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Spelman Spotlight October 17, 1979 Page 6
Should Blacks Denounce Jewish Support?
POINT
By Jerome Walker
J ust recently with the
resignation of former UN Am
bassador Andrew Young, the
question “Should the Black man
denounce Jewish support?” has
been raised. However, the essen
tial issue should be would the
Black man be better with or
without the Jewish support?
There is no doubt in my mind
that the Black man would be bet
ter off with the Jewish support.
First of all, the Black American
Since the beginning of the
Black man’s struggle against
discrimination and social
deprivation, the J ewish com
munity has been a major in
strument of aid. Because the
Jewish community has also been
discriminated against and per
secuted. they have sided with the
Black man on many issues,
is a minority in these United
States of America. If for no other
reason than that all the support
that can be arranged outside of
the Black American’s race is a
plus.
Secondly, a confrontation with
the Jewish community could
prove to be self defeating. The
method of divide and conquer
has always proved to be effective
in the destruction of strives
gained by minorities . To denoun
ce Jewish support would be
selfish and totally unwise.
Third, with the apparent rapid
growth of the hispanic Americans
and with the prediction that the
Black man will soon loose the
position of “token minority,
nothing but psychological
destruction could possible result,
'urely, to denounce Jewish sup
port would be channeling our
anger at a friend.
Finally, a clear analysis of the
event that inspired this apparent
confrontation would set the
record straight. When former
Ambassador Young resigned
from the U.N. he explained
clearly that he resiged and was
not fired. Moreover, he explained
that he had voluntarily kept in
formation from the State Depart
ment in order not to cause
problems. Furthermore, by ac
ting independently of the State
Department, former Ambassador
Young caused himself and the
State Department great em
barrassment, which is the reason
for Young’s resignation not
Jewish pressures.
When the question od denoun
cing Jewish support is raised, im
mediately a paradox is also
raised. “Should Blacks denounce
Jewish support because the PLO
and the Israelis can’t seem to
reach a compromise? Would the
Blacks be taking a similiar
destructive stand by denouncing
Jewish support? Obviously, the
answers to these questions are af
firmative. No form of con
frontation or denouncement of
support by a minority group
could possibly be constructive.
COUNTERPOINT
By Adele S. Newson
Tensions between American
Jews and American Blacks had
been brewing long before the ad
vent of the resignation of Andrew
Young, and subsequent reactions
from Black leaders.
These two groups have had a
parting of the ways on many
issues. Affirmative Action is
a good example of the split. It
seems that affirmative action was
fine so long as the Jewish com
munity benefited. But as soon as
quotos were mentioned the Jews
no longer found favor with it. Af
firmative Action was perhaps the
single most important issue to
Blacks in this decade.
It is ridiculous to suppose that
two groups with distinctly dif
ferent goals should remain under
the guise of being unified.
In this country, it would seem
that all Jewish people support the
idea of a homeland in Israel.
Israel is the Motherland for Jews
all over the world. For the most
part, foreign policy in relation to
Israel is directed by the less than
3 per cent population of jews in
this country. These J ews support
the Motherland that continues to
trade with racist South Africa. I
am in agreement with Reverend
Joseph Lowery who maintains
that for the nation of Israel to
continue to trade with South
Africa is an affront to the Black
community.
More importantly, it is time for
Blacks in this country, who com
prise over 20 per cent of the
population, to go out on their
own, united and support actions
that would benefit them. Collec
tively, Blacks are probably the
strongest and most economically
active of all the minorities. If
Blacks are to continue to lean on
other minorities. If for support,
guidance and leadership then
they are sure to remain un
derdeveloped economically, in
tellectually and socially.
About 40 percent of all married women
hold full or part-time jobs outside the home.
The Reality of
Crime In Atlanta
By Derek Pollard
Citizens of Atlanta, we must
worry. When there are tremen
dous increases in the homicide
rate such as those that have oc
curred over the last six months,
there is a definite problem.
Atlanta’s homicide rate can be
accounted for by a multiplicity of
factors. With inflation and unem
ployment running rampant, there
is a growing need to make a quick
buck. Atlanta averages 300-400
robberies a month, thus in
creasing the possibility of
homicide. There are times when
in the course of a robbery, a rob
ber loses his composure under
pressure. Without thinking of the
outcome, he pulls the trigger and
we have another homicide. It
happens quite frequently.
Quite often, gunmen involved
in a holdup will senselessly kill
just for the thrill of it. Such is the
case of the robbery of the Empire
Liquor Store on nearby Peters
Street. On March 17, two gun
men entered the store and an
nounced a robbery to the two
clerks. Without provocation, the
gunmen shot both clerks to
death. This was another of the
senseless stranger-to-stranger
killings which are on the rise here
in Atlanta.
Drugs are also a prime con
tributor to the amount of Atlan
ta’s homicides. Many murders
are committed by persons under
the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Others can be caused by
retaliation of drug ripoffs. “We
need to cut down on the amount
of drugs coming into the city,”
commented Dennis, news crime
reporter for WSB-TV. “The
problem is people holding other
people up so they can get money
to buy drugs. If we can cut down
•
the amount of drugs in the city. 1
think we can eliminate a lot of
the crime.”
It is exceedingly easy to obtain,
a handgun in Atlanta, thus a large
number of people are being vic
timized by small handguns.
“These must be stronger gun con
trol legislation." explains .
There is a definite need to reduce
the number of handguns in the
hands of criminals.
Although the crime rate in
Atlanta is getting worse, there
has been undeserved publicity
given to the city. Murder rates
fluctuate, meaning they can rise
and fall at any time. Un
fortunately, Atlanta is at one of
its peak periods. Cities such as
New Orleans have higher crime
rate per capita than Atlanta.
Sheryl Johnson, coordinator of
the Safer Atlanta For Everyone
(SAFE) program, feels it is a
direct slap in the face towards the
police administration. “Atlanta’s
police force is not up to par in
terms of manpower,” says Ms.
Johnson. “I don’t think the
situation is helped when the press
decides everyday to put
something in (the news) on crime
and make it look worse than it
is.”
The bulk of Atlanta’s
homicides stem from domestic
arguments. It is extremely dif
ficult to prevent domestic
homicides. Usually these mur
ders are not premeditated.
The police department is now
implementing a new program
known as the Minister Ride-
Along. This program is designed
to assist police officers in
avoiding possible domestic
violence. Hopefully this will
decrease the number of victims
of domestic homicides in Atlanta.
Why A Black College?
By Vivian Fannings
I often wonder why myself and
hundreds of other students across
the country picked a black
college or university.
In probing the question I found
the cost to attend a state
operated “integrated” college or
university would be considerably
less financially.
Yet, the price we would have
to pay for self-respect, wor
thwhile active contributions to
the college community, and self-
worth would be considerably
high. It seems a greater price to
pay the piper for the loss of a soul
than the loss of a feww dollars.
Society often dictates that the
large white colleges and univer
sities receive more federal funds.
Let it be known that I would
rather have an intelligent, caring
dedicated professor by my side,
than a few more computers and
typewriters.
What I have received from
Spelman these last two years is by
far more valuable than a few ex
tra federal funds. I have learned
not only to respect what I am as a
black woman, but from which I
have come, and where my people
are going.
These black colleges and
universities open our eyes to the
cruel, and unjust world we live in.
In simple jargin they ask us “to
deal with it.”
If the Ivy off the walls of the
black colleges and universities
across the country could talk,
you would hear only the echoes
of determination and pride. Thus
when the echoes of deter
mination and pride have blasted
threw our ears, virtually moving
our bodies in spirit, there the
most vital element shall live in
our hearts: hope. Hope for our
futures, hope for this country,
and, most of all, hope for our
children.
'Thinking without learning makes one flighty,
and learning without thinking is a disaster."
Confucius