R( , ■ ■ ■ RALEIGH, N.C.,/\ THURSDAY, / ] APRIL 18,1991 ( I VOL. 50, NO. 42 SINGLE COPY QP IN RALEIGH £O0 ELSEWHERE 300 “T-Wfr" ■ Yomn Development n «o 11th Strengthening The Black Family Conference BY DAVID SAWYER SUfl Writer The most profound issue to face the African-American family since slavery is family stability. Con sistently, statistics indicate that the African-American family is in deep trouble. Over the past 15 years, this number of African-American families headed by women has increased rapidly. To day, almost 50 percent of all African American families are without a father in the home. Unless solutions are implemented, many African-Americans are destin ed to live in the perpetual ghetto of theaooos. This is why Strengthening the Black Family, Inc., established in 1987, is so important to the communi ty. April 37 maria another program for this community-based coordina r 1 Preparations For Intematl Festival Made BY DAVID L. SAWYER surf Writer According to JoAnn Cuilla, a spokesperson for the St. Joseph Catholic Church, more than 2,000 peo ple are expected to participate in the second annual World Art and Craft Festival which will be held Saturday, April 20, from noon to 7 p.m. The event will take place on the corner of Poole Road and Peartree Lane. The church-sponsore Other highlights of the conference will feature experts on youth develop ment, and youth performing in a special talent event. The conference will close with a banquet recognizing three outstanding Wake County families. The conference begins with registration at the Martin Luther King Student Center at St. Augustine’s College from 8-8:30 a.m. with a plenary breakfast session with keynote address on change by Harvey Gantt, former mayor of Charlotte and former Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. Some of the sessions will include an Khication workshop with Lorreta Murrell, a plenary session on “Eating Yourself to Better Health” by the Wake County Health Department, a health committee workshop titled “Prescription Drugs: Use and Abuse;” “Health Care Legislation:, Issues and Answers;” and a dramatic presentation, “And if the Truth Cometh from a Child,” by the Nay-Kel Players and Co. The wrapup will include a 4:30 p.m annual banquet in the Martin Luther King Center Ballroom. Participants include Gantt; (See BLACK FAMILY, P. 3) Census Report Shows NC Last In Fundino Tarheels Gel Less, But Pay More (AP)—North Carolinians receive fewer federal dollars per capita than their fellow countrymen in other states, less, in fact, than the amount Tar Heels spend on Uncle Sam. A Census Bureau report shows that North Carolinians received $3,043.19 per person in federal spending on pro grams, grants and salaries in 1990. That compares with the national average of $3,974.31, or a total of $1 trillion given to states by the federal government. Though North Carolina, the coun try’s 10th most populous state, rank ed 50th in federal funding, it ranks Mth in the amount per capita its residents dole out in federal taxes. State residents paid $3,339 per capita in federal taxes last year, ac cording to the Tax Foundation, a private, non-profit group based in Washington that monitors tax and budget issues. “Iliat places a heavier burden on cur folks,” said state school superintendent Bobby Etheridge. “We rank 50th, and yet we’re the 10th largest state, and not wealthiest state. And one in five of our children is classified as living below poverty level.” Etheridge said state leaders should press for a bigger share of the federal pie. But Nancy Pekarek, a spokesman For Republican Gov. Jim Martin, said the figures indicate the state is more self-supportive than most. North Carolina enjoys the lowest unemploy ment rate of the 11 largest states, Forking out less for food stamps and welfare, she said. “There’s an inherent supposition there that we need to take everything we can from federal government,” Ms. Pekarek said. “Some things, such as a low unemployment rate, are good for us. We prefer not to have (See FUNDING, P. 2) speaker on Health Issues (or the Black Male of Today; HELPING BLACK MALES—“The Black Male: An Endangered Species” was the topic for the February meotini of the Alpha Thata Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Pictured above are Mrs. Carolyn Ennis, chairperson of the Black Heritage Committee, Mrs. Barbara T. Fined, president of the chapter; Dr. Paula S. Sawyer, Attorney Anita Pearson, speaker on the legal issues concerning the Black Male; Miss Mary Canty, speaker on Economic Issues facing the Black Male; and Mrs. Joan D. SHvey, preslder of the forum. It was very Informative and up-to-date. Presidents of the educational systems in North Carolina say that it is imperative that the general public fully understand the consequences of the first round of budget cuts imposed by the Legislature that are already being felt by the schools and colleges. “We are fearful that what began as a necessary, healthy process of trim ming and slimming down the state’s budget has become a process of roll ing back the educational process it took so long to make,” Bob Etheridge, Robert Scott and C.D. Spangler, Jr., said in a joint state ment recently. Etheridge, state superintendent of public instruction; Scott, president of the N.C. Community College System; and Spangler, president of the UNC general administration, began by saying since the height of the Depres sion, North Carolina lawmakers have steadily, and at times heroically, charted a course designed to create a system of public education com petitive with any in the nation. “It has been an accepted tenet that North Carolina’s progress as a state is in timately coupled with the quality of its three publie education systems,” their statement said. subcommittees o( tne joint Ap propriations Committee—searchig for • mearns to balance the budget—have proposed cuts of almost $250 million for the 1991-92 education budget. Those cuts come on the heels of cuts and “negative reserves” imposed last season. “These cuts are real and substantial,” the release said. “More importantly, the cuts carry the pro mise of undermining the hard-fought for improvements to the public education Infrastructure that so many have worked so hard to imple (See BUDGET CUTS, P. 2) Scientists vs. Sociologists Ask High Blood Pressure Result Of Genes? BOSTON, Mass. (AP)-Are the eight million Mack Americans with high Mood pressure victims of racism or genes? One scientist believes it can be traced to conditions on slave sMps crossing the Atlantic where many died of salt loss. That is the core of an argument—usually stated much less bluntly—that divides scientists and doctors who are trying to understand the origins of the single biggest health problem of Americans with African ancestors. High blood pressure, is a huge health iaiard for all Americans, but is worst for blacks. Tb iy have the disapue one-third ma often than whjtas, get it earlier in Lie and have it far more severely. But why? Are Mack Americans, perhaps because of their history of slavery, more likely to inherit genes that make their Mood pressure high? Or is it high because they are exposed to more psychological and social hazards? "It’s racism,” contends Drt Richard Coorar of Loyola University in Chicago—the stress of squalid, crowded housing, the growing anger of being held back by prejudice, the bad diets and obesity that are pover ty’s frequent companion. While agreeing that being poor is bad for Mood pressure, Dr. Clarence Grim of Charles R. Drew University in Los Angeles believes the main reason blades suffer the disease more is In their genes. “There is substantial evidence in black Americans that blood pressure is strongly genetically influenced," said Grim, probably the nation’s debate. In fact, some of the strongest adherents are black, while the most spirited attacks on the idea sometimes come from whites. “There’s no question about it,” said Dr. Elijah Saunders of the University of Maryland. “Whenever I allude to this to some of my black colleagues, According to federal statistics, 29 percent oi U.S. whites and 38 percent of blacks have high blood pressure. But the burden of the disease on blacks is, greater than these figures suggest, since they get it earlier in life and often have it far more severely. most prominent exponent of the gene theory. Complicating the debate are the leanings of the scientists themselves. Some are reluctant to blame genes, in part because they fear this will lead to speculation about genetic inferiori ty in areas such as temperament or intelligence. Physicians and biologists seem more at ease with the genetic idea Hm> do psychologists and Social scientists And while some black ex perts are openly skeptical, race does not clearly separate the sides in this tore is some discomfort about iscrlbing this to genetics. I can understand that. But scientifically, ire need to know the answers." One reason for exploring the role of jeoes is the clues this knowledge will provide for treating and preventing Ugh blood pressure. If, for instance, icientists find an easy-to-spot genetic lignpost for people with this suscep tibility, they could be warned to change their living habits so they never get the disease, which doctors call hypertension. An understanding of the genetic underpinning of the ail ment also will open the way for more precise and effective treatment. Understanding hypertension is im portant for everyone, since the condi tion affects an estimated 63 million Americans and is a major underlying cause of heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, hardening of the arteries and kidney failure. According to federal statistics, 29 percent of U.S. whies and 38 percent of blacks have high blood pressure. But the burden of the disease on blacks is greater titan these figures suggest, since they get it earlier in life and often have it far more severe ly. Blacks have 1V4 to two times more strokes, three to five times more heart failure and 10 to 18 times more kidney failure related to hyperten sion. ■ No one knows for sure whether this results from an increased genetic tendency or “environmental” fac tors, such as salty diets and stresaful living conditions. However, many ex perts believe some combination of the two is at work. They say that even if olacks have an added inherent sus tibility, many would not get high blood pressure if they could avoid the stresses of lifestyle and diet. “The truth probably lies somewhere in between,” said Sher (See RACISM/GENES. P. 2) hwCUOUNUNIMMlM > The five-day 8 us pernios and demo tion of Raleigh Police Det. James Glover imposed by City Manager Dempsey Benton may have beep a# a result of Glover’s shooting of cttfien Tony Farrell, but not specifically because of it. ■; The CAROLINIAN on Feb It. reported that Benton was conskfcring or had already suspended Det. (Rover from the police department for five days. “Such a suspension would automatically demote Gtoverfrom Investigator Grade 2 to Investigator Grade 1, with a substantial loss in pay. With 24 years on the force, Glover would be too close to retire ment to be considered for any senior post in the department.” It waa alao imported that Glover would be remov-. ed from active street duty for. an: undetermined amount of time. ! The Rev. H.B. Pickett, president of: the Raleigh-Apex Branch of the Na-: tional Association for the Advance-. ment of Colored People, said, “The suspension of Officer Glover for only five days indicates that the City of; Raleigh has not reached the point where it places as high a value a black person’s life as it does a white. I had hoped that we had come further ' along in the area of race relations.; What will it take for the City: of; Raleigh to understand that the African-American community alts as a powderkeg with the fuse lit?” Sources in the Raleigh PoUcs Department say that Glover was demoted because he violated police operating procedures. Beyond not showing his badge, Identifying himself or using his light or siren, Det Glover was not authorised to roadblock Ashe Avenue the night be stopped Farrell. - According to police operating pro cedures, Sect. 2.1.7, “Roadblocks are i not to be set up by assistant officers ’ without notifying the [police] dispatch, who will notify all unitsof l roadblock location. Roadblocks ate to l be approved in advance by a - (See GLOVER. P. t) ! Fear Of Law | Enforcement On TheRiae BY MAURICE A. CLAYTON An Analysis * The job of a police officer ia hard, • so hard that when police officers are\ recruited, they are put through teats to find out what their limits are. Limits that include physical en durance, psychological and social heights Police brutality is not^d dressed directly. It seems thaCGFa person is well-rounded psychologipal ly, they wouldn’t be racist or fagafhal. But as we can see, this is not thehgsk The individual socialization process is carried out in the United States on local geographical and ethnic roots. The melting pot that Amerlpp is supposed to be is in fact a pot that is filled with everything, With, everything having its own individual spot. . like a pie instead of a stew. The melting pot theory can only becotae fact when the individual proportions are spread out in such a way that everything inended is complemahtod by such a dispersal. When you create a police force that is not reflective of the society that it serves, you’ll not have a responsive. department Those who make up the. greater portion of that department would in fact be in charge by the mere weight of their numbers. Anywhere that reflective body does not exist you will have brutality of one form or another. This reflective power does not have the same effect in all phases of democratic life. All those who feel that they have the numbers in any government will demonstrate that feeling In their action because they can. If their actions are fair by any objective point of view it will reflect the moral depth of whatever the group. 'V , Any police department that allows its members to practice any form of societal prejudice within or outside of their department iS' begging : for serious political and societal troubles and pressures for change. America as a whole is a loving country that allows for the mix to be fair, but it is the few Individuals pitt ed in sensitive societal positions who have a warped sense of morality $kt chips away at the very fiber of this country... fair play. It is imperative that the Loe Angeles Police Department, the (See ON THE RISE, P.2)