2A
NEWS/ The Charlotte Post
Thursday, July 3, 1997
Confront TUI death sparked national outrage
nation’s
misdeeds
MELODYE MICERE STEWART
In the
spirit of
Ma’at
At a time when Switzerland is
confinnting its money laundering
role in the Jewish holocaust,
England is returning Hong Kong
to China and all South Africans
are grappling with the God-awftil
truth of the death, abject cruelty
and moral deprivation of
apartheid via the hearings of the
TVuth and Reconciliation
Commission, one wonders
whether it will be this century or
the next when the United States
of America will acknowledge, for
merly apologize and teach its chil
dren the truth of American
enslavement. As the 8elf-appoinl>
ed moral leader (police?) of the
world, commenting on what
(lerman, Japanese and Chinese
history books report as “truth,”
Americana should consider public
atonement for her historical sins
(which are still perpetuated in the
society).
Want examples? Witness Fuzzy
Zoeller’s derogatory (read: racist)
comments about Tiger Woods.
Reminiscent of the remarks made
by Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder a
decade ago, America’s racist sub
conscious is predictably and
uncontrollably revealed, as a
black man utterly shatters one of
the last - and most revered - bas
tions of white male dominance
(a.k.a. white supremacy). As fur
ther proof of an old African
American adage, “once black folks
learn the rules, white folks
change them,” discussion to
change the layout of the Augusta
National golf course began almost
immediately. While one could say
that words don’t hurt — and
Zoeller, like Snyder, did apologize
- can you image the psychological
impact and damage inflicted by
the sight of your church burning?
Let us not forget that 100 largely
black churches were victims of
racial violence just two years ago.
Or, what about witnessing a
burning cross? In 1997, you say?
It happened during the first week
of April in Charlotte. A group of
black parents were standing in
line at the Methodist Home
Recreation Center, located in a
middle-class neighborhood, wait
ing to register their children for
summer camp. ’Two white men
living in tbe house across the
street, after yelling racial slurs at
the unsuspecting group, decided
to build and bum a cross on their
front lawn. One witness noted
incredulously, “I wondered what
. century am I in.”
Charlotte, the city of the “new”
South, where, incidentally, you
can purchase a “Redneck” burger
for lunch in a fine restaurant and
bumper stickers of Confederate
flags are common, also has a prob
lem with police who are creating a
“new” history of shooting
unarmed black citizens - two in
six months. Continuing the trend,
the N.C. state government just
appointed 37 white legislators to
a panel to determine the state’s
financial affairs.
An African American
Democratic legislator remarked
that it reminded him of a “Man
meeting.” This columnist couldn’t
agree more.
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COURTESTY QYASI A. FOLUKE
Emmett Till, left, with his mother Mamie Till Mobley, was murdered
by whites who allegedly were offended when the boy whistled at a
white woman. It took an all-white Mississippi jury less than two
hours to return a not guilty verdict
Continued from page 1A
For three days, Emmett’s body
lay in state in the window of a
Chicago mortuary. Hundreds of
thousands of people filed by to
see him. Mobley released count
less posthumous pictures of her
son to newspapers across the
country.
Lynchings were not uncommon
in the South, but the murder of
Emmett 'Till sparked furor
among blacks and whites. The
governor of Mississippi issued a
statement that Mississippi could
not “condone such conduct.” 'The
white editor of a local newspaper
called the incident “nauseating”
and “way, way beyond the
bounds of human decency.”
The trial that followed was a
mockery. Roy Bryant, the hus
band of the woman Emmett
allegedly whistled at, and his
half brother, John Milam, were
accused of killing Emmett.
Despite the fact that witnesses
identified Bryant and MUam as
the kidnappers and Milam’s
admission that he shot the boy,
both men were found innocent by
an all-white jury.
Mobley said she knew what the
verdict would be from the begin
ning. The defense accused her of
conspiring with the NAACP and
staging Emmett’s murder.
“I knew the outcome, but the
evidence was so strong against
these men,” she said. “The fact
that a young black man
described how Milam washed the
blood off his hands and tried on
one of Emmett’s shoes. How he
buried the shoe and other cloth
ing near the pump...In view of all
of this, I just wondered if they
would come back with a verdict
of not guilty. 'That would be bla
tant disregard for the law.”
Mobley never heard the verdict.
By the time the jury returned
after less than two hours of delib
eration, Mobley and her family
were 46 miles from town.
“Out of respect for me, we left,”
Mobley said. “I knew what that
crowd would be like. It was a
dangerous situation there.
Blacks knew that if they were
cau^t in town the signal had
been given to white men, ‘do
what you want to do, we’re not
going to punish you for it.’ ”
Forty-two years later, Mobley
continues to crusade for Emmett.
Now a retired Chicago educator,
she heads the Emmett Till
Foundation, a group that trains
children to recite Martin Luther
King’s speeches and sermons. At
75, she is collaborating on her
autobiography, co-written by
Emerge magazine editor George
Curry.
Emmett’s death was tragic,
Mobley says. But she takes com
fort in the fact that many people
stiU remember. A Chicago street
is named for him. Tbni Morrison
penned a play about the incident
“Dreaming Emmett.”
“People who had never dared
stare a white man in the face
did,” Mobley said. “There was a
lot of fear. But there were a lot of
people who made up their minds
that if we’re going to Uve like
this, death is better than this
kind of thing.
“That’s my son’s legacy.”
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Snoop show is a fake, police warn
By Winfred B. Cross
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Fliers advertising a weekend
concert by rap artist Snoop Doggy
Dogg at Grady Cole Center are
bogus.
“What it looks like now is maybe
a fraud of investors,” said Keith
Bridges, community education
coordinator for Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Police. “We don’t
want people out there buying tick
ets off the street when there’s not
going to be a show.”
The fliers list C&J Concert
Productions as the concert’s pro
moters. J. Howell, CEO of the
company, told The Post in March
he was national tour director for
East-West Fresh Fest, a tour fea
turing the gangsta rapper. ’The
tour was scheduled to stop in
Charlotte March 22, but was can
celed when rapper Notorious
B.I.G. was killed in Los Angeles.
The tour was never rescheduled.
Howell could not be reached for
comment.
Snoop Doggy Dogg performed
at Blockbuster Pavilion June 28
as part of the national
LoUapalooza tour.
Fraud investigator Wary
Crowell said the case was stUl in
the research stage.
“Fm StiU investigating so there
isn’t much I can say,” she said. “I
can say the concert was never a
go at that location.”
Crowell also said cases she
investigates are usually felonies.
Bridges said police were alerted
by Mecklenburg Park and
Recreation (which operates
Grady Cole) staff members who
noticed fliers promotiitg a concert
July 5 at the center.
“They got nervous that a group
of people might come down, not
see a concert and start storming
the doors,” Bridges said.
The fliers also claimed tickets
were available at Willies
Records,’Tapes and CDs and Repo
Records. Bridges said npne were
delivered. He said poUce don’t
think any were ever sold.
“A guy came by and left some
fliers on our counter,” said
Donovan Hunter, assistant man
ager for Willies North 'Tryon loca
tion. “Somebody called us from
the Grady Cole Center yesterday
and said the concert wasn’t
scheduled. We weren't involved in
the promotion.”
Haitians see America up close
Continued from page 1A
Haitian Workers and president of
Citizens for the Improvement of
Cite Soleil; and Viviane Valerius,
show host. Radio Haiti.
“Democracy plays a most cru
cial role in this society,” said
Valerius said. “Haiti is just
emerging as a democracy. People
are not well educated and do not
know what democracy is all
about.”
Darguste grew a contrast
between Haiti and the U.S.
“American citizens are really
involved in everything in their
country,” Darguste said. “They
believe in their constitution and
believe in the law.”
Their goal is to learn more
about civic journalism and use of
media to educate citizens and
provide a forum for democratic
debate.
The Haitians’ fragile democracy
was restored with the help of the
U.S government, but the country
has not developed the institu
tions necessary in a free society.
The new government is trying to
stabilized the country’s troubled
economy and rebuild its tourist
industry.
While some Haitians do not
respect the law, the U.S. is a very
orderly scxiiety, the visitors said,
a stark contrast to the small, eco
nomically distressed Caribbean
nation.
Their questions covered the
gamut of how Minister Louis
Farrakhan and the Nation of
Islam fit into America’s pohtdcal
arena to the level of coverage
given unions and religious
groups. The visitors asked if Jack
Kemp, Bob Dole’s 1996 running
mate, would attract black voters,
and about differences between
Republicans and Democrats.
During the discussions. Post
Publisher Gerald Johnson
summed up American democracy
“Everything is political.”
Voters cast ballots based on party
platforms and not the candi
dates, Johnson said, referring to
potential Kemp problems despite
general respect from black vot
ers.
While voting is important.
those who influence large num
bers of voters, like Farrakhan,
can wield political power without
ever running for office, Johnson
said.
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jjlem Baptist aiuf[
presents:
IBomcn of Conference 97
“ITbc ©Jtce of ll^dl Shall 12ot *|?rcv>ail
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“Chosen Women - God’s Treasured Possession”
July 8 -12,1997
0D REGISTRATION FEES
Registration $ 50.00
On Site Registration 60.00
Daily Registration 20.00
Men 15.00
Young People of Faith 10.00
- Conference Speakers -
Evangelist Susie Owens
Co-Pastor, Greater Mt. Calvary
Holy Church - W'ashington, D. C.
Dr. Donald Wright
Senior Pastor, Scripture Center
Rocky Moont, N.C,
SCHEDULE OF
SESSIONS & Nightly services
Session 1 (9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.) * Session II (1:00 - 3:00 P.M.)
Worship service begins nigtiy at 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, July 9lh
Session I Forgiveness
Sister Janice Bowling
Sessionll Priyer Is The Key-
Fiith llnloeks the Door
Sister Elizabeth Young
Thursday, July 10th
Session I God’s Truth Conquers the Devil’s Lies
Sister Janice Bowling
Sessionll Count It All Joy!
Rev Nancy Caree Wilson
Friday, July llth
The Gates orileM Shall Not Prevail - Pt. 1
Sister Harriet Porler-Jmwright. First Lady
Salem Baptist Church
The Gales ofllell Shall Not Prevail - Pi. 2
Reverend Anthony L. Jinwrighl, Senior Pastor
Salem Baptist Church
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