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Page2A - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thmsday, Jufy 27, 1989 Barnett Heads To Embattled Nation By HERB WHITE Post Staff Writer James Bamett believes there Is a connection between South Africa's apartheid-driven regime and the war between Nicara gua's Sandinlsta government and the Contras. The U.S. government Is In volved In both countries, but on opposite sides of their struggles. But the result Is the same: black people die. "The government gives weap ons to the Contras although they're not jxjpular In their own country," he said. "But If they gave the black South Africans old rifles, they could win a revo lution In a month. We Just won der why don't they do the same In Nicaragua that they do In South Africa." Bamett, a member of the Car olina Interfaith Task Force on Central America, was scheduled to leave Thursday on a 3,300- Bamett mile trip to the war-tom nation. The caravan of 30 vehicles and 66 people will take about 12 days to reach Its destination. A third of the multi-racial delega tion Is made up of ministers. The vehicles will be left for construction companies to use In delivering supplies to the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, where a devastating hurricane left thousands of blacks home less. Barnett, who Is making his fouiih trip In as many years, said the fighting between the Sandlnlstas and U.S.-backed Contras Is draining the nation. He feels America would do more for peace In Nicaragua by stay ing out of Its affairs. "It seems that It just gets poor er and poorer every time I go there," he said. Traveling to Central America raises suspicion among some Americans, Bamett said, espe cially to a country perceived to be a communist stronghold. But the caravan's only goal Is to help the black Nicaraguans, not take sides In the 10-year-old war. "We're helping the people of Nicaragua," Bamett said. "We don't get Involved with the gov ernment." Helping Nicaraguans can not only quell a dangerous situation in Central America, it would go help keep the peace throughout the region, Bamett said. If fight ing were to spread to other na tions In the area, American forc- whlch Is estimated to be es about 40 percent black, would likefy be sent to defuse It. "A lot of us would go down there to die," he said. THE AWAREHWINNING "THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY More Than A Great Newspaper! Public awareness about the U.S.'s involvement abroad Is In creasing, resulting In more mon ey for excursions to Nicaraugua. "Ihe movement is alive. I see It's alive because we had less trouble raising money than be fore," Barnett said. "I see an awakening In the grass-roots people that 1 didn't see three years ago.'' Center's Move Is Offensive To Neighborhood Leaders Continued From Page lA ^ taken the brunt of facilities that do nothing for the community, and he feels the county should look elsewhere. "When we started the coalition, said to the county that we we didn't want (the facility) In no black neighborhoods," he said. "Anything that affects one black In Charlotte affects all blacks." Mecklenburg's decision to go to Dalton Avenue was decided by two factors. Remington said: the proposed site Is "aesthetically pleasing" and Is located near uptown, making It more accessible to public use. Mlers said evergreen shrubs and trees will divide the facility from homes, making noise less of a problem. There will be no smell or waste emitted Into the neighborhood, because the re cycled material will be held on the properly until It Is moved. Unlike waste transfer stations or Incinerators, there should be little Impact on the environ ment. "This Is a clean business, with no odor, no liquid," Remington said. "This Is going to be one of the cleanest Industries In the area. To relieve fears about the facil ity's purpose, FCR plans to put an amphitheater, education center and even gift shops In the facility. Mlers said the center's intent Is to educate consumers about the benefits of recycling, which helps preserve finite re sources. 'We look at It as an asset to the community, not as a garbage dmnp," he said. "That's the Image of recycling we're trying to elimi nate." Miller, however, sees the move as the county's way of finding another African-American com munity to pick on. 'They went for the weakest link. After they found out that we weren't going to go away and saw some blacks who were go ing to fight to the last, the coun ty went out and got a private company to come In," he said. 'They'll always put them In black neighborhoods If we let them." J.C. Scoggins, another member of the coalition, said that al though the county has turned away from LaSalle, he fears the county commissioners may try to put another facility there. • "I don't trust any of them," he said. 'There's no telling what tliey might do." Although the county has aban doned LaSalle, the coalition Is maintaining Its suit, which Is Klan Sentence Condnuod Fram Page lA ered new evidence that eventual ly prompted the Justice Depaii- ment to reopen Its Investigation of the May 26, 1979, Incident. A group of robed Klansmen clashed with black marchers In Decatur who were protesting the conviction the year before of a 19-year-old mentally retarded black man for raping three white women. Gunfire erupted during the Incident, and two Klansmen and two blacks were wounded. Ten Klan members. Including Handley, the top Klansman In Alabama at the time of the Inci dent, were Indicted In 1984, on civil rights charges. All were ei ther convicted or pleaded guilty. Earlier this year, Handley and six of his cohorts drew federal sentences ranging from two months to two years. Ms. Clark said the settlement of the civil lawsuit, which came after several months of negotia tions, brought the 10-year-old case to a clo^. Correction Last week's Post Incorrectly stated that Duke Power's Pre- College Career Development program would match up to $6,000 of students' savings from the program. The company will match $600 of the savings when students deposit program earn ings into a special account. being heard by U.S. District Court Judge James McMillan. "We are not relenting...until he makes a decision," said Scog gins. County commissioner Bob Walton said history has worked against African-American neighborhoods when It comes to negative faculties, but there Is little the county can do about It. For decades, heavy Industries have been located near black communities, making them like ly targets for refuse facilities. "Neither site Is the better site," he said. "Most of the best sites are unfortunately found In black neighborhoods. Unfortunately, you're caught in a bind." Noting that "there is a vast dif ference" between a recycling center and the waste transfer station the county originally wanted on the westslde, Walton said the new proposal signals that the coalition's efforts have worked to an extent. "They have scored a significant victory," he said. Beside lawsuits, African- Americans will have to send a message to elected officials through the ballot box, said Walton, the only black commis sioner. "There's only one minority on the board of commissioners, so when It comes to these kinds of crucial decisions, you're always going to be outvoted," he said. "They can fill the council chambers all they want to, but what they need to do Is fiU the voting booth." Braces For Children & Adults DR. PAUL A. McGILL, D.D.S., PA. "Practice Limited To Orthodontics" (704)375-7005 1404 BeaRles Ford Rd. Northwest Gateway Professional Center Suite 200 • Charlotte, North Carolina 28216 KIRK D. WILLIAMS. M.D. Board Certified • Diseases of the Ear, Nose, & Throat -Medical & Surgical- • Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat Diseases Black Opposition To Saturday March • Facial, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery ^Courtesy Initial Consultation 377-7088 225 Hawthorne Ln. Suite 405 Hawthorne Medical Center (Across The Street From Presbyterian) Adequate Partdng In Rear Continued From Page LA American community attended a city coimcU meeting to protest the anti-drug rally. Most op posed the route the march will take. In a flyer mailed to 3,000 Charlotteans last week, Myrick stated that the rally will serve as a stand "against drug dealers." She said it will be the first of several anti-drug marches planned for the city. Petunia Lee, an 18-year resi dent of Falrvlew Homes, feels Myirlck should have started else where. "She doesn't have to keep pick ing at people In Falrvlew Homes. They're always picking at our area," said Lee. "It already looks bad. They are going to make It look worse." "She's making the people over here look bad because they're black," said Lee's neighbor, Claudia Williams, who has lived In Falrvlew Homes for 17 years. "What I take Into consideration Is that the biggest drugs In this county come from white folks. Why don't they take that march over to where they live?" The march Saturday will be Myrick's second attempt at fo cusing anti-drug attention on the Falrvlew Homes develop ment. In April Myrick brought Lt. Governor Jim Gardner In to speak with residents about drug abuse and violence In the area. "I have been talking with resi dents and the feedback has been much more positive," said My rick, defending the march against the criticism that's come ■ from some segments of the black community. "I can understand their con cern. But I told them we were go ing to do this. TTie march Is just another step In the process." A resident of Falrvlew Home who did not want her name used said the march may help the area. "I believe It wfil help. It al ready has," said the resident. "The attention we’ve gotten so far has helped some." Asked whether she would at tend the rally, she offered, "I'll look on and give them an en couraging woiri." , Blacks who have denounced Myrick's plans say If the mayor wants to have a anti-drug march It should not be confined to the poor, black areas of Charlotte. "Enough attention has been drawn to the drug problems of the black neighborhoods. My rick needs to focus on other neighborhoods," said Dannelly. Myrick counters that there are plans to hold rallies In other Charlotte areas. 'We will march In all areas of town. But the problem exists In these areas (public housing) and we have to do everything we can to increase the public's awareness of this problem. We want to get the com munity to believe it when we say we care." Mynrlck says anti-drug rallies have been successful In other cities, such as Philadelphia, Houston and Dallas. "Drug deal ers have literally been driven out of the neighbcrboods. It sends a strong message." As to concerns about the last ing effect of the march, M}rrlck says she Is working on increased law enforcement and other pro grams to follow up the march. "I'm having the departments of the city form a task force to work on the drug problem along with the residents. My attitude Is we'll tiy everything we can." Myrick says she's even work ing on going after the "big boys" of the drug trade. Presently, she says. 'To get them Is veiy diffi cult." WAYNE C. ALEXANDER, R A. WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON PERSONAL INJURY & CRIMINAL LAW CASES • Automobile Accidents • Wrongful Death • Slip & Fall • Defense Of Criminal Offenses Of All Types No Charge For Consultation No Recovery • No Fee In Personal Injury Coses CALL: 332-5583 Suite 310 Cameron Brown Bldg., 301 McDowell St. Attorney Wayne C. Alexander Atty. David F. Williams - Atty. James E. Williams, Jr. "The People you can talk to IF YOU WANT EQUAL JUSTICE" Stanton J. Smith, M.D. is now accepting patients in the practice of child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. NAACP Sponsors Fourth Life Membership Dinner 704- 334-5400 1121 Harding Place Charlotte, N.C. 28204 The Charlotte-Mecklenburj, branch of the NAACP will spon sor Its annual life membership dinner at 7 p.m. Monday at McDonald's banquet facilities at 2812 Beatties Ford Road. Nicholas Anderson, president and chief executive officer of the Detroit Urban League will be the guest speaker. The dinner affords Life mem bers, Golden Heritage members. Junior Life members and sub scribers to fellowship and en courage others to become Life members. Tickets are $60, and Include a $50 payment on a life member ship and dinner. Checks should be made payable to the Char lotte branch. Prior to joining the Detroit Ur ban League, Anderson was di rector of the NAACP's Midwest Region III, with responsibilities for operations In seven states. For more Information, contact II Anderson Geneal Frazier at 394-7865, Mary Clark at 334-0207 or Mar garet Alexander at 392-6775. Housing Scholarship Awards The Charlotte Housing Au thority Scholarship Committee and the Foundation for the Car- ollnas will sponsor a scholar ship awards day at 5 p.m. Sun day at First Baptist Church- West at 1801 Oaklawn Avenue. T. Willard Fair, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Miami Urban League will be the guest speaker. Subscribe Tc "THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY" 376-0496 WE'RE GROWING VISIT OUR SECOND LOCATION I ^ Opening August 15 Eastover Medical Center 2711 Randolph Road • Suite 507 704/377-3426 Practice of Obstetrics & Gynecology Accepting Appointments Now Call Our Beaffles Fcrd Read Office 1406 Beatties Ford Road 377-3427 Hours: M-F 12:00-6:00 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! Christopher R. Doxon, M.D. Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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