EDITORIALS & COMMENTS
Making Us More Human --
Twenty years ago this month
the state of North Carolina took a
bold and forceful step in found
ing the Good Neighborhood
Council, now known as the North
Carolina Human Relations Coun
cil. In April, 1963, a young black
minister’s unselfish quest for
peace, justice and human rights
was eloquently expressed in a
letter written in a Birmingham,
Alabama jail which said in part,
“We know through painful
experience that freedom is never
voluntarily given by the oppres
sor; it must be demanded by the
oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to
engage in a direct-action cam
paign that was ‘well-timed’ (in
the fight against) the disease of
•segregation. For years now I
have heard the word ‘WaitI”...
This ‘wait’ has almost always
meant ‘never*. We must rr.inp
see, (that) justice too long de
layed is justice denied.”
It should be obvious that the
N.C. Human Relations Council
and the young black minister,
baa barn itrtgg momn of janq—
ary, and both in pursuit of non
violent 'means to secure justice
and equality for all Americans,
are deserving of a sincere offer
of ‘‘thanks for a job well done.”
This is all the more significant
when we are reminded that in
the 33 years between'the birth of
this minister and the birth of the
Council, America was a nation
burdened with a cancerous ra
cism, sick with violence, over
come by hatred, and bracing for
a possible race war initiated by
the Ku Klux Klan.
Fortunately for all of us, black,
white and otherwise, the min
ister, the later Dr. Martin Luther
KingJr. rptercedthe consciencer
of the nation with his non
violent manner. Those who knew
him intimately contend that he
never uttered a word of hatred
toward anyone and that his
indictment oi segregation, dis
crimination and poverty wap a
hurricane of fire that opened a
new era in the struggle for free
dom and human dignity.
U&Mrie Goodness
In spite of Dr: King’s never
ending >Cbfl ‘ rront' tu lacial
tolerance, non-violence, love
thy-neighborhood and peace, he
was, as one writer noted,
“stoned, stabbed, reviled and
spat upon when he lived, but in
death there was a shattering
sense that a MAN of ultimate
goodness had lived among us."
In a less flamboyant, but
equally effective and somewhat
different approach, the N.C.
Human Relations Council has
spent its first 20 years pursuing
similar goals of freedom, equal
ity and human dignify.
Since its iriception under
Governor Terry Sanford on
January , 18, 1963, the Human
Relations Council has been
given expanded duties by the
General Assembly to study, pro
mote, encourage and assist ef
forts and ideas that will further
equal opportunity for all citi
zens; and advance understand
ing, respect and good will
among the citizens of North
Carolina through dear lines of
—communication among and be
tween ethnic groups and special
interest groups.
The N.C. Human Relations
Coundl’s efforts don’t stop with
rhetoric and wishful thinking. In
—recent years the Council na«
originated and helped get two
bills through the General As
sembly to assure greater oppor
tunities for black partidpation in
jury selection and to reduce the
possibility of physical injury by
dangerous weapons at public
gatherings.
Final Analysis
■ The Council has also prepared
several studies and held four
regional public hearings in 1982
that dealt with minomy group
political participation, black em
ployment in the states public
school systems, and community
perspectives on employment, '
housing, criminal justice and
extremist groups. Each of these,
and many other efforts of the
Council, have and will continue
tp be directed toward the never
ending quest for justice and
equality:
Thus, as we nause to oav
tribute to the birthdays of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. and the
N.C. Human Relations Council,
we must realize that neither this
roan nor this institution has
sought fame, wealth or power.
What they have sought, and the
latter continues to seek, is a
sense of human dignity which
means love and respect for our
fellow human beings in all
aspects of American life and
society. In reality this can only
happen if all of us as individuals
are willing to give a little of
ourselves to help make Dr.
* King’s dream of a nation of
peace, love and, justice a fuller
reality.
-In the final analyais. Kina’s
dream and the Council’s contin
uing pursuits are not for some
one else, they are for you-Mr.
and Mrs. North Carolina citizen
be you black, white, red, brown
or somewhere in between. The
quest for and desire to be treated
with human dignity is a univers
al human heed. In broader
terms, as far and remote as it
may seem, the answers to avoid
ing a possible nuclear war must
begin at the local level with
simple caring and understanding
between two individuals. This is
the true beginning to any lasting
peace ranging from riots in an
urban street to global warfare.
T BLACKS HAVE AL
WAYS BEEN CON
7ERNEP ABOUT CRIME,
BUT HESITATED
TO CRUSADE BECAUSE
OF THE NEGATIVE
nEANIHS OF CRIhE IN
THE STREET AND LAW
AND ORDER. SAID
ANDREW BARRETT, v
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR \
OF THE CHICAGO
MAiAGTT
THE SITUATION
IS sobadnow that 3
ACTION IS THE ONLY S
THING LEFT."
Blacks Should Take The Initiative^ ^
In The Fight Against Crime
■ddXeM *7*
Black Destiny Tied To Rest Of UJS. ‘
While attending college
In 1972, I wrote a paper on
civil disobedience by-way
of comparing and contrast
ing the 1760’s Sons of Liber
ty to the 1960’s Black Pan
ther movement. From my
research and the real-life
1960b news stories that
were current events of that
time, I drew the conclu
sion that certain types of
civil disobedience have
been historically a “Catch
22” reality guaranteed to
some yet denied to others.
That “Catch 22” reality
is much like being an
American and therefore
constitutionally guaran
teed certain rights, and
simultaneously, being
Black in America and
therefore, periodically re
M
legislation and more re
cently, in affirmative ac
tion policies.
And in 1962, it is the
continuation of a long-term
national insult by guaran
teeing the racist, vioience
-pw> Km m.nr iri.n ^
right to assemble and the
vehement protection ac
coreded this group by
Boston and Washington,
D.C. police at the expense
of a larger group protest
ing not so much'the Klan’s
right to exist and assemble
but the divisive ideology
through which they perpe
tuate the national embar
rassment that racism is.
Those Blacks Who were
ready to once again raise
the consciousness of the
District of Columbia or
raze the district itself were
angry with good reason.
Any Black in America
who did enough to remem
ber the turmoil of the 60s
remembers the extinction
of the less violent but more
vilified Black Panther
Party by design of (Nix
on’s) federal government.
Yet groups like the
Klan, with a long and vio
lent history, especially
against Blacks, and the
American Nazi Party, an
other mob with protected
status, thrive. They plot,
plan and put guns in their
children’s hands. No presi
dent or federal agency has
waged a war.against these
groups as was waged
against the Panthers.
Black America is not
concerned with undermin
ing this country. Our
destiny is unfortunately
tied to the rest of the
country, and in the future
will be increasingly tied to,
the deetinyy weUd?
si**
— —— V* -K. r * ^ • .
Dear Sir: •
The declining enrollment
on colleges throughout the
country is disturbing;' but,
the decreasing number at
students enrolling in black
colleges is more troubling.
Many bkacks who really
want to go to college have
been made to believe that
unless they can afford the
tremendous tuition costs,
there is no hope. True,
financial aid assistance has
taken a dip economically,
but the outlook is not quite
as dismal as Dublicized to
be. Not only that, many
black universities, alumni
of these colleges and blade
interest groups are sup
porting students who want
to attend blade universities
of higher learning through
programs such as the
United Negro College
Fund.
But in 1982,1 was glad that
the Klan cannot march into
this nation’s capital which
contains the largest con
centration of Blades in an
urban area, wearing crash
helmets to a peaceful rally .
and not expect to be con
fronted by Blade people
wondering what they are
up eo nowi ^-—
It will be difficult for
America to continue to pro
fess this good neighbor
policy' she (America)
wants to believe she is or
can become if she is thrown
back 100 years by the racist
practices and perpetuated
by a small group of her
population. Very difficult
indeed. The incident in
D.C. on November 27 is .
proof of that
, MJchaei Sylvester
These are the fact that
need to be publicized so
that black Americans will
not give up 00 *nh»nrlng
their knowledge which is so
pete and survive in tbs
social, economical and po
litical structure of our
country.
There are over 100 Mack
colleges in the country and
they can prepare students
with academic excellence .
But they do one other thing
that is seldom done in other
colleges, they inform stu
dents of the strategies used
against them to keep them
from becoming decision
makers in the U.8.
Also if blacks no longer
attend Mack colleges, they
will miss out on so much of
their heritage.
C.R. Reynolds
UUUU I.
m
gu .<•'
fc.$K tat,
NEWS A VIEWS
_
Innovation Research
Small business “innovation research” is
now receiving special attention from fe
deral government agencies. This month the
National Science Foundation (NSF) award
~ed $2.6 million to 104 small science and—
technology firms in a new program to
increase the public’s return from federal
research dollars.
The awards were made to small firms in
26 states and the firms ranged from a one
person comnanv tn a firm with 315
employees.
The major objective of this program is to
increase the opportunity for small science
and high technology firms to take part in
National Science Foundation research, and
to support high quality research in areas
that have high* potential for industrial
manufacturing.
Th» pnrflnfr were marie in
the fallowing areas: material research;
alternative biological resources; marine
and fresh water resources; mineral re
sources; scientific and industrial measure
ment; microelectronics; computer Science
and applied mathematics; cumpulei engin
eering; robotics and control; information
control; communications and systems; sci
ence and technology to did the handi
capped; advance manufacturing process
es; advanced checmical processes; chem
istry; biochemical engineering; water
treatment research; atmospheric techno
logy; radiation processing and control; heat
transfer; light machinery arid components
research, and tunneling, drilling, excava
tion and dredging.
The individual small business awards are
for $30,000 for Phase I. These grants give
the small R&D firms, or the firm that has
a good idea for a R&D project, a six month
period to determine if the idea is technically
feasible and and if the small firm is able to
perform high quality research.
The second phase will support those R&D
projects that appear to hold the highest
promise for development. The Phase II
awards have averaged $200,000 for ope to
two year periods. Phase n usually involves
follow-up private funding from venture
capital, or large wfcystrisMinpa, Thu* tap
in this program, over $40 million from
private investors has been received in
support of further development efforts.
Most of these small business firms have
doubled their employment during this R&D
program.
This National Science Foundation pro
gram is themnrtol fnr wr jMjgglii
signed by President Reagan on July 22,
1982. This law (P.L. ±7-219) requires ten
large Federal agericM to set aside a small
percentage of their budgets for R&D type
programs.
For information on how you can partici
pate in the Small Business Innovation
Research Program of the National Science
Foundation, write to the Division of In
dustrial Science and Technology Innova
tion, National Science Foundation, Wash
ington, DC 202-3754498.
For additional information contact the
Economic Development Division, Center
for Improving Mountain Living, Western
Carolina University, CuUowhee, NC 20728,
704-227-7492.
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Second Gass Postage No. 963500
“THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER’’
Established 1M8
Published Every Thursday
by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., lac.
Subscription Rate 117.68 Per Year
Send All 3S79’s To:
1524 West Blvd., Charlotte. N.C. 28208
_Telephone 704-376-6496
_ Circulation 16,436
104 Y cars of Continuous Service
BUI Johnson Editor, Publisher
Bernard Reeves General Manager
Fran Farrer Advertising Director
Dannette GaitherOffice Manager
Second Class Postage No. M&500 Paid At
Charlotte, North Carolina
_Under the Act of March 1,1878
Member, National Newspaper
Publishers* Association
North Carolina Black Publishers Association*
Deadline for all news copy and photos Is
Sp.m. Monday. All photos and copy
submitted become the property of The Post
and will not be returned
National Advertising
Representative
Amalgamated Publishers, Inc.
24SS S. Michigan Av. IS W. 4Mb 81.. SaMe 14*3
Chicago in. SMlt New Yark, New Yark I MM
Calami S-a»M_' 2I2-4SS-I3tt>
y ~
From Capitol Hitt
97th Congress Failed To Address Country’s Needs
Alfreds L. Madison
Special To The Pool
The Mlh Congress held
its pro-forma session which
consisted of swearing-ins
and the introduction of a
few new bills, coupled with
the formality of selecting
leadership of both Houses.
That first day found the
galleries and halls filled
with the hustle and bustle
of visitors, who came to see
their candidates sworn in.
Then there was the usual
rounds of parties given by
individual members of
Congress for theta- consti
tuents.
Reporter* who were try
ing to got 97th CongroM
assessments and 98th Con
gress prognosis often found
themselves In offices, talk
ing amid box—, furniture
arranging* and hang)i« of
pMorea, plaques and
awards. Representative
Bill dray gave a compre
hensive interview while
shirt sleeved, busily hang
ing pictures and plaques
and arranging fUrnitwe
and flies in his personal
office.
Congressman Gray said
the 97th Congress clearly
failed to address the coun
try’s needs Initially, It
gave President Reagan
everything he wanted and
f
Alfreds L. Madison
that was not good. As the
election time approached,
there was soma modifica
tion and that the lame dm*
Congress produced some
minute benefits, such M;
the Job training program
and a few Jobe resulting
from the five-cant gas tax,
Oray also coanted defeat of
the MX as an accompikh
ment. Ha stated that the
Reagan Administration
has made a concerted
effort to sot back civil
rights gains. The Votii*
Rights Act was extended
over the Administration’s
effort to weaken it. In the
Boston police-fireman
eeee, where the Justice
Department has filed a
brief on behalf of the white
plaintiffs, Gray said such
action Is not only ah as
sault on affirmative action
byt it also shows a
complete lack of concern
for justice and human
righto.
Since being a member of
the House Subcommittee
on African Affairs during
the 97th Congress, he
stated that the Reagan
Administration’s African
policy of constructive en
gagement which takes a
persuasive approach to
South Africa on eradication
of apartheid and Namibian
disengagement, the Con
gressional Black Caucus
from the very beginning
eeneed the (act that the
Administration does not
understand the nature of
racism Thus South Africa
has emboldened 1U attack
on Angola and Lesotho
which strengthens spar *
thetd The policy has lad
this country down a trial of
emharassment and isola
tion from the majority of
other Black African
nations. Representatives
Gray and Julian Dixon plan
to Introduce legislation to
prohibit the American re
presentative on IMP to
vote against Sooth African
funding. During the 97th
Congress Representative
Gray introduced HR *997 in
the Subcommittee on Afri
r •- > -.
can Affairs, which prohi
bits American businesses
from making any amf in
vestments in South Africa.
Hits is the first time a
disinvestment bill on South
Africa has ever been voted
out of the subcommittee.
Another good aspect of the
OTth Congress was that ,,
through the efforts of Cau
cus members Gray,
Daymally and Crockett,
members of the Appropria
tions Subcommittee on
Foreign Operations, many
economic and development
programs were substan
tially increased which aid
the Third World countries.
Representative Ron Del
turns, the defense expert
stated that money voted for
MX research and develop
ment only bought more
time before the MX will
becomea thing of the peat. '.
He spoke of the Pentagon
« a status
, -.J be
so admir
ak will have something to
control. ^MaUuma said the
Pentagon has a real faar of
nuclear krai race, and if
the economic problems
continue to emerge there
will be more skepMckm
about dofenee spending and
a tendency ta cut defcnie
■ w
appropriations will arias.
He feels that Congress and
the Administration do not
understand the magnitude
of human suffering. This
attitude Is comparable to
the fifties when Blacks,
Browns, women and old
people were told they
would be fully incorporated
m American life, but there
baa been no real commit
ment to Insure this incor
poratkm. DeUums stated
there haa been no health
rare legislation in the past
four yeara. The fastest
growing American but!
neea la health cere, end
pMple have to buy it like
_
For the Mth Congress,
Oelluma says more funda
mental changes are Head
ed The economy mat be
aireciM to ruii ^mpkry
mart; industry end the go
vernment must form •
partnership for reaching
that goal, instead of bail
ing out Industry always,
which the government can
ill-afford h must form a
partnership with falling
industry.
DellUras says Reagan
net attendSTlFarenev^
funeral and that he should
accept Andropov's offer for ^
a talk between the two
Thta could poasily lead to
wane give to the Afghanis
tan, Poland, Nicaraguan,
El Salvadoran, Angolan
and Nambian question.
-Senator Cochran of Mia
•toalppt counted the past
derftg achievement. Ha did
the Idea that
noneasatnade
thattheymuX^m"*
vkdhle key role In the
country'* policy
Ha feele that S
Reagan's civil rights ac
tlona are a deterrent to that
j
'