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Page 19
RALEIGH, N.C.,
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 6,1990
VOL. 60, NO. 4
:C.'s Semi-Weekly
DEDICATED TQ THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST
SINGLE COPY nr
IN RALEIGH 43P
ELSEWHERE 300
Further Talks Reason _ # _ T# f
NAACP March On Japanese Racism Nixed
Om of the nation's most powerful
chril rights organizations this week
placed thousands of African
Americans on hold when it suspended
a massive march planned for
Washington, D.C.
For the past 60 days, the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People has maintained an in
formational picket line at the
Japanese embassy in Washington,
D.C. Plans were well underway for a
massive protest Dec. 15, involving
thousands of demonstrators, sup
ported by major African-American
organisations.
The daily picketing and planned
demonstrations were a reeponae to in
tuiting racial remarks by Japanese
officials over the past few years and
perceptions of discriminatory hiring
and business practices by Japanese
Arms doing business in the United
States.
Both the daily picketing and the
protest have been suspended pending
the outcome of further talks with
Japanese government officials and
leaders of Japanese business and in
dustrial community, according to Dr.
Benjamin L. Hooks, executive direc
tor of the NAACP.
Earlier, the more than 3,200 units of
the NAACP had been notified of the
proposed demonstration which was
linked to the unsatisfactory pace at
which negotiations between Japanese
officials and the NAACP were pro
gressing. The Raleigh-Apex chapter,
undo* the leadership of Rev. H.B.
Pickett, also had planned to take a
bus of demonstrators to Washington.
The negotiations were over e
number of recommendations for ac
tion contained In a position paper
prepared by the NAACP and submit
ted to tbe Japanese ambassador to
the United States and to the Japanese
prime minister on Oct. S.
Included in th* recommendations
were those related to Vhe dissemina
tion of African-American history
through the Japanese schools; the
employment and promotion of
African-Americans working for
Japanese Arms; tbe securing of fran
chi«e« and dealership* for Japanese
products by African-American*, etc.
“Over the past several days we
have received indications from the
Japaneee that we are beginning to
make progrees. Based on this, we
have concluded that we should hold
the planned demonstration in
abeyance while we proceed with the
talks,” Dr. Hooks said.
“The NAACP has also scheduled a
meeting in Washington on Dec. 4 with
20 key executives of Japanese firms
doing business in the United States.
We will be strongly urging them to ex
ercise their considerable Influence to
help substantially improve relations
between the Japanese and the
African-American community,” Dr.
Hooks added.
“It should be clearly understood
that our decision to postpone the
mass demonstration at this point does
not indicate any weakening of rasoIve
to vigorously pursue this matter.
“We Intend to pursue all available
options to bring this matter to a
satisfactory conclusion,” Dr. Hooks
said.
h
RESPITE SERVICE
Became of Its coacern for
caregivers and their loved ones,
the Council on Aging of Wake
County, Inc. will have available
Private Pay Respite Service in
ssld-Janaary tMI. Four hours
per service visit at full charge
will be provided to the family of
the person for whom respite care
la needed.
HOUSING AMENDMENTS
President George Bush signed
a major housing bin Into law Nov.
B, including' amendments by
Fourth District Rep. David Price
to provide affordable housing for
tow and moderate-income
families an^, senior cMiaens. The
Cranston-Gonsales Affordable
, lloasiag Act was approved by
Congress on Oct. ZS, in the final
hours of the ltlst session.
ISSUES FORUM
Former Gov. James B. Hunt,
Jr. and North Carolina State
University Chancellor Larry K.
Menteith will meet with deans
and other campus leaders and
plan the sixth annual Emerging
Issues Forum. Former President
Jimmy Carter will be the keynote
speaker for the Feb. 14-15 forum.
EAST STREET PROJECT
The construction of four single
family and four attached units
has begun on South East 8treet
between Lee and Bragg streets.
1%ese homes are being developed
(See NEWS BRIEFS, P. S)
Dan Blue Takes
On Speaker Off
NC House Role
A significant shift in support has
enabled State Rep. Dan Blue
(D-Wake) to be tht likely successor to
House Speaker Joe Mavretic when
the General Assembly reconvenes In
January.
This week, Blue virtually locked up
the victory in bis campaign (or the
seat whan his chief rival withdraw
from the race. Blue’s strongest oppo
nent, state Rap. Robert C. Hunter
(D-McDowell), announoad he was
withdrawing and supporting the
A group of House Democrats who
to create the controversial
coalition with Republicans in order to
(D-Madlson) and elect Mavretic to
the pool m imp thotr support
(See DAN BLUR, P.l)
Downtown Raleigh Scene
BLACK HERITAGE FOCI ;
NC Traditional
African-American
Artists Perform
The best of North Carolina's tradi
tional African-American artists will
perform Saturday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. in
the auditorium of Athens Drive High
School.
A concert of black guitarists,
gospel soup and singers, folktales of
the South, blues and dancing will be
performed by some of the states’s
outstanding black folk artists.
Tim performance will be sponsored
by the Downtown City Gallery as part
of a series of cultural presentations
held in various locales throughout the
city.
Chuck Davis, artistic director, nar
rator and master of cersmooieo for
the five-year-old arts festival and
tour, will explore the history of black
life experienessinthe South and west
African music dance.
The tour is managed by staff and
students of North Carolina A4T State
University’s Theatre Division, under
the direction of Dr. H.D. Flower*.
Master dance instructor Davis, a
Raleigh native, will open the event
with “an exuberant demonstration”
(See HERITAGE, P. 2)
npHHRHppf
STUDENT—Narth Caralna Stitt Unhranlty
Dr. CMatiaa M. Danttn and ata aatitindhn atadanta at its
Canttr. Ma. Dardaait an axpart in aanfc Ham mtaMzadan. Ffcttrad ahava.tram
Mfc Ma. Daidsn, with NCSU Chanealor and Mra. Larry K. Mantalth.
Investigators Find Black Organized
Crime On Hie Increase Across US
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)-Law en
forcement officials say black organiz
ed crime poses a serious problem in
New Jersey.
But black mobs have not received
sufficient attention from police who
have instead focused on La Cosa
Nostra mobs, law enforcement of
ficials said last week.
Tbe officials and two former
numbers of black mob groups told
the State Commission on Investi
gation Oat drug trafficking and
violence on city streets usually blam
ed on street gangs is actually fostered
by well-organised operations.
Tbe groups, they said, included
well-insulated bosses, middle
managers, young street dealers and
lookouts who were as young as a.
They deal in drugs, stolen cars, and
The
tbe commission was told,
he groups which were composed
of African-Americans as well as
Jamaicans, Nigerians, West Indians
and Haitians, use legitimate
as fronts, and violence to
voice and Image to conceal his identi
ty. "I guees you can say that’s an
organized crime group."
Officials said the "Five
Percenters” originally came to New
Jersey as a religious group but now
are an organised crime operation.
The farmer member said group
bosses consider themselves gods and
go by names such as “Knowledge
Supreme.”
Zassali said police have notfocused
on Mack crime groups “from the er
roneous stereotype that African
ethnic grams lack the ability to
organise and are not capable of struc
turing a syndicate.”
He saidtMalack of attention has
allowed the groups to flourish.
“Several have become wealthy and
entrenched, with substantial
numbers of members," Zassali said.
“Their leaders are insulated from
probing police. They have terrorised
neighborhoods, corrupted youth and
fanned violence in urban areas.”
A former associate of a “Jamaican
Posse” mob sfiid Jamaican gangs
The groups Include well-insulated bosses,
middle managers, young street dealers add
lookouts. La Cota Nostra mobs are not the
sole threat to law enforcement from organiz
ed criminal enterprises. Black organized
crime operations are spreading.
protect their operations, officials
■aid.
“Tbsre bo no that La
Coaa Nostra mobs are not the solo
throat to our society from organised
criminal sotarprisaa,” said James R.
Zassali, chairman of the SCI. I
One former member of a group
called "The Pive Percenters" said its
“They sell druse, steal ears, com
mit murders, and havo police
tog for them,” said the
‘ ■ who spoke from
flourish in many northern New
Jersey communities.
"New Jersey i« always a good place
to hide,” said the former gang
member, whose Identity was also
concealed. “It's a safe area tor smug
gling guns and marijuana. Police in
New Jersey did not take the posses
> told the
that leaders of Mack
__becoming role
•wd the mack mot*
the city thaVo£ar«Su3 crime
operation, “because what they do
primarily takes place on the streets.
It hurts the community because peo
ple can’t walk at night.”
Camden Police Chief George D.
Pugh, who did not attend the hearing,
said in a statement, “I perceive no
greater threat to the rebirth, stability
and quality of life in our urban com
munities than the organised groups of
young predators terrorising our
neighborhoods... all under the control
direction of well-insulated in
dividuals.”
Donald L. Ashton, a special agent
in charge of the U.8. Drug Enforce
ment Administration office in
Newark, said leaders are well
insulated, noting that It took IB years
for officials to nab reputed black mob
(See CRIME, P. 3)
Leaders Decry Colin
PoweWa Leading King
Parade In Atlanta
From CAROLINIAN Staff Reports
The highest-ranking African
American in the U.S. military is
drawing fire from a civil rights
leader who has rejected the officer’s
role as honorary grand marshal for
the annual Martin Luther King Week
parade.
Gen. Colin L. Powell, architect of
the U.S. military buildup in the Per
sian Gulf, and the first black to serve
as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, will be honorary grand marshal
for the King parade in Atlanta.
Powell, a longtime admirer of
King, has been criticised by the Rev.
Joseph Lowery, president of the
Southern Christian Leadership Con
ference, as a leader in conflict with
King’s teachings of non-violence.
‘While I have a great deal of ad
miration for Colin Powell, under pre
sent circumstances I have deep con
cern. I think it creates an awkward
set of circumstances that neither a
King holiday nor Gen. Powell ought to
have to face,” Lowery said.
A King Center spokesman said part
of the rationale behind inviting
Powell stems from the belief by Cor
etta Scott King, King’s widow, that
the center should engage ideological
adversaries.
“One of the things you want to do is
convert your adversary in a friendly
way,” said spokesman Steve Klein.
Powell was invited to participate in
the Jan. 11, 19M parade in honor of a
man who taught and preached non
violence. King once declared the U.S.
government to be “the greatest
purveyor of violence in the world,”
and vehemently spoke out against the
Vietnam War, in which Powell served
two tours of duty.
In related issues:
A North Carolina professor says
that allegations that Dr. King
plagiarised parts of his Boston
University doctoral dissertation
serve little print and that the focus
should remain on what he ac
complished in civil rights circles.
Dr. Ed Funkhouser of the Depart
ment of Communications, North
Carolina State University, said he
was not sure at this time if he was
able to assess “what damage this
[the charges of plagiarism] might do
to his reputation. But it seems to me
that the weight of history probably
suggests that what he was able to ac
complish, the social change he was
aide to bring through his activities, he
would certainly be remembered for
and held in Ugh regard for.
“The problem of plagiarism is un
fortunate and I don’t condone at all,
but he was certainly a leader of peo
ple and he was very effective with
that, and I think be will always be
remembered for that no matter
what,” Funkbouser said.
“Considering the tact that he is
deceased... if he were alive to defend
himself, that would be one thing...
shy not leave it alone?”
The Rev. W.B. Lewis of First
Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in
Raleigh had no hesitation about
whether King’s degree should be
stripped. Commenting on an article
he had read, Lewis said, “I don’t
agree. I think that came up too late. It
should have been detected way down
the road. All the contributions he’s
made and the advancement of our
"llbe^Rev. J.B. Humphrey, co
chairperson of the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Holiday Commission, said
the third Monday in January of each
year has bean set aside by both the
state and federal governments as a
legal hottday.
“We beUeve it is appropriate that
the state work to plan, promote and
assist statewide and local efforts
directed toward oboorvance of this
important national holiday,” said
Humphrey.
“The governor of the state of North
Carolina has charged us... with the
fallowing duties: (1) to encourage ap
propriate ceremonies and activities
throughout the state rotating to the
oboorvance of the legal holiday
honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.’s
birthday; (I) to provide advice and
tr1*1" to local governments and
private organisations across the state
with respect to the oboorvance of
such holiday; and (S) to work to pro
mts among fee citizens of North
Carolina an awareness of the life and
work of Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Not surprisingly, Powell has
been touted a a potential running
mate for President George Bush in
1988 by some Washington pundits. He
has been described as presidential
material and military experts say he
represents a new breed of post
Vietnam soldier/pollttcians who
admits to no party affiliations.
Cry Goes Out Against Deadly
Force By Police in Tarheel State
BY CHRISTINA DAVI8-MCCOY
DmW t» TW CAHOUNIAN
Between January of 1989 and
February of this year six African
American men died in encounters
with police officers In North Carolina.
Two of the incidents Involved state
troopers, the others involved city
police officers. All of the incidents
stemmed from arrests or attempted
arrests.
Statistics on such incidents are sur
prisingly difficult to come by,
because until recently the state at
torney general’s office kept data only
on the number of law enforcement of
ficers killed or injured in such en
counters. The statistics that do exist
suggest that the police and communi
ty are correct in tearing that such in
cidents are becoming more frequent.
Research reveals that in the four
years before 1M there were oidy six
documented cases of African
American males who died in te-‘
cldents involving the police in North -
Carolina. Following the shooting
death of Sidney Bowen, former
mayor of Bolton, in February, the
•titi Doiice issued a statement that
OHIVV mNipWUllV W > 1MB*
four people of all races had bean kin
ed In encounters Involving state
troopers In the previous year. There
had been eight such incidents since
1883.
Law enforcement officials believe
that the Increase in violence stems
from the fact that there is less respect
for the law. Citisens, they say, are
more likely to resist and use force
•gainst police officers, and officers
are being farced to use their weapons
more often in self-defense.
Citisens, especially in minority
communities, argue that officers arc
more confrontational and violent.
Such conflicting points of. view, of
course, are likely to lead to more
misunderstandings.
Guidelines set forth by the U.K
Justice Department's Community
Relations Service and advice from
law enforcement experts in North
Carolina suanast oolicies that could
reduce the potential for such violent
uoaftrontations.
All of these policies underscore the
main conclusions from the Justice
Department report. Violent en
counters between the police and
citisens can be reduced if a given
police force consciously emphasises
the value of protecting human life
end crime prevention. Police must
also tailor their services to meet the
needs of the community they serve
and be accountable to that communi
ty.
There are a number of specific
policies that can reduce the potential
(Or violent encounters between police
andcitisens.
For example, the North Carolina
Criminal Justice Education and
Training Standards Commission
could develop a uniform, statewide
policy to govern the use of weapons
by law enforcement officers. Many
police departments, according to the
Justice Department, limit the use of
deadly three to circumstances that
endanger the life of an officer or other
cittern. This philosophy is consistent
(See DEADLY PORCK I’ t