t xxiv pug iil ui wav Aincan
American male continues U
grow, bringing a greater thread
of diversity to unity within th«
black race and the ultimate sur
; vival of this passage.
Presently we are observing
what some analysts attempt tc
define as an “underclass” with
blacks leading as the subject ol
family and community instabil
ity, resulting in joblessness,
homelessness and children,
women and the elderly receiving
public assistance.
The truly disadvantaged in
clude both white Americans and
members of other minority
groups in cities and rural areas
where high concentrations of
poverty ejpst. But we are chiefly
concerned here with the Afri
can-American males who have
become isolated.
i The chasm of alienation will
widen unchecked until the Afri
can-American community com
bines forces to help eliminate
• puvoivj) xaucu iouiauuu, uuuc,
► illiteracy, drugs, family instabil
, ity and unwanted teenage preg
i nancy. But first we must accept
this as a real threat to our unity
and existence.
African-American parents and
leaders must articulate a new
. vision for black males out of the
hope that has remained through
other times of near despair. This
vision must demand and rein
force a reclamation of the black
male, with new sacrifices, ener
gies, directions and the transla
tion of these into the practicali
ties of teaching and overcoming
oppression.
African-Americans understood
achieving political rights a gen
eration ago through dedication
and sacrifice. That was one
phase of the battle. The oncom
ing phase is to save the youth
and victory in this struggle is by
no means assured unless we
take a new direction.
Racism
i
1
Une ol tne most eloquent state
ments on the environment wai
given in 1854 by Chief Seattle o
the Suquamish at the time tha
the United States govemmen
purchased “his people’s land” ii
the Washington Territory.
“The Earth does not belong h
man, man belongs to the Earth,
said Chief Seattle to Presiden
Pierce in a heartfelt speech tha
addressed the environment an<
the underlying premise of th<
Anglo-American legal systenc
today.
“This shining water that move
in the streams and rivers is no
just water but the blood of ou
ancestors. If we sell you land, yoi
must remember that it is sacre<3
and you must teach your childrei
that it is sacred, and that eacl
ghostly reflection in the clea
water of the lakes tells of th<
events and memories in the life o
my people. The water’s murmu]
is the voice of my father’s father
The rivers are our brothers, the]
quench our thirst.”
like the long list of broken trea
ties, this environmental plea ha:
not been honored and today, gar
bage dumps, hazardous wash
sites, incinerators, industrial
plants are part of the landscap<
while pollution flows into oceans
rivers and streams, destroyinj
marine life.
Those facilities, which wen
regarded until recent years a
unattractive but necessary fix
tures of modem life, emit an<
expel contaminants that ham
both the natural environmen
and the health of human beings
The adverse effects of such facili
ties, though difficult to trace, an
significant, long-term and ma;
not be reversible.
It has surfaced that some of ui
are more at risk of exposure U
environmental pollutants thai
others, depending on skin colo:
and the size of bank accounts
Why? Because American dtiei
and towns are pervasively segre
gated along racial and socio-eco
nomic lines, and facilities tha
pollute are not equally distrib
uted throughout all inhabitec
areas.
Katner, tney are concentratea <
i in low-income, minority commu- i
F nities—deliberately, it seems, not '
t by coincidence. That’s the same *
t unequal treatment of people we 1
i observe in other aspects of Ameri- ,
can life. That’s environmental 1
> racism. 1
John A. Powell, national legal '
t director of the Amerian Civil Lib- ]
t erties Union, has reported that <
l minorities in the inner cities or on i
i Native American reservations
often do not resist—and some- '
times even welcome—the loca- (
5 tion of, say, an incinerator in their ,
t neighborhoods, looking to such
r facilities for economic salvation.
i But although the incinerator
, may bring some jobs, they are
i usually only a few of the lowest
i paying jobs—hardly enough to
r “save” the community. Moreover,
i property values go down where ]
f an incinerator has been located,
• and those who can afford to do so, <
. move away, further reducing the 1
' area’s tax base and further de- 1
pressing the community.
Language barriers, in some ,
) cases, along with the lack ofinfor- ,
- mation about health risks posed :
i by waste disposal or industrial
facilities, are other factors that
! prevent the poor from protesting
, against the placement of hazard
r ous facilities in their midst.
And even when poor and minor
i ity people are aware that health
s problems are associated with liv
- ing near sources of pollution, they .
1 simply do not have the political
i power to fend off the proposed
t facility. The affluent and politi
. cally empowered, on the other
■ hand, can keep hazardous facili
; ties out of their neighborhoods.
r The first civil rights lawsuit
involving environmental issues
i was filed last year. It seeks to
> prevent the construction of a toxic
l waste incinerator in a mostly low
r income, Hispanic immigrant i
. community in Kettleman City, 1
i Calif. The suit charges that local j
- residents were excluded from the (
■ decision-making process in viola- |
t tion of state environmental and (
- civil rights laws.
I Environmental racism is haz- j
ardous to your health. Be aware. (
1
If You Have An
Opinion About
Your Community.,
SHARE IT!
i'
l
MONEV BELT FOR THE NEW RUSE A
Wajid’s Word
BY F.GODFREY
One of the things I am sure most par
rots attempt to do at least on a regular
tasis, is to instill in their children a sense
>f self-pride and respect for other people,
egardless of their race, religion or
ifestyle. However, it is extremely diffi
ult to convince our children of the impor
ance or likelihood of others relating to
hem based on the same premise. For
ixample, I would say that most, if not all,
>lack people in America experience some
ype of overt racism every day. Our chil
tren experience itas students in the class
rooms of the Public System ot
diseducation where the racist notions ot
he oppressor were shaped long before
hey are encountered in the classroom.
We experience it every time we leave
>ur neighborhoods and go to the various
nails and business establishments. We
eel the way the security guards “watch"
is. We experience being treated less kind
;han white customers in many instances.
Ne recall being in line before some white
lerson in a retail store and being served
liter them. We are aware that our change
s sometimes put on the counter or dropped
n our hands as opposed to beingplacedin
>ur hands courteously.
Our children feel the stares when they
jo to the public pools in North Raleigh,
[hey are aware that when they go into the
vater that some whites leave the area,
hir children know that sometimes they
lave to miss out on opportunities to be in
alent shows, play sports, or participate
n other school activities, as participation
s not always based on ability. Our chil
Iren are taught that society judges them
>n their ability and left to question that
ihiloeophy as they sit on the bench and
watch some mediocre white kid play.
Our children know that they are more
likely to be severely punished by school
officials than their white counterparts.
They know that most of the people in
“chill out” (in-school detention) look like
they do. They know that their parents for
the most part make less than their white
counterparts for the same effort.
Our recent college graduates realize
that in spite of their high GPAs, perfect
attendance and their “doing the right
thing,” many of them will not find oppor
tunities in their disciplines. Many of them
know that they have been put on gradu
ate schools’ waiting lists because they
attended a black college. Those who do get
jobs realize that they must work twice as
hard as their white counterparts and may
still earn less.
I could continue to give examples, but I
am sure that most of you will agree that
things have not really changed; in fact,
they may have even gotten worse, and
will continue to worsen unless and until
we as a people begin to channel all of our
energies into turning our condition
around. Over the next few weeks I will
attempt to outline some things which 1
feel are basic to our survival as a people.
We cannot afford to wait on the govern
ment to legislate us into power. PoweT
must be seized.
In dosing I will remind you that we as a
people control more than $300 billion
annually. We also represent one of the 10
largest black populations among all coun
tries. We are a very powerful people and
we always have been. It is time for us to
use that power in improving our own
condition. It can be done and it must be
done! Peace!
Different Voice
BY DOROTHY SHAW -THOMPSON
nnnn oruui orAAAis
This article is about eight months in
;he making except that I didn’t listen.
When Spirit speaks tpme in circumstances
Tom a person or from a book Fve read,
when I don’t answer it gets louder.
I'm answering this time, Spirit, nomore
essons necessary. May 15 was a special
lay for me. I got a chance to go to a
redding that I looked forward to. Excuse
ne, folks that love weddings. I frankly
lon’t usually look forward to them. From
ny perception, too much money has been
ipent for a couple to begin their lives
ngether this way. Too few words are said
or one of the most important commit
nents a person has to make. Words that
oo often are not really understood, or not
ruly heartfelt and who really speaks from
he soul words someone else has you to
epeat? Let’s face it, who is going to stand
>efore God and witness and say, “I don’t*
ir *1 want to spend my life with you but...
or better or worse??? Come on, now*
Smile).
May 15 became for me, a challenge, an
ipportunity and a blessing. Ijoumeyed to
hirham to attend the wedding of a friend,
'rerny Braswell, and Bvyaro, who I had
tot met. The invitation promised the
•lending of the cultures of Africa, Brazil
ind America. I had painted the wedding
lolls for the cake and knew that for the
ouple the colors white, gold and red were
pedal and so I choee not to wear African
ut rather a white rayon knee-length dress
uit with metallic gold accessories. La
lies, I was sharp (smile). As I entered the
estibule of the church, I noted a heated
liscussion between three gentlemen. One
urned, pointing at me, and said with
loetility, “And die can’t come in either.”
“Sir,* said I. “Are you saying that I can’t
P in? May I ask why?" He bent slightly,
ouching the bottom of my suit, and asked,
What are those you have on?” “Pants,” f
eplied. Tfs die pants... You don’t want
ne in your church with them on.” Sur
rrisintfy, as I look back on it, it really was
4
uiuiy. i naa oeen tnougnuess, u naa not
hit me that I wouldn’t be able to wear
what I had on in... and it was okay. Brad
could go in and report back I wouldn’t
miss it... he could be my eyes.
The challenge: “It might not be no
wedding,” he said. The minister strutted
off in a huff. Then it hit me. I had been
baptized at five years old, studied the
Bible... listen to God every day and had
been disallowed entrance to His house by
a man, not because of my behavior, nor
something he knew about me, but rather
because of what I had on!
The opportunity: I am a Christian. I
could not walk away and say nothing...
this man is my brother, minister though
he may be... he was wrong... sincere, yes,
but sincerely wrong. I went to him and
introduced my self-my real self. He asked
me what denomination I was. I told him.
“I see,” he said. “Well, we are disciples of
Christ* I said, “Do you mean to say fol
lowers of Christ?” He said, “Miss, we don’t
let women in our church with pants on
and with nothing on their heads. Another
woman came to our church with pants on
once... I stopped my sermon and told her
to leave.”
“Sir,” I said. “Do you believe that that is
what Christ would do?” He didn’t answer.
I continued, “Sir, I would never again
come to your church with pants on be
cause I can see it offends you and my
intentions afe not to offend but I must say
that we see the place differently. You see
it as your church. I see it as God's house
and I know Him, and He knows me and
baaed on that knowledge, He would let me
in.”
“Maybe so,” he said. “But I have to
protect my church from idol worshippers.
They intend to worship idols in thereI
later learned that he referred to an Afri
can wedding sculpture that, instead of
flowers and candles, was a part of the
decoration. Later, I had another opportu
nity to talk with him and share that the
(See DIFFERENT VOICE, P. M
#.
Bible Thought
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich
and the poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them
all. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself:
but the simple pass on, and are punished. By humility and
the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.
•Proverbs 22:1-4
TONY BROWN’S
JOURNAL
WANTED: A FEW GOOD LEADERS WITH IDEAS
Jesse Jackson’s latest political act is to demand that
the Democratic Party adopt a platform that is so liberal
that it would doom Bill Clinton’s chances of winning
because it would cost him the suburban vote.
For the first time, suburban
ites are a majority of the voters.
In 1968, it was a bloc that
formed the core of the white
backlash against ghetto rioting
that elected Richard Nixon.
In 1992, not only are these
whites as anti-inner-city as in
1968, they are poorer and in no
mood to share money with the
city-black poor.
Furthermore, any politician
who suggests that money be
transferred from white subur-1
banites to the urban cities, as Gov. Jim Florio did in
New Jersey, will be punished at the polls.
Jackson’s 1960’s brand of leadership misses an es
sential reality of the *90s: the suburbs control the
nation’s political destiny. And as always, money follows
power.
So how does Jesse Jackson think he can persuade
the probable Democratic presidential candidate, Bill
Clinton, and his party’s leadership to commit political
suicide by endorsing his agenda of outdated liberalism:
more unionism (something Clinton has fought for years
in Arkansas), more massive social programs that have
already cost the Democrats the White House and oppo
sition to the death penalty?
Besides, with Clinton’s record of executions, and he
certainly does not discriminate against the blacks he
allows to die, he would be a blatant hypocrite to oppose
(See TONY BROWN, P. 14)
BROWN
MIND’S* EYE
by Agatha E. Carroo
A recent ‘Donahue’* show brought the Mike Tyson
fiasco full circle. Bill Cosby’s daughter, Erinn Cosby,
spoke freely about an episode with Mike Tyson in which
he attempted to rape her. This incident occurred before
the'Desiree Washington rape. The entire sotdld episode
with Ms. Cosby was hushed and her famous dad appar
ently took care of everything. He supposedly, through his
attorneys, strongly suggested to Tyson and his attorneys
and entourage that Mike Tyson spend a year in counsel
ing. Mike did not follow through and he continued to be a
walking time bomb. Tyson is now incarcerated in a correc
tional facility designed to punish and not to rehabilitate.
The treatment he obviously so badly needs will continue
to elude him. Upon his re-entry to society, he will probably
engage in the same sexually brutal behavior.
In continuing to analyze the Tyson case, it is obviously
more complex than some commentators and some of the
public first thought. It is not a case of a black man being
“railroaded’’ by a racist criminal justice system. The
system actually worked this time.
In this instance, it would behoove all of us to examine
some of the themes and processes that the Tyson cases
raises. First, African-American athletes who achieve
money and fame through cunning and brute strength,
rather than education, are easy prey for greedy, unscru
pulous managers, attorneys, accountants and others.
Instead of suggesting continued education and training
for someone like Tyson, he is prompted to make speeches
to our youth about stayingin school. Thus, he continues to
work with his basic instincts and his so-called managers
and supporters “rob him blind.”
A second unsettling theme points out the lack of
outrage and disinterest of some members of the African
American community when the victim at the hands of a
black male athlete is a black woman. The list of known
victims of Tyson include beautiful black women: Robin
Givens, Erinn Cosby, and Desiree Washington. There
must have been a number of less known women who
suffered this same fate in his past. For some ministers,
politicians and others, if the black man is rich, and the
black woman alleges rape, she is lying and is after the
black athlete’s money. For some time now, I have quietly
witnessed the attack of black women by some black men.
I recently heard of a situation in which a black profes
sional indicated to a white reporter that black women
should not be consulted when questions pertaining to
black male youth are raised because “they have been the
problem.” Others have continued to preach that black
women are “taking jobs from black men."
Countless other ludicrous, unsubstantiated statements
about black women have been voiced even in the national
prass* Our women have begun to internalize some of the
negative views voiced by misguided men as demonstrated
by their vociferous attack of the victims of Mike Tyson. If
I was asked to choose one single factor which has caused
the almost total vulnerability of the African-American
community, I would choose the disunity between African-!
American men and women. In the interest of the survival:
of our people, this situation must change.
The final theme that leaps from the Tyson case is the
rich athlete’s total lack of understanding of the power of
money. If properly applied; money along with the cha-,
risma and popularity the athletes exude, could change
entire communities. There are a few athletes who under-!
stand this, including Wes Unseld, Magic Johnson, an*
Jim Brown. Wes and his wife own and operate an excel-r
lent school for black youth in the inner city. Jim Brown
has been training and seeking employment in south
central Los Angeles for gang members for years. Tyson
apparently used some of his money to “pay off* females
whom he allegedly assaulted.
It is time for the ardent supporters of Tyson to effec
tively advocate and offer encouragement to him to seek
psychological assistance and therapy. His problems with
women will not just go away without help.