Newspaper Page Text
Page 4 The Wolverine Observer/February, 1976
Mrs. King Visits MBC Angola-Another Vietnam?
(continued from page 1)
On the activities of her late
husband, Mrs. King said, "I
repeat my husband dealt with
moral issues, issues that effect
human beings as a whole."
Mrs. King, whose speech
focused much on em
ployment said, "lack of full
employment economy has an
indirect and adverse effect on
the people, pointing out that
her husband pushed hard on
the matterof economic injus
tice.”
Emphasizing on the unem
ployment issue, Mrs. King
pointed that "when we say
there is an 8.3 percent of
unemployment, it means
twice that of all blacks. Mrs.
King noted that "at least
blacks are 10 percent in the
unemployment figure and
always the last hired and first
fired." The President of the
King Center for Social
Change told the audience
that the only time sheand her
organization will be happy is
when the economy has a full
employment, and predicted
it will be inevitable.
Mrs. King however,
pointed out that the present
unemployment situation was
not due to race as some
people might put it, rather it
is a general problem of the
poor and the rich. "Many
millionaire businesses right
here in Atlanta have gone
bankrupt," revealed Mrs.
King.
Warning students who
might be graduating in the
near future, Mrs. King told
them that "some of you
might not be able to get the
kind of jobs you wish to, you
might have to search for
alternatives instead of hoping
to get what you are studying
for." The wife of the late civil
rights leader then urged the
students to join in the rally
downtown instead of wat
ching it on the TV. She told
the students, "while you are
there, you have the right to
say "I want a job."
Reports indicate many
students from Morris Brown
joined in the marching. In his
own remarks. Congressman
Andrew Young briefed the
audience about the rally
downtown. He said, "we are
not only marching for those
who don't have jobs, we are
also marching for those who
have.” "We are marching to
save this nation. We have
integrated the hotels, we
have integrated schools, we
have integrated public
housing, today we have black
elected public officials in
cluding mayors, councilmen,
congressmen." Andrew
Young said, "now we are on
the business of integrating
money." At this point he
received a loud applause.
Meanwhile, a bill asking
that January 15 be declared a
public holiday in Georgia in
memory of the birth of the
late Civil Rights Leader, has
passed a stage for the first
time since 1969 for debate in
the Georgia House of Assem
bly. Eleven other states have
already made January 15 a
public holiday in honor of
Martin Luther King Jr.
birthday.
The oc cast ion was
attended by people from
across the city and outside as
well as Morris Brown College
staff. It was organized by the
Martin Luther King Jr. Center
for Social Change and was
hosted by Morris Brown.
Greetings from the Morris
Brown President Robert
Threatt, who was not
available at the occasion was
extended by Dr. Payne,
Academic Dean. Invocation
was by Willie Christian, Dean
of. Men while. Rev. Julia
Walker, College Chaplain
paid tribute to Dr. King Jr.
College Choir supplied
music. Angelia Porter, soloist,
and Del Stafford, ac
companist.
Mrs. King talks with M.B.C. students.
Message From Coretta King
There is a common thread
between the hope for justice
expressed at the founding of
our nation 200 years ago, and
the demand for justice en-
nunciated by my husband in
our own lifetime. For the
celebration of the 47th birth
day anniversary of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. on January 14
and 15, 1976, we will address
this linkage of hope, two cen
turies ago, an urgent need
today. The theme will be
‘‘The Bicentennial —
America’s Challenge to Fulfill
Dr. King's Dream."
My husband recognized
th at economic injustice
underlies racial class, and
political injustice. The
movement he led, going all
the way back to Montgomery
twenty years ago, used non
violence, economic sanctions
and sought economic as well
as civil rights remedies.
The most compelling issues
we as a nation face in 1976,
are economics. They can be
stated frankly. If there are to
be profits, we demand jobs. If
there are to be stock
dividends, we insist on an
adequate income for all. If
the military gets one hundred
billion dollars, or more, the
people must receive decent
educational health and social
services. If the giant
corporations get tax breaks,
every American family must
have a tax cut. Above all, we
must move this nation toward
a full employment economy
By Hailem Taye
Nov. 11,1974 would go into
the pages of Angolan history
as a historic Independence
day — a day when the last
troop of the former Colonist,
Portuguese army left the soil
of Angola. However, far from
being free and independent,
Angola is still embroiled in a
bloody civil war with the
direct or indirect interven
tion of many outside powers
like U.S.A., Soviet Union,
China, South Africa, ‘'Zaire,
etc.
The U.S.A. through the
clandestine operation^; of
C.I.A. had powered millions
of worth of ammdhiTfQTKcmS'i
arms to the combined ■p’rp|;':
western factions called'
F.N.L.A. (National Fronf'lp^'
the Liberation of Angolaj r apa‘
UNITA (National Union fofA
the Total Independence^5v
Angola). The Russians, t6pf;
seem to be adamant in the®
commitment to the Marxl^
forces called popular Froh.f
for the Liberation of Angola?’'
Directly involved in th%
Angolan War with thousand!^
of troops now fighting are^
Cuba and South Africa^
Cubans ard there fighting^
alongside the M.P.L.A. forces*?
in the name of "liberating the^
people of Africa from the
forces of colonialism.”
Disgusting to most African
countries is however, the in
volvement of the world's
number one racist country
South Africa, which has sent
her best-trained white troops
to fight alongside the pro
western factions of F.N.LA.-
UNITA. Ironically, Red China
too is backing these forces for
the obvious reason, to
counter Soviet influence in
Africa. More over,
particularly financed by
U.S.A. some Western coun
tries like Britain and France
are now reportedly preparing
mercenaries to send to
Angola.
Such is the complexity and
intensity of the Angolan crisis
that evokes memories of
Vietnam and Cambodia. At
the end of the nearly 500 year
Portugese rule. What
Angolans needed was some
and the January 14-15
observations will focus on
this issue. It is the number
one moral, economic and
political issue in 1976. We will
set the stage for whatever
vigorous non-violent action
is required to achieve a more
equitable economic system.
If the national government
fails to act decisively, the
forces represented at our
January meetings will be
prepared to unite as a non
violent movement, to
food, some land, some
education and some medical
care. But what they got was
some rockets, some tanks,
some missiles and some
machine guns. No matter
whence the came from, the
sole and ulterior purpose of
these weapons is to main,
harass and kill the people of
Angola.
Yet, the organization of
African Unity which recently
undertook an emergency
meeting to settle the Angolan
dispute has even failed to’
reach a resolution condem
ning outside intervention in
Angola. Our politicians here
at home too, seem to be
callous towards the plight of
'the Angolan people rather
; thafi seek a human approach 5
whith can save the lives of
Angolans Ford and Kissinger'
are engaged in the same old-
rhetoric about "detente” arid*:
' "Sovief'i nfiltratibn.”
' Speaking of the ' baWb^
field? at; this writing it is saffetq|
say that the pendulii/ti of vrci$
? ifb jjplg he a vilyde ahlfij|?
^foWar'ds^t h efStiviet^ bat?f^eq^
*pd ptjTar - rri o Ve rh eh fvfbr^tn^
* ’fa r fepdfl^d I y Cap tu fed mew?
of Angola's key ; citie's aftdf
pottf^ like Cuanda^ Vfjfej^
N ga.'ge, I Ca n ga la e;tel|
However, most military^;
analysts believe that a victory^
to the M.P.L.A. doesri’tassufe *
peace and stability in Angola'
on the ground that the
M.P.L.A. does not represent
Angola's tribal majorities.
Besides, if the M.P.L.A. wins
neighboring pro-western
states like Zaire and South’
Africa might deeply
intervene in Angola.
Against this background it
is too early to predict the out
come of the Angolan crisis
now. Be it as it may, I think
Angolans must be left free to
determine their own fate and
destiny. After nearly 500 years
of colonialism and neo
colonialist rule, it is time for
the people of Angola to
breathe the air of freedom
and independence.
produce the necessary
changes in the national
leadership.
The over-riding issue of a
full employment economy
can bring us together in the
alliance which forged so
much progress during my
husband's career. The
alliance of organized labor,
the working poor, Blacks,
Browns, other minorities,
women, religion and all
people of good will. We can
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