( ne By Earl Ofari Hutchinson In June Newsweek magazine boasted that many Black Americans are living better than ever before in America. They are better educated, make more money, live in better neighborhoods, and own more busi- nesses. The message is that since things aren't nearly so bad as many blacks make it out to be----stop complaining about racial ill-- treat- ment. But many do complain, and ~ complain loudly. And with good reasons why they do and should. ePublic Places: Many blacks sub- jected to poor (or no) service, bad seating, long waits, special cover fees and prepayment requirements in restaurants. Even if the lousy service has nothing to do with race since it's difficult to determine whether it is deliberate discrimina- tion management, inattentive wait- ers, or shorthanded help, the experience is deeply unsettling for many blacks who suspect that mistreatment has everything to do with race. Then there's the perennial problem with cabs. Many blacks shake with rage as cabs ignore their signals then stop a few feet in front of them to pick up whites. Some cab drivers privately admit that they won't pick up blacks. They claim they fear being robbed or assaulted. But when was the last time a Cab driver was assaulted by a black business person dressed in a suit and tie or designer dress with an attaché case in their hand? eRetail stores and residential neigh- borhoods: Black customers are Serving Eastern North Carolina Since 1981 — often followed by security guards and ignored by clerks and sales personnel. Many are frequently required to produce ID's or driver licenses to verify checks and credit cards even when they have accounts in residential neighborhoods, black contractors, plumbers, electricians, gas and telephone service employ- ees are often watched and followed by residents and harassed by police. eThe Glass Ceiling: Corporations issue glowing press releases, bro- chures, assorted handouts and an- nual stockholder reports that boast of their commitment to diversity. Yet ten out of ten senior managers are white, and the number of black CEOs can still be counted on both hands. And many blacks still insist that they receive less pay, fewer promotions and or subject to greater harassment on the job than whites. eBusiness: The biggest problem for black business owners is still secur- ing capital. The majority of black businesses receive little if any capital from financial institutions, and many of those that do, pay higher interest rates on their loans than white-owned businesses. While black business has grown steadily in sales and volume of business it still is a poor stepchild in the corporate world. eNet Worth : Nearly nine out of ten adult blacks in the work force depend almost solely on their wages to live on. They receive little or no income from stocks and bonds. While about one out of three Black professionals have incomes that exceeds $ 4,000 monthly they have ewe find the fruits of success, the taste is nothing | {Mood of Black America few tangible assets in stocks, bonds and savings. The median black household net worth was one- seventh of the median for white households in 1992. That figure has not budged much higher since then. eHousing: During the 1980's and 1990's about one in three blacks fled to the suburbs. However, they quickly discovered that the suburbs they moved into soon looked like the all-black neighborhoods they had left. In every metropolitan area the majority of black suburbanites were resegregated. And many blacks including affluent black families that live in predominantly white neighborhoods still complain that they or their kids experience insults or social ostracism. eEducation: More black students are trapped in crumbling, dilapi- dated public schools with more ill-prepared teachers, indifferent ad- ministrators, and outdated texts and equipment than two decades ago.Worse, many of these students are in urban public schools that are even more segregated than those schools were two decades ago. Even President Clinton at the commemo- ration ceremony in 1997 marking the fortieth anniversary of the Little Rock school desegregation battle shamefacedly admitted that the schools in Little Rock and other cities were nearly as segregated as they were forty years ago. These towering obstacles that no amount of cherry talk about how much progress blacks have made can erase.And that's why many Blacks are still in a bad mood ! August 20, 1999 ‘ August 27, 1999 } ta LAM oe ee +40 6 6 66 4 ataretetetetes o%eretete?, x *¢ CIO SOCIO IC J VY OOK * ¥ @rerereretetetetetel te eterete! % OOOO OOOO HOG el aes M 5 Oe Oe Ob * James Wynn nominated for US Court of Appeals If Confirmed, Wynn will be the first Black to sit on 4th Circuit Court © Legendary Fin Brn ~ faced judge incomes violence dsturbanee A trail date was set for Wednesday for Hall of Fame football legend Jim Brown, who faces charges in connection with a domestic disturbance. Brown 63, pleaded innocent last week to misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident last month in which the football (WASHINGTON) -_ North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge James A. Wynn Jr. was nominated last Thursday to fill a long- standing vacancy on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Senator John Edwards, who had recommended Judge Wynn to the White House, urged the Senate to confirm his nomination by President Clinton. "I am proud of Judge Wynn," Senator Edwards said. "I hope the Senate votes to confirm him so North Carolina will be represented on the court the way it deserves to Judge Sam J. Ervin II is the only judge from North Carolina now sitting on the appeals court that reviews decisions by federal trial judges in, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. If he is confirmed by the Senate, ‘ Judge Wynn would fill a judgeship that has been vacant since December 1, 1990, longer than any of the of the 25 unfilled judgeships on federal courts na- tionwide. A native of Robersonville, Judge Wynn, 45, now lives in Cary. He has been a North Carolina Court of Appeals j since 1990, except for a brief period in 1998 when Govern Jim Hunt elevated him to fill a temporary vacancy on 7 the Supreme Court of North Carolina. He also serves in the Navy Reserve as a captain and a commanding officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He joined the reserve after his active duty enlistment in the Navy from 1979 to 1983. Judge Wynn was a North Carolina Assistant Appellate Defender from 1983 to 1984. He was in private practice from 1984 to 1990 at the firm of Fitch, Wynn & Associates, which had offices in Greenville and Wilson. Currently serving as vice presi- dent of the North Carolina Bar Association, Judge Wynn also is a member of the North Carolina - Judicial Conference, the American Bar Association, the North Carolina State Bar, and the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers. No African American judge has ever sat the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. Senator Edwards also has urged the Senate to act on the nomination of U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge J. Rich Leonard of Raleigh to be a federal trial judge to be in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Judge Leonard was nominated on March 24 for the position that has unfilled for so long that the udicial Conference of the United States has declared the vacancy a “judicial emergency". legend allegedly threatened to kill his wife and smashed her car windows. The former Cleveland Browns star remained free on his own recognizance, but is charged with one count each of vandalism and making terrorist threats against his 25- year- old wife monique, during an argument at their Hollywood Hills home on June 15. The couple was arguing over their relationship when Brown grabbed a shovel from the garage and started smashing the windows of his wife 1994 Honda Accord, said Mike Qualls’ of the City's Attorney's Office. The wife ran to a neighbor's house and called police about 6:50 p.m. Qualls said. After interviewing her, Los Angeles police arrested Brown on suspicion of making a terrorist threat. Monique Brown said at an earlier news conference that she was to blame for the incident. "It was regrettable," she said of her 911 call. "It was rash. Jim would never harm me, or touch me. I was never in any fear of my life, or thought that he was threatening me in any |» way." "| just wanted to use the power I thought | had at the moment, because I wasn't getting what I wanted," she said. If convicted, Brown could face up to 18 months in jail and a fine, prosecutors said. Century City attorney William Graysen said his client is a victim of over zealousness by police and prosecutors. "My client is not O.J. Simpson. The police and the prosecutors agreed that he did not beat up his wife," Grayson said. Brown admitted breaking the car windows, but said he committed no crime because he bought the vehicle for his wife., Grayson said. "A neighbor saw her fall over the balcony and called police. The police assumed that he had thrown her over the balcony, but she had fallen. When prosecu- tors found that out they dropped the charges. ! 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Fourth Street PO Box 1886 Washington, NC 27889 Phone: (252) 940-0602 Fax: (252) 940-0605 1-888-948-2448 | E-mail: clinic@beaufortco.com 8 Appearing at Guy Smith Stadium, Monday Sept. 6th 1999 at the annual Soul Stirrers, The Drifters, Willis Pittman, The Powell Tradition. these young brothers will be singing all of Gods songs on Labor Day Gospel Family Reunion along with the Original Vine Sisters and many more look out for the (Photo By Jim Rouse) = adie old i iiclais talk iar eanpunces he heard "former Black Panther, Mumia Abu-Jamal, admit » murdering a Philadelphia police officer. Vanity Fair ~ magazine features an interview with Philip Bloch, _ who tells a reporter that Jamal made the admission to aie ’ Prison. The FOP applauds Bloch’s * ‘courage,” and the ils ii DA's office announces this is proof of Jamal’s guilt. For the better part of a week in summer of 1999 newspapers ran banner headlines, and talk shows did a brisk business in the above story. The gossip-oriented, Disney-owned “20/20 Show” called it a “significant development” in the Jamal case, and shamelessly hyped the show’s new “witness,” from a man who claimed he was a close personal friend. In a startling departure from journalistic “standards,” not a single newspa- per or so-called “news” show bothered to check his tale with me, nor to check him out with the Pennsylvania Prison Society, the agency that he was briefly affiliated with during his visits to state prisons in Pennsylvania. Instead, using the old “they did it—so we can do it” justification, papers and other media leaped at the chance to sell papers with this “hot” new story! You could almost -hear them drooling at this “scoop!” Stop the presses! Rarely has one lie drawn so much ink, so much videotape, or wasted so many trees! Let us suppose (just for the sake of argument!) that Bloch is speaking the truth. Have you ever seen cops embrace snitches so warmly? In truth, cops hate snitches, as shoufd be clear from cop cases where cops tell on other cops! Do you think the cops who testified as to the brutal assault on Abner Louima in New York were hailed for their “courage”’? Or were they damned and ostracized? What do you think? _ Bloch claims I was a “close personal friend” of his yet, admits his letters went unanswered for years! If his tale is true, isn’t he a snitch and a traitor? Yet, there is no truth to Bloch’s revelations, as will be seen by his own words. Again, just for the sake of argument, let us suppose all he said is true. Why would he write the following words to me over 6 months after my “confession” to him? I watched the movie—" Incident at Ogalala” [sic] last month—after Peltier’s [note: this refers to Native American political prisoner, Leonard Peltier] co-defendants were acquitted by the jury—({in a separate trial)—the FBI (interviewed on camera) were saying that the jurors and their families had been intimidated by Indians. Then they interviewed the foreman of the jury—and he said that nobody on the jury had ever seen any Indians— there was no truth to the FBI allegations. Then the juror said to the camera— I thought that the FBI agents were going to kill all of us (the jury)—after the verdict was read. So—it is possible to get justice from a jury~—not always— but sometimes. So, when you get anew trial—I think that there is a good chance of acquittal. (letter; July 17, 1993) [ ... Bloch] Question: Why write to a guy and write about new trials, or acquittals, if that guy confessed his guilt to you? Answer: Simple. There was no confession. Period. Mr. Bloch knew that six months after the time of an alleged “confession,” which means he is lying now. Did Bloch, like the cops of the 6th District, conveniently “forget” this “confession” also? I don’t know, and frankly don’t care why he has now come forward. Perhaps he’s frustrated that he’s still a substitute teacher, and. wants a push from friends in high places? Perhaps he seeks the warm glow of the limelight. Who knows? Who cares? By his own words, it proves he may not be a snitch, nor much of a traitor—but a liar. __By this episode, he’ $ proven how low so-called trash ate l can Bo. ante Today's News Its Tomorrow's ale): y Sin oy san a REBT EB cE REE OA AOE A DOA RAE ERE RUT RICE sR RRS WONnS OF A f like to them to the e Newspaper Gizaanulite = () 2/783 iZATS VOU WOL nen VALI IS St. NC This is a topic I haven’t written allowed it. Ricky Williams agentneeds his a** kicked for having his client’s ~ him during a-visit in winter of 1992 at Huntingdon about in a long time. But it’s been a long time since I’ve been this enraged about a particular issue. I'm generally impassioned about most topics I take up, but this one, for some reason, really pissed me off. Maybe it was a culmination of things. But what sent me off the edge was seeing a picture of all-time college rushing leader, Heisman Trophy winner and NFL top draft pick Ricky Williams in a photo with his new pro team coach, Mike Ditka. The photo was a preview of this week's ESPN magazine (Aug. 9) cover shot about the upcoming NFL season. Ditka and Wiliams “are getting mar- ried,” a reference to the New Orleans Saints’ long-term commitment to Wil- liams. Both are dressed as bride and groom, You can guess who was in the pm bape Itwasa sickening dem- of image manipulation. If oie we were still coach of the Bears, they never he have done this with i, goamarbeck MeNown(the Bear's choice from UCLA) or any | rising pte Suh woul wouldn't do image twisted just to get a magazine cover. Williams didn’t need a maga- zine cover that badly. But they (media, television, marketers) are quick to twist a black man’s image. In fact, they’re “mainstreaming” the “black freak,” the gay, the drag, anything twisted these days you can generally see it in print or electronic media ... in black face and a male. While I’ve never been one for total political correctness, and “court the line” of free speech and freedom of the press quite regularly, I try to maintain some civil sensitivities about certain issues, Not this week. You're "bout to see me “go off.” In the 24-hour period before I wrote this piece, I saw a “Spin City” ‘rerun in prime time, of the black male homosexual character trying to get his male boxing acquaintance to “come out of the closet;” three black homosexuals on “Jerry Springer” talking about “I got a se- cret to tell you;” reruns of “Malcolm and Eddie” and “Between Brothers” with enough buffoonery in one hour to last one month; and photo man- hunts of alleged black robbers and an alleaed hlack Faniet an the nightly “The Minority Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999 cof alg a pr spy otal OO rough day at the Ford,.GM or . Chrysler plant, it was always.alittle easier to stop by the neighborhood tavern, enjoy a cold beer, and then - go home. That way, you tended not to take out your hostilities on your family. Tough Tony Thompson worked in the foundry at the Chevy plant. He got his nickname because no- matter how hotit got inthe foundry or how the hot metal splashed as it was poured, he never wavered. He never stepped back. He always seemed to step right into the right spot. That, however, was not the only reason he was called tough. He was known to turn out a bar if someone rubbed him the wrong way. There were a few things that frightened him. One of them was his wife and the other thing was a snake. If a kid walked down the street. with atoy snake, Tough Tony would. cross the street so he would not . have to come in contact with the kid or the snake, Conversely, the mean- est guy in the neighborhood could look to have his clocked cleaned if he messed with Tough Tony. One Thursday night, after get- ting his paycheck. (in those days, many of the plants paid off on Thurs- days). Tony decided he would stop in the bar and have a few drinks. He brought several of his friends with - him and they started having a good time. A real good time. Tony would buy around and then someone else would buy a round and so it went for the rest of the evening. Even acursory ex- amination of the recently released statewide Stanford 9 Achievement Test results underscores the dismal performance of African American students, as well as the utter failure of school districts to educate these students. But who’s raising hell, demanding that the system educate, "not warehouse studénts”of cotor? Has there been an outcry over the test scores by African American parents, educators, community groups or black community press conference experts? The low achievement scores of . black students and an array of re- lated issues do not lend themselves to 30-second sound bites or vacu- ous pronouncements of bogus solu- tions. The failure of public.educa- tion for black students causes barely " aprotest ripple, reinforcing the edy- cation status quo and ensure cof- tinuing abuse of the community’s most precious asset—its children. Lack of student achievement also involves teachers, the front-line professionals who have primary responsibility for helping develop students’ potential. Among the rea- ‘sons teachers fail to meet this re- . ’ sponsibility are inner city adminis- trators, school boards and politi- cians whose priorities often have little to do with educating children. Except for experimental programs, (which have limited time and lim- ited funding), the bedrock issues in news. Then, there was.the iniamart Heisman Trophy winner in the “drag” photo with my morning cof- fee. _ And you wonder why people cross the street when they see a black man coming, suspect him of some- thing ... anything, at first sight or have problems relating to serious black men in serious situations such as business, policy or social con- cerns. The black man’s image have be- ‘.gome so twisted that society has almost come'to expect what they see in our societal lens of mass commu- nication. And, it’s a global context whether we, as black Americans, want to acknowledge it or not. The “freak” you see in prime time today, is the freak that runs in perpetual (lifelong) syndication in Asia. So when they come here, they already have preconceived judgements of black men, va ge Tttook black soldiers who fought in WWII 30 years to eradicate the rumor that “black men had tails (like monkeys).” That was a stark reality of the twisted images of black men put out there by both Japanese and racist white soldiers frustrated with the enerace and natoriety of the Tobey, one "Wes the ber teed 2.0m, to go home. the barmaids, sug- gested they all adjourn to her house and they could keep on drinking, © ‘gohody was: just as long as they slipped her a few bucks for. the inconvenience. Everybody. agreed, and away they “went. legger and bring in some booze. She also advised him to get some Polish sausage and bread, just in case they got hungry. Tobey saw her pockets getting fat. Somebody stopped by the Cunninghain drug store and bought several decks of cards. This was just in case somebody wanted to play a little poker or blackjack. This promised to be quite an evening or morning, whichever was the case. _ Tony and his gang began to come into Tobey’s place. When the count was taken, there were 14 guys and three females in the party. They drank and they drank and they drank. By now it was nearly five a.m. and nobody seemed to be getting tired. Tobey and her boy- friend were still pouring booze as the sun crept up over the horizon. And still they drank. / _ Some bright soul then introduced the idea of playing strip poker. This might have worked all right except Tough Tony wanted both Tobey and her boyfriend to play. Now, Tobey was a fairly small but shapely young lady. She was light-skinned, lighter than café au lait, with freckles and red hair. Many au the patrons of the bar came into urban education (and education re- form) are often not addressed and amazingly, are not priority concerns for education officials. This has devastating consequences for Afri- can American students who score lowest and receive fewest resources. Acase in point—the recently filed lawsuit by Attorney Johnnie Cochran and the American Civil Liberties Union. It is a class-action lawsuit against the Inglewood School Dis- trict and State Department of Educa- tion requesting that the court require Inglewood High School, as well as all - other high schools in the state, to provide equal access to Advanced Placement courses. These classes pro- vide advanced college credit, as well as the chance to receive five grade points for an “A,” when non-AP classes can only give four grade points for an “A.” The case.is based on the fact that Inglewood High School, whose stu- dents are virtually all African American and Latino, has only three AP classes, none of which is in science‘or mathematics, whereas, a school such as Beverly Hills High. that has less than 9 percent African American and Latino students, of- fers 14 AP classes, including 6 sci- ence and math. In other words, stu- dents at Inglewood High School can only receive a 4.0 grade point average, putting them at a serious ‘disadvantage in applying to such schools as UCLA, whose incoming» class last year had a GPA of 4.19. Tuskegee Airmen. Now we are willingly play “the freak” for entertainment. The Will- iams piece was particularly disturb- - ing because he-had cultivated a kind of “loner-culturalist” image (with his quiet demeanor and Afrocentric “rasta” look) that had been accepted. When you perform and create economic opportunity, people care less what you look like, particularly in sports and entertainment. Peoplc ‘counter the argument with, “Well, what about Dennis Rodman?” Well, what about him? Rodman chose to have his image exploited in the most vile and twisted ways imaginable. The colored hair and tattoos I could live with. People. have a fight to express their individuality, The cross-dressing and bisexual innu- endo I never accepted but the main- stream media had a field day with it. Now every black man is expected to have adress in his closet somewhere and a secret to tell, Williams wasn't in that category. He's star quality that doesn’t need ESPN or anybody else if he runs the football. They'll all come to him as a straight-up black man, like they did Jim Brown, “Walter Payton and even 0.3. Simneon | "prox Tey. "She called her live-in boyfriend and told him to run out to the boot-. Anyway, the game ont oer way. But there were unforeseen developments. Tony and his gang didn’t Know that both Tobey and her boyfriend ran after-hours joints ‘with gambling, all over the city of Detroit from time to time. So, when the game got underway, guess who the winners were? You got it! Tobey and her old man. _ Well this didn’t go over too well. Everybody was losing their cloth- ing just as fast as Tobey could deal the cards. By now, Tough Tony was feeling no pain and he decided he would just ignore Tobey’s old mah and make a straight-out play for Tobey. He waited until she had finished dealing and had gotten up from the table. He asked her for a drink and then followed her into the kitchen and made a play for her. He tried to get her in a corner so he could kiss her. Tobey, being as streetwise as she was, did not want to create a scene in her own house. That could get expensive. So she just kind of sidestepped him and kept on serv- ing drinks and fixing food. As the morning became more prominent, Tobey realized she would have to get thes¢ people out of her house if she was going to get any rest and be in any shape to come back to her job later in the day. Tony, however, was determined to get to Tobey and he was relent- less. Her boyfriend, recognized the problem she was having and tried to intervene, but Tony, just picked him up bodily and tossed him out of the house and closed the door on him. Tobey, became sweet and atten- The fact that school districts such _as* Inglewood, Compton and Lynwood are governed by people of color, in no way ‘absolves them of responsibility for educating all students. One would hope that these . districts are especially motivated to provide quality education for their students. However, the Inglewood © Board of Education was apparently oblivious to the ongoing inequity endured by its high school students, since it did nothing to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, all of this speaks volumes to the negligence in Inglewood and most other inner city school districts. — (Inglewood’s failure to expand the AP courses is all the more rep- rehensible since the Inglewood High ; principal's proposal to expand AP course offerings was rejected by. the district superintendent in 1995.) Student achievement is the single-most important gauge of suc- cess in school. This is, in some ways, unfortunate because race, in- ‘come and politics, among other fac- tors, are major determinants of who succeeds and who fails. Nonetheless, most probably quantifiable achievement tests will — remain the preferred assessment tool ‘for the foreseeable ‘future in public ‘education. Therefore, it is all the more important that African Ameri- can parents. -and the broader com- munity demand the their students be as prepared for higher education and the world of work as students in on “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in its “Greatest Athletes of the Century” series, saying he was “moody,” “militant,” and “aloof” most of his _ career. Naw, he was serious, cultur- ally centered and didn’t take any -.bulls**t off the media. So much for _ what ESPN thinks about black male images. On the sexual orientation tip, I don’t apologize for my “Neander- thal” views. I’m as open as the next individual about what a person does behind closed doors and would be ‘out front to protect that right (of — privacy), I don’t perceive myself as particularly homophobic, but could ' care less what your sexual prefer- ence is, and “who you do” behind closed doors (or in your back yard for that matter). I'mlike the military in that vein, “I won ‘t ask you, and please don’t tell me.” In fact, het- erosexuals who brag about their ori- entation offend me. If you're a stud, great, If you're a freak, fine. Keep it ‘to yourself and the one(s) who. choose to deal with you, Whatever your preference, you don’t have to. wear it on your sleeve, Butit is clear that the entertainment industry chooses to oe black men as ch ced ose v0 dal bee money from Tony, with an unspo- ken promise of better things tocome. She managed to get Tony to come into the living room and stretch out on the couch. He quickly fell asleep. Tobey then went into his pockets and found his home phone number and called his wife. She explained he had alittle too much to drink and was asleep on the couch. The wife having been through this before, told Tobey he would sleep for at least five or six hours, but that he would be a bear when he awakened. Then she told her he was afraid of snakes. This was the high point of the escapade. Tobey’s little sister had a little garter snake for a school project. It was just two feet long and she lived a block away. Tobey trekked to her sister’s house, put the snake in an oatmeal box and _came back home where Tough Tony was. Tobey waited about an hour and then went into the kitchen and got a cold towel. She placed the towel on Tony’s forehead and as he came awake, she dumped the contents of the oatmeal box in his lap. He sat for a second or two as the realiza- tion hit him. He began to shake and then roared with fear, jumped up and ran through Tobey’s.front door with some of his clothes in his hands. The rest were ‘on the couch. People who saw him, said he was running at least 20 miles an hour down the middle of the streets, partially naked, screaming at the. top of his lungs. Word has it, he has not had a drink since that day. And that was in 1959. . URBAN PERSPECTIVE ‘nese eneemummacmammene Test Scores and African American. Students more affluent school districts. Par- ents and community organizing ‘campaigns aimed at securing ac- cess and equity in schools would be a start in the right direction. Education reform in Los Angeles has had little or no impact on inner city schools which are populated al- most exclusively by Latino and Afri- can American students. The Stanford 9 Achievement Tests results dranidti- cally attest to this fact and curiously, perhaps predictably, those students who are most in need of the benefits of education reform are least likely to _ be affected by its programs. Focusing on the educational needs of African American students and using the results of the Stanford 9 Test as the launching point—Af- rican American parents, elected of- ' ficials, educators and interested oth- ers could develop strategies for mobilizing resources to turn educa- tion around for African American children. There is no higher prior- ity than securing the future of chil- dren and it is past time that the entire school community began ac- cording the children’s future high- est priority. Parents and interested others might begin by meeting together, drawing up specific concerns to be presented to boards of education, who are ultimately responsible for adopting policiés responsive to the needs of African American students, and thereafter demanding that such ola be implemented. Twisting the Black Male Image: Tired of Buffoons, Criminals, Gays and Drags? . ESPN recently did a “hack” job “soft,” “feminine,” or in many cases, straight out “flaming.” Fellow columnist and author, Earl “Ofari” Hutchison called this out in his book, The Assassination of the Black Male Image, and as a recent series on the decline of minorities in TV discussed, there is a “prolifera- tion” of gay images in television roles. And that doesn’t include the “freak” shows like “Jerry Springer” and “Ricki Lake” that can’t find enough black images to exploit. You rarely see white men “with secrets to tell” about sleeping with another man (another woman, maybe, ora woman sleeping with his woman— but another man, rarely), One of the’ few instances which it did occur ended. up in murder and a wrongful death suit: againet the freak show producer “Jenny, Jones”... But not a day goes by where one of these shows don’t have some twisted black image before the world. I, for one, am tired of seeing ‘em. And I'm tired of seeing them try to create more of ‘em. I hope Ricky Williams is pulled to the side on this one, He has too much going for him to be “dragged” into the denigration of the black male image before he plays one day of pro | o, The Minority Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999 Teenage drug use fell 2 ) = neem erereeeg in 1998: Government report wards JF. Teen drug use is beginningto © ~ | School © creep down after climbing through = Super Star the 1990s, the government reported — | Mcneil Wednesday. An annual survey found || wanted by all that one in 10 teenagers uses mari- 1 | High School juana or other illegal drugs — down i} iu is alread from-1997 though still nearly double | coaches Is already what it was in 1992. . | experiencing the President Clinton and others called fame. The "M voice would | like to congradu- the results solid evidence that the nation had reversed course. Woman fleeing sexual late this young su- ritual gains asylum per star on his A New York woman who fled bright future. Africa two years ago to avoid geni- tal mutilation has been awarded po- litical asylum. The Boatd of Immigration Ap- peals granted the petition of Ade- Jaide Abankwah on the ground that she had good reason to fear genital cutting if she returned to her native Ghana. Abankwah, 29, is the second woman to win asylum in the United States because of the threat of geni- tal mutilation, which millions of African girls and women undergo each year. . Rev. Sharpton pleads innocent in St. Louis protest - - The Rev. Al Sharpton appears * to be digging in for a protracted fight in the Mid- west. The New York civil rights ac- tivist refused to accept a plea agreement of- fered by the St. Louis City Counselor’s office this week and instead pleaded innocent to charges of impeding the flow of traffic and failing to obey a direct order by police. The case, which stems from a Ju- ly 12 protest in which Sharpton and about 80 others temporarily Marquita Pratt and Nikki Jenkins are shown here standing at the front of the Leslie Building at Pitt Community College. They recently attended a two-week Kids’ College Dance session held on the campus. They are members of the Performing Cherubs of Tabernacle Center Church of Deliverance (1300 Dickinson Avenue in Greenville). Dr. George Hawkins is their pastor. shutdown Interstate 70, will now ————————— head to trial. Boer Mice! Muhamnad() Minister Ray Muhammad (R} Rocky Mount's National Representative for the Honorable Minister Louis __ Farrakhan, Brother Minister Ray Muhammad took a few moments Friday July 2, 1999 to let local "M" Voice Representative Daniel Mayo do a quick interview. The Min. Ray Muhammad wanted to stress the illness of the Honorable Min. Louis Farrakhan. He said he spoke with the Honorable Farrakhan recently and the Honorable Min. Farrahan was getting spiritually fit to prepare for the 40 City tour. The purpose of this tour would be to speak to 10,000 or more people about the changes that are going on in the New Millennium to come that most minority communities will not be ready for. Min. Ray Muhammad also said that on Oct. 16, 2000 they are planning the Million Family March. The pur- pose of this gathering will be to really establish a 3rd political force and dévelop town hall méet- ings. Also the Honorable Min, Farrahan would like to improve on Unity. If you are more interested in information concerning these agendas Please Contact the Bro. Min. Ray Muhammad at 2730 S. Wesleyan Blvd. (252) 985-1139 Friday - 7:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Alzheimer's and Dementia. Alzheimer's Personal Care I; your loved one has Alzheimer's Disease and needs twenty-four hour supervision and assistance on a daily basis...consider Alzheimers Care of Commerce, devoted exclusively to those with ie aching storms. . al ortunately, we You can Count on Us . . . 24-hours-a-day, in any Kind of Weather! | It’s just one reason why Greenville Utilities is Your Local Advantage! NGreenville .& Utilities At Alzheimer's Care of Commerce our residents receive daily assistance designed for those with Alzheimer's Disease beyond the first stages. 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For more information, please call our professional event planners at (252)355-5000 CHRISINNES use Hilton Greenville *207 SW Greenville Blud., Greenville, NC 27834 ° | to the As a 25- Black female she believes that her race and her sex play a part in her acceptance into many communi- ties, but if it helps save a life then she doesn't mind one bit. "I honestly think they take the | condoms because they need them, not because I look cute on any | given day." Three days a week, two hours a day, Robin walks the streets of Greenville, armed with a black duffel bag, hundreds of condoms - and bleach kits. She travels in the afternoon when she knows more people are out and about. She is recognized by many of the people who she encounters because as she says, "it's the same people". Many of the people in this targeted area are chronic drug abusers, having been in and out of several detox programs more of- ten than not. "Part of the problem," Robin says,"is that many programs only allow you to stay from between fourteen and twenty-eight days. That's only enough time to get the drugs out of your system, before you go back looking for more." With the drug of choice for most addicts being heroin and crack cocaine, those few days just aren't enough time according to Robin. And so because of the many other problems that go along with addiction, Robin realizes that she must focus on one area. Now her focus is on the prevention of the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. "It's enough to be an addict, why complicate it with HIV?" Her condom bowls can be found all around "The Block", an area that runs from Albemarle to Martin Luther King. This area, dotted with shooting galleries, liquor houses, restaurants and a spot known as the Outer Limits, allows patrons to come in and get condoms through an agree- ment made between Robin and - the owners. soe The condoms, Lifestyles with nonoxynol-9, are making a differ- ence in the lives of a group of young men in the Moyewood housing area. Known as the Page Street Boys, they are happy and grateful that someone is looking out for them. Given condoms by Robin on many occasions they profess to use them and are always happy to see her. Whether or not they actually use them no one knows but for Robin she admits that she can't work that way. "I give everyone the benefit of the doubt," she says. But what about the people who aren't in West Greenville, and who can't be found standing on corners? For them and anyone who will let her Robin does "House Parties". "At a house party we come to your - house and bring lunch, pizza and drinks, and talk to you and some friends about "HIV and STDS," Robin says. Through this type of outreach she gets to meet people that she probably won't encounter in the detention center or at Walter B. Jones where she also goes and speaks. But what about the bleach kits? The bleach kits are given to intravenous drug users to. help them clean their works. Most of the people who she distributes the- kits to know how to use them and don't mind asking for them. "I have one client, who can't stay clean and so whenever she comes out of detox she knows to come find me. Even though they go back and forth they know to clean their works." For Robin she is convinced that her presence is making a differ- ence in this and many other communities. "Drugs are every- where," Robin says, "there's a lot of it going on everywhere." Is she making a difference, is her asser- tive street outreach helping to change Greenville, or is it just a Band-Aid over a much roblem? Without hesitation obin responds, "Even with what 1 do being just a Band-Aid, it covers something.” So maybe, just’ maybe that small part can begin to: eal, If you or someone you know needs help, or would like to talk with someone call Project Outreach at 758-2129. Knowledec 6 ee nee emcee _ The Minority Voice Newspaper | expands OU mind ‘ : t The Minority Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999 | a Comm lack of planning," Hilts said. "Greenville does more reacting to | the growth of the city than planning for it. That's the ‘prob- lem." "The city doesn't need to raise taxes to remedy it's problems," Hilts said. "We just simply need to be fiscally more responsible. Believe me, there have been hundreds of thousands of dollars lost on that convention center alone that could have done won- derful things if used properly in our communities. We have re- sources here in Greenville that could yield incredible things if we only recognize them and treat them with respect. This city does little or nothing in support of our businesses. Rule number one is - re Ree: Quality Shose Repair While You Wait! Quality Shoe Repair Clothing Alterations Complete Line of shoe Care Products Carolina East Mall Netherwoods Mall Greenville, NC Charlston, SC 1-252-756-0044 1-803-797-2488 Kerna Hilts, 29, postponed law school to challenge incumbent Greenville Mayor Nancy Jenkins in the upcoming November elec- if we don't support our businesses, some other city will." Ms. Hilts said that when she is elected, she plans to take more of a hands on tion.Hilts said:she feels confident that she will defeat Jenkins: "It's time for a change," Hilts said "We must go forward." Hilts, who earned a degree in communications and Journalism from East Carolina University in 1993, had planned to attend North Carolina Central Law School this fall to become a civil rights lawyer. "I've worked hard over the past o i several years to prepare for law — school and the LSAT, but this takes priority in my life right now," Hilts said. "I don't believe Ms. Jenkins is the right person to take Greenville into the 21st century.” Ms. Hilts, who is a member of the Philippi Church of Christ, said the city of Greenville can do a lot more to help lower income neigh- approach to the office: "For a city to work, you must take care of the entire city. You can't forget or neglect any part of our commu- nity. We must unite and work together for the good of all who live in Greenville." Educate Your Children Encourage sWivaiime ke Read. A TRADE MART CONVENIENCE STORE NUMBER #2 (pictured) - If you have to get up early each morning and you'elooking for the best breakfast in town, drop by Trade Convenience Store on Dickinson. At Trade Convenience Store # 2, =e eee J Greenville (NC) Alumnee Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Invites You to the 8th. Annual sisters prepare the best cheese biscuits in borhoods throughout he ci Pinigust 28, 1999 .,_| "These are proud people. They're ‘lo Te. th Greenville. Everybody love those cheese bis-| jot jooking for handouts, they're Know ledge IS American Legion Building cuits, so drop by for good service and looking for hope and fairness." pP ower 403 St. Andrews Drive Greenville, NC 7 , - ii "There is a lot of wasteful 1 P.M. - 5 P.M. a friendly smile. (Photo by: Jim Rouse) |. .nding in Greenville due to the Adulte $12.00 Children (under 12) $5.00 for Ticket Information Cynthia Doctor, President 830-0316 Annette Goldring, Vice Present 355-6376 Proceeds will benefit Community Projects. Moms and dads never seem to have trouble talking to their kids about what movies to rent. What clothes to wear. Or even what music to listen to. Then there are those to their children about peer pressure, drinking and driving, self-esteem, and how to make responsible choices. Choices like not drinking until they’re of legal age. And subjects that many parents _ if they choose to drink then, DE OICE | MEACURY LINCOLN find somewhat difficult to to do so responsibly. discuss with their children. Developed by authorities Like underage drinking. So Anheuser-Busch offers Family Talk About Drinking. From straightforward on child development and family counseling, the Family Talk About Drinking guide is yours free. Just give us a call. communication to actual Because talking to your kids sample dialogues, this about drinking shouldn’t leave you speechless. ESTER NISSAN guide helps parents talk 320 Becker Drive Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870 Local (252) 537-1041 Toll Free 1-800-326-8783 ¢ Fax (252) 537-4747 sie ‘ cae EES i 3 i 1 ce ne oe ool + es ” The Minority Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999 3 From t | e Cc esk of DON'T ! DON'T ! DON'T:! 1. Don't lick the silver or clean it on your napkin. 2. Don't play with your bread as if it were meddling clay. 3. Don't roll your napkin into a ball. Leave it on your lap. 4. Don't push your plate back when you've finished. It should remain where it is until taken away. 5. Never say: "I'm through". Put your knife and fork across the plate and everyone will know you've finished. 6. Never say: "I'm full”. 7. Never clean your teeth by running your tongue around them while at table. It is ugly to see. 8. Don't lick your fingers, or wipe them on a chair seat or under the underside of the table. Use your napkin. 9. Never leave the table in a fit of anger. 10. Don't talk so much that it interferes with your eating, or keeps others from taking part in the conversation. 11. Never be so slow or so talkative that everyone is kept waiting while you finish your food. 12. But, don't eat as though you were trying to win a race. 13. Don't drink the juice from the bottom of a dessert cup. Use your spoon 14. Never pile food on the back of your fork,or put your knife in your mouth 15. Don't lick bits of butter or jelly from your butter knife. 16. Don't chew with your mouth open, or talk while it is full. HAW To Be A GOOD SPORT A good sport is a person who is always fair in all his dealings with others and who is cheerful when things go wrong or when he can't have his own way. He knows how to take the bad as well as the good with a smile. everyone finds him pleasant to have around. Good sportsmanship should extend beyond games into everyday behavior at school, at home, or wherever you happen to be. Join cheerfully in whatever is going on in the way of games or other activities, and be good-natured when things don't suit you. You are not alone if you find it hard to be a good sport. Lots of people have the same trouble, but you can learn sportsmanship just as you can learn anything else. The Top 10 Ways To Build Your Self Esteem Be proud that you are unique Develop your own special style Don't be discouraged by mistakes Be responsible Treat others the way you would like to be treated Think positively Believe in yourself Don't listen to negative people Do the best you can at whatever you do Take pride in what you do well THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY IT'S NO JOKE TO SMOKE Smoking makes it hard to breathe You could use the Money for better things Nobody wants to kiss a Smokey mouth Smoking adds to air pollution It makes your teeth yellow It makes your clothes stink Smokers do poorly at sports Once you start, it's hard to quit It can make other people stink You can get cancer and die TOP 10 WAYS TO MAKE SMART CHOICES Smart people get the best jobs You can make a lot of new friends Every day there's something new to d 0 Teachers will help you with your problems You can see the world from your desk You can play a sport on a real team You learn about interesting things The more you learn, the better you'll feel about yourself It's a safe place that belongs to everyone School is neat and better than the streets THE TOP 10 REASONS TO SAY NO TO DRUGS Drugs and alcohol mess up your mind Drugs and alcohol mess up your body Drugs and alcohol are a waste of money Drugs and alcohol can be addictive The increase crime in your neigh- borhood Drug and alcohol users hurt other _ people If you get caught with them you will go to jail Drug and alcohol users are losers "THE TOP 10 WAYS TO PREVENT VIOLENCE Avoid places known for violence Use words to settle arguments Avoid drug and alcohol users Learn how to control your anger Think about the consequences be- fore you act Never carry a gun or weapon to school Join a crime watch program Report anyone carrying a weapon to authorities Realize that violence doesn't solve problems HUGS " Hugs are better than drugs" How To Make A Request 1. Look at the person. Use a pleasant voice tone. 3. State request specifically. Say please. 5. Say thank-you after request is granted. How To Resist Peer Pressure (Or Say No) 1. Look at the person. 2. Use a calm voice tone. Use a calm voice tone. 3. Make a positive statement for praise. . State the problem specifically. 5. Give a rationale why it's a problem. . Offer a solution. | 7. Thank the person for listening. An Incredible Man CHUCK AUTRY, a remarkable man with a humanitarian spirit = heart, may not possess @ string of honors and awards, but who is compassionate, caring, and - Godfearing, a peoples’ human being 4 who enjoys he ‘2 encouraging and supporting all, in spite of race, color or His shop is an open door where individuals in all walks of life enjoy conversation, camara- derie and warm hospitality. He's a positive man, an asset to this community and to any group or ) Thank you, Mr. Autry, for the — inspiration, the example you set for others to follow and for the stamina to speak the truth. Beatrice Maye SP i1r-itira_ Dr. George Hawkins The True Church The true church today is no different from the true church which Christ founded. the term “church” as found in the bible does not refer to a building or structure, neither does it de- scribe a particular denomination. Rather, it refers to the actual people who make up the church, those who are specially selected and called out of the world. In Scripture,the the word “church” is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia _ which means “that which is called out.” God is selecting or calling out those of the proper heart condition to be associated with His own dear Son as members of his body, together making up the church class. Jesus explained that the Father The true church is that company of people who have accepted the call of God, believe the teach- ings of Christ, and have become separated from the world and have become separated from the’ world and its spirit. Such separa- tion is not a physical one, such as seclusion in a monastery. The church remains in the world to be a light to those groping in the darkness, yet separated from it by her faithfulness and standards of the Christian way. (John 17:15) The church which is described in the New Testament carries many Bible names each ~one describing a particular aspect of the church. Some of these are: the bride of Christ, the royal priesthood, the saints, the elect, the little flock sons of god the church of the living God, Christians, overcomers, and new creatures. Denominational names such as Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist are not found in this list. They are human origin and tend to divide the church. Even though serve their purpose in identify- ing various groups of people who are trying to follow Christ, they do not necessarily represent the true church. The denomina- - tional name is not as important as the doctrines which that group upholds, and the standing before the Lord of the individuals who make it. Only God has the ability to determine which _ individuals make up the true church. Membership in good standing in a particular denomination does not automatically ensure our salvation. Even if the groups adopted one of the scriptural names applied to the church such as St. John’s ‘or St. Mary’s or St. Peter’s, this in itself would not necessarily make us a part of the true church. What really maters is whether our individual names “ are written in heaven” with those of “ the general assembly and church of the first born.” (Hebrew 12:23) This is dependent upon the degree of our willingness to serve Him above all else. Many of today’s churches are in Christian error. False religions, man-made doctrines and worldly procedures are not principles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Churches have deceived people and have led them away from the teach- ings of Jesus Christ. They have transformed the meaning of the true church and its purpose into a voting precinct, whereby a prospective member is “voted” into its membership -- much like a social club where “members only” can attend or like fraternal organization where one “black ball” eliminates you. Our Lord Jesus Christ accepts all into His heavenly Kingdom without a voting system or a Roberts Rules of Order & Procedure. John 6:35, 37 reads: “ He that cometh to me . .. | will in no wise cast out.” There is a difference between guidance and the. opening the doors of the church i for membership and getting an’ individual to accept Christ by acknowledging His sins, repre- senting, and confessing. Being born again is God’s only require-": ment for being accepted into His: ing inch is chur, ae | Kingdom. Votin ror. It is not o required to be ontidered a a citizen of heaven and a new creature in Christ. Dr. George Hawkins is the pastor of the Tabernacle Church of deliverance in Greenville 1001 Red Banks Road + 355-8200 2400 Stantonsburg Road + 752-6609 Wethicnivenccemenie Now put your EC Credit approval required, 7.49% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is for first 24 complete billing cycles, After that, APR is variable and may change monthly. Maximum rate 18%, ECB will pay up to $175 in closing costs, Limited rime offer, Consult your tax advisor for interest deductibility, See bank for details. EQUAL HOUSING LENDER Member FDIC house to work for yc 'B BEST HOME KK or your house... MU | \ Use the equity in your home to buy a new car or boat, make home repairs, or pay college tuition. ith an Date: August 20, 1999 Contact: Ms. Miller (336) 724-9222 Subject: Miss Black North Carolina, USofA Scholarship Pageant Pageant. The Miss Black North Carolina, USofA Scholarship Pageant is currently accepting applications for contestants. The state pageant is a preliminary to the national Miss Black USofA Scholarship The areas of competition include talent, interview, introduction, future speech and on stage question. Prizes will be awarded to and for the winner, first and second runner up, Miss Congeniality, commu- nity service and academic achievement. For more information call toll free 1-888-837- 1233 or (336) 724-9222. — — De Youve An Bs Can Ut the 1c ats. s CONSE Problem ee over 134 years and we have yet to begin building wealth. We ‘ cannot begin utilizing all of the advantages of this free economy until we have gained enough wealth to actively participate. It’s just not civil rights; civil rights can get you dignity and respect but we need more. It’s just not political empow- They Are coming out of the wood work these days like termites on the run from an MOCHA . “Actually I have no major con- cerns. I feel like whatever is going to happen will just happen. | will prepare myself for some of the things that people say might hap- pen. I’m like in the middle. If noth- ing bad happens, then there’s noth- ing to worry about.” WILLIAM MAYS “I should not have to worry about this because I pay taxes. The U.S. government should have the Y2K problem under control. The gov- ernment should be totally respon- sible for this type of problem if it ~ does occur. I feel totally at ease.” i Present THE ORIGINAL SOUL TEDDY CROSS & THE MASTER'S CHOICE _ BILL PICKNEY & THE - ORIGINAL DRIFTERS WILLIS PITTMAN & THE ' THE VINES SISTERS JAMES JOHNSON “IT see business as usual. I feel like just like when eighteen hun- dred became nineteen hundred. | have no concern whatsoever. I do realize other people do have con- cerns but I think they are not seeing the true picture. Don’t worry is what I would tell people.” ALMA FAYE JACKSON “I don’t think about it a lot. There has been some talk about running out of water and food. Also, there are concerns about missiles or nuclear weapons that would malfunction. It is the danger part that I do think about from time to time. I just pray and go about my daily business.” CNVEN In Assoication With STIRRERS BURDEN LIFTERS Tammy Edwards & The Edwards Sisters Big James Barrett & The Golden Jublices Littic Willie & The Spiritualaires a, The Junior Consolators ,,. New Golden Doves The Roger Sisters Powell Tradition Gates Open at 11:00 AM Program at 12:00 Noon - Rain or Shine i + | Wu | Nash The Vines Sisters <.; exterminator- new wave, high- tech racist- like the madman said to be responsible for the sense- less July 4th weekend deaths of former north western University basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong, Korean Won- Joon Yoon and the wounding of separate groups of Orthodox Jews and Asians. their racist propensity is fed from ignorance that leads to demagoguery, and much of their venom is incubated ‘on the Internet. That hate groups thrive and even feed and breed off one of mankind's greatest inventions is a bane of modern society. There is no way that such | groups can be prevented from | spewing their hateful epistle over the Internet. It is a message that may have influenced the illogical, instance and racist actions of Benjamin Nathaniel Smith, 21. For sake of freedom of speech for us all, that has to be acceptable. But there must be more vigi- lance in overseeing the Internet. Groups like the World Church of the Creator, of which Smith is a member, say they do not condone violence, but their agenda begs to differ. The group advocates a holy war.on what it calls "mud races," specifically Blacks and Jews. Before he allegedly set off on his fn * Pe = erment; look at Zimbabwe or South Africa where we now have enormous political empower- ment but, yet, no power due to lack of Black wealth. Civil rights and political clout are nice but economic empower- ment will get you freedom and authority. Freedom and authority are the keys to earthly happiness. The total net worth of African Americans is only 1.2 percent of the total net worth of the nation New- wave racists coming out this church's woodwork murderous spree, perhaps Smith also read the Church's "White Man's Bible" that advocates race hate, which it shamelessly ped- dles over its Internet site, as well as alternative music concerts and gunshows. Smith had been arrested in the "past for distributing anti-Semitic and anti-minority __ literature. Maybe those arrest should have set off an alarm in somebody's mind that this man was very dangerous. -- when we are 14 percent of the total population. We have been . stuck at that number since the end of the Civil War in 1965. Getting rid of the “death tax” will start to create a needed legacy and begin a cycle of wealth building for Blacks in this country. That would be a great start to breaking the economic chains that bind us. What is the death tax? The “death tax” is levied against the government -- assessed value of the deceased’s estate. The rates can start at 37 percent and can climb to 55 percent. In essence, your last remaining parent dies and the estate they leave to you and your siblings will be reduced by the IRS by an amount equiva- lent to 37 - 55 percent of the to- tal worth. Thus, the legacy left by your elders or left by you to your children can be signifi- cantly reduced or even wiped out. An example: The Chicago Daily Defender - one of the larg- est Black-owned daily newspa- per in the United States - was Whether born, bred or made by forced into bankruptcy due to groups like the World Church, financial burdens imposed by the racist like Smith and others with estate tax. We all remember his penchant toward violence what happened when the great must be stopped, through some Sammy Davis Jr. died - his wife kind of legal and/ or moral means before more blood is spilled. was in bankruptcy within six months due to the vicious “death tax”. For now our sympathy goes out to the Byrdsong family and the _ Store owner Leonard L. Har- families of all persons affected ris, a first generation owner of by such demented sprees of hate Chatham Food Center on the and violence, such as Littleton, South Side of Chicago, can en- te Smith's fourth of July vision all the work and value he Inge. ; has put into his business disap- We pray there will be no further pearing from his two sons. Says such incidents. The World Cg Church of the Creator and other Mr. Harris: “My focus has groups like it that have been been putting my earnings implicated in several other hate back in to grow the business. crimes across the country - For this reason, cash re- should be closely and carefully sources to pay federal estate scrutinized and monitored by txes, based on the way valua- law enforcement officials. tion is made, would force my family to sell the store in order to pay the IRS within 9 months of my death. Our yearly earn- ings would not cover the pay- ment of such a high tax. I should know, I started my career as a . CPA”. “Blacks Should Help Do Away With “Death Tax” We cannot begin to build wealth until we start to recycle our precious dollars. We can- not recycle our precious dollars until we have businesses and ventures to invest in. The “death tax” is in our way! Fortunately, we now have an opportunity to get the “legacy killer” out of our lives and fu- ture. There are two bills in the House and Senate as I write this editorial. HR 86 and S 56 will repeal the “death tax”. HR 8 and S 38 wil phase it out over a specified period of time. Please keep in mind that this es- tate tax only contributes about | percent of the total federal rev- enue, and of each dollar col- lected, 65 cents is spent on col- lecting the tax. The tax pro- motes virtually nothing but financial hardship and a seri- ous insult to the hard work of our parents. These bills are making progress on Capitol Hill. However, we need to provide a needed boost, especially to members of the Congressional Black Caucus who, many times, aren’t where they should be on financial gain issues. Please call your appli- cable congressperson or senator and tell them you support these bills to end the “death tax”. Tell them it is all right for Black folks to begin building wealth in this country. It is not against the law and it certainly is more enjoy- able than poverty. Building wealth will lead to better education, better health care, safer streets and sustain- able communities. Poverty and the lack of economic empower- ment will get you frustration adn hopelessness. The only way to fight poverty is good govern- ment and laws that do not penal- ize hard work, success and sav- ings. Let’s put to death the “death tax”! [Harry C. Alford, Jr., is Presi- dent/CEO, National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 1350 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 825, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 466-6888. ]} The Minority Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999 TO BUY, RENT OR SELL REAL ESTATE CALL DD, GARRETT "SINCE 1946" Call Us If You Need Someone To Collect Your Rent And Manage Your Property! Several Nice Building Lots. We Handle Conv., HUD, VA & FMA, Financing. The Reach Flowers For Every Bridal Consultation « Wedding Beauty & Makeover Consultant Invitations & Napkins Consultations by Appointment i Meaven y Yours Krist at Sh Ae . \& fi f wey | ej: All of Your Wedding Needs ©. = "We ‘Il Make Your Special Day a Heavenly Experience!” Occasion ¢ Stuffed Animals « Balloons Coordination 606 ALBEMARLE 757-1692 OR 757-1162 FAX 757-0018 We Put Beauty Within GRACIE L. FLEMING ‘Independent Beauty Consultant 4175 N.C. 33 West | Greenville, NC 27834 (252) 758-9657 758-2947 for directions or more information. Contact: Suzanne B. McGuinn Habitat for Humanity of Pitt County is in need of volunteers for the con- struction of Bethel's first Habitat house. No experience is necessary. Work hours are Saturdays from 8:00 am to noon. Please call the office at ‘ ra onda Si vars: SAAD RENTALS. “” 1-, 2-, and 3 - bedroom housing units 2} REAL ESTATE (PNAER - 907 Dickinson Ave., Greenville, NC., (252) 757-3191 Section 8 Accepted Serco ete it é * aio" 5 a Se a ny 4 ap ee eT = si + = * “aE SE = So i NO ley ee ¢ ~The Minority ‘Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999 By GLENN C. SMITH. Special to The Sentinel Part 1 of 2 The very first black American to attain prominence in British boxing |.‘ circles was Bill Richmond. He was . born William Richmond on Aug. 5, 1763 to slave parents in the little town of Cuckhold, Staten Island, New York. His mother was a slave to the Rev. Dr. George C. Charlton. The story of her son is full of romance and adventure and of all the early bareknuckle fighters, there are few whose name resounds with more interest and thrills than that of Bill Richmond. That he became a pugilist was due entirely to envi- ronment. It goes back to the days of the American Revolution. When American Colonies broke loose from the British and opened the War for Independence, Richmond's master fled to England, leaving his slaves to fend for themselves. The American rebels had cap- tured Staten Island and held it for a short time when Earl Percy, head of the British attacking army retook it. ing an interest in the boy pressed He found young Richmond and tak- _ him into service as his valet. When . BILL RICHMOND "THE BLACK TERROR" the Earl returned to England, he still had young Richmond with him. The boy insisted on accompanying his new master as servant. Upon their arrival home, Earl Percy, who had now become the Duke of ’ Northumberland, decided to edu- cate his young charge and sent hint - to school. During the three years of school- ing Richmond progressed rapidly, and was ready for a career. He was given several trades from which to choose, and he decided on cabinet making. He was apprenticed to a handicraftsman in the city of York, and while studying there, the fee was paid for by the Duke who had become very fond of Richmond. The young lad was likable and had many friends. Richmond, like some black people today, was extremely fond of gaudy clothes. The brighter the colors, the better he liked them and naturally he. attracted undue atten- tion. His colorful attire got him into several scrapes because of the taunts of the York populace. In spite of that, he handled himself in a man- ner that did him much credit. No tormentor was too big or too heavy—tackled them all and came through with flying colors. Thus, without as much as a single lesson in the manly art.of self-de- fense, Richmond had become adept in the use of his. fists. Those who were tempted to take liberties with him, were rather wary after several beatings he had administered to ' those who had badgered him. He was not a quarrelsome fellow. He minded his own business but would not submit to insults. When pro- voked, he was a terror. He first gained public attention in 1791. Richmond and his master were part of a huge gathering at the York races on Aug. 25, to see the Ebor Gold Cup. Richmond's attire and his black face attracted the eyes of a bully, Docky Moore. Moore was a Sheffield knife-grinder, aruf- fian who was known as the king of the trouble makers. When Richmond passed him, Moore insulted him. Bill controlled his temper as best he could but Docky insisted on a fight and de- manded that Richmond accept the challenge or take a thrashing. Among the group who heard the commotion were Colonel Leigh, the Duke of Bedford, the Duke of Queeneberry, Sir Charles Bunbarry and Colonel O’Kelley. It was O’ Kelley who ordered a ring to be did not faze him. The result proved a huge jn pointment to Docky.and his follow- ers. Richmond whipped him soundly, closing both eyes and bat- tering his face to a bloody pulp. All the conceit was knocked out of him. Richmond was hailed as a hero. He was strongly urged to take up boxing as a profession but he re- fused. He said he had little inclina- tion for fighting except when forced into it. For seven years after that battle, he continued in his trade with an occasional fight to break the monotony and in each he was successful. Each of his fights was a provoked affair. For atime Richmond would fight only when necessary but finally he was forced to give in and he turned to professional fighting to earn his living. READ THIS WAY FOR BLACK EMPOWERMENT and one of the charter commis- sion's proposed revisions recom- mends that elections for Mayor and other citywide offices should be conducted on a nonpartisan basis. This is done in major cities cluding Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Detroit and Dallas. The proposal was immeditately mired in partisan controversy, The Democrats were reluctant to sup- port this reform because it would weaken the Democrats hold on the electoral process. This kind of partisan maneuvering around de- mocracy reform makes the most eloquent case for why we need democracy reform. Still, in spite of the fact that the New York proposal is now nearly dead--as a result of partisan DR. LENORA B. FULANI Voting Reforms for the 21Century throughout the United States in-” The sample of cities included only those with a population of 200, 000 or greater (based on the 1990 census). In total, 24 of the 76 cities have Black or Hispanic mayors. Of those 24 cities with Black or Hispanic mayors, 20 had conducted their elections on a nonpartisan basis. Comparatively speaking, 33% of cities where the election is conducted as a partisan race. Many Americans share the de- sire to make the political process less partisan and to involve more voters. Nonpartisan elections con- ducted by Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)--another kind of election reform would be a positive step in that direction. Here's how Instant Runoff Voting works: A voter ranks the candidates in order of the voter's preference. A computer program tabulates all of the first choice votes and determines whether any candidate received a majority. If not, the program eliminates the last-place candidate and transfer his or her votes to the next candidate ranked on each voter's. ballot. This process continues until a candidate receives a majority. Instant Runoff Voting would eliminate primary elections be- cause the ranking of candidates in order of preference accomplishes one of the things that primaries accomplish. It saves millions of dollars in runoff elections, and it quarantees that the winner is supported by a majority of the voters. Growing interest in IRV has raised the issue of the compatibil- ity voting equipment. Many juris- dictions are replacing older voting equipment with more modern technology. Campaigns for IRV and/or seri- ous studies about it have taken place or are taking place at the state level in Alaska, New Mexico, Vermont, Texas, and North Carolina. The = of Oregon switched to an voting system and as a result is enjoying a voter turnout: anal comt-savig San “onal $3: million per election . In Florida, election officials have conducted a Bold test, of Roum voting S. military is considering} Internet for overseas members of the armed forces. The Ref Oriaay via mal Ee presidential primary ove phone and computer ball 5000. The new technology helpful in empowering voters parties, and making the more non-partisan. ite With two party control of the electoral process becoming a big- ger and bigger concern, non- partisan elections elections run without party designation and without special privileges given to the candidates of the two major parties) are being considered as an crossfire--the concept is a good one. At hearings on the proceed reforms, Dr. Allan Lichtman of American University presented statistics to the commission on a recent study of 76 cities comparing nonpartisan and partisan elections alternative. fro mayor. These preliminary sta- This summer New York City tistics indicate that nonpartisan mayor Rudy Giuliani initiated a elections may be advantageous in process to revise the city's charter terms of minority represéntation. It is painful to read articles about children abandoned or cruelly abused by their parents. In frustration you push the paper aside saying, “I can’t do anything about that,” Yet that knot of powerless indignation working together with our staff and attorney advocate, you can make a difference in the life of such a child, A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a trained community volunteer who is appointed by the court to conduct an independent investigation on |] ehalf ofthe child. The GAL serves as the chill’s voice in court. He or she explores all the facts relevant to the case, makes recommendations lo the court and monitors the case so that it will move through the | court and social system without unnecessary delays, ‘The GAL is || committed to thinking independently and objectively about each case. He or she is the only person whose sole task is to focus on protecting the best interests of the child ind Read The Minority The GAL does not serve as the child’s legal guardian and is not expected to provide a home for the child, GAL volunteers come from backprounds. No special legal knowledge is required. WILL YOU HELPACHILD? ~— | persists, You need wot be powerless. As a trained Guardian ad Litem, | aE HRST CITIZENS BANK BUSINESS BANKING all walks of life, with a variety of professional, educational, and ethnic } The next training series is scheduled to begin in mid-October. For further information or an application please contact Eva Rogers at (252) 830-6217. Bea Guardian ad Litem The children of Pitt County need you! FKeed Your MI —Business Quest” -Equipment Leasing -Sweep Accounts -Capital Line of Credit -Online Banking (Business Express™) -Business Credit Card with CardMiles™ www.firstcitizens.com 1-888-FC DIRECT (1-888-323-4732) Safe and Sound in the Year 2000 “Helping small businesses is a major focus for First Citizens Bank, and I’d recommend them to anybody.” Leon Batts knows a good thing when he sees it. And his banking relationship with First Citizens is definitely a good thing. “It’s almost like a family thing. The people at First Citizens Bank know me, and they know my company. We have a good working relationship.” Triad Cabinet Co. sells and installs factory-built cabinets, designs kitchens and builds laminate countertops. “We provide the tools and vehicles for installation. Over the years, we’ve purchased trucks for our installers, and First Citizens has provided the financing for all of them.” | You're always first. | This is a Year 2000 readiness disclosure. Member FDIC. A oes + Ho fAbOR ie ARTS ¢ CRAFTS ¢ CLOTHING AND Se CUSTOM FRAMING AVAILABLE - Located at Tarrytown Mall JAD Mea Marit, shown sow er Fe Proprietor Business: (252) 937-7557 Brother William and Brother Little, You can buy every thing from used bikes to to furniture, hammers radios just about anything you need they sell it. And they're open six days Iris Thompson " Home: (252) 443-7787 a week (Photo By: ‘im Rouse ee ee ee ee ee aes fi ‘ ab ts "3 bist saath “epee? F pa eH: De Shearer i es Re To God be the glory ! Brother Michael Brown a member of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church is proud to have released his new cassette, featuring Christian songs. The new cassette is available at all Christian music.stores and the Cornerstone office. ro (Photo By Jim Rouse) rT The late Attorney Richard Powell's Grand daughter to be lawyer: Grandmother Lillie Powell is all smiles as she poses with her grand daughter Tara Nichols who was in town spending grandmother's money & doing some shopping for law school at Carolina East Mall. Grandpa would be proud of you. (Photo by Jim Rouse) Black student leaders praise Moore hiring Black student leaders at ECU roundly praised Chancellor Richard Eakin's choice of an African American as the school's first vice chanellor. Garrie Moore, assistant to the chance llor and director of equal employment opportunity at East Carolina University, becomes vice chancellor for s life Sept. 1. He will succeed Alfred T. Matthews, who is retiring. "Personally, I think it's a step forward, and I think it's an excellent move for Dr. Moore," Adrian Cox, a graduate assistant at the Ledonia Wright African- American Cultural , said. “[rregardless of race, Dr. Moore is _ @ very competent and qualified individual." The appointment demonstrates Eakin's “commitment to minority staff on campus," Cox added. Ramsey Connor, president of ECU's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Color People, said, "I thought it was a great opportunity for us to finally have a bigger voice on campus," adding that he was not speaking for the NAACP. Eakin said race was "absolutely not" a factor in his decision to install Moor as a voice chancellor. "That would be, in my judg- ment, insulting to Dr. Moore, and I told him that pretty directly," Eakin said. The chancellor said he has been "incredibly impressed" STATE OF Department of Transportation James B. Hunt Jr. Governor NORTH CAROLINA P.O. Box 25201, Raleigh, NC 27611-5201 David McCoy Secretary ing and minority student affairs. "I see it as very positive and proactive move on the administra- tion's part to not only address the issue of diversity, but to make sure we serve the students the best way possible,” Moore said of his appointment. GWA Neon Dern Desty Recording ( By: Michael Adams The first Greenville based recording company touch base with the play- ers of gospel music. Devine Destiny Recording Co. received much atten- tion from the Gospel Music Industry when they attended the nationally acclaimed Gospel Music Workshop of America. Never forgetting home base, | Alfreda Hyman calls home to WOOW to do an on air interview. It has been said by many in the industry that North Carolina is the hub of gospel music. We can only give thanks to our people (Devine Destiny)for keeping it real. Pictured we have Alfreda Hyman with Harvey Watkins of the Canton Spirituals, Rueben Clayton with Ms. Willie a person with years of experience in the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) and Tafvye Benson Clayton with Lee Williams of the Spiritual QC's. There is much talk about this new recording company who is moving into the upper crust of the Gospél Music Industry. Devine Destiny truly lives up to it's name. Our prayers are with you. PUBLIC NOTICE North Carolina Department of Transportation Federal-Aid Program Participation By Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in The Department's The North Carolina Department of Transportation has established an overall Department Goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in conformance Try McDonalds’ Bacon Double Cheeseburger Today. Double your taste sensation when you. try our delicious new Manager's Special, the juicy, Bacon Double Cheeseburger with New sizzlin’ strips of crispy Hickory-Smoked Bacon for just 99¢. This offer is good for a limited time only, 60 visit your neighborhood store today. At McDonald’s*, we'll keep you coming back for more. with 49 CFR 26 for Federal Fiscal Year 2000. The overall goal will be 10.3%. The Public Transportation and Rail Division has set an interim goal of 10.3%. Aviation Division has set an interim goal of 10.3%. Your comments on these goals and the methodology used in establishing this goal is welcomed. All comments should be addressed within 45 days to Mr. Delano R. Rackard, Director, Civil Rights & Business Development Section, North Carolina Department of Transportation, PO. Box 25201, Raleigh, NC 27611 and for further information at 1-800-522-0453 or (919) 733-2300 between 8:00am and 5:00pm. Support the Black Press al Civil Rights & Business pst ale Section Phone; (919) 733-2300 Fax: (919) 733-8649 Toll Free: 1-800-522-0453 irene otra rile [ae Minority voice r ER T Dont let your home ecome a house of. cards. Your home is probably your most valuable possession. Borrowing money based on the value—or equity—of your home can sometimes be an option for consolidating credit card bills'or paying for things like home repairs, medical expenses or college tuition. BF Most banks and other financial institutions make home loans available with good terms, low rates and _ reasonable fees. But some unethical lenders offer mortgage loans that can strip the equity from your home. These lenders act more like loan sharks, preying on seniors and low-income homeowners. ke Easley’s tips for avoiding home e | mparison shop. Many lenders offer competitive rai and understand the co ressured to sign. Take yout ti gg es, r of out-of-state lend ixpensive extras like credit insurance can add “Your home is your most important investment. Dont risk it with a quick decision on a loan that you don't fully understand. Don't let your home become a financial house of cards.” OFFICE OF THE py ATTORNEY GENERAL a Aa " . MCN : Sees 5 ' — North Carolina Attorney General Mike Easley Home E qu Taare like The Minority Voice: August 20 - August 27, 1999