AFRICA DIGEST CENTRAL AFRICA President attacks France The president of the Central African Re- public said French interests had been in- volved in a failed coup attempt in his coun- try last month, and praised Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for coming promptly to his aid. Ange Felix Paiasse told newsmen in an interview that the danger was now over and the capital, Bangui, was under his control. “Bangui is caim. Bangui is under control and the outskirts of the city are calm. | ask the rebels to surrender. If they do not, | will go and get them by force,” he said. The poor, landlocked country saw a se- ties of army mutinies in the mid-1990s, when the former colonial power sent troops to back Patasse. This time France declined to intervene, and Patasse has said that French weapons found their way into the hands of the rebels, who were led by Andre Kolingba, a former military ruler. Asked how he would prevent further un- rest, Patasse replied: “Ask France not to send weapons to kill the people.” “These are the weapons we found at Kol- ingba’s house,” he said, indicating boxes of weapons bearing the French flag piled in the garden of his residence, where the inter- view took place. ‘SOUTH AFRICA ‘Mbeki salutes student uprising President Thabo Mbeki led a march this week to salute the South African children who sparked a bloody revolt 25 years ago that signalled the beginning of the end of White rule. But the march appeared to have less to do with politics than with making a state- ment against HIV/AIDS, which is one of the main challenges facing Mbeki’s admin- istration. Former student leaders, many of whom were meeting for the first time since police fired on them 25 years ago, had one mes- sage for the younger generation: HIV/AIDS is killing them. In a speech to about 8,000 young Sowe- . tans, many of whom wore T-shirts bearing AIDS awareness messages, Mbeki touched only briefly on the issue. : “We must attend to the health of our young people. That includes the question of AIDS,” he told a rally in the township, . southwest of Johannesburg, urging people - to use condoms. “We want to save the lives of our people. The youth must take responsibility to look after itself.” BURUNDI Civilians killed by rebel army Ethnic Hutu rebels killed a military com- mander and three civilians in two road am- bushes in central Burundi, the army said this week. Guerrillas shot dead Major Thimothe Nti- jinama on Sunday evening three km (two miles) from the central towh of Kayanza, army spokesman Colonel Augustin Nz- abampema said. “One hour later on the same place the ; rebels killed three civilians,” hé said. “Two of them were executed on thé road after bein mutilated. The third was burned in the car.” Residents said the attacks were believed to be the work of rebels from the Forces for ' the Defence of Democracy (FDD), the ‘ biggest of two main Hutu rebel groups ; fighting the Tutsi-led Burundian army and government for almost eight years. ; More than 200,000 people, most of them * civilians, have been killed in a civil war which started in 1993 when the Tutsi mili- - tary assassinated the country’s first democ- ratically elected president, Melchior Nda- daye, a Hutu. UGANDA Troops face long trek from Congo Ugandan troops based in a remote Gon- oy ga bot hea march oy ’ (250 miles) tow: as part o' erations to wahoo U n ae di ‘ the Democratic R of U 2 let the battalion of 750 troops use the only large airport in the area — so they must march to another, 400 km away. “"U s patience has run out after the ail olor use i's J /" un named secutty officials told the state- Tlreande fo Disk Nets oil eee: What You See Is What You Get, Suffering SUFFERING CHILDREN Prostitution is claiming increased numbers of juveniles Special to the Tri-State Defender There are between 100,000 and 300,000 child prostitutes in the United States, and the number may be growing, activists, juveniles justice and law enforcement offi- cials fear. Reasons for the increase vary: from laws that don’t do enough to punish pimps, to more children feeling alien- ated at home or suffering in dysfunctional families who run away and have increased problems with drug addic- tions. There is also the challenge of bringing cases with no witnesses, except the victim- ized child, who either be- lieves she loves, or knows she fears, her pimp... of anonymity, caseworkers in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. - ex- pressed frustration. They worry cases fall through the cracks and sometimes feel ill-prepared to help. These aren’t children of 10 and 15 years ago. At 9-, 10-.11-years-old, they are in love with these men who talk nice to them, said the L.A. social worker. The sweet talk KELLY DARDEN, JR TO BOTH APPEAR ON AND CO-HOST HIS 0 WN NA TIONALL Y TELEVISED TELEVISION PROGRAM A difficult time in the life of Greenville native, — Kelly Darden, Jr. has transformed into the opening and begin- ning of a life long dream becoming a reality. Having moved back to Greenville from Charlotte after a 20 year stay, as a result of needing to be near his mother who, had been diag- nosed with terminal cancer, Kelly went to an outdoor show in Raleigh, North Carolina, just to get away, clear his head, and try to think of t@hink of things other than his mother's con- dition, There he met another young man, James Jackson, Jr. of Willliamsburg, Virginia who had set up a display is an introduction into what one report called the most over- looked form of child abuse in America. In addition, - local police often sees child prostitution as a nuisance crime and there is a miscon- ception that the children are willing accomplices, it said. “Black women and young girls especially, find them- selves in a unique and extremely difficult position in society,” said Verdita Nelson, a researcher and author of — Prostitution: Where Racism and Sexism Intersect. Trapped in a culture domi- nated by White supremacy and male dominance, the Black female becomes espe- cially vulnerable to sexual exploitation,” argues Ms. Nelson. The case of a 13-year-old Black girl in Atlanta cap- tured some attention in re- cent months. The juvenile .5 was a dancer in a strip. club that has come under investi- gation by federal officials. | Her alleged pimp, a 43-year- old man, pleaded guilty to — statutory sexual and second-degree” ki Speaking under condition ™ ping in May, accord July 23 in the case. The man allegedly took | the girl to Las Vegas on a Greyhound bus in April and had sex with her. officials are seeking the former strip club bouncer, and plan to draw up charges against him, according to local media. There has also been a called The Virginia Whit@tail Collection, a col- lection and display of deer, bear and wild turkey James and his father had taken over the years. Out of the thou- sands of persons, each had: met in their lives, there was an initial intense chemistry between the two, based on their intense passion for the great outdoors, which has subsequently - made them more akin to brothers than business partners and began to propel them to the fore- front. of one of the | last remaining areas of sports outside of auto racing where black Americans, have not yet fully entered and ex- celled, the outdoor sports. Hardly if ever is an African American depicted and shown hunting or fishing in the picturesque scenes in television, advertisements, the Clark County, Nevada, ~ district attorney. He faces up to 20 years in prison. | Sentencing is scheduled for - Atlanta _ Alaskan wilderness request that an employee in the U.S, attorney’s office be investigated because of the girl’s allegations that ‘he coerced her into sex while in his custody. She had been brought back from Nevada, but ran away . Her mother allowed her to remain in the man’s care over a week-end. No place- ment in a juvenile facility was available. The man has two daughters and ada- mantly denied the charges. He resigned his job, saying his integrity had been ques- tioned. He had helped or magazines. Kelly and James are hopefully about to change this. Having grown up here in eastern North Carolina, Kelly developed a love of the outdoors at an early age that made him always dream of hunting and fishing in the mountain stream of exotic places such as out West, the and other places we see depicted by the media. He has finally begun to meet these dreams. He vividly —_ remembers thumbing through outdoor magazines telling himself "One day" Kelly was asked by James to team up with him and begin touring and doing hunting and outdoor shows around the country, as he felt the two would make a dynamic team. They appear and are fea- tured at coliseum and con- vention centers doing major outdoor expositions nation- ally. There they display a breathtaking, 50-60 foot dis- play of entire mounted deer, bear, turkey and other tro- phies the two have taken over the ‘years. They trans- port their trophies around the county in a 30 foot enclosed trailer. The two have done shows from up- state New Jersey and Pennsylvania all the way down to Mississippi. They have been featured in places such as Richmond, Virginia, Charlotte, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, to name only a few places. The two appear in front of over 3 to 400 thousand people annu- ally. who file past their display and come to hear them speak, where they are featured seminar speakers, 4 \ - 3- million. spearhead a major effort to focus on child prostitution, after Atlanta officials were alarmed by signs of its rise. In one instance, a state official said a group home was a recruiting ground for pimps preying on young girls. | Many suspect the 13-year-old, who alleged;y stole the man’s car, made the accusation to get back at him. Misplaced devotion to pimps is a constant in the child sex trade. Pimps rule using combination of com- fort, protection and terror to speaking on a host of hunt- ing and outdoor topics in front of thousands. They are the only African Americans in the country to do such. A graduate of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte with a degree in Business Administration as well as a North Carolina State Teacher's Certification from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Kelly began writing for Advantage Outdoors, a minority owned and based outdoor magazine geared towards Black Americans based in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then Kelly has had stories and_ his pictures displayed in several other national magazines such as Mossy Oak's Hunting the Country maga- zine, The — Carolina's Whitetail Journal , The Southern Sporting Journal, and various other publica- tions with readers exceeding He has been featured in various newspa- pers around the country in- cluding a feature in last year's Daily Reflector. He is and remains as one of the only black outdoor writers in the nation. Kelly and James are the first and only African Americans in the county to film, produce and market an outdoor video. which they market’ throughout the na- tion,’ They are currently in the process of producing another video to add to their series. The video en- com- passes some of the hunts they have filmed and .exe- cuted over the years, They took part in filming, editing and even cover design for their product, Kelly's knowledge and skills in the control victims, who are. in trouble, far from home .and may suffer drug problems. “It is a complete moral breakdown,” a sex crimes unit investigator in Futon — County, Ga., told the Final Call, speaking under condi- tion of anonymity. ge “Unless we have a corroborating witness, which is going to be rare, who is . going to turn on a pimp? It is extremely difficult to make accase. These children do not operate as adults, they do this (prostitution) for outdoors has landed himself and his partner endorse- ments, advisory staff and Pro Staff positions with many major corporations in the outdoor industry,. Some include Mossy Oak Camouflage Corporation, Parker Compound Hunting Bows, Scent Lok Odor elimination clothing, Outland Sports, Inc. which includes API Treestands, Kenco Feeders, Feather-Flex decoys, M. A. D. Calls, Lohman Calls, Blue Ridge Archery Products, and Big River Game Calls. Word* began to get around in the outdoor industry regarding these black guys who were making quite a name for themselves in the industry. As a_ result’ Remington Corporation, America's old- est and largest gun manufac- turer and Mossy Oak Camouflage Corporation called and invited Kelly to film an episode for their show, Remington County, America's second most watched outdoor program. This was as a result of being selected for their once a year writer's hunt, where they select an outdoor writer na- tionally to be sent on an exotic hunting trip, and to return to rewrite a story on such. On this trip Kelly was selected to go to the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, where he described it as being one of the most beau- tiful places he has ever seen, There he made an exception- ally long shot and harvested a near record-book antelope on camera, It aired last July on TNN on vas County., It was reviewed by over 13 million households. bo Ree are eS | have seen what has happened to some | of their friends,” the social worker, who | does street outreach, said. . _-: | deals with agencies in the District of | ‘| Columbia and Maryland, said a great | dilemma is identifying the crisis. “Even as a social worker, this isn’t something we’ve -| discussed in any of our classes, nor has it been an issue. Even in the work I’ve | the rise. In rural areas, | | | judges reported the | est increase since | 11995, ‘saying . their fig- ures were up by 75] 4 ale Be hue cant prec then. They| | Tn Washington, D.C., a social worker who | nis | juvenile court judges by | ‘Constitution concluded |. | F | child prostitution is on the Atlanta areas, sh percent and, on average, thee youths a month |- | were. involved . with prostitution. The. rea- sons for the increase varied: In Flint, Mich., it was linked to drug ad- diction, where parents ‘Selling séx is often linked. to . runaways. | Kids usually turn to it.as | a kind of survival sex,” | said a hotline worker for |. a group that help: run- | aways. About 3 percent of callers the hotline takes each year are from predators, police said. into. the sex trade. | Teachers and. profes- ‘| sionals who work..with |. children daily also need -| to be educated about the problem and community awareness needs to in- crease, they add. Some 2 2 2 | | of the ae ope } and commu-| | —§ According to stats ‘| nication with children | — Tare needed to. avoid {runaways and forays likely than men to be street from the Georgia | Corrections, male pimps | control the sex-for-hire. trade in the state. Yet, | women are far more. sentenced — for prostitution-related crimes. Each state and the | Tin lofc -vocates Say. | of children ta broader "and foc on vance, promote, or in- j duce prostitution. These laws, however, rarely. penalize patrons hild. prostitute prostitutes, ad- | done voluntarily in various women’s | | health organizations, we touch more on - | assault and rape. But we don’t necessarily -| talk about young girls in prostitution,” she “said. Advocates note child prostitution has only gotten major attention in recent decades. U.S. media often cites exploitation of children in foreign countries. While child sexual . - | exploitation in Asia, Africa, Central and | South America is a problem, western |. countries also suffer from the scourge. In fact, child “sex tours are often arranged from the U.S. and Canada to poorer nations. In the United States, child sex workers, 14- to 17-years-old, may make $500-$600 a | night, but rarely receive more than a $25.00 as an allowance, according to a U.S. Labor Department report. Some officials estimate 25-30 percent of child sex workers are younger than 18. He should have shut his mouth In Bayou Vista, La., a 36-year-old man chocked to death on a six-inch tropical fish he popped into his mouth while showing a 22-year-old man, described by his grand- mother as “smart in school,” died in a bungee-cord accident off a railroad trestle. Said a police spokesman: “The length of the cord that he had assembled was greater than the distance between the trestle and the ground.”) ss : 3 Creating a style After his conviction in Nashville, Tenn., Clemmie Jones, 35, complained to a feder- al judge about the circumstances of his ar- rest. Jones had been the object of a man- hunt about which Sheriff’s deputies had grown so intense that they had t-shirts made with photos of Jones on the front and his wife on the back, and were wear- ing them when they collared him. Said Jones to the judge: “I felt as though I was being targeted.” Chutzpah In Lexington, Ky., police were searching for Delbert Buttrey, 47, who they believed eee a transient couple from Indiana, took them to an isolated spot, and forced them to perform oral sex on him while But- trey’s girlfriend sn photographs, After that, according to police, Buttrey took the couple home with him and forced the man to mow his lawn. 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Cooper 931-0752 ' kwebottom- line@yahoo.com Too many wage and salary disparities exist within the City of Greenville. Employees not making a comfortable salary are barely surviving while those making high salaries man- age to keep the bills paid. . The issue of salary dispari- ties and pay equity must be placed at the forefront of city council and community discussions. Greenville will never be- come that "shining city on the hill" until all city em- ployees are treated fairly on the salary scale. It's a shame that refuse collectors with a family of four could qualify for food stamps in Pitt County. These garbage col- lectors have a “thankless” Job not respected by elitist city officials. The City of Greenville doesn't ascribe a premium to the hard work and honesty shown by refuse collectors who are the back- refuse collectors $18 : a Starting salary while giving - the sanitation. superintendent t's uneonscionab officials to approve the opportunity to make a maximum of $74,880 a year. . Sanitation superintendents don't get their hands dirty as do the garbage collectors. Sanitation _ superintendents often are likened to overse- ers on a plantation worked by poorly paid trash collec- tors. | Garbage collectors work very hard just to keep the city clean. Yet, they don’t get the compensation they deserve. _ Why pay a garage superin- tendent almost $70,000 when the Great buses, seem- ingly, are broken down at least half of a given week? This is wrong. These ad- ministrative leaders should work hard to earn their exorbitant salaries. This must be demanded. How can the city justify allowing the Recreation and Parks director to make a maximum of $107, 224 an- nually when the park ranger gets a starting salary of under $24,000? If this is not a clear salary disparity and inequity, the world will end tomorrow. I screamed when | learned that the Public Works direc- tor's salary could reach $118, 913.60. Let's stop the mad- ness,, Greenville City for city — paying — 408 as Council. bottom of the salary scale. This year, city employees making $35,000 or more will get a 4 percent salary . raise plus a 2.5 percent cost. = of living increase — while those receiving less than $35,000 will get a measly 2 percent raise plus the same COLA. Now, make sense out, of that! At the rate many city - employees are paid, they can ill afford to put collard greens, steak with gravy, and chocolate cake on the table. Moreover, when employees are paid well, a win-win scenario occurs. First, morale is boosted. This is beneficial for both the employee and the em- ployer. Secondly, absentee- ism and tardiness will be reduced. Employees will feel good about going to work on time. Thirdly, employees are likely to re- main on the job for a long period of time. They are not likely to leave the city in search of a higher salary with better benefits else- where. People of good conscience must pressure the Greenville City Council to “shape up or ship out.” Greenville’ City Council _ Make the necessary adjust- -Ments to promote salary _ equity and meaningful com- pensation for those hard- working employees at the Sexy Beast: The Power of Will reviewed by: Nureya Namaz Sexy Beast is written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto,and directed —_ by Jonathan Glazer. Sexy Beast is one of those films that revolves around a simple notion: fear of death at the hands of an awful situation of circumstance. This notion of death portrays itself in the life of Gal (Ray Winstone). He has every- thing he has ever wanted,(a great Spanish style villa in the Spanish country, a beautiful wife Deedee (Amanda Redman), and charming friends __ that care) and even though he gives the impression of be- ing a pompous rich and lazy slouch in the first minutes of the film, you later realize that hes a _ kind man that just loves his wife more than anything in the world and wants to protect those that mean something to him. Ah, yes theres always a devil in sheeps clothing and when all is at peace and harmony expect things to fall apart. It happens to Gal from time to time in a crescendo of escalating mind and even sometimes physical torture, as his fears and worries literally appear in physical form before him. Yet as the film tells us and what Gal comes to learn is when theres a_ will, theres a way. Always. And I have to say what gets Gal through his situations is that little simple will and his deep love for his wife. I really enjoyed this film. I really didnt know much about it coming in and Id recommend you do- ing the same. Dont read much on this film. The film has a simple prem- ise and is only one hour and twenty minutes long, but that in no way signifies a poor film. What this film really is great at is giving messages through ac- tion and images of situations — and beings,not words. Youll know what Im referring to _when you see the film for yourself. Its thick with sym- bolism, yet easy to under- stand. When I first found out about the title, I ° raised my eyebrows. Yet within the first ten minutes you realize what and who the title is referring to and yes, its hilarious and not vulgar. This film is rated - R and I dont think | its suitable for young children even with an adult. There is a mention of homosexual- ity and some nudity. The actors speak in a-° thick English accent thats difficult to understand at first, but after a while = you'll begin to understand them right along with the best of them. Cheers and see the Sexy Beast, that is, if you can get to a Cineplex thats actually showing it. Good luck and skip Tomb Raider. ~ An Important Message for ‘Survivors of Hurricane Floyd ¢ Electric range * Energy efficient heating and air conditioning ¢ Prewired for cable television ¢ Mini-blinds . © Porches * Lockable storage rooms ¢ Children’s playground * Community building with business center, kitchen and meeting space ¢ On-site management ¢ Full-size washer & dryer in each unit * Frost-free refrigerator A dhic To aid the many families who lost homes in the Greenville area during Hurricane Floyd, DHIC, a not-for-profit affordable housing agency, announces the opening of MacGregor Village Apartments. These two- and three-bedroom family apartments offer eligible families a high-quality, affordable apartment community in which to live. Located at the corner of Allen Roadand MacGregor Downs Road in Greenville, MacGregor Village is convenient to schools, shopping and major employers. DHIC will give preference in tenant selection and offer financial assistance to eligible survivors of Hurricane Floyd. FEATURES LEASING INFORMATION Contact: 252-752-3148 TDD relay 1-800-735-2962 MAC \ |e 924 Allen Road Greenville, NC 27834 MacGregor Village Apartments is the result of a partnership that includes DHIC, Inc., NC Housing Finance Agency, NC Community Development Initiative, Inc., interprise Social Investment Corporation, Bank of America, N.A. and the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. Building Homes, Creating Opportunities Equal Housing Opportunity ' Handicapped Accessible —_ GREGOR > VILLAGE © fin, aed cg Sa (ii ia 2 la a a i mm MR ACE Siete li ta 8) ie Te Waa ee | ei a2 cpr Ane nd must soon come to world-wide executions ae n Illinois, the odds of executing the correct petson for a capital crime were so desolate that the governor, George Rvan, declared a ; moratorium on -secutions until a foolproof method for determing guilt with ‘yeasonable doubt could be found. . In Texas, the state over which President . Bush presided, 40 Death Row inmates were sent to their doom last year, the most of any state in any year in U.S. history. All of them were guiltv. the governor vid, but how many of the near-700 pris- “mers executed across America since the death penalty was reinstated in our bi- centenmial vear of 1976 might have been vlv innocent of the crime for which ‘nes died? -. Even one — and there are indications ..' ot ihe number may be much higher — is » uniny. We lean toward the Ryan inethod of dealing with capital crimes— puta hold on the death penalty for now.mayvbe forever. . Thus. an initiative launched by U.N. -cretuy General Kofi Annan and activist an St: Helen Prejean, whose work as a spiritual adviser to Death Row inmates was depicted in the film “Dead Man Walking,” as well as Amnesty Internation- al are commended for their praiseworthy efforts in seeking a world-wide moratori- um on executions. Already, moré than three million peo- ple have added their names to such a pe- tition. More than 100 nations have exhib- ited their humaneness and compassion by | banning the death penalty. What about America? We ask in Annan’s words: “Can the state, which represents the whole of soci- ety and has the duty of protecting society, fulfill that duty by lowering itself to the level of the murderer and treating him (or her) as he (or her) treated others? In a society such as ours, in a world that seeks to find itself, the only answer must be no. The forfeiture of lifé is too absolute, too irreversible for one human being to inflict it on another, especially when backed by a legal process that is many times found wanting in its justice, fair- ness and thoroughness. Now, here’s how we do ou may not recognize the name William Pouverol. For openers, hé is the de- signer of the Votomatic, the oo machine that counts votes and «teates something called “chads,” the sub- ject of much continuing debate in the State of Florida following the Nov. 7 election. - _ Mr. Pouverol, reportedly in his 80s, said the machine has been around for 35 sears, an outgrowth of the old IBM uncheard system. He-hastold “Good Bening America” that he actually antici- ated problems with putting names on Both sides of the ballots or cards used in is method of counting. He also said go- g to manual or hand-recounting is the gical result after machine failure. It ould seem that the “experts” might have Ghecked with Pouversol somewhere along e wav. ¢ Scrabble lovers leaped for joy upon dis- @vering that while Chad, the north cen- al African nation, cannot be used in the ord game, those little “buggers” causing nigraine headaches in Florida, have intro- Quced a new acceptable word for Scrabble ¢nthusiasts. '* Meanwhile, some obsérvers wondered gloud about how the United States is com- We across to others around the world, es- gecially in those so-called “Third World” Countries, where Uncle Sam has stepped ' advise on conducting what might be ‘one on how to hold democ- Hail! ° ey a) oe Ba, ¥: 9, ne of the most devastating scourges to humanity—drug addiction — may be just about to literally meet its + maker—if a new scientific taethod being developed by scientists qmes to fruition. * An anti-drug vaccine currently being developed offers new hope to lost souls who are chained to compulsive substances such as cocaine, PCP and methampheta- "pine addiction—at a‘relatively small cost ws "on the amount spent in re- ar! ..) ihe National Institute on Drug Abuse. One “anti-cocaine vaccine,” as it ig called, would prevent people who snort ke from even getting high unless they ridiculous amounts— and results look omising for the eradication of other farmful substance abuse, too, including cotine, scientists have discovered that genetic _ fctors are responsible for so-called ab- rival behavior concerning illegal drugs, (yo) copalsive gambling, attention- Slececeeaeeeteel it in the United States... ratic elections. Call it Voting 101. + Most pundits will readily agree that the chaos in Florida was brought on by at least two colliding developments — a his- toric statistical tie in the vote and an anti- quated method of tabulating the results. While pointing fingers at Florida, it should be noted that the punch-card sys- tem is used in many other states. The one positive thing that stands out lies in the fact there was no violence re- ported in the aftermath of the election. ~ What followed was lots of:thetoric —«: said, she said,” and evidence of partisan. politics all over the place. There was seemingly enough blame to go around. The event will obviously make the history books of tomorrow. But let’s hope some fundamental lessons have been learned. If there is a second plus, it’s the field day that the talk show hosts were having with the whole seemingly pathetic scene. Someone has said that if we smile or even laugh out loud when things go awry, then we can say: “This, too, will pass...” or “smiling beats crying any day.” Finally, those weary Floridians, Democ- rats and Republicans, who were called upon to untangle this major mishap by re- counting should not be criticized or ridiculed for doing what good citizens had to do when called upon in a crisis. Pouverol also told GMA that he has a solution to the punch-card machine prob- lem but he could not reveal it because a patent is involved. Hail! possibly new hope for drug abusers deficit disorder and depression. The vac- cines would release an army of drug-bust- ing antibodies to do battle. However, they would have to be combined with therapy and Psychiatric medicine to obtain the de- sired effect — getting and staying clean. _ Science, with its many wonders, won the war against the likes of polio and smallpox with vaccines. Why not the war on drugs? “Everyone attempting to quit cocaine can use the catalytic antibody,” says Dr. Donald Landry, study researcher and as- sociate professor of medicine at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. . Substance abuse counselors have cor- rectly said that a vaccine alone won’t to- tally solve the problem of drug use. One day ata time, it is solely up to the people affe cted by it. But, to relieve the pain of addiction and all the personal and family misery at- tached to it, it is worth a shot by the NI- DA. The Minority Voice assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photo- i graphs. Photographs and manuscripts become the property of The Minority | plaints to: Mr Jim Rouse / Publisher 405 Evans Street Greenville, NC 27834 scaled Newspaper Free Rev. Al from the Democrat Party African Americans, but he knows that if that’s by Dr. Lenora Fulani y good friend, the Rev. Al Sharpton, is in jail again. There are two places I’ve tried to keep him out of over the years — prison and the De- mocrat Party. Obviously, I’m not doing too well on the first goal. What about the second? Convicted of trespassing for his protest of Navy bombings at the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, Sharpton was transferred to federal prison in Brooklyn last week, keeping his pro- file and his spirits high. Sharpton, who has gone everywhere for every important social Justice cause. knows full well that Vieques has become a means to court Puerto Rican voters in New York City where he wants to set him- self up as the center of a Black-Latino coali- tion — a sought-after commodity in the racialized world of “Big Apple” politics. This is vintage Sharpton — genuine politi- cal vision with a hard-bail lining. Of course, he never got himself arrested for Vieques while Bill Clinton, Democrat, was Comman- der in Chief. It took having a Republican in the White House to make it politically correct for him to protest. Democrat Jimmy Carter was President when the outcry first started, led by Puerto Rican independents like Gilber- to Gerena- Valentin, the first New York chair- man of the New Alliance Party (NAP). I later ran for President twice on the NAP line call- ing for — among other things — the with- drawal of the U.S. military from Puerto Rico and full voting rights for its people. And while we’re on the subject of running for the tential run. I know Rev. well. I’m the person who got him into electoral politics in the first place (even though I’ve been trying to get him out of the Democrat Party ever since). Here’s how I read his presidential musings, which included remarks about considering a third party. I think Rev. is looking around his cell thinking, “/’m not only in jail, I’m in a box.” Sharpton has built a significant base among Bi i) Sharpton all he's got, he’s limited to power- within Democrat Party circles. He’s always vulnerable to being marginalized by demo- graphics and by the racism of the hierarchs, who respect him when they need to and mistreat him when they need to. They be- lieve that he will never leave because _Black—Democrat,” end of story. You'll not see Daschle/Sharpton in ‘04 or any other year. I don’t care how many headlines he zets on Vieques or any other racial j in a bind. And I think he’s mulling the presi- dential picture to see if it offers a way out. Sharpton says he’d consider a run in 2004, in part to commemorate the Rev. Jesse Jack- son’s first run 20 years ago. In 1984, Jackson polled 3 1/2 million votes and got a prime time speaking slot at the Democratic Conven- tion in San Francisco, where he was forced to apologize for controversial remarks made dur- ing his campaign. A lot ef the Jackson dele- Samana eee ight, but . Severs months ler the Inte Social Research at the University of Michigan con- ducted a poll, which showed that 56 percent of Blacks would have voted for Jackson as an independent candidate. If he’d done that, the Black community would have been at the helm of the i political movement. We might have had a Perot/Jackson ticket in 1992, and we might have started up a multi- racial t i eet owes Republicans all over the today. That didn’t happen. S should take some time, while he’s. behind bars, reflecting ‘Wet’s-g@f on to Sharpton’s ows poy ,,,.omtbat, When the newt presiskentiad tapes ...iii |. ul ae pores comes around, we don’t need a symbolic cele: bration of what was and might have been. Black America needs a way forward. And Sharpton needs a way out of his political, in- carceration. The only way out is to go inde- pendent. Anyone for Ventura/Sharpton in ‘04? (Fulani chairs the Commitee for a Unified Independent Party, the country’s leading think-tank for independent politics.) Do MLGW officials | Care about ratepayers? justice issue. Rev’s by Hugh B. Price hat Timothy McVeigh was a de- spicable human being, a delud- ed, self-indulgent coward, a trai- tor and a murderer is beyond dispute. That he deserved to die is beyond dispute. That he should not have been put to death, because the death penalty itself is a barbaric punishment not worthy of a civi- lized society, is also beyond dispute. Despite what some death-penalty advo- cates claimed before and after McVeigh’s June 11 execution by the federal govern- ment, his death does not diminish the growing movement to end the death penal- ty. It underscores why the death penalty should be abolished. There’s no question that McVeigh ap- peared the cosy" ons for the death Penalty: a mass m : , de- scribed the men, women on children he killed as “collateral Tad is there any question that Juan Garza, the convicted drug-trafficker and murderer executed Tues- da Ainfepal tied, wmbebace, his last days McVeigh claimed to be “sorry” that all those people had to die in order for him to make his point. But of course he was not at all. He wanted them to die. He blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City in the daytime, not in the middle of the night. He blew it up when it was occupied: when workers were arriving at their desks, coffee cups and donuts in hand; when the build- ing’s daycare center was bustling with tots just kissed good-bye moments fore. Mass murder was the point of his dastardly crime — the linchpin of his crackpot view of himself as a “warrior” w war against the U.S. t, ‘No Timothy McVeigh did ‘not deserve to live. But American does not de- serve the stain of his ; The death penalty is inherently unjust, inherently unfairly \ Inequities should force an end to the death penalty years: the 1963 bombing of Sixteenth Bap- tist Church, in Birmingham, Ala., in which four adolescent girls were killed. Blanton and his Ku Klux Klan partners deliberately sought to kill as many children as possible. He was sentenced to life in prison. Where were the death-penalty advocates in that case? Do they feel the lives of those four girls are not “worth” the execution of those who murdered them? Or, is it just a matter of numbers: the mass murderer of 168 deserves the death penalty, but the murderer of four does not? This comparative question looms over every case involving murder — including that of the alleged spy, ex-F.B.I. agent Robert P. Hanssen—in every jurisdiction in which the death penalty is on the books. What also looms is the great irony that McVeigh, having had the ity to say his last good-byes, went to his death swiftly and pai — “a quiet end for the man who sent 168 people to their deaths in screams, flames and crushing concrete.” The accumulating evidence of recen years tells us that mistakes — and institu- es—have put some murderers on death row, while other murderers have been _ the death penalty. And we know some on Death Row clearly did not re- ceive a fair triak—and that others were in- ee of ar crime altogether. re is why pores support for the death is at a 20-year low. That is why 14 on now banned the seoratoe rhe mentally retarded, including Texas month. The Texas Legislature also enacted broad changes in its criminal-justice system in response to criticism of the met of legal assistance available to de- ndants who are of color or are poor. In the year since Illinois Gov, George Ryan declared a moratorium on the death PeAfier reading inthe loca ter reading in th ne TS about risk-taking, over-billi pls as . and lack of management credibility at MLGW, it seems that none of the utilities gevbiene will be fixed by focusing on LGW and its er, Tome alone. _ The cause of MLGW’s chronic prob- lems is our mayor and city council. The public and the press seem to be up to speed on the | sheen The question is, - whey aren’t the mayor and city council? The mayor made.a mistake when prs dh pointed Herman Morris as president of t utility. A hiring mistake is forgivable (and correctable). The mistake of leaving Mor- ris as president of the utility and his ad- | ministration intact is not. If the mayor - considers neither a mistake, then he, W.W. Herenton is the problem. , The MLGW president serves at the will and pleasure of the mayor. This means that W.W. Herenton is pleased with the Morris Administration's over-charging ‘and cutting off poor people, while risking pub- lic money to make rich people richer. The city council has to be aware of the over-billing of Memphis-area residents and businesses this past December and January. The city council is required by Charter and state law to act as the rate- making authority overseeing MLGW. It has taken no action to correct the Decem- ber and January over-billing and is failing in its obligation under state law to make sure Memphis-area residents and business- es ate charged cost-of-service-based rates bya non-profit division of the city gov- ernment, MLGW. Brent Taylor, chairman of the Memphis City Council Utilities Committee, and E.C. Jones, council chairman, are in the positions to put MLGW back on teurse, ut continue to fail to do so. Why aren’t these two council chairmen investigating the over-billing and Charter violations? Has MLGW, Memphis Networx, Angel. Group Investors, or prospective NBA owners made or promised contributions to further either of these “fentleman ’s future political aspirations? Why hasn’t someone filed suit against these two personally to make them face their responsibility? If we don’t get this corrected immedi- ately, what will happen to Memphians next winter? mseach atefs.ce. PF « TT nope 8 ide i iy and investigation and the public will focus its outrage on why Herenton, Taylor. Jones and the other council members don’t seem to care what happens to the taxpayers, ratepayers and voters they rep- resent. I hope that Memphis voters will vote out all current incumbents who told them before the last election that they would represent the poor, the taxpayer and the working family and then spent their term making a few rich people richer. Name With held by Request, Memphis Blessings to all of Tri-State staff Dear Editor, Virgina Porter, M.J. Branch and the en- tire staff of The Tri-State Defender news- paper, let me take this opportunity to say how delighted I was to read the article in the May 26, issue, regarding the 1966 Lincoln used by Dr. King and my Letter to The Editor. As you can imagine, I have read articles about myself and the Protest on many oc- casions and have often wondered where on earth the information came from, as it bore little resemblance to the truth. It is so refreshing to read an accurate ar- ticle about the Protest. I am so pleased that you chose to publish details about this interesting event. | am sure your readers found it of interest as it focused on change for the better and hope for the future, which may have helped to counteract so many newspaper reports of misfortunes and hopelessness. Keep up the good work! Jacqueline Smith, Memphis THE MINORIY VOICE NEWSPAPER 18,000 Circulation Bi-Weekly Anual Subscription $40.00 Newspaper Size - 6 Column by 21 Inches Quarter Page - $260.00 Half Page - $615.00 Full Page - $1200.00 Local - $8.75 per column inch National - $10.75 per column inch Inserts - $.09 per insert Discounts on frequency number of inches per month Member of NC Black Publishers Association, NC Broadcasters, ASCAPBMI,SEASC, NAACPSCLC, Pitt Greenville Chamber of Commerce, NC Minority Business Association : CHAELS OF THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL Republicans aren’t the only ones anxious for the state budget battle to end, and the war over redistricting to begin. ' At least 19 Black Democratic state lawmakers are at risk of having the power base in their respective voting districts seriously eroded in order to save white Democratic and Republican colleagues. t And though certainly not likely, some could conceivably jose their districts altogether. | They have the 2000 U.S. Census to thank. "The 2000 Census has resulted i in some ¢ Black senators and tow siabess losing m more * than 10,000 Lela in their Tespective Ginies populations. : . ~ Population. in. predominately Black legislative districts has actually decreased 7 since 1990, though the state's [i total Black population has |% basically remained the same. _ hicceding to researchers in the North Carolina General. Assembly Legislative Services Office, while the state's total population grew an impressive 21.4 percent—thus spawning a 13th congressional district “Something — happened, : J lawmakers still have to Black people moved. determine—some parts grew somewhere,” says William faster than others, while other parts didn’t grow at all. the “That shift has gone from the eastern [rural] part of the state to the Piedmont, Triangle and Triad [urban] areas, Rep. H. M. “Mickey” Michaux {[D-Durham], a member of the House Redistricting Committee said. people in their respective district populations. “Those districts are going to have to get more population from somewhere.” Gilkerson says. That is not good news for _ state lawmakers charged with | the responsibility of redrawing congressional, state Senate _and House districts that will, _if approved by the U.S. Justice Department, legally stand for ‘the next ten years. With both House and Senate . redistricting committees -currently crunching numbers, holding statewide hearings, and ‘developing several _revised ‘versions on specialized ‘computers, observers say don’t ‘be surprised if all 170 lawmakers’ ‘end. up. with 120 ‘different maps in ‘the House, -and 50 ierthe Senate: -~ era eoaeinal : They” all want to protect ‘their respective district. The ~~. om me ee question is how can it be done fairly, logically and legally. By federal law, each district must be drawn to be as close to . equal in population § as possible, reinforcing the “equal protection clause” of the 14th Amendment to the US. Constitution guaranteeing “one person, one vote.” That means, theoretically, if a state has a population of 100, ten congressional districts, 20 state senate districts and 50 state House districts, the congressional districts would each have ten people, the Senate districts five each, and the House districts two citizens each. As. the _ state’s__ total population grows, so grows those districts with the numbers evenly dispersed. Because of population shifts, some formerly larger districts will redrawn smaller, while districts. ‘absorbing’ the new. growth will be drawif bigger” fonth ~~4 In the rel wortthawetinty while the congressional districts are federally | mandated to be as equal in number as possible, the state Senate and House districts can legally vary in population by plus or minus 5 percent. Some Black lawmakers are negatively well beyond that. According to “Redistricting 2001: The Legislator’s Guide to North Carolina Legislative and —_---- have to be extremely careful when we do our redistricting.” District 5’s Rep. Howard Hunter, Jr. of Northhampton - -County, for instance, is 10,160 persons, or 15.15 percent shy “D of the required 67,078. So is Rep. John D. Hall of nearby Halifax County. The District 7 Democrat is 11,269, or 16.80 percent short me wn partiahran 6 €2 e worst"s'singletdistrict” Larry Bell of ‘Sampson County’s District 97. Bell is 21.78 percent short. The worst double-member district for Black House members belongs to Marvin Lucas and Mary McAllister of the 17th. The Cumberland County lawmakers registered just 97,770 in 2000 USS. Census population, 36,385 short of the 134,155 they need. As a result, the pair is a whopping 27.12 percent short, and of the four diswict. mentioned, District 17 is the only one less than 50 percent Black. — Conceivably, the 17th could be redrawn as a_ single- member district, meaning that either Lucas or McAllister might be at peri. In New Hanover County’s District 98, Rep. Thomas Wright is only 7.07 percent off of the 67,078 he should have. Redrawing the lines to make up the difference shouldn't be difficult, even though his areg has become increasing white (45 percent versus 50 percent Black) and Republican (22 percent registered). One the flip side, the only Gilkeson, staff attorney with Legislative Services. Office's Research Division. As a result, senators and House members - ‘have lost more than 10,000 General . Assembly some Black | Oldham, I ‘Wainwright, | Womble and. | Wright ce 18.04 percent. Bill Martin of — Guilford County’s District 31 (53 percent Black) is 23,570 shy, or 14.64 short. Sen. Charles Dannelly of: : : Mecklenbarg County’s District : as" (53 petcent Black) is 21.27" “biyehnt “thinu’; as is his} colleague from Cumberland County, Larry Shaw, whose 4lst District (45 percent Black) is 16.59 percent off. The worst population slide on the Senate side of all 42 districts/50 senators belongs to N.C. Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Luther Jordan. The District 7 New Hanover County Democrat needs to make up 45,430, or 28.22 percent. ‘with the ” Congressional (third edition)” the “ideal” population number for all of the state's single-member districts, based of the 2000 U.S. Census figures, is 67,078, And yet, 14 of 18 Black House members are considerably short of that goal now, “Our preliminary figures indicate that we could lose 14 of those House members,” Rep. Michaux, who isn’t one of them, says. “That's why we're going to Redistricting Black House member who has seen good population growth is Rep. Dan Blue of Wake’s District 21 (57 percent: Black) with plus 4.84 percent. Over at the state Senate, ideal census population being 160,986, five of the seven Black Democratic senators come up very short. Frank Ballance of Warren County's District 2 (59 percent Black) is minus 29,041, or ~ population His district is 51 percent white, 41 percent Black. By all accounts, Jordan, according to Rep. Michaux, is “in deep, deep trouble.” “He's got to find those 45,000 votes from somewhere. The other senator from there is a Republican. How are you going to balance that out to keep [Jordan] in office?” asked Michaux. Many Black House members face that similar challenge. “Who are you going to save, and how are you going to save them?” Michaux asks. In North Carolina's 12 current congressional districts and the still undrawn 13th, the ideal p opulation based on the 2000 ‘U.S. Census is 619,178. The majority Black District 1 (50.46 percent), represented by Democrat Eva Clayton, an African American, ' is, short 31,548, or''5.06" petcent’'She indy ‘get’ what" ‘she ‘iéeds from Rep. Bobby Etheridge’s 2nd Congressional District (26.94 percent Black), which has 111,088 overpopulation, a significant plus 17.94 percent. David Price in District 4 (19.91 percent Black) is also in good shape with a 146,698 overflow, 23.69 percent. In the 7th Congressional District (23.04 percent Black), Rep. Mike McIntyre enjoys a 70,876 bulge in his numbers, or 11.45 percent. And in the controversial 12th District (44.56 percent Black), which has been the focus of constant U.S. Supreme Court litigation ever since it was established in 1992, Congressman Mel Watt, an African American, has had. good growth, giving him a 7.69 percent population profit. How, and where the 13th Congressional District is ultimately drawn will determine how much the 12 current districts change. Because they lead both the state House and Senate, Democrats will make sure it favors them, meaning that Black population from other areas will be incorporated. The General Assembly has to complete its work, and submit it to the U.S. Justice Department before the May 2002 primaries, Because North Carolina ‘is ‘governed by the 1965 ‘U.S. Voting ‘Right ‘Act: due to past voting irregularities, the final redistricting map will receive special scrutiny to insure that there is no illegal packing or dilution of the Black vote. And even after it’s all done, there is nothing to prevent someone from going to federal court, and challenging North Carolina's 2001 redistricting plan. Green concluded, “It is up to the Swazi people to determine ~y their own destiny and design a system that includes a healthcare plan, cultural plan, behaviors and attitudes to deal with HIV/AIDS. By faith all things are possible.” Americans and Swazi Health care » Workers By KAIA "By KAIA NIAMBI SHI SHIVERS Sentinel Staft MANSINI, Swaziland— Maurice Green stood in front of a group of nurses and counselors during an HIV/AIDS in-service training session at Raleigh Fitzkin Memorial Hospital and shared with them that he has been living’ with HIV for 18 years. Silently they gasped in amaze- ment. In Swaziland to be infected with HIV/AIDS means a certified death certificate. However, Green along with nurses, doctors and a support staff from the group Project Africa were there to bring more hope, infor- mation and knowledge to em- power a people crippled by a virus that is being stabilized in America. They are not bringing'a fi- nite cure for HIV/AIDS, but are visiting various clinics, hospitals and health facilities so that the small southern African country can remove itself from the HIV/ AIDS crisis that it is experienc- ing. “There must be people that are not afraid to stand up and say that they are infected,” said Green. “There can be systems of care in place, but until people are com- fortable to go and get tested, these systems will not be effective. The Swazi people must understand that communities have to come to- gether and address this issue and stop leaving it as a taboo subject. Somebody has to stand up and not be afraid to face this.” Simple questions to more com- plex inquiries were given to R.F.M. staff. “They asked every- thing from medicine combinations to the safety of hugging patients,” PCC... education For Y Wherever You A ee | COTE Quik | OOTWEAR CLINIC Carolina East Mall "252-756-0044 We clean Timberland Shoes and Boots Internet H e } LSer Classes offered via: ¢ a W e Main Campus - Winterville Currently offering classes in >» Grifton > Farmville » Bethel » Ayden Telephone Registration for Fall Semester 2001 begins July 9, 2001 Apply On-Line at www. pitt.cc.nc.us Register by phone 321-4515 Call the PCC Admissions - Counselors for more information - 252-321-4245 “I Shoe Repair & Clothing Alteration a ANNOUNCING THE OPENING OF JIM Mart, P.A. ATTORNEY AT LAW CERTIFIED MEDIATOR I 796 MOYE BLVD. GREENVILLE, NC 27834 —S=_ EMAIL jimmartin @ geeksnet.com | TELEPHONE 252-695-0550 FAX 252-695-0074 HOSPITAL AREA NEXT TO BOULEVARD BAGEL NEED A JOB? LEARN A PROFITABLE | SKILL IN ONLY SIX WEEKS! Basic Computer Skills | Learn How To Market Training This Valuable Knowledge Computer Through: Terminology Resume Writing Computer Keyboard Interview Techniques Personal Computers Communication Skills Microsoft Word - Organizing Your Job DOS - Windows Search ~ Class Begins July 23rd Pre-Registration Required Class Size Limited Call Now Pitt Community College Glenda Joyner - 321-4255 Even heroes have to play by the rules if they want to stay in the game. Part of the game is taking care’of your health. That includes monitoring and controlling your blood pressure. High blood " pressure is often called the silent killer because if it gets too high, it can lead to a stroke. Such strokes can even cause death. Rule #1 Take care of your health. Rule #2 Monitor and control your blood pressure. Rule #3 Eat right and exercise. Rule #4 See your doctor. Rule #5 Know the warning signs of stroke: e Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body * Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding * Sudden trouble seeing, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination * Sudden severe headache with no known cause Rule #6 Call 911 immediately if you have any signs of stroke. Be A Winner. y Strike Out Stroke. a NC Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Tash Force 9 Shown Above is Tammy Edwards of the Edwards Sisters with the late great Willie Neal Johnson. This years Labor Day Gospel Reunion will be in honor of Willie Neal Johnson. Get your ticket today at WOOW Radio Station photo by Jim Rouse | Spiritual Reflections George Hawkins Hlow Do Curses Go Into Effect? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the CURSE on you and I will CURSE your blessings; in- deed I have already CURSED them, because you did not lay it to heart." (Malachi 2:2) SIN PUTS CURSED INTO EFFECT! - Just as with Adam and Eve "You rebuke the arrogant, who are CURSED and who stray from your com- mands." (Malachi 3:8-9) "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?' In The Service OF The In The Service Of The King Religous Supply and Apparel Store 2306 East 10th Street Greenville, NC 27835 252 ~ 756 ~ $694 ‘In tithes and offerings. You are under a CURSE - the whole nation of you -- because you are robbing me.' " (Malachi 3:8-9) "This is what the Lord says: "CURSED is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord, but blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.'" (Jeremiah 17:5,70 "With eyes full of adul- tery, they never stop sin- ning; they seduce the unstable: they are experts in greed -- an ACCURSED brood!" (2 Peter 2:14) The practice of sin can expose even the believer to curses. So many believers are experiencing their own lives and their families falling apart. They do not recognize the sin in their lives being related to their deteriorating circum- stances. God allows curses to take affect and hope- fully get their attention so they will recognize their attention so they will rec- ognize their sin, deal with it and recommit them- selves to Him. "But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on ae ae the ground without a foun- dation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its de- struction was com- plete.-(Luke 6:49) .. Some Christians would be appalled to know that they have pronounced curses by wishing themselves dead or others dead. When a person = says “damn you" of "damn that..." they are pronounc- ing curses. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." (James 3:9-10) _ Those who live godly lives do not have to worry about curses com- ing to rest upon them. God protects the right- eous. "Like the flutter- ing sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest."" (Proverbs 26:2) Hours of Operation: Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Sat- Sun Ipm - 5pm P Bibles - Books - Minister's Shirts - Church Supplies members. N.A.A.C.P. AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS __ The Pitt County branch of the N.A.A.C.P. recently awarded scholarships to a number of high school seniors. Scholarships were awarded according to a student’s grade point average, S.A.T. score, interview performance, school and community involvement. Former recipients of the N.A.A.C.P. scholarship have attended numerous colleges and universities. Including North Carolina Central University, A and T, Wake Forest, U.N.C.G., Fayetteville State, E.C.U., North Carolina State, University of North Carolina and Pitt Community College.Gaston Monk serves as president of the Pitt County branch of the N.A.A.C.P. An organization geared toward promoting unity, equality and the enforcement of the rights and privileges of all people. Students receiving 2001 scholarships are pictured above, along with executive committee “= photo by Faith May 2 King Vanessa BM ami Org The United Voices of Calvary of Mt. Calvary Free Will Baptist Church * On Co cent t Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church 1001 Hooker Road * Greenville, Dr. Howard W. Parker Jr., Pastor * Reverend Jesse Chadwick, Asst. to the Pastor A Fundraiser for the Eastern North Carolina HIV/AIDS Consortium Saturday, September 29, 2001 * 7pm- 10pm North Carolina Mistress of Ceremonies Evangelist Tammy Edwards Yi . Also Featuring: | The Edwards Sisters Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church Mass Choir The East Carolina University Gospel Choir Cost $15.00* - (Cash or Major Credit Card Sales Only — NON-REFUNDABLE) Tickets may be purchased at; Evans Street Printing 408 Evans Street * Greenville, NC 27835 * (252) 757-3665 Concert Sponsored by: Audrey Tyson (24 Hr. 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Cougar XR mie) | 1778AA 93 Geo re unde 1503A 97 Dodge Ram 16004 98 Mercury Grand Marquis Ugh tng 75 1635 98 Dodge Dakota Pickup White, PB,PS. 23454 97 Lincoln © Town Car > Gr PP AGP 2638MA 00 Chevrolet Astro Van Green, PB, PS, AC 781k 98 Mercury Grand Marquis Green, PB, PS, AC, PW 22100A 99 Dodge Duniago 44 ‘Téa, PB, BS, AC, PW -TAN55A 98° Cadilinc © Devile & - Burgundy 6, PB, Ps (MTNA 97 Balch - Vegabre *: Gray, PB, PS, AC, PW P1619. 00 Jeep ~ Cherokee ~~ White, PB, PS P2430 99 Mercury Grand Marquis Black, PB, PS, AC, PW P25024'95 Chevrolet $10. Green, PB, PS We will NOT be undersold! OUR CUSTOMERS QUALIFY FOR pm OIL & FILTER CHANGES WHILE THEIR ACCOUNTS ARE PAID | a, shareholder, ve hed ia creat ‘by our merger of a? ° will provide solid d double-digit earnings S erovthé and the ‘prospect of price/earnings -Moultiple i ai But don’t take Just our word for it... Read hat The Experts Are Saying About The \ Wachovia / First Union Merger... "Why I favor First Union/Wachovia...1) It’s friendly...2) First Union/Wachovia would have a better business mix...3) The cost savings potential in a First Union/Wachovia combination is greater than in a SunTrust/Wachovia combination...4) First Union would handle the integration of Wachovia better than SunTrust...5) There is more upside in First Union’s stock." -- Second Curve Capital: Tom Brown (Bankstocks.com), June 4, 2001 "We now believe that the First Union merger with Wachovia ought to prevail...as the premium of SunTrust’s offer has declined---the deal becomes less about top-price and more about the currency of the acquirer. To that end, we believe First Union will offer better returns." "SunTrust/Wachovia—A limited ability to grow...As such, like so many other banking mergers, this combination would revolve around cost savings as a means to drive the bottom line in the short run and as capital builds, share repurchases would then contribute to EPS growth. This is not a scenario that drives significant multiple expansion, in our view..." —_ -- Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc.: G. Bicher, May 25, 2001 "Wachovia's argument that First Union has superior technology, a wider product breadth, and greater experience in merging institutions is correct. It does seem likely that a Wachovia/First Union combination would generate higher cash flows at a more rapid rate." -- Raymond James & Associates: Richard X. Bove, May 23, 2001 "At the risk of appearing glib, perhaps the two companies’ [Wachovia and SunTrust] Opposing views as to whether they got along or not is symptomatic of the issues Wachovia is raising. We would agree that, in looking to combine two companies of some size, management "buy in" of the deal is critical; everyone, at all levels of the organization, needs to be on the same page or the deal will face hurdles out of the starting gate." -- Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.: Marni Pont O'Doherty, May 24, 2001 \’ The new Wachovia If you have any questions regarding the merger, you may call our proxy solicitors at the following hotlines 24 hours a day. Representatives will be able to assist you between 8 a.m. — 6 p.m. EDT. Please leave a message if you call after these hours. MacKenzie Partners: 800-322-2885 Georgeson Shareholder: 800-223-2064 (Pennission to use quotes was received) In connection with the proposed merger of | First Union and Wachovia, First Union filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission containing a joint proxy statement/prospectus, Stockholders are urged to read the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus with respect to the merger between First es sucdesde ven taaeacs arnt aad ws ste civic doo cn ed ena to tae ema contain important information. You may obtain a free copy of the registration statement and the joint proxy proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about First Union and Wachovia, at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of these documents can also be obtained, without charge, from First Union, Investor Relations, One First Union Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288-0206 (704-374-6782), or Wachovia, Investor : ior 100 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27150 (888-492-6397). Information about the participants in the proxy solicitation is set forth Pee ag Rcgeymiptien a HAA, os fled withthe SBC on rch 13, 2001, Wachovia's proxy statement on Schedule 14A, as filed with the SEC 19, 2001, a : us regarding @ proposed merger contained in, and Exhibit 99.8 to, First Union's ment on Form S: . The information presented above may contsin forward looking statements Rr oe as ane ON any n GSE assum enh rn ,