Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 6, 1984, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The Moral Imperative-Self Interest Since, and indeed even before the No vember 6 national elections, literally mil lions of words and articles have been written, speeches given and news conferenc es held on the national debt and Presi dent Reagan’s budget plans. Only a few paces back and in the shadows of this national attention has been the post-elec tion - Catholic bishops’ pastoral letter on poverty and economic justice in the United States. Referred to eloquently by one writer as “...a breathtaking, revolutionary and deep ly Christian document that can leave few people unmoved by the depth of its com passion,” the basic tenets of the letter were nevertheless soundly defeated on Novem ber 6, and ironically, with the aid of another group of Christians - conservative fun damentalists. The bishops’ letter says that no one can ignore the poor, “no one can claim the name of Christian and at the same time acquiesce in the hunger and homelessness that exists...in our country.” Yet, this is exactly what happened on election day as 70 percent-of the 53 million people who voted said no to the n§eds of the poor.-' ■ .*■— ' ' "JK.y > i ■ *• » y "» ' The bishops’ letter really did not say anything new bi^t it did stir the com sciousness of the nation, but a nation that has come to believe that the 35 million Americans who are poor are poor by choice, by refusing to accept gainful em ployment and hard work. This attitude persists in the minds of many until they are out of work. We doubt that anyone would be foolish enough fo think that the North Carolina textile worker who suddenly finds that after 2S^ftar» on fre job he’s going to be laid off and is, therefore, unemployed by choice or lazy. What this worker is faced with is a loss of his job due to textile imports. And there are other unemployed people who are committed to the work ethic and economic self-interest in the same and dedicated manner as those Reagan team members. However, too' often because of racism, sexism, ageism the distance fac tor, and little opportunity'for retraining - the middle-aged jobless textile worker - people must resort to a new application of economic self-interest. With a commitment to the economy’s driving force of self-interest, workers forced out of the work force by circum stances beyond their control often find it necessary to use, and sometimes abuse, the social.welfare system within the context or self-interest. However, when this becomes known those persons fortunate enough to have jobs too often among those, in the bishops’ words, who “...have a tendency to blame poverty on laziness, to stigmatize welfare recipients (aqd)...that anyone can escape poverty by hard work and that welfare programs make it easier for people —to avoid work.”_ _ ‘ One way or another, America is either going to have to return to a full em ployment policy or have a permanent force of unemployed people that the society must be cared for, thus adding to social pressures for others and probably less appealing economic reforms. Economic and social justice in the final analysis mean jobs and opportunity for all those willing to work and or no job and dependency on the welfare system Crime: lhe Shame Of A Nation Recent news reports indicate that in the city of Chicago violent street gangs have been responsible for the deaths of 130 youth between the ages of 11 and 20. Attention was focused on this crisis in the news media was the Shooting death of l7 year qii BenWilson, one ofthe nation's premiere high school basketball players, and a youth described in the Illinois Legislature as a person of “mild demeanor and clean character.” Wilson, a 6’8” senior at Simon High sowar, was shut white walklngwtth twn girls on his lunch break at school. Young Ben Wilson’s death, an all too common occurrence on the streets of many large cities, and many lesser crimes - auto theft, snatched purses,the robbing of con venience stores - a clerk was recently shot and killed in a Charlotte store recently, gang rapes and attacks on school teachers are shockingly on the rise. The city of Detroit ranks number one in murders, 49.2 per 100,000 people, and New York City ranks . ■> ' ■ ■ —... a surprising low 18th with 22.8 murders per 100,000. Without a doubt, unemployment andpoverty are major contributors to these disturbing statistics. What is clearly known npd ofJScnl these terrible crimes, as?|n Wd Ben Wilson, is that most of these crimes are crimes of blacks against other blacks. Thus, as much as black Ameri cans express shock over the high per centage of blacks who are electrocuted m ,. our prisons, it hardly matches the rate at which we kill and hurt each other--~ Charlotte fortunately does not have near ly the crime problems of many large Northern cities, for this we can be grate ful. However, if just oat person is hurt or killed in an act of violence, it’s one too many. We need to be aware of this and teach our youth in schtols, churches and through organized constructive activities with tome positive value attached that crime does not • pay - it only destroys. i The Charlotte Post North Carolina’s Fastest Growing Weekly v - 704-376-0496 “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 Company, Inc. Main Office: 1531 S. Camden Road Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Second Class 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 CcfMm Black Voters Must Be Politically Educated By Alfreds L. Madison Special To The Pest ..The voter war which ended on November e has Party leader* and the media analyzing and stritegiz ing the election. Both the Repu blican and Democratic Parties spent millions of dollars on voter regis tration. The Republicans were mobilized by a number of corner vative groups closely allied with the Reagan Administration. Moat notable among these groups were the Moral Majority, National Po litical Action Committee (NPAC), and a group called Americana for Responsive Government which calls itself a non-partisan group. It sent out a letter saying that it must not only aim at the Jesse Jackson supporters and AFL-CIO, but they must register the free enterprise supporters who understand the importance of the private sector. People were also asked in the letter to attend a reception at the Repu blican Convention. The National Wholesale Hardware Association aimed st registering the white col lar workers. —- --—:— - The Democratic registration fo cused on voters who would most likely support moderate to liberal candidates. In spite of the Reegen landslide, with its very short coattail sue cess, blacks are pondering their next move. The Joint Center for Political Studies held a press conference to analyze the election outcome. While Rengkn got « percent of the white vote, eeven percent black, 27 per cent Hispanic , Mondale 35 pert ' cent white, M percent black and M percent Hispanic, race played a great part in the election. This was caused by the subtle racism of Reagan Administration campaign Alfreds ing, and by the President’s erosion of civil rights - being against the ' Voting Rights Act, the 1M4 Civil Rights Act, affirmative action, bus ing and Ms New Federalism - which can only be viewed as a return to states rights. It was shown at the press conference that Mr. Reagan is bringing into (Tuition the predic tions in ihs Ksraer report of two H SC •’* 3ft * While blacks lost one black con gressional seat, they suffered no loidB or gains tn state and local electlona. Yet, they elected three senators. They returned to the , Senate Senator Heflin of Alabama. Crtl Levin of Michigan and thay elected first term Paul Simon of Illinois to nftf Charles Percy -Who chan Red from i modCfiGE f6TM conservative ReagaMte. At the press tooisrence. it was emphasized that the Democratic Party was victimized by a liberal label, because it waa depicted as the Party of minorities, women and the podr, while OOP aimed at the rich. * White America shot arrows at the Jackson campaign which caused some black leaders to severely criticize him for running. Some said the time wasn’t right. He can’t win. The same criticisms that were hurled at Jackson were made against King. Many blacks and whites said that the time was not right for his stand, and many prominent blacks .supported white America against King’s anti-war position. Later, majority America came around to Ma way of thinking. Jeaae Jackson met all the constitu tional requirements for the presi dency, so why not as a bona fide American he would have to wait until white America decides that Ms Unto has come? There has never been an equal rights and justice time for blacks according to white America. Now in 1984, It was proved that whites don’t vote for black Candida tea. Dr. Barber, political science pro fessor at Washington University (St. Louis), analyzed Jackson’s cam paign effects. He paid Jackson called attention to the Inequities of the Reagan Administration policies geared to rich America, while cut ting programs that remedied these conditions. He attempted to change those situations by advocating voter registration and forming a rainbow coalition which broigg) into the political process the left-data. Even though he appealed to all segments of society, he received very little white support. Dr. Barker stated that downside of Jackson’s candidacy aroused fears in white racists. He asked the ques tion should Jackson be denied the presidency because of this? At the Democratic Convention Mondale seemed assured of Mack support. One reason was the lack of unity a among black leaden, which waa used by Mondale to ignore Jack sen’s requests. The Democrats did noT strongly direct their campaign to its natural constituents - blacks, poor, Hispanics, working class. Barker said Jackson opted for direction in the electoral process. He was the most liberal of ail the candidates. His candidacy was sym bolic because it caused scrutiny, Increased inspiration, accorded respect for aU people in this society, challenged certain rituals and myths, challenged voting rights official procedures, selection of dele gates, at-large-votlng, and dis proved the myth that blacks are not aspiring, articulate and knowledge able. * The question of where blacks go from here was discussed at ths press conference. The discussion hinged on Just which Party will be most meaningful to blacks. This will be based on the Party’s reaffirm ation and commitment to Justice and equality, if not Macks might con rider becoming an Independent Party:---— ' Both the RepuMican and Demo cratic Parties are facing a new leadership crisis. It seems neces sary for both Parties to capture the black vote. Arguments are leaking out that Republicans cannot ignore blacks because of Mack Influence at the state and local levels and that Democrats cannot continue to take their support for granted. Even though Jackson’s rainbow coalition was ignored and played down, a rainbow coalition consideration is beginning to take root Emphasis was also placed on the necessity for a voter education program tar Macks, which should begin now. BLACKS RETICENCE TO SEIZE THE INITIATIVE TO ORGANIZE THEIR COMMUNITIES0 SAID DOUGLAS G. GLASGOW, DEAN OF HOWARD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK ISA MAJOR FACTOR ANIMPORTANTFACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO OUR COMMUNITIES' UNDEVELOPED STATUS0 - * POLmCAN |4\/ BUSINESi II \ DOCTORS Ml LAWYERS l" ARTISTS TEACHERS MINISTERS ^ m WORKERS ^BK COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS* SOCIAL WORKERS FRATERNAL CROUPS FINANCE COMPUTER SCIENCE INSTITUTION ADMINISTRATION ENGINEERING PLANNING t ARCHITECTURE A BLACK PRESS A _ r i . • %. * j • 5 New Definition Of Hack Interest The message to blacks from the November election is very dear: stop asking for. something of special interest to you. Reports of the De mocratic post-mortem in the Virgin Islands suggested that the Party, trying to find ways of wooing whites back, views attention to 3.5 mil lion poor people, of which blacks make up 15 percent, as » political handicap. The presences a white woman on the ticket is not attrac tive enough to erase the fear of catering to particular groups. Yet, as Roger Wilkins writes so dearly (“Bad Advice on Blacks,” the New , York Times, November 18), *c~—f President recorded as ‘ great” in American his tory has the characteristic of “moral grandeur.” That is to say, they were able to move people to think beyond them selves. While this thinking beyond themselves did not mean the ready acceptance of unwashed masses getting off the boat on Ellis Is land, it aroused in the general population a feeling that everyone deserves * chance to do better. Doing better in 1984 ad mittedly differs from the upward struggle faced by the poor in 1900. The days of the rhgged street peddler have iSabrina’s column will return I I to this 1 pace next week. been replaced by a time in which jobs for the unskilled decrease daily. Sharing meager earnings with hun gry relatives has given way to public assistance, jobs created by the government or crime as a way of life. Organization to avoid these dreadful alternatives get punished, however, at the polls. Punishing 01 ganised -ef forts to obtain benefits was reflected in the presidential vote. White male voters throughout the country turned thumbs down on the Party that seemed to attract large numbers from the NAACP and the National Or ganization for Women. In the South, white voters, regard less of sex, mid “no” to the image of special groups. . What, then is the route to development and growth for blacks in a society which refuses to deal with them at the issues level of political pressure? Events of the past year suggest less emphasis upon rhetoric and greater concentration upon the doing level: nils new thrust will require black organizations to tackle with renewed vigor the tough job of training their young to compete mure— successfully in a high information, high-technolo gy society. Economic survival will be the initial stage, requiring p vigorous attack upon inade quate education and low skill development. Bey<nA the dating and housing levels, Mack groups will have to givq time and ener gy to training the young in what Dr. Jonas Salk de scribes as evolutionary life. In other words, in order Do have communities charac terized as dignified and respectful, we Macks must teach our young to cooperate in making neighborhoods and communities healthy, pleasant places to live. Life in evolutionary com munities encourage indivi duals to respect the rights of omers ana co insist upon common standard definitions of critically appropriate be havior. The takeover of neighborhoods by persons committed to crime will • never end unfit new ways of thinking are supported by black commitment added to law-enforcement efforts. Since the prospect of massive support cannot be expected to come from allegiance to the Democra tic Party, blacks will be forced to use their organi zational strength more creatively, doing what their - realistic, /progressive lead ers have urged since Emanf cipation. Training every black child to earn a living in * a socially acceptable man ner is equal in importance to selling memberships in the NAACP and the Urban League. e Dreams of social about face on the part of the haves is risky Tor Be have nots. The prospect for re turning to the good-old days (whites were never really good for blacks) is too bleak The majority of the voters have said •‘ho” to the spe cial interests of blacks. Now is the time for all blacks to focus upon their unique needs and promote goals selected for their capacities to develop economic and social progress. ’
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 6, 1984, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75