is a mistake to use “individual rights” and “freedom” as arguments to protect those who would only destroy. Individual rights were not originated to protect criminals, but to bring freedom to honest men. Into this area of protection then dived those who need ed "freedom” and “indi . vidual liberty” to cover their own questionable ac tivities. Freedom is for honest people. No man who is not himself honest can be free . he is in h* own trap, When his own deeds cannot be disclosed, then he is a prisoner; he must withhold himself from his fellows and is a slave to his own conscience -Freedom must be deserved before any freedom is possible. To protect dishonest peo ple is to condemn them to their own hells. By making “individual rights” a syno-' nym for “protect the crim inal” one helps bring about a slave state for all, for where “individual liberty” is abused, an impatience with it arises which at length sweeps us all away. The targets of all disci plinary laws are the few who err. Such laws, unfor tunately, also injure and restrict those who do not err. If all were honest, there would be no disci plinary. threats. There is only one way out for a dishonest person — facing up to his own re sponsibilities in the society and putting himself back into communication with his fellow man, his family, the world at large. By seek ing to invoke his “indivi dual rights" to protect him self from an examination of his deeds, he reduces, just —that much, the future of individual liberty-for he himself is not free. Yet he infects others who are honest by using their right to freedom to protect him self. "Uneasy lies the head that wears a guilty conscience. And it will lie no more easily by seeking to protect misdeeds by pleas of “free dom means that’you must never look at me.” The right of a person to survive is directly related to his honesty. Freedom for -man does not mean freedom to injure man. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to harm by lies. Man cannot be free while there are those amongst him who are slaves to their own terrors. The mission of a techno space society is to subor dinate the individual and control him by economic and political duress. The only casualty in a machine age is the individual and his freedom. i o preserve that freeddha one must not permit men hide their evil intentions under the protection of that freedom . To be free; a man must be honest with him self and with his fellows. If a man uses his own honesty to protest the un masking of dishonesty, then that man is an enemy of his own freedom. We can stand in the sun only long as we don’t let the deeds of others bring the darkness. Freedom is for the honest man. Individual liberty exists only for those who have the ability to be free. Who would punish when he could salvage? Only a mad man would break a wanted object he could repair. The individual must not die in this machine age- - rights or no rights. The criminal and mad man must not triumph with their jiew-found tools of destructio^A.., The least free person is the person who cannot reveal his own acts and who protests the revelation of the improper acts of others. On such people will "&T bntlt-ff future political^ slavery where we all have numbers - and our guilt — unless we act — It is fascinating that blackmail and punishment are the keynotes of all dark operations. What would . happen if these two com modities no longer existed? What would happen if all men were free enough to speak? Then and only then, would you have freedom. .—On the dav when we can fully trust each other, there will be peace on Earth. L. Ron Hubbard "Scientology, A New Slant on I.Ifp” Law students Dear Mr. Johnson: I would like to thank you for vour editorial last week regarding the black Har ■- vard l^aw students’, objec tion to Mr Greenberg’s helping Mr. Chambers teach the race discrimina tion course. Black racism has hurt the cause for equality as has female sex ism for women’s rights. It is hard for those of us who .have worked a life time for the rights of minorities to feel the sting of being less than right because we are white. You said it all. Johnnie McLeod, M.D. — WALK >: YOUR __ TALK -HfT. PprUiHO Unity k Still A Need! The other morning as I was preparing for my day’s work, I came to Matthew 16:17 where Christ first mentioned the church. After some discussion about Jesus’ true -■iHonHly, locnc annnnnrpd to Peter, ‘*ThoU art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” 4 After I read that scripture, I wondered if _we as hlark Christian leaders have failed the church of the black community, as 1 read this passage^ it was reaffirmed to me that the churcnwas to be the manifestation of Christ within the community as outlined in Paul’s writings. We who are Christians, bound together by a geographical commun ity, constitute a fellowship that should work together in the body of Christ. We come together around the common unity of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. We have joined ourselves to that com munity because we constitute a body of believers. This group could be a very powerful people within the community. Now, in the community where I live, crime is very serious. Rape is a prevalent thing among the girls in the community. There is theft and burglary which takes place by black brother against brother. There is little creative, organized leader ship by blacks within my community to deal with this issue. Does our church leadership understand the responsibility we have as leaders. This is it--we need to help our people in terms of helping us to deal with the massive 1 problems we now face. I am a little distressed when I think about the fact that approximately half of the black chUdren in major metropolitan centers are — being born out of wedlock. I am distressed when I go to the jails and find that the overwhelming majority of inmates are blackrT am distressed-when 1 meet young— people who are 15 and 16 years old, reading on a fourth-grade level. I am distressed, when by our very silence, we condone and support these kinds of institutions. We have used our churches as a, protest base in the past and we still do to some extent. But we have not used our churches as creative, constructive bases. The black church is too much a survival vehicle instead of a pioneering vehicle. It should learn to take the initiative: We have become complacent. We have the right to vote; we can elect blacks to positions in the community. We can organ ize ourselves. We can start our own businesses, but there is no fervent kind of unity around the type of economic development that can make life better. The need we have as people” and as leaders is to move from our ego tripping. We must move from our jealousy and fear of each other. We need to stop competing with one another and become more ynited around pertinent issues. What did Jesus mean when He said “Upon this rock I will build my church and ' the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”? I believe He meant if people are working together .within their community they can be both salt and light, dealing with the whole evil system. 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’s To: 1524 West Blvd., Charlotte, N.C.28208 Telephone (704-376-0496 -Circulation. 7U151_ 104 Years of Continuous Set vice Bill Johnson - Editor, Publisher Bernard Reeves General Manager Fran Farrer Advertising Director >■. JaiinvUV CjiHtorpfflgt Manager Second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid At Charlotte, North Carolina Under the Act of 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 add copy submitted become the property of The Post and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc. 2tW> S. Michigan Avf. Chicago. III. M6IK ^olume^v«20<^ 45 W. 15th ST.. Suite 1493 New York. New York 10030 (212) 4X9-1220 trom Capitol HtU Reagan Mid-Session Review Has Bi-Partisan Aspects By Alfreds Madison Special To The Post Senate Budget Commit tee, chaired by Senator Pete Dominici has been holding hearings on the Administration’s Mid session evaluation. This re view updated the Presi dent's February and April budgets and it adjusted —them-to-update ernnomica which gives new informa tion about spending pro grams Dominici noted congressional confusion over which of the budget presentations - February, April or the corrected view - the Administration really wants. He emphasized that the budget attention should be fnciiftyd on the present economic conditions rather than technical aspects. Dominici noted confusion in the President's Mid session defense budget since it is identical to the April budget Congress reduced the President's de fense budget as follows: FY '83 by $7 3 billion, PY '84 *9 9 and FY '85 *13 3 billion. He stated the importance of Congress' being clear on the Adminis tration's spending target since they will be taking up Alfred* L. Madison me rax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Omnibus Reconciliation Act, and passage of these require the President s support. Stockman, OMB Direc tor, said President Reagan is committed to sustained deficit reductions as a prospect for steady interest lowering and economic re covery In defending the Mid-session assessments, Stockman said, inflation has declined and business conditions have bottomed out. He failed to prove the business bottom out aspect for which he was greatly attacked by Senator Rie gle because businesses are failing at the rate of one every twenty minutes or 500 a week. •—*— - Stockman gave percent ages which he indicated were strong signs of a bot tomed out recession, by stating the economic growth since Reagan took office. He presented sever al charts to show the Mid session assessment. Mr. Riegle lashed into Stock -man for. coming before the committee a second time with * 'dishonest numbers.” He called the Director’s attention to both Secretary of Commerce Baldridge’s and Secretary of Treasury Regan’s great disparity in Stockman's figures. Republican Senator An drews questioned the Pre sident's sac redness of de fense spending, by saying there are many things that should be cut in the defense budget. Stockman stated that the President cannot fluctuate on defense and that defense decision is the President’s right. Andrews noted that the Administration’s budget didn't get a single approval in the House of Represent -tivaar——-— It was emphasized that Mr Reagan had approved the Latta budget,’ but later vetoed it. The Luga housing bill which was passed by both Houses was also vetoed by the President. Senator Chiles said the President makes deals to get bills passed, but then says he is not bound by them. The committee cri ticized the indicated pro gress gratification as being insufficient, when there are poor housing, high interest rales afid nigh unempluy ment. ' Committee Democrats advocated some type of freeze on defense cuts and called for social security regulation. Secretary Regan, who faired much better before the commit tee than Stockman, was told to convey that message to the President to "sober him up." The President's stand on tuition tax credit was called muddling up things, because he is giving away taxes. Mr. Reagan was said to “lack leadership", which causes the commit tee to find it hard to determine the President’s direction When Secretary Regan said tuition tax credit was a campaign promise, Senator Hoilings stated, nothing was said during the campaign about the tax credit and that eleven states and the pis trict of Columbia have already voted down the tax credit. Mr. Regan stated that passage of tax increase and domestic cuts, as recom mended by the Administra tion will lower interest rates and enhance econo mic growth. Failure to do so will lesult hr spiriting - interest rates, higher In flation and a greater deficit. He said the Presi dent will make a strong push to get the tax bill passed by the House, Many conservatives led by Jack Kemp are staging a hard fight to defeat the tax bill. Secretary Regan waffled on honesty of the Mid session numbers given by David Stockman. He said no one can predict what will really happen but that those numbers could be fairly accurate Senator Riegle wanted to know from the secretary if dis honest figures were less confusing than honest figures and wouldn’t- it be mori favorable to the Pre sident to put honest num bers on the table. President Reagan is pushing the Balanced Bud get amendment, which can be unbalanced by a 60 percent vote of Congress. The committee said that such actions would make mockery of the amend ment. Senator Joe Biden wanted to know if the Administration could pre sent a balanced fiscal '85 budget without serious danger to the economy. Thr mpuiiM was, Uieie would have to be domestic cuts and perhaps defense also unless we were actual ly in a war. The Treasury Secretary had strong reservations about an across the board tax rate, since it would reduce charitable giving and it could inhibit mort gage deductions which could stifle the housing industry. _ Keep your out-of-town friendsi nformed on what's happening in Charlotte by sending them a copy of The
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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