Newspaper Page Text
Vol. XXVI, No. 1
by Veronica Peggy Green
On the evening of September
29, 1982, the Spelman College
Student Government Associa
tion presented, “A Night With
Julian Bond,” in Sister's Chapel.
Mr. Bond addressed the issue of
Political Awareness.
Mr. Bond began by extending
a warm welcome to the students
entering the Atlanta University
Center schools for the first time.
He then spoke of the political
problems facing “the people.”
Julian Bond very distinctly
referred to President Reagon as
an “amiable incompetent.”
Remembering the fear that Black
people felt during the civil rights
era is exemplary of the fear we
are facing today. “Reagonomics
is an unproved theory that makes
the depression resemble a pic
nic,” said Mr. Bond. Some “80
percent of young people in Gary,
Indiana, and Youngstown, Ohio,
are unemployed,” stated Mr.
Bond, and “10 percent of the toal
labor force" is out of work. “Fifty
- seven cents of every dollar that
goes to the government is being
spent in the war department.”
He spoke of the present ad
ministration as one that “op
poses abortion but believes in
the death penalty.”
In November of 1980, Julian
Bond said, the voters of the U.S.
began a process defined as the
“nullification of the needy.” The
REAGON ADMINISTRATION IS
“marching the U.S. backward
into the 18th century. They
believe that nuclear war is a
viable option. This same ad
ministration is altering the
relationship between America
and Africa, and their favorite
allies are clients and tyrants.
There is a redistribution of
income from bottom to top, as
they head toward the dismal
distant past, toward white skin
privilege, and white male
dominance."
An “assault is on Civil Rights,"
said Julian Bond referring to the
present behavior of the Reagon
administration. “The poor are
being further hearded into
poverty. One third of all the
families in this country will be
harmed by this. The president’s
Sodum
Atlanta, Georgia
November 17, 1982
The Struggle Of Blacks In America
Julian Bond Speaks
policies are anti - family and anti
- Black.”
Julian Bond also spoke of the
enourmous amount of money
being spent in the military. “The
F18 cost overrruns were $6.7
million dollars. The same
amount cut from aid to families
and children. The price of one
apache helicopter has gone up
$6 million dollars in one year.”
He said that spending in the
military department “borders on
criminal.”
“Over the period of a lifetime,
there have been changes in the
economy. In 1978, the top 100
U.S. companies controlled more
of assets than in 1940. In 1970,
corporations raised prices when
demand dropped,” Jullian Bond
pointed out.
In reference to the tax relief,
Mr. Bond said that the only
people feeling any sort of relief
were those individuals who’s
income was over $100,000. These
people received an “extra $2,000
tax break.” Tax breaks can also
be noted for “oil companies,
factories who’s products are
dangerous to the public and
have caused 500 deaths. OCEA
inspections are down, and estate
taxes are a repeat.” Institutions
known as “Christian Academies
are very simply, segregated
schools who are receiving a tax
break from the government.
These schools will admit no
students with Black skin. Julian
Bond very plainly called it “sur
vival of the riches.”
“The solution lies within our
own hands,” proclaimed Julian
Bond. “There are 26 million
Black people in the U.S.” The
problem solving method centers
around capital. “Last year Blacks
in the U.S. spent $15 million
dollars on barbeque sauce, $33
million dollars on lard, $60
million dollars on bleach, $79
million dollars on chewing gum,
$80 million dollars on seasoning
and salt, $100 million dollars on
paper towels, $132 million
dollars on rice, $271 million
dollars on potato chips, and $260
million dollars on wine and
champagne.” It wall adds up to
economic strength.
“The power of the ballot box
remains an undeveloped
resource,” Bond reminded us.
“In the last presidential election
only 61 percent of Black people
were registered to vote. Only
one - half of that 61 percent
actually voted. Young Black
people between the ages of 18 -
25 have the worst voting record
of political participation, not
only in the U.S., but of any
people in any democratic system
on this Earth. No where in this
country do Blacks and Whites
cast equal percentages voting.
Julian Bond stated that while
working with Klan Watch, an
organization that observes the
activities of the Ku Klux Klan, it
was discovered that the reason
why Klansman wear pointed
white hats on their heads is to
“make, up for other physical
imperfections on their bodies. In
1980 and 1981, KKK membership
inci eased as membership in the
NAACP declined.”
“To the accommodation of
apairtheid, we must say no. To
the accommodation of racial
inequality, fiie air and water,
planners of a nuclear holocaust,
we must say no,” demanded
Julian Bond.
We apologize for
the delay in the
release of the
first issue of
THE SPOTLIGHT.