Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / July 26, 1984, edition 1 / Page 2
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J A Tarnished Miss America! vanessa Williams, the first black woman to be crowned “Miss America,” has added to that distinct honor another ‘.‘first,” the relinquishing of the same crown at the request of pageant officals due to a scandal over nude and sexually explicit po6es with another woman that suggested lesbianism. The photos appear in PENTHOUSE ma gazine’s September issue which went on sale last Sunday. Ms. Williams, a Millwood, New York, native and a Syracuse University student, said the photos were taken-by her pho tographer employer Tom Chiapel In July, 1982 - 15 months before winning the “Miss America” crown in September, 1983. The nation’s former “Miss America” said, rather pathetically, that she never “consented to the publication or use of the photographs in any manner.” She added that the photographer told her she, “could not be recognized” in the “silhouette” photos and that her sexually explicit posing “would be' completely in confidence, so I agreed.” Auer viewing the photos in the maga zine Ms. Williams reportedly said she “was shocked, surprised and deeply hurt, as I am sure many American people were...(and) was enraged and...felt a deep sense of' personal embarrassment.” WlUjams’10 month reign she fulfilled all the duties and responsibilities of her position in “an exemplary fashion” but had to resign for the sake of prestige and reputation of the “Miss America Pageant.” The whole sordid affair appears to be characteristic of our nation’s values and philosophy. A young woman abandoning her sense of personal decency in a quest to advance herself, an unsuccessful photo grapher evicted from his modeling studio for failing to , <1,600 in back rent who seized an opportunity for some degree of fame and fortune, a vast reading public with a strong -desire for a sexually erotic fantasy of their own at the expense of someone else’s reputation, and a publishing company willing to exploit any situation to earn a tarnished profit. ■ Having said all this, we must hastily add that we have no sympathy for Ms. Williams. With a demonstrated reputation as one of the most intelligent young women to have even been named “Miss America,” we have to conclude that she knew the de grading nature of the photos she posed for and certainly should have fully understood the nature and meaning of the agreement she signed with the photographer. Fur - thermore, Ms. Williams never kept good faith with the “Miss America Pageant” because of her personal awareness of the photos she posed for whether they had been published or not. Ironically, while Ms. Williams’ shining star has been tarnished, numerous movie dcirrases, singers ana other female cele brity personalities resort to many sexually explicit behavior patterns for which they are never admonished and are in fact highly rewarded because they respond to the sexually explicit erotic fantasies of many Americans. -3>: frnni8^1^ eloquent speech-sermon by Jesse Jackson at the Democratic National Conventions when he said in part, “If in my low moments, in...deed or...taste or tone, I have caused anyone discomfort, created pain... that was not my truest self. Please forgive me. Charge it to the head and not to my heart.” ^ And for the new “Miss- America,” Suzette Charles, also black, we feel a bit teary-eyed because her two months of glory and fame had to emerge from the ashes of 7 another. Seed Faith And Miracles Ural and Richard Roberts were in town Sunday in ode of their series of weekend crusades that they have been conducting across the nation since March of this year. Preaching under the theme: “Expect A Mirada” some 7,000 people attended the single service. Thp specific subject of the ; older rfnd younger Roberts was ‘'Seed Faith.” i The Roberts said, just as a farmer sows his best corn, so should a Christian give his money to do God’s work. Just as the good corn reaps a bountiful harvest, money can reap miracles, Oral Roberts said. No, you can’t buy healing, God cannot be bought, Richard Roberts said, yet be continued, “...when people begin giving to God, it opens them up for miracles. It puts you in a position to receive miracles.” Then, in «n eloquent manner the evangelist said “When I have a need, I plant a seed.” This preceded the receiving of an offering and the prayer service. In Oral Roberts’ now famous healing services, the audience was to touch the part of their bodies that was ailing and pray to God to be healed. In bringing the two issues together, Oral Roberts said, “...peo ple are seed fai thing and God is perform ing miracles.” On the mystery of miracles, the Rev. Ross Rhoads said, “There are probably few things about religion...that cause more quandaries, speculation and outright skep-. ticism than do miradi clftims.” It is for this reason the evangelist Oral Roberts and others like him who tell people to “expect a miracle” are viewed with skepticism. Therefore, there are three things about miracles we think are worthy of noting. First, it takes considerable courage, or better, faith for a preacher to state that God has ordained him as a conduit through which people may be healed. Secondly, Jesus Christ performed maity miracles while on earth at which tim» people were equally skeptical. Finally, the Bible says faith (miracles) is the evidence of things hoped for , the belief in things not seen, and that if people possessed faith just the size of a small mustard seed they could do wonders. /r IS UP TO US TO IMPOSE PRPBR—IIOW ARB WE GOING TO MANPLBT BLACK COM MUNITIES CRUMBLE AROUND US? GRASS ROOTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, MUST EMERGE,TO FORGE A UNITED EFFORT AGAINST CRIME, NARCOTIC TRAFFICKING, BLIGHT AND DEC AY. . -—■■ •' ' " v - . . _ v.. ‘ ' Big Blue And The Future? Is International Business Machines Corp. too big? Two years ago the question was answered “no” after the Justice Department dropped its 13-year-old antitrust suit against IBM. Today the answer is not so concrete. As the industry restruc tures, the European com munity has begun to pursue its own antitrust case: thus causing the Justice Depart ment to begin a routine in vestigation of possible anti competitive effects of a set tlement IBM reached last year with Hitachi Ltd., its Japanese rival. V. Regardless of how the anti trust proceedings come out, experts believe the informa, tion process industry needs to consider three basic and fundamental questions con cerning IBM, its size and power. (1) Could IBM with its low-cost manufacturing, marketing and research crush its smaller competi tors and bring innovation to a turtle pace? (?) Coyld the U.S. lose its technological leadership in this area t>y relying too heavily on a slow, complacent IBM to set the standard? (3) Could domi nant IBM become too slow or complacent to set and main tain the pace of technical P™*—*—i»WITH SABRINA JOHNSON ———| VSWttfr *5W innovations needed in the lu crative industry? Ironically, few competitors are openly worried about the questions. In fact today IBM is more apt to be praised than criticized, even by its major competitors. Competi tors view IBM as being cre ative and more aggressive than in the past. Industry watchers believe that today’s competition is still strong and lively enough that IBM will have to remain sharp and innovative to retain dominance. It is also be lieved that IBM stimulated more growth in other com panies than it stifles. Many industry experts view IBM as America’s strongest defense in the battle againt Japan. The common cry is do something to IBM and all computers will become Japanese Sabrina radios. Some doubts and fears do exist under the up beat and positive feelings on IBM. People in the industry are praying that IBM re mains a benevolent dictator: however, where power existsr the possibility of abuse exists. Customers too feel threat ened, when they cannot find an adequate alternative to IBM what will they do? Many feel IBM does need more fierce competition even though it dominates the market. John R. Opel, IBM chairman and CEO views the company as being $40 bil lion in revenues within a market place of $150 Milton to $240 billion worth of busi ness. Thus meaning there is $195 billion of success for others in the market place. Whether or not Opel is right is a question answered only by purchasers of com puter systems and experts in the industry. IBM’s size and strength are truly assets today - but who knows about tomorrow or 10 years down the road? The industry must remain vigilant that the computer giant does not abuse its power or potential. Big blue is representative of the future. Her continued growth will inspire others to become more competitive on the one hand. On the other her continued growth may cui potential competitor in the Bud of tfidfr Ifvea and intimidate others from join _iflg the market. Annih^ point of view to consider is the fact that if the infdhna tion processing industry re mains primarily in the United States, Japanese competitors face a taller wall in trying to penetrate the American market. Big blue will remain the prime force and determining force in the industry. Just how things will turn out - no one really knows - one can merely speculate. Break Records In the latest survey ot private in surance activity for conventional mortgage loans and for privately insured pass-through aectnibes. T Ths May volume was lOS percent greater than the ti t billion level of activity tar May IMS, and 17 per cent higher than the preview le wd of $5.1 billion registered In Aprll 1984. |_^ The Charlotte Post North Carolina’s Fastest Growing Weekly 704-376-0496 4 ‘The People’s Newspaper’ <106 Years Of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Editor, Pub. Bernard Reeves Gen. Mgr. Fran Bradley Adv. Mgr. Dannette Gaither Of. Mgr. Published Every Thursday By -The Charlotte Post Publishing Cotapany, Inc. Main Office: 1531S. Camden Road Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Second Gass Postage Paid at Charlotte Member, National Newspaper Publishers’ Association North Carolina Black Publishers Association National Advertising Representative: Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. One Year Subscription Rate One Year-$17.76 Payable In Advance from Capitol Hill No Timetables Compliance For Enforcem :nt By Alfreds Madison -Special To TW Poet The Reagan Administration be sides being negligent in' enforcing civil rights measures, its policy baa been to effect numerous compro mises • most of which have the tendency to stall or set bock civil rights gains. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program* (OFCCP) of the Labor Department is a prime example of the Admin istration’* civil rights reversals. Executive Order 11249 requires that federal contractors and sub contractor* aifd federally assisted contractors agree not to discrimin ate in employment. They must take opportunity for minorities and women. OFCCP has substituted for en forcement a National Self Reporting System (NSNRS) program, ”stroi« ly suggests that the Department waives much of its authority and compliance perogatlves, in ax change for reports by corporations which are of little or no utility from an enforcement perspective,*’ said Representative Augustus Hawkins, Chairman of the House Education and Labor subcommittee on Em ployment Opportunity. Senator Glenn, testifying before the committee, stated that affirma tive action has been a very im portant tool in battling discrimi nation in employment and he de ployed the corporation self moni toring system instituted by the Reagan Administration Glenn said from 1974 to 1919 minority employment grew 20 per cent among thoas doing bustness with the federal government ao contrasted to only a 12 percent growth among compantai not co Tb Alfreds L. Madisoo vered by affirmative action. Wo Ing business with the federal government grew from 2.2 percent to 15.2 percent. The Senator stated that women and minorities em ployed by companies under af firmative action experienced greet er upward mobility, than they did in the employment of companies not under affirmative action. These facto were reported by the New York Times, from a Labor De partment Study. Senator Glenn pre sented several exchanges of bi partisan letters between the se nators and OFCCP from August 1SU > until the present, requesting a copy of the study, but of no avail. Chairman Hawkins has e«pori^»«d the seme run-around in his requmt for a copy of the study. Susan Meisinger of OFCCP is de fending the Administration’s po licies, promised both Senator Glenn and Mr. Hawkins a copy of the study. Ms. Meisinger admitted that these compliance agreements which have been substituted for affirma tive action enforcement were es tablished by the corporations doing 'business with the government. The corporations establish goals in good faith. She stated that the only way they know a corporation is not in compliance is when an employee reports it. Then the company is required to answer questions. If there is no answer, OFCCP gives the company more time. If the follow up shows non-compliance, the com pany is given an opportunity to comply. Two recently retired OFCCP witnesses stated that they retired because they felt the Administra tien lacked any real commitment to enforcing non discriminatory prac tices. These witnesses strongly em gives contractors time to pad and camouflage reports. There Is no on-sight investigation and there is no requirement for a comprehensive review. The witnesses stated that OFCCP has really provided e mechanism for contractors to dis criminate. One of the witnesses said the Department’s actions should be considered guilty of malfeasance. Samuel Lynn, former Assistant Regional Administrator of OFCCP, ■aid, “The agency’* compliance files which form the basis for the conclusions reached on the com plience statue of a contractor are eo barren of facta that they will neither confirm nor deny contrac tor compliance. Statics designed to impress budget allocators and public inquiries are fraudulent and a cruel hoax, for those seeking relief from the discriminatory prac tices ” Ronald Ellis of Legal Defense testified that for the first time in four decides there is a retreat from the ^tional commitment to equal employment opportunity among companies doing business with the government. He emphasized that the Reagan voluntary plan is de signed to lessen the effectiveness of Executive Order 11248, as s weapon in our arsenal against discrimina tion. J.;; Ellis said voluntarism was not a new concept. It has been tried and failed. Even contractors who had a non-discriminatory policy showed Indifference or ignorance of the r- - * • pledge. He said Congress, recog nising the failure of voluntarism, set up a federal regulations plan of affirmative action which requires goals and timetables. ' ' Acting Director of OFCCP Mei singer, upon questioning, noted that this Administration's plans call for no goals or timetable and there is no enforcement method for non discrimination in awarding govern ment contracts to corporations doing business with the government Yet, President Reagan, in ad dressing a group of minority bmi . nesses, stated that he is all for minorities receiving government contracts. Is it that he does not know what OFCCP is doing, doesn’t care, or was he just jesting? Mortgage Insurance The U S Department of Homing and Urban Developn»ent reported that the volume of primary in surance written on newly originated 1-4 family conventional mortgage loam surged to nearly 88.0 billion in May, surpassing the previous month's record high of over MOO million. The results were released
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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July 26, 1984, edition 1
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