About Veritas. ([Athens, Georgia]) 1970-1970 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 1970)
AND THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTRY - SHO' AIN'T IN THE COUNTRY ! What PEACE March?? There was supposed to be a massive regional antiwar demonstration on October 31 in Atlanta. On the big day a crowd of about 200 people gathered in front of Atlan ta's City Hall. As the time for the march drew near, everyone was straining his eyes looking for the rest of the people to show up. No one did. But the march went on as sceduled, with about as many signs as there were people to carry them. The march was peaceful and orderly with an occasional outburst of chant ing. At the end of the march everyone sat down to hear the speakers who showed up. The speakers spoke their prepared speech es hurrying with downcast eyes, past the parts which said "our numbers are great" etc. The march was a failure in the area of participation. It's strange: while the antiwar movement might be going out of style these days, the war surely isn't. Too bad. Jim Baird police brutality in Athens Veritas thanks the United Free Press for the permission to reprint some of their material. This permission does not reflect compliance of the UFP with Veritas' policy. The articles on police brutality are an effort to correct what we consider the false conclusion of the April, 1970 term of the Clarke County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury's conclusion is quoted on page 8 in the June 26 edition of the Athens Daily News: This Grand Jury viewed with great concern, reports of bru tality by law enforcement person nel and sought diligently to ascer tain the authenticity and extent of these allegations. While there were isolated evidences of poor judg ment, some over reaction, in the handling of an unusual, potentially volatile, tense situation, the low incidents of superficial injuries and the absence of any permanent in juries would seem to indicate that average restraint was exercised by those persons charged with the re sponsibility of law enforcement. The United Free Press asks the reader to decide for himself whether or not "average restraint" was used by law enforcement officers in regard to the following matter. During the afternoon and early evening of April 30, 1970, Athens policemen swept through some of the Black neighbor hoods on the West side. An accurate report of the total bodily and spiritual damage suffered by the injured Black citizens of Athens has never appeared in the two daily newspapers. In this regard, consider the following affida vit. (The name of the author of the affidavit is withheld by the UFP for his own protection.) On Thursday, April 30, I came home from work with my son about 5:30, and a group of children ran through my yard. I went out front and asked them what was the trouble. They told me that they were at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Chase Street waiting for someone to come to have a meeting with them. They said that the police drew guns on them and told them they had to leave. I told them to stay in my yard and be quiet until I could call the Chief of Police. I called the Chief of Police, whose name is Mr. Hardy. I told him what had happened and he asked if the children were still in my yard. I said, yes, and he told me to tell them to go back to the church, go in and stay until the person comes who was to meet with them. I asked if it was unlawful to remain at the church if they were on church premises. He said it was okay to stay on the outside as long as they would not harass the people on the street. He asked if I would go around with them and I said I would. I called the children together to tell them what the Chief had said. In a few minutes Officer Billups came up and began asking questions concern ing the children. I told him I had talked with the Chief of Police and the children. I also told him what the Chief had told me to do. Officer Billups agreed and told the children they could go back to the church. I walked to the street to a white officer and told him I had talked to the Chief of Police and told him what the Chief had said to do. He in turn told me that if they hit the sidewalk I will lock them up. Officer Billups had in turn told the children they could go back to the church. After I made the statement to him from the Chief, one or two of the children left. They went after them with guns and they (the children) turned back to my yard. (The ones running from the officers) Then all of the policemen ran from the street to the yard. I went to the house and found the police beating my son. I heard my son say, "I live here". I asked the officers if it was right or legal for them to invade my premises without a warrant and they said, "we do not need a warrant, and you are under arrest too". I asked what was I being arrested for and they said, "Unlawful Assembly", in my own house. They carried me to the jail and locked me up. My son was carried by the hospital and several stitches were taken in his head. They brought my son and locked him up., This affidavit of a father who is one of the leading members in a large, established Athens church, a volunteer youth worker for citizens of Athens, faculty and students of the university If you have information concerning certain irregularities, incompetence, discrimination, abuse or brutality or wrongs which you feel should be righted and if you have substantial proof of such, please notify us at 130 College Avenue, second floor. Names will not be used if you so wish. On the pleasanter side: if you know of any good deeds of policemen, community projects and incidents which you feel have helped the community in general, we would appreciate hearing about them. Remember this is YOUR paper. many years, a civic leader, a homeowner, and a highly respected citizen, certainly seems to speak for itself. Actually, however, the police violence that occurred inside this man'shome is understated. He does not mention the furniture damaged in this unwarranted search. The police literally turned the inside of his home upside down. The whole experience resulted in useless and brutal suffering on the part of his wife. Her anguished wail, when she showed this reporter the blood-stained sweat shirt worn by her grown son who was beaten for no reason or cause, was the heart-rending cry of a helpless mother in complete despair. Again, we ask the reader to decide for himself whether or not the law enforce ment officers exercised "average restraint". S^^ 77/ SELL VERITAS! Sellers may purchase a minimum of 50 copies at 10 cents each for resale at 20 cents. Copies may be picked up at 130 College Ave. in the afternoon, above Western Union. Sellers must pay in advance and return unsold copies within a week after the date of the issue ^ahe It! Save the country, sings Lauro Nyro. Save the trees, say the ecology freaks. Do it, raps Jerry Rubin. What's your bit? If you read newspapers, which you are doing, you can serve all causes by saving your old newspapers for recycling. Since about 60 per cent of the city garbage is old newspapers, you can cut down on your trash output if you store newspapers, bundle them up once a month and trot them over to Ebenezer Baptist Church, on Chase Street near Broad, and pile them neatly on their front porch. They'll sell them for recycling, be able to raise funds for church projects and you'll do your bit for your environment. Every ton of recycled newsprint saves the destruction of 17 trees. It's a little thing, but if everyone cooperates, we'll survive together. Keep reading, but start recycling. ^ Veritas Page 3
