North Carolina Newspapers

EDITORIALS & COMMENTS Slavery In 1983? it seems unbelievable that in 1983,118 years after the abolition of slavery in America, the Asso ciated Press would begin a news story with a one paragraph sen tence that' reads, “Making slavery a crime in North Carol ina is hot easy.” At the center of controversy in the anti-slavery bill sponsored by Rep. Malcolm Fulcher, Democrat Carteret County, is a provision that holds the farm er-landowner responsible if they are knowledgeable of crew lead ers “who are holding laborers against their wills. While this is obviously an important technical point, the broader inconceivable point is that anyone, farmer landowner, crew leader or any one else would even consider holding another human being in servitude. * Rep. Vernon James, Democrat Pasquotank County, has ex pressed strong opposition to the bill because of possible liabili ties for the farmers. He feels all the responsibility should be placed on'the crew leaders. In these times of presumed enlightened human understand ing it is our strong belief that farmers, landowners, growers, crew leaders and others, regard less of rank or profession, would be pleased and honored to assume some responsibility for reporting and testifying against anyone who would attempt to enslave another human being. ' Any outcome of this anti slavery bill that does not hold all knowledgeable persons account able will be an insult to' the people of North Carolina and make our license plate slogan, “First In Freedom,” a cruel joke. Philosophically, morally and for the simple God-directed love of mankind, the General Assem bly should pass the anti-slavery bill and not get lost in the mud and narrow mind'of trivia. ' Power In The Ballet Box! A recent editorial cartoon in The Charlotte News under the caption “Black Power” shows Black men with raised fists hold ing cards that state “Voter regis tration:” Some people might pass' this off as merely political rhetoric. However, the recent elections in'Chicago and Phila delphia and the presumed* anti Reagan Black vote appear to indicate that a new-found clout is ending benign neglect by Black voters. It is by now a well-known fact that a large Black voter turnout helped significantly' to elect a Black' mayor in Chicago. A simi lar turnout helped nominate *W. Wilson Goode as Philadelphia's first Black Democratic mayoral candidate" Louis Harris, head of Harris Poll and Associates has said that the significance of what id hap pening to Black' voter turnout has been grossly underestimat ed. In Chicago 66 percent of all eligible Blacks voted in* the mayoral race versus only 57 percent of all the non-Blacks. The non-Black voter turnout was not surprising since it was pre cisely the same in the 1980 national election. Furthermore, the Black voter turnout in Phi ladelphia" fOr Mr. Goode was similar to that for Harold Wash ington in' Chicago. " However, if Black voter turn out in these elections had been no greater than the 35 percent ih the 1980 national election neither Washington' nor Goode would have experienced" the success they have achieved to date. In Chiago, ethnic racial politics was a blunt issue. In Philadelphia rhetoric had it that ethnic dif ferences was not an issue. Nevertheless, Mr. Harris claims that underneath the surface, Philadelphia too experienced a very polarized* election. For ex ample,' Goode won his nomina tion because of over 60 percent when compared to the 1980 elec tion voter turnout. In terms of what all this means for the 1984 presidential election, Harris estimates, and we strong ly agree, that if Ronald Reagan rims again the Black vote will oppose him at least 90 to 100 percent. Significantly, Harris’ analysis says that if' the Black voter turnout in the 1984 presidential election is equivalent to that in the Chicago 'mayoral race, Rea gan would" have'won the non / Black vote by 11 points in order to just squeak out with a 50.1 4 percent or a simple majority of the popular vote. This means'tdo that even if Black and white voters turn out about equally at the polls Reagan would have to win the white vote or non-Black vote by 65 percent. This would be “an incredible developlnent’’ that will probably not occur. The assumption here is not that a possible Reagan opponent in the 1984 election will he Black but rather that Blacks generally feel strongly that administration cuts in'domestic social welfare programs have a disproportion ate affect on Black Americans. ■" LEADERS MUST ORGANIZE 'tU S*4^' ■■ President Tax Issues Benefit Wealthy to n* Editor: ..The President is a fast talker with a false smile. These are only masks which hide the truth about what Ronald W. Reagan has officially done to hurt and twist a country’s fi nancial and moral obliga tions. Those who suffer day in and day out are the elder ly, the poor, the lower middle class and the upper middle class, totaling about 75 percent of this country’s mighty motor. He is causing it to stall and clog the serious issues at hand. His tax issues benefit the wealthy business tycoons and foreign trade. The billions he so quickly gives away without a second thought to radical govern ments like El Salvador which are so unstable, never offering the price of ease and security to Ame rica'w needy ,_Pur tax dol lars and shameful handling must be quelled now. The endless struggle becomes more tragic and the peo ple’s minds more bitter towards the present party in office. President Reagan cuts the much-needed benefits for retired citizens. Widows of veterans are either cut or completely taken off the funds that their husbands fought and died for. To preserve this nation’s ho nored policy to care and protect those who offered to give everything, includ ing their lives for. In re turn, we get wealthy idiots who never truly fought or served this country, except to gain and collect from the sweat and struggle of the average American who made this land what it is. Only the rich and powerful enjoy the reaping from the pain and sacrifice of others. Reagan and others like him are worthless be ings who sit by with their millions and elegant man sions and uncounted invest ments. Politics sure cleaned up by using the people over the years, while they kept harping on loyalty and a person’s duty to serve and struggle under our proud flag. Hie meaning of Ameri can security and equality begins with the needs of its people, all races, aH re ligions. Each party in past years has led the average Ame rican family astray. Smooth talk, involvement in southeast Asia. Laws that make life beautiful for so few and harsh for the majority. No love or deep thought for those who do not own a decent roof over their heads. This is “Ame rica the Beautiful and land of plenty?” Immigrants pouring in from Korea and Vietnam, being sponsored and taken care of in big fashion. Opening small businesses and wearing expensive jeans on their butts, while those who’ve been here for the past three generations find nothing falling into their pockets. James E. Kelly Reader Appreciates The Post Dear Editor: Please allow me te ex press thanks to The Char lotte Post for the splendid support given to the NAACP Membership Drive for 1983. I feel that the success of the Drive was due largely by the vast coverage of events by The Charlotte Post. From the very be ginning of the Drive, The Charlotte Post was at the forefront in news cover age and remained so throughout the entire Drive. The Post was the only local newspaper to share an editorial with the public of its views on the NAACP. Many inquiries and memberships came to the NAACP as a result of ar ticles appearing in The Charlotte Post. . The Charlotte commun ity is indeed fortunate to have The Charlotte Post as a fair, objective and lead ing weekly newspaper. On behalf of the Mem bership Committee of the Charlotte Branch of the ® NAACP, I say thank you again! Sincerely, Anna Hood, Chairperson Membership Committee NAACP, Charlotte Branch THE CHARLOTTE POST “THE PEOPLE’8 NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. Subscription Rate 917.88 Per Year Second Class Postage No. 965500 Postmaster Send 3579s To: 1531 Camden Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28283 Telephone: 704-378-8498 Circulation 11,023 105 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Editor, Publisher Bernard Reeves General Manager Fran Farrer Advertising Director Dannette Gaither Office Manager Second Class Postage No. 985500 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 S 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. MW g. Michigan Asa. «5 W. 45th St.. Solte US3 Chicago, III. Milt Now York. Now York IMM Cotamet SON 2I2-4M-I220 From Capitol Hill Reagan’s Actions Require Bayonet Stab By Alfreds L. Madison Special To The Peel President Reagan never ceases to hurl assaults on civil rights gains and bla tant insults on the intelli gence of Blacks. He has constantly blamed Black leaders for what he terms as untruths that the Black community has of his civil rights actions. Doesn’t he know that all Blacks realize that he is attempt ing to turn back all me thods by which civil rights gains have been attained? The White House hiring and appointment practices reflect racial »tt«~<Ttlsa tlon. Even the President’s “soap opera” press ooirfsr eneas with all the main performers (members of the rich praas) whom ho smihagly calk by naznao the second or third row, rmgilod with Ms haviM taken only four questions from the Black press since his lasuguration. exempli fy discrimination. Blades, throughout the nation view his press conferences, and response to issues concern ing minorities as either being uninformed or that he just plain doesn’t cars. Just recently President Reagan has slapped Blacks, Hispanics and women in the face when he has presented the names of three people to replace three present members of the Civil Rights Commie Alfreds L. Medina sion. Clarence "endleton, the Chairman and Vice Chairman are already Rea gan appointments. It his appointments are con firmed this is the first time, in the 25-year Commission history, that any President has politicized this inde pendent agency by remov ing original members and replacing them with people who win cater to a Presi dent's whims. Pendleton said he asked that four at the Commis sioners be replaced-these were non-Reagan appoint menu. "I’m Commissioner over there but I can’t get anything done. You need to appoint more conserve tives. If I’m going to be appointed to a political po sition in which I am ideologically compatible with the Administration, then I need some support.” Pendleton stated, ‘'Fewer court cases prove nothing. A school system or a lo cal government saves money with a conciliatory agreement and so does the federal government.” Pre sident Reagan’s concilia tory agreements have sa crificed the rights of minor ities and conciliatory agreements between minorities and local go vernments have been chal lenged in the courts by the Administration. It appeared that Mr. Reagan intended to make Memorial recess Civil Rights Commission ap pointments, avoiding the Senate’s advise and con sent right, but the proas and civil rights organiza tions’ actions seemed to have caused the Admin istration to change. . I On Tuesday before the Memorial Day recess, se veral civil rights organ izations and Congress per sons called a press con ference to denounce the Administration's Commis sion actions. _. >" J Ralph Neas of the Lead ership Conference on Ci vil Rights, in speaking of the Commission's indepen dence, said, “Commission ers, traditionally, have been insulated from Pre sidential election results It appears that Preaident Reagan is about to shatter that proud tradition in an unprecedented move to an sure that the Commission ers reflect this philoao pMsa." Congressional Black Caucus stated, “President Reagan is making an un precedent**! attempt to re place three of the six cur rent members with persons who are opposed to af firmative action pro grams.” The Caucus said it would be a grave mistake to mold the Commission into a rubber,stamp. Re presentative John Conyers said the House and Senate should see what’s happen ing in civil rights and that they should lead the way in preventing these gross mis takes Her said constituen cies are demanding con gressional accountability. Representative Pat Shroeder, representing wo men said, "The U S. Com mleefon on Ctvtl Rights must be doing something right, if President Reagan wants to make a clean sweep of its governing body It must Indeed be pursuing the Administra tion’s enforcement of civil tights laws which Is dearly an emharassment to Presi dent Reagan.” Shroedar said the President is against civil rights reme dies, “If he feh aa In tensely about the wrongs of discrimination as ha does about remedies, the Presi dent would aot replace the current commissioner! " Representative Garcia of the Hispanic Congressional Cuacus said, “The Presi dent has tried to win ever women and minority voters with token rhetoric and ap pointments. * ' • . A ==WITH SABRINA J0HN80NSS9S9I' I I Jlf • * ■ AJ9H W ,__ V:, B ' .>• ..«w5 fa fcputtftl to um j .1 #19 Sabrina Racial Discrimination On Tuesday, May 24, the United States Supreme Court ruled in an 8-1 decision that federal tax exemptions for private Schools that discriminate against racial minorities be prohibited. The Courts have encouraged the IRS to collect (He millions of dollars ih payroll taxes from schools stfch'&s Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., Shd GoldsbOro Christian Schools in Goldsboro, N*.C. - • The argument used as a defense me chanism by'such schools is that the Bible comm&nds Blacks to be treated differently than' whltes-merely a different way Of describing racial discrimination-which is practiced by both and all institutions. One question at the root of the situation is how can two so-called religious schools dis criminate against races when their reli gions’ backbone—the Bible-teaches one to loVe thy neighbor: it says nothing of loving thy white neighbor. The decision came about as a result of 13 years of back antf forth arguments between the IRS, Justice Department and the White House. Since 1970 the IRS has taken a policy of withholding tax benefits to approximate ly 100 racially discriminatory, private non profit schools'. January, 1982,' brought some deviation' to the cause. Some Southern members of Congress put pressure' on the White House and Justice Department say ing that the IRS Tacked legal authority to deny tax breaks for Bob Jones University and Goldsboro. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger under stands that racial equality' is far more important than religious freedom accusa tions made by the two larger schools. For an institution to receive tax breaks, if must first benefit the public and is not converse to general public policy. Secondly, racial dis crimination is fundamentally wrong' as described by the Constitution; civil rights laws and acts of Presidents from Presi- ’’ dent Hairy S. Truman to the present. The history of racial discrimination has been a movement in time with a modified goal • racial equality: and those instrumental individuals who have tried and/are trying to reconcile the Alpha and Omega (the begin ning and the ending). * Bob Jones IH feeis that the United States government is interfering in religious rights and practices. But is prohibiting inter racial coupling of students,'expelling those who participate' and not admitting minor ities just under the' basic civil rights acts and man’s guaranteed rights? Jones feels betrayed by President Reagan due to the pressures put upon him by the press and civil rights groups. 'Logically speaking, Reagan would have to be insane if he did side with Jones and his associates. Reagan realized that the one thing the White House did not need more of was protesting by Women’s and civil rights organizations. Also it would not have set a good example for the U.S. to EH Salvador, Lebanon and the like! - - -- - The Supreme Court acted in the best interest of the people of the United States. Those nine justices were appointed'to act as interpreters of the Constitution and make decisions' that will benefit the majority. The "heathens and vain woman" as Jones called them, chose to take the philosophical approach to the situation in that all men and women art free and eipial - and idea Jones cduld not comprehend. ' It is that (Jones) type of small, mindless thinking that has put the restraints oil this * nation’s morality and warmth. Ignortnce of each other has produced a cold climate within such a contained state. Separation of the races is the product of this ignorance W each other and the only way to win the wAr against racial discrimination is to stop it before it happens: present the self in such a way that is complementary to the human race, American and to oneself. Presenting an image of pride and dignity. Hencefore, these things are to be' pursued because the false pride and religion of Bob Jones University and Goldsboro Christian schools will blow Us (thinking men and women) off the face of Ibis Earth.' iWp§ Businesses Centime* from Page 1 postmaster for Mi. Holly N.C During the last elec tlon, ha ran for the N.C. Houaa and served on various beards and com mittees for North Carolina and Mecklenburg Comity. Some of Ms posts Include Member of the Howlng Authority. Chairmen to Mecklenburg County Social Services. He and Ms wife, Mary, are the proud pa rents of two aom, James Jr. and Gregory. Mr. Richardson is also a mem ber of Memorial United Presbyterian Church. His involvement in the Charlotte comnumity, Mr. Richardson feels, is an asset to his position as manager of B.O.N.