Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Aug. 22, 1985, edition 1 / Page 2
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More Than Courage :ifhU» two Republican Party mayoral candidates are seeing to stir up interest in the upcoming election by searching for some valid issues upon which to attack incumbent Mayor Harvey Gantt, a political newcomer has announced his candidacy thus creating the need for a Democratic Party Primary. m _ * The newcomer, James Baldwin, Is 34 years old, unemployed, married to a Southern Bell employee and has two chil dren. Democratic Party leaders were said to be surprised by Mr. Baldwin’s an nouncement to oppose Mr. Gantt. The Post sees no reason to be surprised, in fact, Mr. Baldwin s primary election candidacy may in itself be a better measure of support for Mayor Gantt’s bid for reelection than not having a need for a Democratic Party primary; We have come to this conclusion based on the weakness of Mr. Baldwin’s political platform, or the lack of it. Baldwin said, “I consider Mr. Gantt’s politics the politics of a rich man’s puppet” He criticized Mayor Gantt’s role in delay ing a decision on where to locate the pro posed new coliseum and for his support of a one percent payroll income tax and funds for the Tryon Street Mall. However, Baldwin’s primary election bid appears to have been ill-timed and ill pre pared. He could not specify a rich man with controi over Mayor Gantt. Furthermore, Mr. Baldwin’s political activity appears to have been limited to some work in the Jim Hunt and Eddie Knox campaigns in past years. Yet, Baldwin did JotbecomVa registered voter until 1980 and did not vote in the last City Council elections in 1983. The near non-existent platform of Mr. Baldwin appears to have only a plank managed growth. On that issue, Baldwin made the somewhat simplistic statement that he would stop growth “right now.” AS if these facts are not enough for Mr Baldwin, to overcome in .his bid for mayor, he has no campaign funds, no organization and no name recognition. Thus, all we can do is admire his courage and remind him - that politics in America is serious business and not the place for the uninformed unprepared and lacking in local political circles as a worker and in Ms political party. - :• • . • Issues: Tlie Substance Of Politics JfUda* Clark asks in the Charlotte maga zine (August, 1985), “Should Harvey Gantt Be Re-Elected?” The article, sub-titled “A Restrospective On His First Toro/’ fo cus* on a hypothetical set of Dos and Don’ts that the writer would have offered to Mayor Gantt in November of 1983. How ever, the Dos and Don’ts deal with issues that have actually occurred - “Don’t push for a downtown coliseum” is one example. few campaign promises floating about in the1983 mayoral race - none meaty enough ' to sink teeth into.” While Mr. Gantt stressed “growth management” and his Repubjfcad opponent focused on “fiscal re- £ sponsibility” in 1983, Clark considered these 4 . - f j» - ry (t ~fi 'f * *-if X1 '■ r ' ** yfftr '*• •* < t yague issues that neither candidate would admit to being agdinst. We believe “growth management” was and is an important political issue. We recall that during the 1963 mayoral cam paign Mr. Gantt emphasized that uncon trolled growth, especially in the southeast would have an impact on the City's public services - utilities, public transit, police and fire protection and public schools. The con troversy centered around the location of Highway 51 and the laying of water lines to the southeast. Thus, Mr. Gantt’s 1963 cam paign issue on growth was an is an issue of substance that you can sink your teeth into, that is, much of what he expressed con cerns about are now facing us as real life issues. i ; at home alone. This is often w , teenage pregnancy, declining interest m school work and involvement in street / v f gangs of theft. ■**** • In the past we have blamed too much of thero problems on race and racism in , - America. Yet, the fact is while racism has lessened to some degree, our problems of divided families has grown. Therefore, it is '■ time for black sociologists, marriage coun selors, psychologists, preachers, and pa rents themselves to begn to attack the problem of broken black families. the challenge, the need, the survival is ours; therefore, only we as black Araert cans can solve this social problem that * threatens the very survival of Mack Ame rica. Help a family means to help yourself. THECHARLOTTE POST North Carolina’s Fastest Growing,' MS* Weekly — 70A-37S-MM .." ' -—— - “The People’s Newspaper” 107 Years Of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Editor. Pah. Bernard Reeves Gen. Mgr. Fran Farrer-Bradley Adv.Mgr. Ohanette Gaither OflfeeMgr. Publbhed Every *• ,'f Thursday by • The Charlotte Paat PahHahlng Company, Inc. Main Office 1531S Camden Road Charlotte, N,C. 28203 «/ BMCK HJ5T0RY "A Ron Is Uke A Mon-Unti It Uses Its Own Talents, Takas pride In J v -Its Own History. And lavas Hs^ Own Memories, It Can Never Fulfil Itself Completely." 1 iMk. Wy me aerate continues - should marijuana be a le galized drug? The major debates began in 1969 when President Nixon declared war on marijuana. Ironical ly, since then marijuana use has tripled in schools and On the streets throughout the country. Even the fact that all states eradicated pro grams in its war has de monstrated that law enforce ment may not be the answer. Marijuana is often viewed as a harmless drug - how ever, medical reports are proving the contrary. The ac tive ingredient in marijuana Delta 9 ,4Tetrahydrocanna . . Bind (TNC) caused disease fitting cells in the body to grow more slowly and re spond poorly to foreign bac teria. The reaction time for motor skills decreases an average of 42 percent after smoking ohe marijuana ci garette. The affects of five marijuana cigarettes a week has the same respiratory system effect as smoking 112 tobacco cigarettes. Taking these three facts op the surface lets the public know that marijuana is not harmless. Marijuana is a serious drug that has serious consequences. Some other medical facts that have risen out of mart Sabrina juana studies are: mari juana has the potential to cause limg disease such as chronic bronchitis, emphy sema and' lung cancer. THe is a fat-soluble substance thatis stored in areas of high fat content such as the liver, rebroductfve organs.brain to me month after the use of marijuana. Pot has 12 times the “tar” and can generate 10 to 20 times as much car bon monoxide as tobacco. Much more remains to be learned about the biologic effects of marijuana. The full impact of marijuana smok ing on health is .still un der investigation. Along with the biologic war tactics there is another side - MMer-Scrya ,, By Sherman N. Miller Special to The Post I have often wondered if black America would ever learn to embrace “Ameri can capitalism.” Blacks’ disdain for Capitalism was aided and abetted by some black leaders who equated this concept to white Ame rica’s exploitation of black America. Yet, I have come to believe that these anti-capi-. to list black leaden’ caustic rhetoric has unintentionally helped to stymie black Ame rica’s socioeconomic evolu tion into the economic main stream. ■•ii'ifd^ •’ - 'Ml, worker of the Year” Ban quet. This activity was also co-sponsored by Radio Sta tion WPEG-FM; Whin Dixie Stores, and Eastern Airlines. , ,' Toliver touched on some very important issues that also face the national black community. Charlotte has a black mayor but there are not enough black businesses to harvest all the potential business opportunities that are currently available with the city. Toliver, vice presi dent of the Charlotte Cham ber of Commerce’s Small Business Division, claims he intends to help improve the dismal state of Charlotte’s black business community He welcomed anyone with a ; sound idea to stop by and see him. However, Toliver made it clear that he was not a token black stressing the fact M. that he plans to help all people regardless of their -:raefe' ■ Toliver highlighted the im portance of getting estab lished black businesses to pursue growth strategies. He n®de the audience grapple with the fact tint no Mack owned business has ever evolved into a large Ameri can corporation. Toliver’s comments suggest that black America desperately needs a new class of black leaders >who specialize In bringing black-owned businesses to gether with potential Inves tors. He etched this point iiidelibly on the minds of everyone when he sermon ized, ‘It is a sin not to grow your businesses as big as they can ber“ Toliver came across as a success-driven individual, a hybrid stodgy mainstream businessman-spirited black preacher. His speech evolved through three phases. It was a stereotypic business pro gress report on the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Then his speech evolved smoothly into a musical r*. cital where he, in a border line grandiloquent manner, gushed forth melodic tones becoming a black gospel opera. When everyone was comments by Lt. Governor Bob Jordan and Mayor Harvey Gantt called every one's attention to the im pending campaign season. Lt. Governor Jordan gave Mayor Gantt a vote of con fidence when he proclaimed Gantt a “Great North Caro lina Mayor." Mayor Gantt made it clear that he was seeking a second term and he loved to tackle difficult pro blems. He declared, “I like the monkey on my back.” The hidden agenda of the banquet surfaced when ! watched Arthur Griffin re ceive “The Charlotte Post Man of the Year Award. “ His accomplishments left no *>Mbt that excellence in per formance of one’s duties was the underpinning tenor of the evening. Would i „ Using ma juana be the solution to t problem? Some feel the b ^ and only waytodeal with, problem is through the cial and health issues rai: by its use. The National ganization for Reform health problem - that health professionals c Fine-but what is done in meanwhile? ^Some argue that the r< The United Stan I enough problems witli national deficit, ul ployment, decline in farl and chemical leaks - dfl need another problem A blem that has the potena minds and joins the raM file of alcohol abuas^l Legalizing marijuana not be the success*] I render as a result rrfSnfl
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Aug. 22, 1985, edition 1
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