by: Betty Pleasant Most Americans haven’t given a thought to the electoral college since they were required to pro- vide the correct answer about it on a high school civics test. But as we are facing a 1888 redux --- when Benjamin Harrison lost the popular vote, but won the elec- toral vote and became US presi- dent anyway----many people are scratching their heads, trying to recollect that forgotten civics lesson. Having been hit in the face last Tuesday with the realization that a presidential candidate does not have to amass the most votes to win the White House, the Sentinel has received many requests from readers to explain this unseemly phenomenon. Here goes: The electoral college is a group of electors chosen within each state to elect the president and vice president of the United States. Each state has as many presidential electors as it has representatives in both houses of Congress. Altogether, there are 538 electors or members of the electoral college. California has the most electors. 54, because we have 54 members in Congress who represent the most people in What You See Is What You Get, What You R any state. (Another reason why an accurate Census count. is important, but we digress.) Others states with a lot of electors include New York with 33, Texas with 32, in infamous Florida 25, Pennsylvania with 23, and Ohio with 21. Washington DC , as well as six states have the least number of electors, three each. As we all know by now, it takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. The electors in each State are chosen by the political parties in the state. Some of the are elected officials and some loyal party activists. Basically, the part apparatus selects electors for whatever reason it wants, but loyalty to the party is the highest prerequisite. All the states, except Maine and Nebraska, hold a winner-take- all popular vote for electors: the candidate who wins the most popular votes in the state, wins that state’s complete slate of electors. For example, Vice President Al Gore beat Gov. George W. Bush by more than 1,200,000 popular votes in California and won all 54 of this state’s electoral votes. On the other hand, Bush may defeat Gore by two popular votes in Florida and he would collect all 25 of that state’s electoral votes. With our winner-take-all system, elected presidents receive a greater percentage of the electoral vote than of the popular vote. Two presidents, Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876 (another instance when the Florida vote was the point of contention) and Benjamin Harrison in 1888, won a majority of the electoral votes even though they received fewer popular votes than their principal opponents. In the very close election we had last week, it is highly prob- able that a popular-vote loser wilt again be elected president. As originally planned by the ‘framers of the Constitution in 1787, it is the electors who actually choose the president, not the people. Why? Because they didn’t trust the people. The framers preferred the electoral college arrangement over the direct popular election because, at a time when travel was difficult and there were no national party organizations, they feared that many regional candi- dates would divide the vote. Requiring a candidate to win a majority in the electoral college was a way of obtaining a national consensus, is the way some history books interpret the fram- ers’ intentions. Inland Sea Food Expanding ! Sown above are the owners and family of Inland Sea food, Thanksgiving Day they served free meals to everyone who stopped by. They encourage everyone to to stop by again and check out their new expansion! Photo by Jim Rouse To Be Or Not To Be African ! By - Mawiyah Kambon, President This opportunity allows me to introduce to some and refresh the memory of others as to the goals and purpose of the Association of Black Psychologists. The Association was founded in 1968 from a need to address the concerns of both professionals in the field of psychology, and the needs of our people in the communities around the nation and around the world. Among those challenges We sought to promote and ad- vance a greater awareness of psychology from an African Perspective. In so doing we have attempted to influence and affect the socialization of African peo- ple, especially, and particularly our children and families. We have taken’ this self-imposed mandate quite seriously. To actualize these goals the Association of Black Psychologists has been visible in Several areas, We present our Collective wisdom through vari- ous forms of media, conferences, forums, and through our own Publications, we develop pro- day a training snocels to directly ‘affect change; and we Continually iaetew our own foundation and sources of 7 ge to ensure that we stay CN grounded within the systems that have informed the thinking and well-being of our people for centuries. We believe that African psychologists must be at every table where discussions take place~-and decisions are made in the planning for, and implementation of programs and policies that affect African peo- ple. In fact, we believe that since everything (media, schooling, public policy, advertisement, en- tertainment, work) affects the psychological well-being of our people, an African psychologist should be at every table, every board meeting, every public fo- rum and every session of con- gress. Not only within this hemisphere, but throughout the Diaspora, wherever people of African ancestry find ourselves and our future in deliberation, Some of the issues that the Association of Black Psychologists has addressed are consistent with the focus of the National Black Family Empowerment Agenda. On our board of directors, within our regions and local chapters, and within the general Assembly of the Association, in particular, much of the work on these issues is transformed to position rs, protests, projects, or nate The ABP remains at the a forefront in challenging White supremacy (racism) and all op- pressive practices within this country and around the globe. In the area of Education the ABP challenged the use of IQ (Intelligence Quotient) testing as a means to place our children in special education classes or lower learning tracts in schools. We are focused on the restora- tion and preservation of the Black family as the primary and critical tool in the healthy so- cialization of Black children. We believe that Black culture social- ized by the Black family is the key to moving beyond survival to full development for our people, We have advanced rites of pas- Sage programs for youth and adults because we know the importance of socializing our families to our own traditions. In 80 doing we ‘recognize that our adults may not be prepared to raise our children with the val- ues deemed essential to our overall development as a result of alien socialization influences, In the arena of Law and Justice ABP became involved on. the National level with the Federal Violence Initiative, Grand Opening ! Shown above at the Grand opening of R & B Diner is owners ; M » rt. and Mrs. Allen Robertson, Mr. & Mrs. Jones Beatly and Mrs. Beverly Gaskin (manager). The "M' Voice newspaper wishes them the best of luck on their new venture Photo by Steve Johnson Coca Cola Pays A Record $192.5 Million ' Washington — (NNPA).....Coca Cola Company recently a settle a racial-discrimination lawsuit brought by Black work- ers the NNPA has learned. The case represents the largest race discrimination settlement in US history, The company claim that it will make significant changes in the way it manages, promotes, and treats its minority employees as company officials said they looked forward to increasing the Coca Cola brand across the world through use of a diverse talent base. “Diversity has always been one of our cornerstones. We are emphasizing making a better company. The emphasis we are placing is on certain values and needs we want to establish as we determine directions that we want to take,” said Coca Cola’s chairman and chief executive, Douglas N. Daft, in a press conference immediatly follow- ng the announcement of the David Hammond Elected County Commissioner Chairman During a meeting Dec. 4, 2000 the Pitt County Board of Commissioners elected Commissioner David Hammond to serve as their new Chairman for the comin year, The board also elect Glenn Bowen to serve as Vice- Chairman for the coming year, Commissioner Randy Royal, Commissioner Tom Coulson and Commissioner Beth 8, Ward took their oaths of office that same afternoon. The Minority Voice Newspaper y settlement. The company will pay $113 ds... . tO pay arecond-$192-5 mitlion to millionto thousands of African American employees and will spend $43.5 million to adjust its salaries and another $36 million for programs to monitor its employment practices. It will also pay $20 million in attor- neys’ fees, The company also agreed to set up a watchdog group to review and measure its diversity efforts in coming years. “There was a lot of energy put into this package,” Daft said. “We are changing the company. It hap- pens every few years-to increase value for shareholders and for everyone who works with us. We are part of the creation of the brand and that means getting the best people. Our people are our competitive advantage.” The settlement is the largest ever in a US race discrimination lawsuit, according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “Today we are closing a painful chapter in our company’s history,” wrote Daft, in a memo to employees released ~ publiciy yesterday. . “ This is a watershed event and hopefully will serve as a wake-up call to other compa- nies,” said Pamela Coukos of Mehri, Malkin and Ross, the Washington, DC - based firm that represented the employees. The agreement covers about 2,200 salaried African American employees and former employ- ees who worked for the company in the United States between April 1995 and June 2000. Plantiffs’ lawyers estimated that the employees will get an aver- age of $40,000 each, depending on the length of their employ- ment. . In the suit the employees accused Coca Cola of discrimi- nating against Black salaried employees in pay, promotions. and evaluations, Coca-Cola’s settlement of a racial bias case was more than $16 million larger than the Previous record settlement. From The "M" Voice Archives ! shown, above Mama", Rosa Weaver past away last month, was a gospel music and helping effort the Hills Dale commun animals no longer rome the neigh! ing for the "M" Voi ‘er pos Roe eat ve coimera mother be ined vie pia, hen has Com # tr. Mother Weaver wh ughte PA because of we z23 a ~ eG ib —— she unknow- - dairy country. I could have compiled «> the entire oral history of the region : _ from her uncensored musings. A - comparable experience awaits read- ~ ers of Scott Malcolmson’s “One ~ Drop of Blood”, a work of noble intent and baffling intellectual _ $prawl. Ruminations of 14th centu- ty scholars; obscure literary tracts; __ the tired old ground of the racial _ progeny of Shem, Ham and Japheth; associations of whiteness with virtue and blackness with sinister forces; ‘ minstrel ditties; Indian trails and _ Brer Rabbit tales are cobbled togeth- ~ erin dusty archaeology of race that should have been subtitled “The © Thousand and One Nights of Color _ Coding: From the Old Testament to __ the Internet.” i This is an unfortunate fate for a _ ‘plausible theme that takes us back '_ to.atime when the destiny of a new nation was in play among three core peoples: black, white and red. Absent a unifying thesis, the book’s sense of the experiential difference between black and Indian is a saving grace. Native Americans were not born into oppression and had the _ dignity of an armed resistance, but the end was the isolation and despair - of reservation life. African Ameri- _ cans, by constant contact with __ whites, were able to appropriate the owner’s manual of white civiliza- _ tion, adapt it to their needs, and _ acquire the means to flourish within it, Peculiar errors and omissions recur. An offhand reference describes the Civil War as the most “American” of conflicts in which all three races fought on both sides. While the Confederacy sought to conscript slaves at the end of the war, I know of no evidence of African Americans — unlike the Cherokees — fighting in regular units for the South. Such an explo- sive suggestion simply cannot be tossed off without explanation or documentation. Also, Malcolmson dwells on a somber late-in-life novel by Mark Twain but inexplicably ignores “Huckleberry Finn”, Twain’s greatest work, still contro- versial for its take on race and its use of the “‘n” word. Even in retrospect, Malcolmson gloomily sees pre-Civil War Amer- ica, even the great Lincoln, as adrift in a debilitating swamp of racial chauvinism with few seeds of redemption visible. However, the Civil War at least purged the nation _ of slavery at a cost of 600,000 black and white lives, precisely what Lin- coln called “a new birth of free- dom.” At Gettysburg, ‘Lincoln | _— sae The outcome | of the Florida - recount has ‘the whole world (liter- next president of the United States. Partisan politics threaten to try to (may have already) declare(d) a winner, is ti ing tee tabooeria Es spends ae - vasa erdn prada _ingly spoke her thoughts aloud, a i ~ Joycean monologue in-which she ff _ dished about every farmer’s wife “ ~ and tavern keeper in the Wisconsin “4 lisadideg who s1lt be the THE AMERICAN MISA DVENT URF OF RAC E “Scort L. MALCOMsON , renowad the vow of. equality i in the . Declaration of Independence, adroit- ly sidestepping a Constitution con- taminated bycompromises with slav- ery. His magnificent Second Inau- gural implicitly recognized that slav- ery, and its underlying premise of white supremacy, had become imbedded in the mentality of the North as well as the South, leaving both to pay the blood price of its _ eradication in accordance with the biblical law of consequences. The theme of race mixing that per- vades the book and its title involves some interesting disparities. The father of Americar: democracy, Thomas Jefferson, believed that Indians and whites could form a sin- gle intermarrying population once the Indians abandoned their savage . ways. He entertained no such sentiments regarding African Americans. Jef- ferson could not bring himself to free his slaves during his lifetime, even Sally Hemings, his first wife’s half-sister who now few doubt was Jefferson’s mistress. First families of Virginia proudly claimed descent from Pocahontas’ son Thomas by her marriage to Eng- lish settler John Rolfe. However, the demands by African Americans for, recognition as descendants of Jef- ferson and Hemings still had the power to create uproar even after DNA evidence convinced many that the issue of the famous romance had been put to rest. Malcomson, curi- ously, mentions the Pocahontas mar- riage to Rolfe only in passing, and not her mixed race son. More curi- ously, he gives no attention what- ever to the Hemings saga. For much of our history these three founding American races had diffi- culty seeing common humanity in each other’s faces. At other times they found themselves partners in love and war. Together they fur- nished most of the poignancy of the nation’s first century. Their inter- twined stories continue to shape American mythology and national character. There is a serious book in this, but it will require more discipline than “One Drop of Blood.” Demis M. O'Connell. “BETWEEN THE [LINES Did the Bushes (Try to) Steal the Election in Florida? ~ turned away in Hillsborough County : because local sheriffs stated the race: that seems to make one believe there is something more to hide. . It certainly, now appears to be more than coincidental that so much’ havoc is being created over voter impropriety in Democratic districts with outcomes that favor electing a Bush, in a state run by a Bush, than in electing Gore. With manual hand counts in the most obvious counties pre-occupying the main plot, the sub-plot in Florida is an increasing number of revelations foqused on come next Jan. 20, with hf tions they prefer; the public’s in- _ terest in civic affairs and politics, their current and preferred infor- mation sources, their attention to state political news, and their rat- . ings ‘of the media; how growing regions and groups—such as the Central Valley, suburban regions, Latinos, and independent voters— affect. the state’s elections and policy debates; the political atti- _ tude and perceptions that are tied to “vote distrust” of government, and the social economic and political factors that explain low voter turn- out in state elections; the role of political, social and economic atti- tudes in public support for: citi- zens’ initiatives and government reform proposals. In the final weeks of the cam- ° paign, California voters focused on five key issues—education, foreign policy and national defense, health care, taxes, and Social Security and Medicare. Since the September sur- vey, turmoil in the Middle East has 7 " Sins Ghana ess babi oboe. ‘ment and t: | government at all levels, how they stand apart || rate elected officials and public nation. e services, and what government ac- di ' want a larger government with more services, although majorities. in both cases said they would prefer a . smaller government with fewer ser- vices, And while slight majorities also say they would prefer to see tax cuts targeted to lower- and middlé-income families (Gore's proposal), Californians were more likely than the nation as a whole to support Bush’s plan for across-the- board tax cuts (48 percent to 40 percent). The slight tightening of the race in California towards the end might ° also have been related to rising con- cern about the state’s economic prospects. While most Californians still believe that the state is headed in the right direction, the number of residents sharing this view has been declining gradually. Specifically, Californians are concerned bout the possible economic effects of rising energy costs. Eighty percent be- lieve that higher prices for things such as gasoline, utilities and elec- , ‘Soaeeteeee _ jority of voters said they would © vote no, And, despite a of ~ television commercials vay Soa ~ sides—only 25 percent of voters feel that they had learned a lot about ‘how a voucher system would work. However, 57 percent believed that passage of the voucher initiative would not help the public school system. Support for Proposition 39— which would make it possible to approve local school bonds with a 55 percent majority rather than a - two-thirds vote-inched higher in October with 50 percent: support- ing the measure, 37 percent oppos- ing it and 13 percent undecided. ~ Even though Proposition 39 lowers the threshold for passing local school bond measures, only 38 per- cent of voters thought its passage would make it easier to approve local school construction bonds in their area, while 15 percent said it would be more difficult and 30 per- cent thought it would make no dif- ference. While they may be divided about the content of the specific proposi- tions, Californians are devoted to ~ nent change in the state constitu- tion through the initiative process. Fifty-six percent also say that pub- lic policy decisions made by state voters are probably better than de- cisions made by their elected rep- resentatives in state government. ‘However, residents are also. aware that the process is not perfect. Only 10 percent say they are very satis- fied with the way the initiative pro- cess is working today, while a ma- jority say they’re only somewhat satisfied. Actually, 3 in 4 residents think that the system needs changes and only 1 in 5 says that the system is fine the way it is. Findings of the current survey are based on a telephone survey of 2,001 California adult residents in- terviewed from Oct. 11 to Oct. 18— interviews were conducted in ei- ther English or Spanish. Dr. Mark Baldassare, senior fellow and pro- gram director at PPIC, is founder and director of the PPIC, is founder and director of the PPIC statewide survey. PPIC is located in San Fran- cisco: phone (415) 291-4400, fax (415) 291-4401]. IKLEAVER’S JKLIPPINS » There is a Way to Save Our Children Over the past decade, we have seen scores of our children shot down in drive-by shootings. This includes babes in arms, preschoolers and too many others to even at- tempt to mention. We have placed the responsibility for the apprehension of these criminals who committed these dastardly acts on the criminal justice sys- tem: police, sheriffs, etc. These may be the proper steps to take after the fact. In the meantime, we need to ask our- selves how we got to this point in our society. Although we a two or three generations about the sanctity of life and today we are seeing the results of that failure. We sat silently by and allowed prayer to be taken out of schools. The Ten Commandments that once graced the walls of most classrooms had to be removed. As a society, we did little more than bemoan the fact and made no effort to fight back. What does all this mean in the strictest mea- sure of morality? Well, the reading of the Scrip- ture gave some sense of right and wrong to children beginning with the first grade and it never changed. Let us take it a step further. Most of our parents of another generation did not hold col- lege degrees but they believed in the Bible and they taught their children.to believe in the con- cepts of right and wrong. To be sure, there were incidents but they were few and far between. Children had been so well schooled they generally dared not do any- thing that might be seen as wrong in the eyes of m society and most certainly in the eyes of God. . Itis interesting to note that within.a block of most of our churches, there were confectionery Stores, where candies, sodas and chewing gum were sold. Theif biggest day of the week would _be Sunday, between the hours of about 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. This was the time that Sunday school was over. The children would spend their nickels and dimes in between ser- vices. : We acrid awaken to the smells of frying chicken and hot biscuits. The radio would be on whatever radio station that carried “Wings Over Jordan” and/or “Pet Milk Sunday Morning.” The Pet Milk show, hosted by one of the greatest announcers in the world, Sid McCoy, was the first black syndicated radio show in the country. _ Then we would go off to Sunday school, Let us not be misled here. Sunday school was not the total answer. It did however reinforce the subliminal teachings we had gotten throughout the week. The key here is not Sunday school or church per se. It is the involvement of the parents and the determination of the parents that their child (ren) would not wind up behind bars or running afoul of the law. Without question, some of the young men and occasionally, women, did have problems but in no way did they. approach the magnitude we see now. If your response is that there are so Many more people, then approach it from a percentage perspective. The comparison does not even come close. What happened? Again the answer is simple. In an attempt to keep up with the Joneses, we have all too often abdicated our responsibility to give our children the training they needed in order to preserve the sanctity of life. Several years ago, in an interview for one of the TV stations, a gang member said life meant nothing to him because he did not expect to live to see 25 years. Somebody failed him. More than 10 years ago, this reporter, after discussing the matter with two different psy- chiatrists commented that prospective gang members sought out other gang members be- cause this was the only familial structure that was available to them. Nobody listened and today, we see the results. Part of the bottom line is that all may not be lost. We can save this new generation. It will not be an easy task and it clearly will have defined the goals of the parents. Instead of buying the biggest most expensive car in the show room, they have to step down a notch or two and recognize the time spent on the second job to pay for the car could and should be spent on rearing their children and teaching them life is sacred. It might also be.helpful to set the VCR to record the football game and,get up.on Sunday morning and take the children to Sunday school and church. They need to know that since they cannot create life, they have no right to arbi- trarily take it. We need to understand that our children are products of their environment and when we do not create the proper environment, our children become like the legendary Topsy from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, who just “grow The responsibility for our children does not fall on the shoulders of the police department probation department and social services. It falls on évery parent and by and large, we have truly dropped the ball. Each time there is a parent-teacher night or conference, the rooms should be filled to capac- ity. We need to stop taking adversarial roles against the teachers. Despite our protests to the contrary, our children will, have and will con- tinue to lie when it fits their purposes. It is almost a joke when we see mothers angry with teachers or authorities, and declaring, “My son wouldn't lie to me.” Yes, Mother. They have and they will if it meets their needs. We can save the lives of our children in this new generation. It will, however, take determi- nation, devotion and sacrifice. Ask yourselves if the lives of your children | are worth the effort. victory, hook or crook. When is it time to ask if the Bushes tried to The Florida NAACP responded that-no such calls were placed While Jeb has withdrawn from |: the election challenge process af- |: ‘ steal the election in Florida? When the case is in court? Maybe’so. What has become more obvious than the 19,000 “double punched ballots,” were the many acts of voter intimidation that came light out of the election night darkness. Much. of which would have been covered. up with a close victory, a quick concession and an immediate focus on presidential transition. Claims of voter intimidation, — apse ti aaron herd a Goustioaheteencap oui ise : ald-Tribune reported that the poids alnpati cena hind nation, turned out to be imagined. Three days on the I.D. card didn’t match the _ person standing in front of them,” or that they were convicted felons -and coouldn’t vote (tough they had no proof). Now, we know many of us don’t look like our drivers license pic- tures, but this is extreme behavior ‘for qualifying to vote. Yet it was ‘happening in the South again. In Florida, not in 1955, or 1965, but i in the year 2000, The Herald-Tribune reported that a disproportionate number of ’ Afri¢an, American voters span “turned away from the polls” “vce WA stolons eee shite. full of shee since they are a non-partisan group. While local law enforce- ment worked the group, Political partisan operatives worked the air. This included the media that held stories of voter disenfranchise- ment until it was broken in the black press, and not given much credence until Jesse Jackson got in the national spotlight. Jesse then had to face hostile crowds . that shouted “Jesse, go home,” as if he had created the allegations. for some self-serving Katherine Hari the bie state, ane and told him Bush” to ter election night, where he re- ‘ portedly spent the night “tracking |’ votes” in.the Secretary of State’s |: ' Office, itis clear he was “command ': control” the night of election. A\. Bush running interference for a: ' Bush. He even publicly stated that |: he felt he had his brother down” ‘: on election night. The closeness of the election \ caused the election night “Am- |: fall apart. Voter disen- ‘: franchisement claims, that were ‘ Never meant to come to light in a i i i" will of ve ‘ ome ‘years igo cn a et wee day i in & South Florida, alittle boy decided to go for aswim in the old swimming hole behind his house, In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother-in the house was looking out the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer. together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reach- ed him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war be- tween the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, , with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn’t let go. ” You and I can identify with that little boy. We : so dramatic, but rather, the scars of a you. If you have Christ i in your life, you have - become a child of God. He wants to protect you . and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, The swimming hole of life is filled with peril — and _we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That’s when the tug-of-war begins, and ifyou have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not — and will not — let you go! Will you take time to pray? Don’t forget to pray for your home church, your pastors & their families, the leadership in the church, our mission- aries, and our world leaders. “Father, I ask you to bless these important people, right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there i is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubting, release a renewed confi- dence in Your ability to work through them. Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, patience, and strength as they learn submission to Your leading. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them to Your courage. Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over their life. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders, and friends to support, and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask You to do these things in Jesus’ name, amen.” Are we a “part of the problem, or part of the solution?” s a firm supporter of the formation of a Pitt County human relations organization, allow me to express my sorrow and disdain for the reckless and totally uncalled for editorial attack by Keith W. Cooper against County Commissioner David Hammond. As an occasional writer in this forum, I try to avoid using words such as “stupid” or “lamebrain.” However, Mr. Cooper’s comments seen in The Daily Reflector on Novem- ber 26" has earned him these titles. Commissioner Hammond conducted himself appropriately concerning the suggestion to start a human relations effort for the County. He helped to ensure that the idea was given full consideration. The decision to avoid having the County take responsibility for finding and forming the project is wise and practical. I am reminded of some of Keith Cooper’ s earlier comments wherein he labeled Michael Dixon an “Uncle Tom” for actions that he took as a member of the Board of Education. Thus, Cooper’s message is very clear: all black leaders who do not see things his way are automatically “enemies of progressive change” who “fan the flames of bigotry.” Mr. Cooper may mean well, but he is obviously too blind to see that his LETTER TO THE EDITOR behavior is shameful, divisive and dangerous. The danger lies in the possibility that some people may | be misled by the half-truths and references to heroic martyrs that he loves to include in his misguided and worn-out rhetoric. I have not read that anyone is prohibited from reaching out to help those who need it. If Keith Cooper or his “many supporters” are sincere about wanting to do good things, he would stop whining on the editorial pages about what others should do and start organizing toward doing whatever needs to be done. Better yet, he might review the history of the Greenville Human Relations Depart- ment. It was not started through government involvement but by a few people who took itupon themselves to do so. It is amazing that while thinking of famous names to include in his ignorant statements, Mr. Cooper would overlook Frederick Douglas who said that each of us was ether a “part of the problem or part of the solution.” You, Mr. Cooper, are part of the problem. & Michael W. Garrett Greenville, NC Editor’s note: This article is in response to Public Forum Comments by Keith W. Cooper which appeared in The eas Reflector November 26, 2000. & ) Ww Heel/Sew Quik OOTWEAR CLINIC Carolina East Mall 252-756-0044 We clean Timberland Shoes and Boots _Shoe Repair 8 Clothing Alteration v ta a ea id to lilac. ~~ painful past, Some of those scars are unsightly and ___ have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my . friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He’ sbeenthereholding - on to you, The Scripture teaches that God loves s (AP)- qunnuhaieune and love AIDS sufferers instead ys _ Of shunning them, / ‘Desmond Tutu said’ ‘ceremony See: Tutu, former $ Nelson dandein and lw devon tees 7 joint service Wednesday morning to highlight the country's AIDS crisis. About 4.2 million South Africans - 10 percent of the population - are estimated to be HIV infected. The stigma surrounding the epidemic means that those who openly admit they are infected often are treated as outcasts by their communities, thrown out of their homes and sometimes fired from their jobs. "We treat them like pariahs. We wish that we could take ail of them away from our societies," Tutu said. Mandela echoed Tutu's call for better treatment of infected people. “One of the things we must do is to support AIDS sufferers - to give them love, to shake hands with them, to embrace them,” he said. “'! sincerely hope that the attitude of our people toward AIDS sufferers is going to change because that way, we will be helping them to fight against this deadly disease." South Africans should fight AIDS with the same intensity they used in the battle against apartheid, Mandela said. “We shall work together as a nation, work hard and with dedication to achieve another miracle - this time of winning the battle against AIDS," he said. De Klerk urged South Africans to talk about the epidemic. “If we Communicate, everyone will know what causes AIDS, what spread it and how we can defeat it," he said. “Children at ° school should be taught about the disease and they should fee! free to talk about it everywhere. Then they will know and understand that AIDS kills." By jimiizrael Rosa Parks Rosa Parks, often called “the mother of the ” became history's icon quite accidentally on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus. She was summarily arrested for her defiance. Her act, 45 years ago today, led to the , which ended in the US Supreme Court's ruling that segregation on public transportation was unconstitutional. Rosa Parks walked into the belly of the bus merely a passenger and left in handcuffs, the maternal figurehead of a movement that would change America. She was just a simple seamstress, tired after a hard day’s work. That's how the story goes, anyway. But as Parks herself wrote in her autobiography: “People always say that | didn’t give up my seat because | was tired, but that isn't true. | was not tired physically....1 was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then... No, the only tired | was, was tired Of giving in.” “The Civil Rights Movement has been simplified in the popular media to a handful of images that are often inaccurate,” says Dr. Dorothy Salem, Cleveland - State University instructor and a noted author and historian on women's history. “We tend to Create icons of these leaders, instead of viewing their effort as a collective effort." - 3:30 PM. Saturday & | December 10, 1, 2000, i Peal Drie 8 Greenville, North Carolina 27834 (252) 355-5415 Mastercard, Visa, Discover and AMEX: Accopted Ask ‘About Special Showing Arrangements ~ And Our Ensy-Payment Plan Garry Eugene Pearsall (252) 756-1793 (252) 756-5043 | Sales Consultant GREENVILLE - Tel (252) 439-5421 Elton John" Harper i oso) 507.2571 Floor Manager Fax (252) 439-5422 home (252) 527-1633 YORK MEMORIAL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH 201 TYSON STREET P.O. BOX 8325 GREENVILLE, NC 27834 A BIBLE PREACHING, BIBLE TEACHING, BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH Rev. William L. Johnsc "My oy sot with the cows, but in the Lord. | Need... . ‘Don’t let the evil in others run io ee ion and the 0 oe : Psalm 15 “Lord, who may go and find ref- Example: | uge and shelter in your tabernacle Remember that you set an ex- up on Your holy hill?” ‘| ample for your children. If you | watch a lot of TV, chances are The Answer: your children will too. » Lead a blameless life § Be truly sincere | Dale 9 Refuse to slander others You never get over the need of» Does not listen to gossip your mother. 9 ‘Never harms his neighbor ; % Speaks out against sin oe , Families .. , Criticizes those committing sin mean - Families are like quilts: Lives Commends faithful followers READ, READ, READ!! pieced together, coloredbymemo- Keepsapromise even ifit ruins — ries, stitched with tears, and bound him emer more you read, the topcther by love. Does not rush his debtors with i smarter you grow. The high interest rates pace say grow te ne Grandmothers ... Refuses to testify against the ! ‘ a : ; bribes of. longer you stay in school, the more Grandmothers and little girls go innocent despite the bribes o money you earn. The more money together like tea and cookies. er wig aap er your children Quote of the Year... Sparks from the Anvil Jim Trelease, a 16-year pro- _ Theshortest distance between a By: Elder Michaux moter of the best-kept secret in problem and a solution is the dis- 1. Love will win anybody but education today. tance between your knees and the the devil. floor. The one who kneels tothe 2. Any time you get careless, An African Proverb... Lord can stand up to anything. satan has a way of making “ the head goes, th you care less. neh to ees a Family Mealtimes... 3. God has plenty to satisfy your Family times around the table need, but not your greed. Forgiveness ... are perfect opportunities forbuild- 4. Don’t be concerned about “Two marks of a Christian— 1g Stronger relationships and cre- your power to govern others, ra coy i ating unforgettable experiences. but only to govern yourself. giving and forgiving. ne 5. Everybody wants to be the Faia . Full Metal Records | Coming Soon! Hosea Williams, A Giant Any Way You Look At It To Be Equal by Hugh Price Hosea Williams, one of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s trusted lieutenants and an heroic figure in America’s twentieth-century struggle for social justice, died last week of cancer in Atlanta. He was 74. As sad as it is to lose Williams’ blunt honestly, and his unshakable devotion to those in need, I can’t help but think at the same time that his death is gloriously fitting for this moment in American history when the closeness and confusion of the presidential _ balloting in Florida has made the importance of every single vote cast-and not cast-unmistakably clear. Hosea Williams’ death is gloriously fitting now because it "reminds us that he was part of that band of men and women, - boys and girls in the 1950s and 1960s who put their lives on the tine time and again to secure the . fight to vote-the fundamental : requirement of citizenship in.a democracy-for-everyone. : He was one of that “beloved - community” of’ apostles of ; Nonviolence who re-made the ' United States of America into a i real democracy, not. just a : rhetorical one, | As James Farmer, another Movement hero, who passed , away last year, wrote in his | autobiography, living then “was tenuous... but the grasping at liberty, and the reaching toward happiness ennoble life for this nation.” And Hosea Williams, working Kg, Soto, Chin Southern Christian ) own participation in the Movement stands as a definition of heroism, spoke an essential truth upon hearing of Williams’ passing: that he “must be looked upon as one of the founding fathers of the new America. Through his actions, he helped liberate us all.” Now, when the votes of African Americans are as critical a part of the electoral mix as any other groups’, it might be difficult for some to realize that just 35 years ago, racist laws and tactics barred the vast majority of black Americans in the South from voting. To attempt to do so could literally cost any black person his or her life. That profound subversion of democracy changed forever on March 7, 1965, a day that became known as “Bloody Sunday.” That was the day when Williams and Lewis assembled a group of civil rights activists in Selma, Alabama for a 50-mile march to Montgomery, the state.capital. Their purpose was to present petitions to Governor George C. Wallace, the leading segregationist in America, demanding voting rights for black Alabamians. They had barely gotten across the Edmund Pettus Bridge over the force of more than a hundred Alabama State Troopers and sheriffs’ deputies on foot and on horseback. All were equipped with gas masks, The rampage that followed-of the club-wielding police overrunning the defenseless, choking marchers-shocked White America and the world and, by provoking President Lyndon Johnson to propose a federal voting rights bill, which was passed five months later, brought democracy to the South. In April 1968, Williams was. among the small group of Vieutenants talking with King on a ny “of ‘the Lorraine eel oot the serike | Ba AG gS BAAS NR ie 4 Sit of black sanitation workers, moments before King was assassinated. In later years, Williams had what some might call a “checkered “ career. He was a state representative from Atlanta for eleven years, a city councilman for five, and a DeKalb County commissioner for three. And he never ceased his “activism”. For the last thirty years he organized a Feed The Hungry and Homeless Thanksgiving Day dinner in Atlanta that fed thousands, and he was continually on the front lines of demonstrations for a variety of causes. But he also had numerous scrapes with the law over traffic violations, including several drunk-driving charges, and other offenses, and he spent several short stays in jail. Perhaps these tarnished his effectiveness over the last several years. But in broader terms, these blemishes are still far outweighed by the good that he had done-and the good that he continued to do. This truth was wonderfully expressed by a letter-writer to the Atlanta Journal - Constitution put it. She wrote that when she had called to offer a donation to his | holiday-meal program, he himself came on the. line they talked for some time. “By the time we finished talking....1 thought this was someone I knew personally . He was thee approachable.... Without conceit, he captivated me with accounts of his many (efforts) to bridge gaps of fairness and equality between all people.....l was honored then; 1 am saddened © now. Hosea Williams was not a human being without failings, . but he was a giant any way look alesiiltabiale lust. - Sin never gets any better. words. Bits & Pieces. A Good Reminder Always keep a pen and pad by | your telephone: A time saver as well as an expense reducer. Change The only time-you can change a man is when he’s in diapers. Thanks To those who use good manners: thank you, excuse me, I’m sorry Just as you don’t eat an apple in one bite, you can’t expect to fin- ish a major project in one setting. At the beginning of each year, take the time to note all birthdays, school vacations and medical appointments on your new calendar. What you don’t know about herbs and drugs can hurt you. Some herbs and drugs don’t mix. Winning isn’t everything— it’s the only thing. Your behavior has _ _ consequences. Love can bested, but not Se et eee - When our husbands need encouragement— offer a warm embrace ... When our sisters and brothers need a kind word—offer it ... When our parents need love and patience—provide it. Be a homemaker, not a housewife. Don’t let me find out from some-_ body else; tell me the truth. Spread Peace this Christmas Christmas is an important time. of the year. It’s a time of year when the whole world is hearing the message of the birth of Jesus. It’s a time when people are tender- hearted ... the perfect time to plant seeds of love in the lives of those you meet. Sometimes these seeds may just take the form ofa kind word in the middle of rush hour shopping. Other times, you may get the op- portunity to pray and minister to someone. But whatever the situa- tion, keep a sharp eye out foreven — the smallest chance to assist peo- ple. 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WTOW gave away 60 turkeys to their loyal listeners. Also pictured is a lady receiving one of the Turkeys. Photo By Jim Rouse | Original Member o ae ” 1st Time Out ! : se Recording Artist Mrs. Vannessa Daniels makes her singing debut of The Hir Pl her latest single Steadfast and on the move, at the Hilton Hotel. ne Friends and family were their to wish her well. Special thanks to A Good Man : _ Henry Davis. Photo by Michael Adams ool ls Hand To Find” S °. (CHRISTMAS BONUS 3 FROM: TRIUNE MINISTRIES . TO: YOU, YOU & YOU “BUY ONE TICKET GET ONE FREEI!” Buy: one ticket at full price and “receive the ottier ABSOLUTELY: FREE!!! M tH DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THIS SPECTACULAR GOSPEL PLA YI ONE SHOWING ONLY Tie iielas Financing WTOW Radio Station, Washington, Harvest Christian Store, Washing A Taste of Heaven, Greenvi A Well te] ol (= Vesna en oe Six-Month, or MORE ... SAME AS CASH!!! 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BOB is business banking without , Greenville, NC 27834 Business Online Banking Get BOB today and get ready for more efficiency, productivity and spare time, BALANCE REPORTING | WIRE TRANSFERS | ACH | TAX PAYMENTS | TRANSFER FUNDS t j - One sentence. - (No study of the African Anat 4 ean. American . or he paid a tremendous price for it. Robeson was an activist on be- _ half of oppressed peoples fornearly 50 years. He was born in New Jer- : sey in 1898, the son.of a runaway — slave. Born in the shadow of sla- very, he was always an uncompro- mising advocate for full equality . for African Americans and it gave him the will to prove that all of the , Stereotypical images assigned to black people were false. Tt was well-known at the time . that while “Negroes” were good at - menial labor, dancing, singing and athletics, they were inferior in aca- demic pursuits, they could not mas- terthe process of analytical thought, nor did they have the brain power to master the complexities of foreign language. Robeson destroyed all of those stereotypes. Robeson was a scholar. In 1915, Paul Robeson won a four-year aca- demic scholarship to Rutgers Uni- versity. He was a star athlete, atwo- time All-American at football and, in spite of violence and racism from teammates, he won 15 varsity let- ters in baseball, basketball and track. As a scholar, he received the Phi Beta Kappa key in his junior year, belonged to the Cap & Skull Honor Society. He graduated from Rutgers as the valedictorian of his class. He went on to become a professional football player while he worked his way to. a.law degree at Columbia Law School. At Columbia:(1919- 1923), Robeson met and married Eslanda Cordoza Goode, who was to be- come the first black woman to head a pathology laboratory. He took a job with a law firm, but left when a white secretary refused to take dic- tation from him. He left the practice of law to use his artistic talents in theater and music to promote Afri- can and African American history and culture. Robeson was a singer, a Shakespearean actor and a movie star. He made 11 films, including “Body and Soul” (1924), “Jericho” (1937), and “Proud Valley” (1939). Robeson lived and performed in Europe from the late 1920s until 1939. In London, Robeson earned international acclaim for his lead role in “Othello,” for which he won the Donaldson Award for Best Act- ing Performance (1944), and per- formed in Eugene O’Neill’s “Em- peror Jones” and “All God's Chillun Got Wings.” Heiis known for chang- ing the lines of the “Showboat” song “Old Man River” from the meek "..._1’m tired of livin’ and ‘feared of dyin’... ” to a declaration of resis- tance, “... I must keep fightin’ until I'm dying ... During his time in Europe, Robeson became, among other things, a linguist. He gained a strong appreciation for diverse cultures, - accomplished i in his ,77 aera of life, could never be condensed i into world fa historywould be complete without — _ an in-depth examination of the role. - Paul Robeson played. He wasaman _ ahead of his time, who made a tre- mendous contribution to the | struggle of oppressed people, and — hy ae : + sie PAUL ROBESON—The All-American Athlete - Sovict Union and Africa. At the same time, his hatred of racial preju- dice and class difference led him to become active in a variety of politi- cal and social issues, including the British labor movement. Robeson became known as aciti- zen of the world, equally comfort- able with the people of Moscow, Nairobi and Harlem. His friends included future African leader Jomo Kenyatta, India’s Nehru, historian Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, and writers ° James Joyce and_ Ernest Hemingway. In 1933, Robeson do- nated the proceeds of “All God’s Chillun” to Jewish refugees fleeing | Hitler's Germany. During Hitler’s reign in Ger- many, Robeson became one of the world’s most famous anti-fascists. He spoke out against the fascist General Franco in Spain. Ata 1934 rally for the anti-fascist forces in the Spanish Civil War, he declared, “The artist must elect to fight for freedom or for Slavery no alterna- tive.” While in Europe, he became ac- quainted with socialist philosophies and became interested in the Soviet Union. While he disagreed with many principles of communism, he admired the Soviet Union's appar- ent lack of racial prejudice. Back in the United States in 1939, he performed in the New York premiere of Earl Robinson's “Bal- lad for Americans,” a cantata cel- ebrating the multi-ethnic, multi:ra- cial face of America. It attracted one of the largest audience re- sponses of that time. During the 1940s, Robeson con- tinued to perform and tg speak out in support of labor and peace and | against racism. He spoke and per- formed at strike rallies, conferences and labor festivals worldwide. He supported the CIO (later part of the AFL-CIO) in its union organizing efforts. In addition, he protested the growing Cold War and worked tirelessly for friendship and respect between the U.S. and the USSR. In 1945, he headed an organiza- tion that challenged President Truman to support an anti-lynching law. In the late 40s, Robeson pub- licly questioned why African Americans should fight in the army of a government that tolerated rac- Expand Your Mind , Read | to his defamation. At a iime when America was engaged in a pervasive anti-Com- munist paranoia, he was accused by the House Un-American Activities Committee of being a Communist. “T'mgoing tosing wherever the people _ want me to sing ....and I won't be frightened by crosses burning in . Peekskill or anywhere else,” he said. His passport was revoked from -. 1950 until 1958 and he was black- listed both by the federal govern- - ment and the entertainment indus- tty. He was unable to perform until 1957. During those years, Robésor | Studied Chinese, met with Albert | Einstein to discuss the prospects - for world peace and published his | autobiography, Here I Stand, be- _ fore returning to the stage to sing at | Carnegie Hall. At home, it was difficult to find -Testaurants that would serve him, _ theaters in New York would only _ Seat blacks in the upper balconies, and his performances were often ’ surrounded with threats and harass- ment. In 1960, Robeson made his - last concert tour in New Zealand and Australia. . In spite of his ill treatment at the hands of the authorities, he never became embittered and fought for dignity and equality for all humans until illness forced him to retire in 1963. He died on Jan. 23, 1976. In 1995, 19 years after his death, Paul Robeson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. limédikatunin. a "te 90. Wes inneacial outdoor - concerts in Peekskill, N.Y., were at- _ tacked by racist mobs while state po- S| _ lice stood and watched. Robeson, = _ _ however, refused to be intimidated. - Piano For Sale Take On Low Monthly Payment Beautiful Console Piano. No Mone 1-800-371-1220 Down The Minority Varee Newspaper 4 ungton Williamston, NC 27892. 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Adams Centered...... | Recording artist Mel Holder with Taste of Heaven's entrepreneur family, Mr. & Mrs. John Taylor at the: recording debut of Mrs. Vanessa Daniels God, The Master Planner And Builder, Is Putting The Pieces Of The Shattered Black Families Back Together: Let Us Unite And Hear The Divine Message That God Has Blessed Us With Through Our Eastern Representative Of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Minister Robert Muhammad-—~ | . Lecturing on “Mobilizing Families After the Million Family March” Boys & Girls Club Bridge Street Washington, NC Saturday, December 16, 2000 7pm FEEL THE UNITY HEAR THE WORD HEED THE FINA Sponsored By MUHAMMAD MOSQUE NO. 79 917 % MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DRIVE GREENVILLE. NC 27834 FOR SAVIOURS' DAY TRANSPORTATION CONTACT BRO. STEVE (252) 520-9501 MIN. ROBERT (252) 208-1944 ‘the abused, will loom so large and so high and mighty, there is absolutely nothing imaginable ‘that the abused will not do to 3 ‘find recognition, acceptance and m approval of the abuser! ‘Usually the abused will seek marriage with the abuser and want to bear the abuser’s offsprings, be their mother or become father of offsprings with the sister or mother or divorced wife of the abuser! However strange, ridiculous or peculiar and insane this might be viewed by anyone else, such abuse, violence, brutal beatings and bludgeoning, the victim tent to find an increased capacity to endure such abuse, because in the twisted mind of the abused, ‘this will be translated and interrupted as an act of supreme: love! With this occurring over an extended period of time, the victim and the victimizer become deeply addicted to this type and kind of relationship and both will look forward to more and more of the same! Brutal pain and all but unendurable agonies_ will become the source of supreme pleasure in: the most bizarre kinds of ways! Neither the can the victim nor the victimizer break free of the ties that bind them! life! Sak a oki : gts poem om. canbe eat et it will be our own people that rises up and oppose us and accuse us of interfering in their business! They will accuse us of wrongly meddling in their affairs and this will be yet another way and proof to the victimizer their deep devotion and eternal loyalty to the victimizer! This is manifested more often in those of us who see their God as white; their Savior as white; their - Jeaders as white; their bosses as : white and with white and even to. bear white babies for whites or. become husbands to white females and sire half white” offsprings ! And anyone pointing this out to them , their first defensive reaction will be to charge you with being jealous and to tell you to mind your own business ! | Deep, deep, deep down within the mental and spiritual framework of their deranged, damaged and doomed and damned beings, is harbored some of the deepest levels of self hatred that shield the ability to let out screams that are damned up in the soul! To want no way out of this is to be convinced that one will never get out and thus will never end the way and manner in which he or she is being treated ! Adjusting, holding back and smothering ones feelings and blocking ones SIGN UP NOW SALUTE DR. KING JANUARY 2001 OW {340MM WTO S320 ps emotionally, and most likely to be heroic and heronistic in volunteering tojoin _ the military to be trained to kill for their abuser in foreign countries and upon battlefields to prove his and her loyalty to their victimizers! - Certainly this is not unknown to the victimizers. Indeed such behavior is the point at which the victimizer feels most powerful and potent! To see someone who they’ve abused, demeaned, demonized and for centuries described categorized and classified Naggers and as cions, savages, heathens, idol worshipers, cannibals and monkeys, bring them an highly intoxicating thrill of supreme triumphant over their victims!! One does not have to study for decades to learn and earn degrees in psychology to be able to see these things manifesting right before. their eyes. One need not be a historian or highly political nor be astute in sociology to see these things manifesting themselves in every move the victims make and with every breath they take! There is a behavior so deeply ingrained into the behavior of the victim that it immediately leaps out and arrest your attention ! Needless to say it is an incredibly painful and agonizing thing to witness this and be totally unable to do anything about it ! Reaching the African American Consumers of Beaufort County Pitt County Martin County lly, he and she are — a scocnesntnaaeineinnsniaitoanan ininihesooemtinieenabtatinans nein “Beautification C Commitee & Festival of Lights Commalibee” left to right. .Dr. Patticia Love (sec ) Mrs Loretta Pruitt ( co- chair ) Mrs. Barbara Taft ( food cord sobinnnasnanenstie THIRD ANNUAL WEED & SEED D4 CHRISTMAS HOUSE DECORATING FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS vie nN AND CHILDREN’S POSTER COMPETITION "e pt 4 DECEMBER 2000 + YOU CAN DO IT BETTER ICAN DOIT BETTER — pi 4 WE CAN ALL LOOK BETTER! Ye That’s right. Let’s all have some fun and dress up our neighborhood this Christmas Season. We can gather our family together and create the most uniquely decorated house in the Weed & Seed Target Area. Even better, we can join with our neighbors and make this the best-decorated block. Yes. we can! sa r] = wy Also, we will be giving out awards to children under 18 years of age for drawing Christmas House posters. Poster are required to be on notebook sized paper - 8 % x I. Posters should be mailed or brought in by Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000 to Rosa Sydney, C.M. Eppes Recreation Center, Weed & Seed Safe Haven, P.O. Box 7207, Greenville, NC 27834. — Poster Categories are: 96 48 FFF: |. 4 year olds 2. 5 year olds 3. 6to 8 year olds t 4. 9to 11 year olds ye 5. 12 to 14 year olds wv ° 6. 15 to 18 year olds This event is sponsored by the Weed & Seed Beautification Committee and the Christmas Festival of Lights Committee. We are asking everyone in the Weed & Seed Target area to add that little extra reree "4 something wien decorating his or her home for the Christmas Holidays. y Dig We 4 Starting on Friday, December 1, 2000 through Thursday, December 14, 2000, a group of judges will ride Ft ie Whi through the Weed & Seed Target Area and judge decorated homes on their theme, creativity, uniformity, we 4% arrangement, concept blend, and for just looking GREAT! 4a ¥ ph 4 Winners will be announced on Friday night, December 15, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. at the C.M. Eppes ye Recreation Center. Trophies, medals & certificates will be awarded to the first, second, and third place ad ph 4 winners of the best-decorated Christmas House and Poster categories. We Pah Ss aaa 4 Wir Contestants and visitors attending this event will be given free refreshments. Several groups will sing yi Aap Christmas Carols and perform inspirational dance for the enjoyment of everyone. ph Vp House Categories are: wy ae |. Best Decorated Front Door Award a y 2. Best Decorated Christmas Tree Award whe ph 3. Best Decorated House Front Award 4 ‘ dip 4 Best Decorated House & Yard Award Ai y §. Best Decorated Whole House Award ba or ae 6. Best Decorated Block Award (2/3 of the block must be decorated) v . oN + wk 3h en i i ie Ne NE ae se ee {Business Online Banking | Brings The Branch To You a= 2 + + oe Who can get your books neat and tidy, without so much as a paper trail? BOB, of course. Use BOB for wire transfers, to transfer funds, manage your checking account and more. BOB is business banking without the branch. 7 = ee eo ee Get BOB today and get ready for more efficiency, productivity and spare time. oo > _ > = oo re = re =, => = — — = = — = — = _ — = = = ow = _ = : — => o = — =” — => = = = = — iJ) — ~— = => = os — — = “3 = = i——j ws es oo? ee ee ee ee ~ faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9), what area of our life can the Bib _ Cleanse? It can cleanse us from wrong thougtits. Sometimes we are tempted to think critically of | others; God's Word can prevent this (Psalm 1:2). On other occa- _ Sions, fearful thoughts may race through our minds; the Scriptures will prevent this also (Joshua 1:8). In fact, the Bible will establish our. total thought-life if we but nat allow it:to do so Dr. George Hawkins | ‘(Phil.4:8,9: 2 Peter 1:5-10). , It can cleanse us from wrong God's Word Cleanses words. Of all the Bible authors, James seems to be God's expert on the sigs of the human tongue, Pecetings in the name of . In the firs Dapter of his book, ne A Greenville esus Christ; eals with this very thing an ogee “necessi .4 Utilities shows the absolute necessity of’ . 200 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., 752-7166, www.guc.com * Check your ductworkin the atic and under the house tobe sure itis intact. Separated di . Weather-seal window air conditioners for better efficiency. When possible, remove them int winter, or at least cover to prevent cold air transfer. ei Be * Check.and clean or replace your central heating filters once each month. Keeping clean filters in _ the system can save as much as 10-15% of the operating costs. 2, ema Use.a small space heater for brief periods to warm small areas, such as bathrooms, instead of overheating the entire house. deny eset RN Ta Ra AROS Cae at DARL COND Ny RANE MRR diene: iad Sn For more energy saving tips, call Greenville Utilities’ Energy Services Office at 551-1525. ~ . dependence upon the Scriptures to. . One of the pieces of furniture in keep our words true (James the Old Testament tabernacle was called the brass laver (Ex 38:8). It consisted of a huge upright brass bowl filled with water, resting upon a pedestal. The priests would often stop at this laver and wash. The Word of God may be thought of in terms of that laver, for it too has the power to cleanse. The Old Testament laver could only remove the physical dirt from human hands, but the 1:22-26 and Psalm 319:72), It can cleanse us from wrong actions. Jesus promised us this would be the case: "Now ye are clean through the word which | have spoken unto you" (John 15:3). Finally, God's Word will keep us from wrong thoughts, words, and actions; or else wrong thoughts, words, and actions will keep us from God's Word. Teer iielas atatelaldiare ow Grandmas sidmmin combread dressing Averasie | Some old-school Christmas Le Kayla and Sharise messing with their ¢ } 2) (EZ OO] Om @ acre), BAD Creait SLOW Credit, NO CREDIT?! Tavis home From college PAX serious feast with holiday slavor | The men mad into the game Some belt-loosening and Kickin back latte) a t of than rulness sor another year together Cedric B. Walston SALESPERSON ... “Come in and ask for Cedric Walston” Chill. Pr KO Serve APPLIANCES « ELECTRONICS 131 S.W. GREENVILLE BLVD. @ GREENVILLE, NC 27834 Tet.: (252) 756-9050 © MOBILE: (252) 412-5283 PAGER: (252) 323-1819 237 Washington Street Williamston, NC 27892 (252) 799-0068 James Teel Owner Serving Eastern North Carolina * . CT MOrACa iim Mila elma iilinimaliiinran tis 2 ieee ies ——— 1 the “colored people”. "What Is "Effective" Ministry ? _ A ministry is effective when — ‘lives are transformed such that Prone: are constantly enabled to ~ more Christ-like. — Effective ministries foster sig- - nificant and continual changes in how people live. When your church is. able to consistently facilitate a personal change proc- ess among its people, then it is | operating in the realm of effec- tiveness. In our culture it is easy to get confused about what “effective ministry” looks like at the grass- . roots level. Some interviews with pastors confirm that there is - a tremendous degree of confu- sion about the practical meaning of effective ministry. Many Christians believe that the marks of an effective church are having a sanctuary filled every Sunday; raising a large amount of money; adding and construct- ing new ministry facilities; send- ing church choirs to sing in| churches, community events, and school campuses; broadcast- ing church worship services on the local radio and television; offering ministry programs and Christian education classes; hav- ing a high profile awareness in the community; adding 100 (or more) new members in a year. Contrary to popular opinion, | these scenarios do not necessar- ily reflect a church that is truly effective. The most important aspect of any ministry is-- the hearts of the people. There are many churches that offer a variety of ministry events and meetings but in which the par- ticipants are simply going through the motions. If such churches would reduce the num- -ber of programs, services, ‘events, and “social gatherings” ‘its effectiveness as a ministry ‘would facilitate a turnaround and ‘focus on the real purpose of a ministry. ‘the Lord examines a church, His ‘criteria have little to do with - attendance statistics, budgeting complexities or program ‘breadth. If His critique of the ‘Pharisees and other religious ‘leaders is any indication, His analysis will hinge on the depth of people’s commitment to mak- ing their faith real and pure. Tiny congregations composed of people completely dedicated to being a blessing to God and others will probably make the grade; churches that have a hi profile and earn constant medi attention but exhibit limited spiritual growth and depth may be surprised (heartbroken) at ‘ how they fare in His judgment, I’m willing to bet that when . A A Poet's Childhood) BY: ‘June Jordan | ae | before the black poet, June Jordan was born, she - writes, her mother was visited in ‘a dream by angels who told her the child would grow up to help But as “Solider,” Jordan’s . memoir, makes clear an activist is not an HITACHI DVP305U DVD PLAYER it for superb Ive VCR ssi Ge Payback eS ] to SVMS tapes (at VHS sot ” © VCR Plus+ ° de A/V Jocks for easy camcorder game hookup ‘ * Ado Edin time Pacing Adiusiment 80 there's no more missed endings! ¢ Spotializer Virtual Surround Sound using two speakers * Component Outpu picture quality . mine =y Coal es Opts for great connections |: | % 99": | 99°" aug hinselé: to pay he di- - ected his considerable intelli- ~ gence and rage into making his daughter fit for white. society. This included trips to Manhattan museums and Carnegie Hall, strictly enforced reading assign- ments and, ultimately enrollment of an unenthusiastic June into an elite all-white boarding school. Then there was a darker curricu- lum: drills in combat skills, literature lessons that descended into violence and unpredictable J 12 MONTHS INTEREST FREE! LAYAWAY ; _ NOW FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Le GREENVILLE TV andy U/ ‘oy ZENITH 9 TVBRO92 Seg. i % #9" TV VCR Combo * Front A/V jacks * 18]- Channel tuning * V-chip * On-screen programming * Hig searcl . Seep timer with timer back-up. cated Quasar. COMBO ‘24 32" STEREO TV ‘549° ible deacon e nen ‘their ‘owes to te. father who both daughter into the son he never r-rtured and tormented her. had, retreated into chilly passiv- ity‘and her prayer book, leaving June to challenge him. By the time she was 7, the girl was © keeping a knife under her pillow, Shortly before her eighth birth- day she pulled it on him... 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