Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 18, 2006, edition 1 / Page 3
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
3A NEWS/3:^e Charlotte $ost Thursday, May 18, 2006 Gas no deterrent to rally faithful Continued from page 1A to the track on Sunday,” Grissett said. According to the Fuel Cost Calculator on the AAA web site, the round trip cost of a beach trip is $55.60 in a 2006 Ford Explorer- That price could vary depending on the make and model of the vehi cle and if the driver is hauling bikes, like Grissett, And it doesn’t take into account the stop and go traffic and riding around Myrtle Beadi, Figuring that the gas prices were going to be higher this year, Grissett said he put extra money aside. That’s what the dty of Myrtle Beach spokesman Mark Kruea expects beach visitors to do. “Gas prices have been high for a while. Maybe (visitors) have adjusted their budgets,” he said- “I expect it to hold steady” Lament Goings, who plans to head to Myrde Beach even though he doesn’t own a bike, said he’s not worried about hi^ gas prices because once he gets to the beach, hell be parking his Honda Accord. “Some people have been saving up their dollars since the day after Memorial Day last year,” Goings said. “People would still go down there even if gas was $4 a gal lon.” In his car. Goings can Continued from page 1A Eddie Bernice Johnson (D- ’Ibxas), Gwen Moore (D- Wisconsin), A1 Green (D- Texas) and D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton in calling for an end to the geno cide and and displacement of millions by violence in Sudan. “The situation in Darfur has deteriorated significant ly,” Lee said. “People are dying and are in misery Countless women and girls are raped daily there is no food, conditions or unsanitary and there is an inadequate supply of water in the region.” Earlier this month, a peace ^ agreement was reached in Abuja, Nigeria between the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese Liberation Movement. CBC leaders say that the agreement falls short of expectations to pro vide protection to civilians on the grornid, more political representation for Darfur in the central government and adequate mechanisms for ensming disarmament of the Janjaweed. During a press conference. Watt and the CBC listed the foUo'wing demands to stop the genocide in Darfur, including: • End of violence by the Sudan government and its Janj aweed militias; • A UN peacekeeping mis sion to assist the Afiican Union hfission; • Accoimtability for govern ment officials and Janjaweed responsible for genocide; • Pushing Sudan to release 300,000 - 500,000 metric tons of grain reserves to feed the hungry, • Protect civilians who remain vulnerable; • Ensure Sudan does all it can to restore security for the displaced and refugees; • PuU implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Radio talk show host Joe Madison, who has been arrested with other black activists for protesting the Sudanese government’s sup port of militias in Darfur, served as the rally emcee. U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-HLinois), co-sponsor of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act that push es for sanctions against per petrators of the genocide, said, “I know that if we care, the world will care.” It appeared, however, that most blacks took a rain check on caring, calling into ques tion whether or not Darfur is a priority for Afiican- Americans, West Indians, and others in the Afiican Diaspora. In a display of irony, images of. black Darfurians on a large projec tor screen were juxtaposed with mostly white protesters. One of a few hiuidred black people in the wave of more than 10,000 bodies, Haitian- American Marie Auguste was tiiCTe. She had taken a train fixim New York to participate in the rally Holding a sign with the message “President Bush You Said Not On Your Watch- -. It Is Happening, Do Something About It,” Auguste bumped into Prisca Doh, a native of Ivory Coast in West Afiica, who had been using the poster as shade fi'om the smoldering sun. They became engrossed in conversation about the lack of black faces in the fines of pro- “There’s a very thin line between us here and blacks on the Afiican continent. Katrina taught us that they react to us the same way— with inaction,” said Auguste, alluding to the importance of solidarity among Afiicans on the continent and Afiicans of the Diaspora. She continued, “If we can’t be like the Jewish people and demand things for people that Icok like us, we’re never going to progress.” Auguste was moved to action by the cotmtiess images of women and chil dren who suffer most. “Because these are black peo ple, the world has looked the other way” said the New Yorker about the three-year genocide that started when rebels in Darfur sought polit ical independence by chal lenging the Khartoum gov- emment- The size of Ifexas, Sudan is a telling example of the 19th century “Scramble for Africa” by European colonialists that meshed together semi- autonomous groups—like Darfurians—into arbitrarily formed nation states. Spilling into neighboring Chad with an influx of refugees, the Darfur genocide has left 200,000 dead and hundreds displaced. The U.N. World Food Program annoimced on Monday that it was cutting food rations. Responding to the magnitude of the situation, Auguste encouraged her ftiends in New York to attend the rally but heard only excuses. She denoimced black clergy who have been sfient on the issue. “I find it imconscionable that black churches are not talking about what’s going on,” said Auguste, who expect to spend $33.76 to get to the beach and back to Charlotte. Gas prices aside, every year the Atlantic Beach rally is a source of controversy Last year a judge ordered that the same traffic practices must be used during the Harley Davidson Bike We^, which is primarily a gathering of white riders, and Ihe Atiantic Beach Bike week, which is historically black. It didn’t happen due to a last-minute order fixan an appals court. The NAACP set up a hot line for black bikers last year to report instances of mistreat ment. However the oiganiza- tion hasn't disclosed the num ber of calls or types of com plaints that they received last year. A man who answered the hotline number said that he didn’t have a comment on the NAACP’s involvement in this year’s rally Atiantic Beach Bike Week gets started May 24 and runs through May 29. PLANNING A FAMILY REUNION Best price on tee shiris, hats, totes, & more! Free design service ANITA’S LOGOS 704-540-8705 • www.anitaslogos.com KEZIAH’s FURNITURE BIG SALE Large Pillow - Top Queen Mattress Set $299 Sofas, Bedroom Suit and Dinettes All on SALE 12 Months No Interest 8004 Blair Rd. (Highway 51) Mint Hill 704.5^.6150 2914 Gibbon Rd. (Off 1-77 & I-85)Chariotte, N.C 704.596.7427 CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS U.S. Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C., on right), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was arrested during a protest at the Sudanese Embassy in Washington Tuesday. Activism for Darfur missing African American presence believes that blacks in vari ous rehgious communities would follow suit if the politi cal will existed in their mosques, temples, or church es. Not another Rwanda Pat Evans, an African- American management con sultant based in Fairfax, Va., also wondered why the aver age black person hasn’t joined the movement to push for a robust international intervention in Western Sudan. Jewish groups have compared the crisis in Darfur to the Holocaust, leaving Evans and others question ing what it’s going to take to get blacks on board. ‘T don’t know if it’s that we don’t feel connected toAfiica,” she said. Evans became interested in Darfur while on a trip to the U.N. headquarters in New York last Februaiy Wlien Evans returned to D.C., she immediately began sending out missives to black organi zations about doing some thing, but no one responded. Disappointed, she reached out to what appeai*ed to be unlikely allies—mostly Jewish organizations that have since joined the Save Darfur Coalition. “I’m really committed to stopping another Rwanda,” said Evans. ‘It’s going to take commitment fix)m other AMcan states such as Egypt and Algeria,” she added. Her advice to blacks who missed the memo about Simda/s rally is “start educating your- sdves about what’s happen ing'” Black politicians came out, but their constituents were missing in action. A1 Shaipton, who visited Sudan in 2000, said leaders within the civil rights community were committed to putting the spotlight on genocide. He admits that despite ideologi cal differences, Americans refuse to remain divided on Darfur. “We know that when Americans come together, we can change anythir^ in the world,” he said. The Rev. Gloria White Hammond, an African- Am^can liaison to Sudanese commtmities in the U.S. and an organizer for the Save Darfui- Coalition., said more than 760,000 signatures were collected for an online peti tion for the Million Voices for Darfur Campaign (http;//www.millionvoicesfor- darfur.org/). Herbert L. White of The Charlotte Post contributed. Real Estate AUCTION SUNDAY, May 27th, 12 Noon 3 starter homes- ranch styie.s/ Investment properties Auction at: Ramada Inn, Woodlawn Rd. 2315 2321, 2327 Toddville Rd. 1100 sq. ft., 3 bdrms, 2 baths Open House. May 21. 2-4pm Terms; Property sold as is- where is - $7,500 down per home (non-refundable) by certified funds on sale day. Closing within 30 days. Auctions by Marshall, Inc. 1222 Jules Ct. Char 28226 704-362-3288 •NCFL7364 www.auctionsbymarshall.com I Mann iTVsVfils Auihorized^^«n^ ■ X1.MVW1.47 VACATION planner'^ WSAymu all the Disney Just Cooked Up a Hot New Offer! FREE Dining with this vacation package. Buy this Disney Vacation paeJeage anct get Hotel,Theme Parictldcsts end Dbney Dining Plan! (hb S-alt#iM-diy wet oliiwy world* vicatlan psetoet and ttay right m tht YOtOl «iV«y Theme . It . « Ask about our Sharon Luggage Gift with Purchase Valued at Over SISP! 704.547.1240 to speak to one of our Honeymoon & Vacation Specialists 9009 -2 JM Keynes Drive Universi^ Place Charlotte www.Mann7ravels.com Your day doesn’t end at 2 p.m. Why should your banking options? Now you can make your deposits at most First Citizens branches before closing and the funds will be credited to your account the same day.* We call it All-Day Banking, it’s just one more example of how we value your business. To learn more, call or stop by your local branch today. Rust Citizens Bank Founded in 1898 iNAMERicA firstcitizens.com 1.888.FC DIRECT •Certain Brandies may have cut-off times for deposits prior to dosing, so check with your local branch. Crediting or deposited iti isprovislonal and subjeato Bank’s account rules and regulations. Excludes ATM deposits and Saturday deposits.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 18, 2006, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75