North Carolina Newspapers

EDITORIALS & COMMENTS » • 1 Weakness Gives Rise To Racism We have recently read with some dismay “The Negro Al manac” which describes itself as “A Reference Work on the Afro American,” yet it virtually ig nores the black Journalist. We are referring specifically to the Almanac’s references to blacks currently serving on ’ “major media staffs” and including the names of many relative new comers to the field of journalism. These pathetic developments led one writer of the Black Press to comment appropriately, “It should be of concern to hi storians that a number of the major contributors to black l:. achievement are being written out of our history.” While we could, as we have done in the past, rewrite exten sively about the meaningful con tributions of the Black Press, there are other equally relevant events of the day that point out the losses to black Americans when we function in the society from a position of weakness because of our own refusal to recognize black contributions and achievements. ’ For example, last Sunday a hostile crowd of more than *150 white demonstrators shouted racial epithets at former vice president Walter Moridale and U.S. Rep. Harold Washington, the Democratic mayoral candi date of Chicago, and the first black to seek the office. The incident abruptly cut short a Palm Sunday church service they were attending in a largely white neighborhood. 1 Qnrnifegion Of Justice The significance of this is that the demonstrators chose to ignore and deny Washington’s right to be a mayoral candidate just because he is black. This is no less an omission of justice than the Almanac’s ignoring of the contributions of blacks. Fur thermore, awareness of the con tributions of black people, es pecially by black people is un doubtedly the most effective way to get white people, and some black people, too, to ' accept blacks like anyone else in posi tions of leadership, residing in residential communities of their choosing, and not being in a position of being judged and self evaluated solely ori the basis of race. It was also the recent incident of Liberty Hill AME Zion Chiirchi at Lake Wylie where white van dals damaged the church and painted racial slurs and the letters KKK on the walls. One painted sign sent a message to the all-black church, “We will burn this place down April 1. KKK. Thank you.” Again, it is because we don’t recognize the role of the black church in the larger community that leads to such incidents. These incidents parallel the attitude of too many white peo ple, and tragically too many black people, who won’t patron ize a business simply because it is black-owned and operated in part because there'are yet many black people who subconsciously consider themselves to be in ferior to white people, white owned businesses, white values and white culture. Thus, the Almanac’s editors’ attitude is that if a black journalist works for a “major media staff” he is somebody;' if he works else where ■ he’s a nobody. It is long past time for black people to put this kind of atti tude of “I’m a nobody” behind them' and adapt' a' philosophy that "I am somebody,” first in the eyes of God, secondly I’m somebody to myself, and thirdly I’m somebody in the eyes' of other black' people. Choose To Ignore April is Fair Housing Month and therefore a time to pause and reflect on what “fair housing” means and to renew our understanding of why it’s necessary and how we can make it work effectively for all people. .Historically, landlords, real tors and builders' have prac ticed and encouraged discrimin ation and segregation in our City housing'planning and location practices. Basically, black citi zens as renters or home buyers have been given no freedom of choice in terms of what part or parts of the city they might live in. They have too often been charged higher rents ^ and higher prices for comparable housing. They have shared with white people the burden and cost of blockbusting and they have often faced “redlining” by banks and other lending institutions when seeking loans. However, we are pleased to note that through the efforts of the Charlotte:Mecklenburg Com munity Relations Committee and staff, both the City and County have' fair housing or dinances which prohibit any type of discriminatory practices. We are equally proud that the local Board of Realtors, the Charlotte Apartment Association, the Con dominium Council and the Home Builders Association will all par ticipate in the local observance of National Fair Housing Month. As individuals, we too can participate in this observance year round by accepting no thing less than full and fair treatment in our housing quests. /y/ferffas/ftf-* . : ;•’ ik r > UNTTEP COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP- N^l^ED NOW -detteM Ho- c */& £d&vi: \ — f • . Prayer March To Raleigh Dear Brothers and Sisters: On Monday of this week a few of us began a “Prayer March” to Raleigh, N.C. for the purpose of asking God’s intervention to rid us of the PCB Dump in War ren County. The PCB Dump is a ter rible monster placed in the Alton Community by the State of North Carolina under police force. That PCB Monster has not only threatened the health and safety of our community, but also infected the minds, spirit and souls of our peo ple. It has caused division in -our ranks and retarded die social and economic growth Of OUr community It is most unfortunate that the very year that sons and daughters of former slaves were elected to public office thereby providing Warren County with a go vernment representative of the people, a hazardous waste dump was forced into Alton, a predominant ly Mack and economically poor community. For the last five years, the citizens of Warren County have used every nonviolent method at our disposal without success. God inspired me to have a "Prayer March” to Raleigh because, brothers and sisters, he knew that if we were ever going to be victorious, a spiritual awakening was needed. A five minute prayer vigil is held every hour while we march. Monday, we prayed for Brother Ken Ferruccio who remains in jail today on trumped-up charges fasting. Tuesday, we prayed for the citizens of Warren County, includ ing elected officials, mer chants, community leaders and most of all for our children, both born and un born, whose lives and fu tures are being destroyed. Wednesday, we prayed for peace and justice for the earth. Today we will pray for State and EPA offi cials. Friday, we will pray for the health and safety of our citizens and Warren County and the removal of the PCB Dump. Finally, I make a special appeal for all Justice-loving people who know the power of prayer, to unite and pray with us at the legislative building in Raleigh, or wherever you are, school, home, work, play or riding along the road, for one hour at noon. I believe prayer changes things. Rev. Leon White, pastor Oak Level United Charch of Christ, Manson, NC Dir. Comm, for Racial Jnstice-N.C.-Vlrginla Field Office Blacks Shown As Criminals Dear Sir: Is it not sad that you, Mr. Jake Jacobs, in your an nouncement of the death of Mr. Herbert Monahan, had to include and recall one and only one of the many cases he handled? That being the case involving my late husband, the Bishop George J. Leake III. Will my children and I have to always be remind ed of this case through the eyes of the news media. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his convictions. This article left the reader to believe that my husband died a convicted criminal, which is not true. A second trial was never held for Bishop George J. Leake III, died June 15, 1961. At his death be was not a convicted criminal. Must black people only be remembered by tbe me- - dia or shown only as cri minals and even discred ited? My late husband is here no more and I’m asking you to please allow my children and I the right to remember him as a Christ ian, loving father, loving husband and most of all a humanitarian. The late Bishop George J. Leake III, who ran for mayor of this great city, tried to make Charlotte,. N.C. and the nation a better place for all people, Mack or white; to live. Thank yon, Mrs. George J. Leake III k.« *• .... .* - 4,f. • I .SSgWITH SABRIN^OHNSON^=^=^ Sabrina Take Stock And Rejuvenate The coming of spring brings with it many images.' Some of blooming (logwoods, greening or the grass, sunshine, drear skies and the smell of roses. It is a time of ■ rejuvenation fra: the earth and symbolic of life’s new beginning. Spring, like the New Year, makes man feel a sense of accom plishment- the feeling of making It through the past and the promise of hope. However, (luring times such' as the present, this promise of hope appears to be the fallacy of hope. Economic woes tend to make the masses feel that neither hope nor pressing exist or can come about. Horse feathers! You, as a citizen of the United States, have plenty to hope for and feeT blessed. People are looking through the High unemployment rate, decreased American production and inflation for the hope and , blessings: which ironically exist within the program. But forget the problems for now and focus on the Other important things in ' this nation'. What do the citizens have to feel blessed and hope for? Life,'family, friends and this bountiful rand “called the United States of America. Life being blessed for its freedom to' do what its possessor chooses. Article one of the Bill of Rights' guarantees the basic freedoms of religion, speech, press right to assemble and to petition the government. This is truly the blessing of life put into a document to protect life from tyrants and dictators. The 26 articles that follow the basic freedoms further define and protect the blessing of free living in the United States. It is by divine power that this country had men who realized that power corrupts and poorer men must be protect ed from this corruption who set down on paper what is inherit to ail people on this earth. ' The family is composed of those sup portive individuals often taken for granted. If is too an institution that is fading. The American ideal of success seems not to: include anyone 6r thing except one’s' indi viduality: a product of the “I-Me” philo sophy (Spoken of here in the past). How ever, without the families coming together in the community the foundation would not have been'layecT for the I-Me philosophy. Without family support one’s individuality - may never be' congealed. Friends are in many ways as import ant as the family. Friendship provided the opportunity £6 explore other lifestyles and philosophies.' It provides a social outlet. Friendship also reestablished one’s faith in people, and that people are vbasically good and kind - hope. This natibh is one of the richest nations in the free world. It is blessed with natural and human resources and a fairly stable govern ment. The land is good and rich, it has mountains and hills to mine and ski upon, wooded areas for hunting and camping, plains to grow crops and livestock, beaches for picnics and oceans to fish and mine. There is a free education system for all who can and want* to attend. THE CHARLOTTE POST “THE PEOPLE'S NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. Subscription Rate 917.68 Per Year Second Class Postage No. 965500 Postmaster Send 3579's To: 1531 Camden Rd., Charlotte. N.C. 28203 Telephone: 704-376-0496 Circulation 10,433 104 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Bernard Reeves Fran Farrer Dannette Gaither Editor, Publisher General Manager Advertising Director Office Manager Second Class Pottage No. M5500 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 and copy submitted become the property of The Post and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 2400 8. Michigan Ave. Chicago. III. M«l« Columct 5-0200 4S W. 45th 84.. Suite 14*3 New York. New York 10036 212-400-1220 From Capitol HiU Evaluation Of The Interview With Edwin Meese Alfreds L. Madison 8peclal To The Post Since I’m the only mem ber of both the White House and Congreaaional cor respondents who repre sents any black news papers - my articles appear in 131 papers. Besides be ing just a journalist, I have to carry out the black newspapers’ mission, which is to advocate. The black press is a very im portant vehicle in pressing for justice and equality of black people The Reagan Administra tion Is perceived by just about the total black com munity as being an enemy of civil rights. Blacks see it as anti-black, anti-minority and anti-poor. They speak of the present Justice De partment as the injustice department. This Admin istration is attempting to overturn the civil rights gains for which blacks were jailed, tortured and murdered. Blacks’ strong determination is to main tain these gains and to be come an equal and just and viable American force has caused a galvanizing of strategies. The black voter registra tion drive is gaining mo mentum in every area of the country. Their goal is to b turn out the Reagan forces in 1964. ■ The black press is called upon to carry the goals, strategies and issues to the people. There is hardly any communication between the black press and the White House. As the White House correspondent for black papers, I tried, in i, vain to get an interview with Chief of Staff James Baker, and Communica tions Director David Ger gen, but I received no response at all. On Decem ber, 16, at the press party, I asked White House Coun sel, Edwin Meese for an appointment. He told me to contact hia Secretary Be cause of no response from other White House secre taries, I asked him to ar range the interview and call me. On March 11, the interview took place. I found Mr. Meese very af fable and charming. I in formed him that I had to ask questions about issues that concerned black people. He said he under stood that and he appeared to have no qualms, at all, about responding to them. The only other person in the room was Mr. Meese’s assistant, James Jenkins, whose only contribution was a laugh, when I spoke of the little press as "White House Niggers." While the White Hoiae Counsel tried to defend the President's constant utter ance that he is for civil rights, he only substantiat ed black people’s belief that the opposite is true. There is an attempt to change and select leaders for black people. This was highly evident through . Mr. Meese’s involvement in the two or three black people who were unknown before this Administra tion’s effort to set up a group to counteract all long-time traditional or ganizations that even got those little black Reagan ites off the "back of the bus,” in all phases of Ame rican life. Meese found himself in hot water when he explained that Mr. Rea gnji shared the group’s eco nomic growth and expan sion views, but the ways of reaching that goal, he had to reject. Dismantling school bus ing is evidently being done to please conservatives, since Meese had to admit that some school balance has been achieved through busing. All will agree that it has not accomplished all the educational values that it could, because people like many in this Admin istration find it hard to abandon their old separate, and unequal intentions. Tuition tax credit, evi dently, was proposed for private school support, with the President empha sizing the fscade that low income children are being given a chance at a better education. Meese admit ted, after an analysis, that only the affluent will have the opportunity to make a choice between public and private schools. The hiring and appoint ment practices of Mr. Rea gan are abysmal. Mr. Meese could name only three black people and he mentioned that three others have been hired or are being considered. While he stated that this Administration is for af firmative action, it has not arrived at any means for accomplishing it. In reality the President is against vo luntary affirmative action methods. I perceived from Mr. Meese’s response that the Administration has taken action against many affirmative action cor rections without having given it serious thought. It was made clear that Mr. Reagan is seeking only black people who will be a mouthpiece for it. The Civil Rights Commission was established for the purpose of monitoring federal go vernment civil rights ac tions, make reports and suggestions, free of all politicizing This Adminis tration is using the Com mission as iU public rela tions agency. Mr. Meese said the responsibility of' Clarence Pendleton, Chair man of the Commission and othsr agsncy civil rights groups is to com municate the Administra tion’s goals and objectives. If this is Mr. Pendleton’s Job, then he should be removed as chairman be cause there is a clear con flict with the Commission’s purpose. While Mr. Meese denied that the President is pla cating any conservative group, in his civil rights Q stand, actions prove the converse. The value Judgment drawn from this interview is that Mr. Reagan is look ing for black people who speak his civil rights gains set back language, and that the Administration is set ting up methods to accom plish these goals, void of any serious thinking. What is really needed in the Reagan racial program is the sound thinking of black people who were active in breaking up legalized dis crimination. Those are the ones who represent the black people - all of whom are vowed never to lose any gains, but to make Justice and quality a reality. While Mr. Meese and I had many different views, the entire interview was one of delight and I feel it ended with a genuine friendship note. SEND THE BEST The Charlotte Post Yearly Sahscrlptloa fIT M