Augusta focus. ([Augusta, Ga.) 198?-current, January 05, 1995, Image 8

Augusta focus., January 05, 1995, Page 8, Image 8

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Newspaper Page Text8 January 5, 1995 AUGUSTA FOCUS | L} v\ N B sav-Assenble in oy B NoerlSe, sanse g }?)&%E&é&h&ﬁw . & RWLTast. e ) A R~ TAM- Beail 18-hOUf | ' WG -Gy ntiefosed |F7 | 70 W e Newtreseniatives.. - ( | i o’ i % ' ' l e 7 | | ,’%&Q ”,’ \‘ ' }4A] - { w 0 T S A "‘ BUi :.“"’ " -'/ \,"\‘\ \ M .'_J ',l‘ Wd\ ‘-1;?.‘?-..7‘,,“.,:“ THIS WAY FOR BLACK EMPOWERMENT The new Black agenda + political access = power he election results of 1994 under- I score the importance of intensify ingour dialogue on political options for the African-American community. For the last 25 years there has been a problematic separation between the for mulation of a Black Agenda and strate gies to successfully implement it. Black militants and nationalists have concen trated on the content of a Black Agenda. Black Democrats have concentrated on political access through the electoral pro cess. Those focused on the Black Agenda’s content have, for the most part, not dealt with how best to implement it. Those focused on access through the Democratic Party have, too often, submerged Black interests in order to protect the interests of the party. It is time for us to create a formula that can achieve both. In my opinion, such a formula cannot be found within the Demo cratic Party. The Black community’s future does not lie in the Democratic Party, because the Democrats are caught in a bind which ultimately precludes any responsiveness to us. Though the Democrats want Black votes, they don’t want to give the Black community anything because doing so costs them white votes. Whenever Presi dent Bill Clinton promises or gives some thing to the Black community in order to get Black votes, he is promptly attacked by the right. When he downplays the Democratic Party’s relationship to us in order to draw support from white voters, heis attacked by the left. When he tries to find a compromise in the ‘middle, he is attacked by both. * The Republicans have cleverly taken advantage of this bind. They have suc cessfully held on to the right and played hard for the center. When they grab it — as they did in the 1994 elections —the Democrats get creamed. This scenario reinforces for the Democrats the impor tance of capturing the white center in order to save themselves. Consequently, they are less and less responsive to the Black community. The Black community is also in a bind. We have maintained our loyalty to the Democratic Party, agreeing to help its electability by giving it our votes while demanding virtually nothing. Ifthe Demo crats succeed in capturing the white cen ter and win, the Black community will have to be dealt out. If the Democrats lose to the Republicans, the Black community has also been dealt out. The current set upisano-winsituation for African Ameri cans. Where does that leave us? In my opin ion, we have to walk out on the current set-up. As long as we are an appendage to e e e T WHAT ARE. YOU CMH[EE i PROTECTION? | | ; | 7- - | g ¥ 3 N & : /":‘\3 @A '77';" \ \”/(O/ > ’ \ \ \‘\\‘-\\?.\\ ~ MILYPMN// iy | S NN 0.0 S s @ \l* T f;ﬁ”’\}w\' ——— CU/V/C s ‘ Dr. Lenora Fulani illustrates how the correct mix of the black political agenda plus access to the power-making machinery through traditional means is needed for real progress. the two-party arrangement, we will have no leverage with which to fight for our interests. We've got to move into new and independent wurrangements in which we can both express the Black Agenda and exert political power. President Clintonis working hard tobring the Perot voter into the Democratic Party while keeping African Americans loyal. He knows that’s his only shot at staying in the White Housein 1996. But if we allow Clinton to broker that relationship then we will have given him and his Democratic Leader ship Council the power to negotiate on our behalf with the white center. Why should wegive that power away, particularly when those negotiations are directed toward pre serving the Democratic Party and not pro moting the interests of either constituency? For some time I have been advocating and working to build an independent alli ance between the African-American com munity and this highly sought-after radical white center, outside the Democratic and Republican parties. The overtaxed and the underserved together have much to gain from a restructuring of the total political arrangement. Instead of being set up as competitors within the Democratic Party, we need to work as allies outside it. Build ing that independent alliance is what the national Patriot Party, which I participated in founding, has been busy doing since April of this year. Here we come full circle to the question I raised at the beginning, namely: how do we come up with a new formula through which the Black community can simultaneously express its Agenda and have the power to implementit? In order to do so, I believe the Black community has to play an active role in the re-alignment and re-arrangement of American political life. When the Republi cans grabbed their victory they set the stage for a major political restructuring. The Black community can go down with the sinking Democratic Party, or we can move aggressively into that restructuring. We've got to get beyond our passivity on the one (Democratic Party) side, and our excessive militant rhetoric on the other (nationalist) side and become serious play ers in the new political scene. It’s time we gave the Black Agenda some clout. Editorial A grand new year of sights and sounds in our vibrant community s we move into 1995 A let’s adjust our cal endars. On Satur day evening, Jan. 15, all around our nation we will witness the 51-year anni versary of the UNCF, and the annual national tele thon beamed all over our nation. This will be the 16th year it will be conducted by Lou Rawls. On Saturday Jan. 14 at 10a.m.the Augusta NAACP will gather at its usual site at 13th and Broad to kick off its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day parade. Those desiring to enter cars or floats should phone our NAACP office for reserva tions. We are happy to note an easing of the crisis experi enced by the national office ofthe NAACP. That organi zation is vital and its civil rights operations are badly needed by all of its 1800 local and state branches. The Augusta branch will sponsor its annual banquet on Monday, Jan. 16 at the Radisson Hotel. Come out, and let the newly elected local officers know that — as they give their full mea sure of resolution, hard TO BE EQUAL 1l eyes are on Wash- A ington these days, where the great de bate begins between an Administration committed to a pro-active government role in solving our nation’s critical social problems, and a Congressional majority skeptical of government’s ability to do much of any thing domestically right, except fight crime and fos ter economic growth. The Battle of the Budget will be the first test of strength as the adversaries press different conceptions of how government can best use its resources. Don’t look for new pro grams to create jobs or to expand training and educa tion opportunities for poor people whose education and skills deficits keep them from meaningful employ ment. Neither the resources nor the will are currently available in Washington to pass such initiatives. Do look for proposals that sharply cut government programs aimed at sustain ing poor people and creat ing opportunities for them to enter the mainstream. Expect a welfare debate that centers not on creating jobs and providing neces 1995: A year for grassroots activism A Walker Group Publication Established 1981 1143 Laney-Walker Blvd. Augusta, GA 30901 Stay Focused In 1995 _ - 'To subseribe call ¢24-7867 Historian J. Philip Waring looks forward to another year of community firsts and outstanding contributions in the fields of business, service and civil rights. team work and courage — backing will be there from the community. May we support all of our self-help organizations and leaders whom we expect to perform with truthfulness, unity and teamwork. And should we not always ex pect this? Alook atnewadditions Going Places has previ ously highlighted someofthe newer Riverfront facilities and activities which are de signed to bring in money to the downtown area. Today, however, we are spotlighting some of our in ner-city projections designed to expand, inform and edu cate around our Laney- Walker corridor. What are some of them? We are happy that several local banks are now a pool of loan funds for small businessmen to bor row from. We are further elated to see that almost all Hugh B. Price warns us that the mood in Washington will not be helpful to the nation’s poor and underprivileged. As. more resources emanate from the state and local level, it is important for community organiza tions to become more involved. sary services, but on mov ing women and children off the welfare rolls and cur tailing benefits. And expect increasing state and local responsibil ity for designing, financing and implementing social programs. The Congressional major ity plans to cut and cap so cial spending entitlements and turn them over to the states. Even if that fails to win approval, we'll see much more state control of such programs. The grim political and budgetary realities ahead will accelerate the trend to a shift of authority and re sources to state and local governments. So while all eyes are on Washington, they should also be trained on the state capital and on city hall, be cause that is where much of the action will bein the com oftherenovated storesin the Gallilea-Armstrongcenter — or as we old timers used to call it, “The Golden Blocks” —arebeingrented at a faster pace. Then we hear about B.L.’s Restaurant being put into place by the Walker Group. It has all kinds of possibili ties for bringing in diners from all parts of the CSRA. Workmen are “busy as bees” on this major renovation project that could mean so much to the image of this part of Laney-Walker. Then there’s a feeling in theair that “something good is going to happen” to the Laney Museum of Black His tory and Conference Center, now that there are big down town plans for the Golf Hall of Fame Museum, city county museum, Riverwalk, marina, baseball stadium and much, much, more. Chaplain Redd scores ing months and years. As responsibility and re sources are shoved down to the local level, it is impor tant to have robust, activist citizen organizations with the know-how and the clout to influence the way local governments operate those critical social programs. What many of us think of as “federal” programs are actually run by state and local governments who have increasingly broad discre tion in the use of the funds Washington sends them. That means animportant new role for cornmunity or ganizations like our Urban League affiliates. They must educate people about suchcritical issues as crime, welfare, education reform, and others. And they must mobilize them to become actively involved in solving those issues. That involvement can take many forms. An essen- AusUSt F O CUS Charles W. Walker, CEO and Publisher Frederick J. Benjamin, Sr. Editor-in-Chief Dot Ealy, Director of Marketing Sheila Jones, Account Representative Rhonda Jones, Copy Editor, Reporter Rhonda Y. Maree, Reporter Derick Wells, Art Director Joseph L. Smith, Layout/ Graphics, Distribution Emma Russ, Layout/Graphics Jimmy Carter, Photographer, Distribution Xavier Jones, Distribution Faye Davis, Office Manager at Penn Center affair The historic Penn Center and School, dating back to the Civil War, had a large anniversary observance down in the Beauford, S.C. area last week. Our Chap lain A.C. Redd, of the local V.A., was one of the speak ers. I understand that he mentioned Robert Smalls. He was the 1865 hero who, with other slaves, stole the C.S. planter from within the Charleston, S.C. harbor past Fort Sumpter, deliveringthe same to the Union Navy. As there was little or no Black History taught around the CSRA until the past decade or 80, chances are you never heard of this incident. Rob ert Smalls became a state senator and later a Congress man and South Carolina leader. Story behind the story, however, is that one hun dred years ago Congressman Smalls spoke at a “Freedom/ Leadership” award cer emony in Walterboro, S.C. (near Charleston) at a cer emony honoring my mater nalgrandfather Remus War ing at Walterboro. tial part of school reform, for example, requires that parents understand the national education stan dards that spell out what every child should know. They’ll need to monitor their children’s performance and the schools’ effectiveness in teaching those fundamen tals, and it’s up to commu nity organizations to help parents get the tools to do that. School reform also re quires mobilizing parents and their communities to ensure that curricula, teaching standards, and school budgets are adequate to educating our children for the world of the 21st century. Similarly, it will take an informed , activist commu nity to steer local govern mentinitiativesinthe right direction to effectively cut crime and design welfare programsthat assist people tobecome economically self sufficient. Washington may be where the rhetoric is pumped out, but our local communities will be where the action takes place in 1995 and beyond. We'd bet ter be prepared.