Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Aug. 27, 1987, edition 1 / Page 2
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^ \ ' fi°*rsia u. uonnsoa. Publisher Issues Determine Real Victory Rev. Jesse Jackson said last spring that ha would announce by Labor Day whether he would be a candidate for the U.S. presidency That decision, he added, would be influenced in part by a show of support through the rais ing of $1 million to $2 million. As of last week Jackson appeared to be well on his way to meeting his goal. He is in fact expected to be just beyond the $1.5 million mark by Sep tember 1,1987, a week before Labor Day. Equally encouraging for Jackson to run was the enthusiastic outburst of applause that he received at the Southern Legislative Con ference in Little Rock, Arkansas, recently. During his August 21 breakfast meeting at McDonald's Cafeteria here in Charlotte, Jackson noted that in his possible bid for the presidency that he would focus on five points: stopping the importation of of drugs, ending the exportation of jobs, ceasing the exploita tion of workers, restructuring the debts of the nation's farmers and re-prioritizing items in the federal budget. Saying what none of the other candidates . will say, Jkckson said forcefully that if the United States can defend the borders of other countries like Nicaragua and Vietnam, then it must be willing to defend the borders of America from drugs. He added that our na tional government knows where the drugs are and where they are grown. Speaking on similar candid terms Jack son referred to the farmer as "necessary" to our nation and the world and noted th#t the farmers were not looking for a handout, just a bail out. To dramatise his point, Jackson added, "If we can bail out Chrysler, if we can bail (the City ©0 New York, then we certain- ' ly can bail out the family farmer." Attorney D. G. Martin said in his Post col umn last week that earlier this summer Jesse Jackson was giving a similar address in Atr lanta as one of several candidate sneakers Martin wrote, "I stood next to an old line con servative Democrat from rural Georgia” lis - tening to Jackson. "When he (the old liner) leaned over to talk to me I expected to hear nothing good about Jackson. But here is what he said, 'If that boy was white, he'd be the President He is the best of the lot"* That kind of deep-ieated racism is still very much a part of the American character. For example, a Joint Center for Political Science study of television news coverage of Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign showed that TV reporters viewed him as a le gitimate candidate (and why not?), but out side the circle of possible winners. C. Antho ny Broh, author of the study of 2,189 or more 1983-1984 evening news clips, said, "I don't believe it's explicitly racist. I believe there’s an institutional racism built into the socie ty." This illustrates that racism has an ironic twist. When Stan Kaplan, president and pub lisher of The Charlotte Leader gave welcome remarks for Jesse Jackson's Charlotte visit last week, he said it did not matter whether Jackson won the presidency. "All that mat ters is that Jesse runs and that Jesse tries. And it will have an effect on us on ’88." Kaplan may have taken a page from Jesse Jacksons 1984 Democratic National Con vention speech when he said,' "Democracy guarantees opportunity' it does not guarantee success. Democracy guarantees the right to participate; it does not give a license to either a majority or a minority to dominate. The victory for the Rainbow Coalition in the plat form debates today was not whether we won or lost toe vote hot that we raised the right issues. Thus, while unjust men, infected with the sin of racism, would deny Jesse Jackson a tofr and equal opportunity to serve in the hifpiest political office of the nation, a just god assures that Jackson's messages will be ■ accepted with respect as in toe case j;. of the old line conservative Georgia; Demo , era*- ' , TT«]j From Renters To Homeowners In May of tlua year, the Charlotte housing Authority announced its Stepping stone hous ing program. These two-site 100 unit apart ments will be rented to careftilly selected pub lic housing applicants with the clear expecta tion that within five to seven years the tenant will vacate to become homeowners. Then in late July of 1987, thcpJimmy Carter Work Camp of 200 volunteers from 28 states and Canada, plus 100 local volunteers built single family detaches in five days. The homes were sold for $26-128,000 each at no in terest Each buyer was required to put 100 hours of "sweet equity" into the home they purchased and 200 hours in two other houses to help keep costs down. This effort was habi tat For Humanity's biggest project of its type ever in the nation. In a ribbon cutting cere mony last Friday, the City of Charlotte offi cially opened 24 single family homes in one of the very few programs of its kind in the na tion. The homes, built under a joint venture, involved the NCNB Community Develop ment Corporation, the John Crosland Compa I1 1 1 ■ i. .n i i i ny, Gulf South Development Group and the City of Charlotte. The most unique feature of this program is that the homes were sold to public housing tenants with many years as tenant dwellers. Mrs. Wyona Martin, a 62-year-old mother of " fiv® children, had lived in public housing for 32 years. The City of Charlotte provided de ferred payment second mortgages to help as sure that the homes would be affordable. Likewise, as the 24 buyers vacated their ren tal units until others in desperate need of housing were able to move in. These three unique housing programs re flect the City's strong and continuing com mitment to provide more and better housing opportunities for low income people. The City of Charlotte provided grant flinds for Habitat for the land acquisition and infrastruction work. Also, the City and Mecklenburg Coun ty are helping to finance the Housing Author ity's Stepping Stone housing developments. Yes, Charlotte is truly a caring city. Rainbow After ist 13 issue of the Post I was sur prised to -find that the sched uled appearance of Rev. Jesse Jackson was not reported in the paper. Upon inquiry I was informed that the Charlotte Chapter of the Rainbow Coali tion did not notify the Pest However, they did inform the Observer and they apparently informed most of the other majority owned news media. Was this simply a curious oversight, a lack of political maturity or a cold conspiracy not to inform the Poet and its readers? If this was an oversight it was indeed peculiar given the fact that other organisations were informed. It is unthink able that Rev. Jackson could appear in any other city where there was a Black owned newspaper and that newspa per not be informed. Hopefal ly this wee a shameful and isolated incident and these actions are exclusive to the Charlotte Chapter. Perhaps this incident was a simple reflection on the lack of political maturity within the local chapter. If so, they should be reminded that the only group that solidly sup ported Rev. Jackson's cam paign in 1984 was grass roots Black people. And as his campaign attempts to expand its base in 1988 the only group that can be agpected to solidly support JackaOo are grass root Blacks. Not oven the Black bourgeoisie solidly supports Rev. Jackson. Therefore, why would his local branch not inform a newspaper that clearly reaches the grass roots? This is political imma turity personified. If this was a cold conspire f Xj,- . - "f * JTW <j pr t . ey, was it because the Post cou rageously took the correct po sition in calling for the resig nation of Commisioner Wal ton, who appeared as the mas ter of ceremonies on the Jack son program. This was Ironic given the fact that the invitees to sponsor the event from the majority community covered the complete political spec trum from the liberal 8tan Kaplan to an arehconserva tive such as Cy Bahakol. Is the Charlotte Chapter telling us that whits people of differing political ideologies can come together for a common cause but Black people ef differing persuasions can't? Whatever the reasons, I think the Rainbow Coalition owes the Post and its reader's an explanation, and the Poet deserves all due credit for giving Jackson's appearance front page coverage (August 20) regardless. •' 'tv f; J cheers, i mrpRe$tm,\ voQMApeir 1 THROUGH M i HEARINGS INTACT,,, J Adoption: Black Kids, White Families? 2 By KwwbaauaTJEkuban Adoption: black kids, white family? This is exactly the ques tion moot black people have asked themselves and answered "Hell No!" The rationale behind this varies from ths fsar of those black kids losing their cultural heri tage and black identity to, sim ply, black pride—all of which have some merit. Black kids, white families was also the subject of discussion on ABC news program "Nightline" on July SI. I can't remember the name of the participants but there was a gentleman from New Or leans who represented the oppos ing view. IQs concern was no different from what moat *»Wk people have previously ex pressed. In other words, he repre sented the majority view. Before I go on, let me caution the reader that I write hare not as an export but as a concemsd indi vidual expressing his view on a subject feeing the community in which he belongs. I have always thought ths pri mary rationale for adoption is tp givs that unfortunate child (black or jpitf the chance te grow up in a loving family and nave a par ent or parents. - v . -■' Ths reason we adopt is very rimple, because we care enough to love these unfortunate children. If these are the reasons for adoption, than I am yet to be con vinced why race should become a dominant factor in approving who should adopt whoa. An interesting question raised on the "Nightline" program con cerned how does a Uadi child ad just to othar black people, after that child has grown up in an all white family, lived in all white neighborhoods, and possibly at tended mostly white schools? In ray attempt to answer that quaation, I pom another question: How dose a black Ud who Uvea with hie or her black parante in their suburban home by "whlteman standards;* attends a private school with hie or her "whitoman-like accent," etc., ad just to thorn of us fttun the ghetto with our ghetto accent and typical public school education? I don't know. However, if that would be a problem then it mams to mo the - problem is not confined to that adopted black child who happens grow up in a white dually. The gentleman from Naw Or leena, however, rasds a serious accusation which needs to bo into. Ho said something to tho effect that adoption sgrHss have deliberately set the standard fbr adoption in a manner ftsj »*koe it almost impossible fbr black people to adopt cm of their own. Some quarters of tits Kfarit population have described this discriminatory act as "genocide." I taka this opportune ty to ball on the appropriate au thorities to investigate. TW1 me about the erosion of our culture and I will add to H.il* « «n P^pla, I strongly believe that wo «o losing our cultural heritage. < But black kid, white family?— How much 'cultural heritage" wUl it take from the kid, if any at Has someone thought of how many Africans carry English and French names today? How many Kunta Kintes are still ■live? I join hands with those fighting for the preservation of our cultural heritage but I think W»e battle firont Use somewhere deep in our roots. While I may not, personally, lika to marry into a different ne*> l **y loud and dear that I • : • p :x f. VfYvI ?-.■ if have no quarrel with those black'' or white people who choose other-"" wise. Yet I've come to realise that" racial intermarriage is mote of a" threat to the very existence of thf'~ black race than black ldds grow ing up in white (families. Moreo-' ver, I see much more eerioua threats to our racial pride ritftt in " our black neighborhoods. I juet hops someone will faring diem upj I can hardly believe that w black or white (family that haw adopted a child of another race ou£ of love and concern would work te deny these children something a| important aa self pride including their racial identity. ? Wa all know the story of Mo4 aeo. An Israelite who happened to? grow in the house of Pharoah >4' an adopted child from infancy" Moeoe, as the story goes, went tf the extent of killing an Egyptian; slave-driver for brutalising aw Israelite slave— all beftsre Moses ever knew hie real identity. : Blood is thicker than water, i don't think (families who sdoW*f children ever think of concealiS I the identity of the children eithd 1 from the children themeelvea I I •nyon^eled. Those who hajj dren turn against them. We all stand for racial MB! gration. But, perhaps blackfi with white parents is little bfl far. I can agree with that^ Therefore I echo what other* hfavW bean saying in that black fami llas should be first considered, whan it comae to black ldds fof*1 adoption. ^ But for heavens sake, let's not' allow racial consciousness to. de. tor ua from seeking the interest' •nd welfare of our children, even' if it means a black kid with a whit# (family. y Outfall Of Deregulation: Mediocrity "If yoti have a burineee day to ■port, fly by Altaic waa an adaga that haunted ms whansvar I was foread to taka this now deftmet air line. At the time, I boUevod tbis air llno waa msrsly an outliar In tha Industry. Yat, today, buainam pao plo openly lament tha pervasive poor service throughout America's airline industry which forfoodee an industry rips for an aattarnal inva sion. I never paid much attention to what differentiates airlines until I travelled within the Oriant. Until tfven, I hadbgavad the UA Qov beyond the world. Flights* Ltf! thanaa (German) and Singapore Airlines, however, redefined my Tdtrrf the International airline in duatry. 1 found tha Bn alnaae Class on Singapore airUnaa to be superior to Plm Qaoo an PanAm. Tn addition to moollont traditional sorvioaa, a a love note to my wife that I wrote over Vietnam an route from Hong Kong to Bangkok, Thailand. Ido not over reeall hoping to attract •omoono'a attention to obtain ear vise on thorn atiUnoo hsaauai thair attendant, Juet seemed to Nevertheless,01? heard a oeary •tory (probably just a tall talc) of foreign airUnaa that never had a «rdah baaauaa they (hanged their nemee after an incident. Thie her rmiiin VipKMp i.n/1 Olfr^nli naaa, aerateheo on the windows and newneao of paint on the plano’a body aa gauges of airUno •ubnoeo. I concluded that atten tion to theee details offered an ink ling of an airUno management's I Miller | ByttmiumiiUhr | odadart. Mjr driina gauga had drifUd off into my aubeonadoua until aavorul montha ago whan I had tha dubi oua honor of riding a Florida Kx praoa flight. Thia flight hadaato ing tha othar tom flight attendant* 8ha mud hava walkad back and ttma Florida to Norfolk, Virginia, I found myaolf jnoodotdng if onyan# an tha flight' know what thay war* doing. t laokad up at tha aahin walla and tha mata1 atrlpa won out ol alignment An aldariy lady dtdng in tha aama row aaw the dleoule aharod*har^ °* «> •>» Wa aould not hdp but natiaa tha tmdi on the floor, whkh mada ma aaatha, daturbad with my traual ■flMit who waa unabla to And a riycru ** - *•“* bi lata May, tha aWuw that broke tha aaaal a baak in ahaping my JJJ^JJJhMjkof Aaurtu', df flight foam Wh!TT;t Richmond, VA. lhilRlSmS lrmma (form taam for tha Atlanta to go onto thia flight flrat and it waa opan Mating for the rest of us. Whan we arrived in Richmond, we learned., that they had left our ^ggwgt in, Philadelphia without tellii* ue. No one waa on hand in Rich mond to aeaict us eo many of the people etood hopeleeely around oear a half hour before we walked up to the UR. Air ticket counter to laam the truth. I finally gqp my, ba^ around 11:00 pm that night after tha Marriott Hotel called th#, ^^bne- 1 muat admit that I did vio ■od taka ^db^rt b°*Td On tha ether hand, I have al waye looked forward to flying Delta and Piedmont atrltael.^n*' hmn »lwaye had reiy good eer-r rise. Thue, I wonder if tha resent' jgg&SSSLgSg t ’ JMma m an airline leaving the ^^ym.Mlahportwhkhhad «fl mm dMMttng eat of itWuaona* °°* bolding a garden hoee Wtag a lawn. 1*. flight re. tojMdlatheWihnlngton airport our jending but I dp not reeaU ttSKSSi:*? 1 Naall a oommuter flight that brflanother airport and flaw ap pnadmately 10 minutee hater, re ^"O-. A lady brought g metal clipboard and handed it to tha pilot fhght plan, behind. * ■' J5* ooneerae led me to
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Aug. 27, 1987, edition 1
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