editorials
& comments
Disappointing Primaries
In one of the few opportun
ities that the Mecklenburg
County Republican Party has
had to capture the imagination of
the voters, it fell flat on its GOP
elephant face. The poorly built
Peacock-Selden mayoral pri
mary race fizzled like a collap
sing balloon as Peacock ignored
Selden by campaigning on the
theme that a vote for him would
be a vote for an ultimate chal
lenge to Harvey Gantt or a
conservative challenge to a
liberal.
That strategy had two interest
ing results. First, while Peacock
ignored Selden, the Republican
voters nearly ignored Peacock
and the entire primary as only
6,522 Republicans even bothered
to vote for either candidate. This
represents only 14.5 percent of
the 44,965 registered Republican
voters in the city and only half of
the predicted voter turnout.
Secondly, Peacock’s focus on
Gantt helped the Democratic
mayoral candidate to enhance
his name and image before the
voters without even being on a
primary ballot. Gantt, presently
mayor pro tehi, had said last
week, “We were concerned that
we would be lost, that no one
would hear our name again until
after the great Selden-Peacock
battle.” He added, “It didn’t turn
out to be a battle, obviously, and
Ed’s helped us a lot by not even
dealing with George.”
Council-At-Large
Undoubtedly, too, the pri
maries were a disappointment to
Council At-Large candidates
Herbert Spaugh Jr. and Minette
Trosch. Spaugh, a Democrat and
Trosch a Republican, both in
cumbents, each finished third in
their respective party primaries
behind newcomers. Interesting
ly, however, in the November 8
general election both will pro
bably, be reelected with Spaugh
getting considerable support
from, some conservative Re
publicans and Trosch getting
considerable support from some
liberal Democrats.
Finally, the talented and hard
working incumbent Ron Lee per
won a deserving landslide pri
mary victory in District 3, and
Bob Davis and Willie Stratford
deserve a round of applause for
their surprising one-two finish in
the Democratic Council At
Large primary.
The dye has been cast and the
candidates have been selected,
now it’s up to you to VOTE and
VOTE and VOTE your choices
on November 8. We don’t need
another disappointing overall
voter turnout of only 15 percent
for the general election. Your
vote is the only way to preserve
and enhance the democratic pro
cess, therefore use it on election
day.
Insulting Flap
James Watt, Secretary of the
Interior in the Reagan AdmTri^
istration since 1981, is viewed as
a controversial, insensitive,
loud-mouth. In addition to de
vastating the wilderness and de
stroying the environment since
assuming his post, he has used
the most derogatory terms in
referring to those who oppose his
policies. For example, Watt has
characterized the zeal of en
vironmentalists as similar to
that of the Nazis in the 1930s.
In his latest insulting flap last
week, Watt explained the com
position of a coal leasing com
mission by stating to the press,
“We have every kind of mix you
can have. I have a black, a
woman,Two Jews and a~ cripF
pie.” Furthermore, the remark
was uttered in a sarcastic half
joking manner as if to insult
civil rights advocates and
minority groups.
Ironically, one of the people to
come to Watt’s defense when
many Republicans were calling
for his resignation was Senator
John East (Rep.-NC). East, who
has been wheelchair bound since
becoming a victim of polio 28
years ago, said Watt’s use of the
word “cripple” to describe a
member of his committee “does
not rise to the level of a slur.”
Yet, Senator East was apparent
ly sensitive to “slurs” and simi
lar insensitivities of some people
when he was campaigning for
the U.S. Senate. We are refer
ring to the fact that Mr.. East’s
campaign, largely done through
television advertising, carefully
hid from public view the fact that
he is confined to a wheelchair. In
fact, Mr. East had been elected
before most N.C. voters were
aware that he uses a wheel
chair.
Therefore, while Mr. Watt is
an ineffective public servant,
Mr. East is a hypocrite who
deceived the voters out of a fear
of the very same thing he is now
defending on behalf of Mr. Watt.
All people, and especially public
servants, should be sensitive to
the concerns and feelings of
other people.
THE BEST DEFENSE
AGAINST RATS/S A
GARBAGE CAN WITH THE
UP ON TIGHT
1
Jutted 7°
- Last Chance To Register To
Vote In City’s General Election
Dear Editor:
..Monday, October 10 is
the last day for Charlot
teans to register to vote in
the city’s general election.
I hope all citizens, black
and white will pull the lever
for someone on November
8.
Voting is a right taken
rather lightly by many peo
ple. For blacks especially it
has been a long, difficult
struggle winning the op
portunity to participate in
deciding on political repre
sentatives. As I once heard
Willie Stratford, an at
large city council candi
date state, “there are peo
ple in Charlotte who can
affect good leadership.”
However, we'll never
meet them if we don’t have
enough concern to follow
the necessary procedure of
getting these leaders into
office—namely-voting!
Failing to vote, be it on the
local or national level is
why Americans have so
called leaders like North
Carolina’s Republican Sen
ator Jesse Helms.
He is a national figure
head who should be aware
of America’s political
history enough to realize
the grave mistake he was
making in his initital at
tempt to prevent Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s
birthday from becoming a
national holiday. His com
ments on the issue were
absurd, and irrelevant.
Continuing to have Jesse
Helms in office is an em
barrassment to the state of
North Carolina. Of course
there have to be some
people in the state who
favor that image of con
servativeness and heart
lessness. However, it’s not
the majority of the state
and the only way to make
that apparent is by going to
the polls and voting.
There are many unre
gistered voters in Char
lotte who can make a sig
nificant change in the way
our city, state and nation
are represented. Let’s get
out of this mood of com
placency and register by
Monday, following up that
move with a vote on No
vember 8.
ui an tne senseless
ideas, Sen. Helms report
edly stated, "King prac
ticed action-oriented Marx
ism.” Had it not been for
King, blacks and poor
whites would have had a
much longer and possibly
unsuccessful battle against
segregation. At least King
didn’t work only for social
ly defined groups of
people.
The civil rights leader
had one concern-equality
for all. Dr. King broke
barriers for all humanity.
Grant, he didn’t solve all
problems. Sure, there’s
still racism, sexism, and
equal opportunity does not
always prevail; neverthe
less, the civil rights move
ment with Dr. King in the
forefront led to many im
provements in this coun
try. As a result, America
gained more respect from
other nationalities.
Then when it was all
over, do you think he had
received a deserving
award? Certainly not, the
leader was assassinated.
He gave his life fighting for
others’ freedom. How
many people does Sen.
Helms know or does any
other person know with
that bravity? There are a
number of Americans who
achieved, but few in the
terms that Dr. King has
achieved.
Besides, why should
Black Americans only have
the opportunity to cele
brate holidays that are the
creation of white ideology?
Blacks have contributed to
substantial economical,
social and political growth
in the U.S. Everyone
needs to be aware of that,
and what better way to
devote that deserving at
tention than through one
special day that especially
pays tribute to an “All
American” leader, Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Mail your social news
to: Editor, The Charlotte
Poat, P. O. Box 30144,
Charlotte. N.C. 28230.
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Constructive Engager nt Aid Apartheid
/uireoa L. maaison
Special To The Post
Divide and conquer is a
'tactic that has long been
used by those in control
when non-whites seek Jus
tice and equality. South
Africa’s constitution di
vides the coloreds and
Asians from the 21 million
Blacks, who make up the
majority of South Afri
ca's population.
Representative Howard
Wolpe, Chairman of the
House African Affairs
Committee, in a committee
hearing on the Internal and
political conditions In South
Africa, speaking of this Ad
ministration’s position,
said, “The blame is usually
attributed to Moscow and
International communism.
. Essentially the escalation
of violence is a response by
people to the built-in vio
lence in an apartheid
society."
rnme Minuter uotna of
South Africa heralded a
number of racial reform*
by using the phrase “adopt
or die.” The constitutional
proposals promised a limit
ed autonomy to the
coloreds and Asians, but no
representation at all fv the
Black Africans who com
prise 73 percent of the po
pulation.
Polls show that Black
South Africans are politic
ally dissatisfied, that large
scale unrest and violence
can be expected. The Afri
can Nationalist Congress
(ANC) which is banned in
South Africa, has engaged
Alfreds L. Madison
in armed struggle against
apartheid. This Admin
istration shares the white
South African leaders'
views that the ANC strug
gle is a result of eutstde
subversion.
President Reagan’s
South African policy is
"Constructive Engage
ment.” Marc Steppe, Vice
President of the Inter
national Union of Automo
bile, Aerospace and Agri
cultural Workers, says the
"Constructive Engage
ment” policy, attempts to
cajole South Africa into
better treatment of non
whites rather than the use
of sanctions. This policy
serves white South African
interest and further en
trenches apartheid in Nam
Ma.
The Administration's po
licy has alienated Black
African countries. This was
evidenced in Zinhabwe's
and numerous other Afri
can countries' votes in the
U N. against the condemn
ation of the Soviets’ shoot
ing down Korean flight 007.
Prime Minister Mugabe
was asked about this vote
in his recent visit to this
country and he said this
was done because the
United States failed to con
demn South Africa for
murdering more than 400
Angolans.
The Administration em
phasizes that change is tak
ing place in South Africa by
the creation of independent
Black African countries.
These are carved out of the
poorest and most barren
sections of the country. It is
impossible for these coun
tries' inhabitants to make a
living, so they have to seek
employment in apartheid
South Africa.
ine government recently
issued regulations to en
sure that the coloreds get
preferential employment
over Black Africans. The
Reagan Administration ap
plauds South Africa’s sup
posed evolution away from
apartheid, which restricts .
rights, mobility and oppor
tunity of blacks. Since
many blacks are relegated
to the poorly created home
lands, they are considered
migrants and foreigners'
who commute to South
Africa for employment.
Mr. Steppe stated that
one out of every four Black
babies bom in the home
land dies before reaching
the age of one. They did
from inadequate food, in
fected water, poor sanita
tion and unavailable im
munization, while very few
a
whites die from the same
causes. Education of
Blacks in South Africa is a
disgrace. Illiteracy is 24
percent. In some areas
only seven percent of Black
school-age children are en
rolled in school.
This Administration is
ignoring the battles that
South Africa is waging in
neighboring countries as
well as in its own. The U.S.
should pass legislation that
would outlaw all U.S. nu
clear cooperation with
South Africa. Instead re
cently the Washington Post
reported that the Reagan
Administration is contem
plating allowing Westing
house to provide technical
training and maintenance
services for South Africa’s
two atomic plants. South
Africa is one of the coun
tries that needs specific
Energy Department ap
proval to obtain American
technology for atomic
power It is one of the
countries that has not
signed the non-prolifera
tion Treaty or has accept
ed international safe
guards on all facilities.
There has been some
progress made in labor
relations. Many corpora
tions recognise that Blacks
have the right to join
unions Consequently, they
are hiring non-whites in
both skilled and unskilled
jobs Black South African
unionists intend to win
work equality by their own
efforts
WITH GERALD JOHNSON ■■
__
Gerald
' I
Sunday-Monday Reflections
Every Sunday morning I take about an
hour just to reflect on life. Here are some of
those thoughts from this pust Sunday..
If a stranger came to Charlotte and was
given fact sheets on Ed Peacock and
Harvey Gantt, then told to vote on one of
these gentlemen for mayor of Charlotte
based solely on qualifications y who would
he vote for? Based on expedience, quali
fications, city-wide representation, and
leadership ability, the choice would be
clear. However, we don’t live in a vacuum,
and we aren’t unbiased in our actions.
Therefore, this mayoral race is being slated
as one that will end with a photo finish. I
think this is indeed a shame. The possibility
of our next mayor being chosen based on the
color of his skin, rather than by addressing
the issues, leaves a bitter taste in my
mouth. If this should happen Mr. Gantt is
. not the real loser, Charlotte is.
Is there any way we can have Wylie
Harris boycott being quoted by the media?
It’s bad enough the team is losing.
. One of my proudest moments occurred a
few Weeks back when ^oth Miss America
and the first runner-up are black. I
COULDN'T WAIT TO GO TO WORK AND
boast to all of my white associates that
“black is beautiful. To my amazement all of
the black folks I came in contact with were
putting the two black ladies down. “The
affair was fixed,” or “She didn’t look
black” were the most common statements.
I always thought to be black was simply a
feature of pigmentation and not a special
look. But these comments really depressed
me because as a people we don’t support
one another. We look for excuses and rea
sons to fail. When they didn’t allow blacks to
enter the contest, we complained because it
wasn’t representative of all America. When
they allowed us to participate, we com
plained because it was tokenism. Now that
one of us won the thing we complain
because she wasn’t black enough for us.
Black folks and flies!
JCSU should feel quite proud of its
institution these days because of Mr.
Albright, the new president. As most of you
know I have openly criticized how this0i
institution was being managed and the poor
results of that management. Mr. Albright
brings new hope for JCSU and its future.
Mr. Albright, in my opinion, has a better
perspective of the role a black institution
must play in these changing times than did
his predecessor. If he is given the support
by all of us, I feel JCSU will be one of the few
black institutions left as we approach the
decade of the 90s.
I hate reading the sports reports by
Observer staff writers. When I read sports I
only want facts and quotes (barring Wylie,
of course). But these guys not only give a
storybook version of the event but they
throw in their opinions.
Opinions are for the editorial pages, not
the sports pages. Take these excerpts from
a recent stopr; (i) “Remember that 20-0
lead? This is what happened next:” (2)
“You guessed it.” Lines like these do not
belong on sports pages. Grow up Ob
server and give us facts in our sports, not
opinions.
Growth management is an issue that is
being fussed over a lot these days, being this
is an election year. But few people realize
all of the ramifications of how a city grows
and why it needs to be managed. One
consequence of city growth is the impact of
building new schools and closing old ones.
With the uncontrolled (or maybe it was
designed??) growth we have witnessed
over the past 15 or so years, we have seen
southeast Charlotte grow by leaps and
bounds while the north side of Charlotte has't
been relatively stagnant. The population of
southeast Charlotte has increased dras
tically while other areas of Charlotte have
declined in population. This situation cre
ated the environment that caused five
schools to be closed on the north side of
Charlotte and several schools to be built in
the southeast with more being planned. This
means that people living on the north side
will have to carry more of the burden with
school busing. As more schools on the north
side close the further the north side child
ren will be bused.
This is Just one con sequence of the im
pact growth of Char- --.
lotte has on you!
Hence, if you thought
this city election was
meaningless to you -
think again!