Augusta focus. ([Augusta, Ga.) 198?-current, December 18, 1997, Image 8

Augusta focus., December 18, 1997, Page 8A, Image 8

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Newspaper Page Text___DECEMBER 18,17 y AUGUSIA OCUS 8A So long, Phill Phil Waring remembered Continued from page 3A portance to him than everything he had done up to that point. He summed up his life in the following manner. “My profession is the helping profes sion,” he once told this reporter nearly a decade ago. “I enjoy each and every day of my life in helping people, whether it’s an individual or a group. I’m especially anx ious over the achievements of our people, Black people. Someone has called me probably one of the leading figures in Georgia [who] at age 77 — and blind — [is] carrying on an active black history, civic and communications program. He added that he was pleased with that “be cause that’s what I am — a communica tor, ablack historian and a civic worker.” Not content to sit on the sidelines and observe, Waring was either at the fore front or somehow involved in every ma jor political decision that impacted the black community in the last two decades. FOCUS IN SOUTH CAROLINA By Lawrence Harrison The times of Christmas ive years old: Santa was good, even though we were not always so. The hours spent trying to sleep last night were restless ones. Now, the tree is brightly aglow, and presents are calling. It is the best of times. Little eyes of joy, gladness, peace and hope. Fifteen years old: We certainly know better; the real meaning of the special day replaces the gift list, Santa’s coming. Innocence is lost. Our developing minds ponder the consequences. It is the most puzzling of items; inquiring eyes of won derment, questions, conflicts and dreams. Twenty-five years old: Perceived and newly-found knowledge guide us for the AugustafFO'CUS Since 1981 A Walker Group Publication . 1143 Laney Walker Blvd. 4 Give your favorite non-profit organization a unique gift; buy it ad space in the Augusta Focus. Call 724-7855 to arrange your purchases. XAVIER O. JONES 12.18.97 He was a co-plaintiff in the historic vot ing lawsuit that resulted in the abolition of the racially discriminatory at-large voting system in Augusta. Waring was also instrumental in urging the NAACP to request an audit of the racial and sexual status of city and county employ eesin Augustain 1979 and again in 1984. Because his eyesight was beginning to fail him, Phil relied heavily on the public bus system and he would use it, rain or shine, to get to the scores of meetings, concerts, funerals, political forums or rallies that he would attend each and every month until his health no longer permitted. Keenly aware of his failing health and sight, Phil would always ad monish his more youthful colleagues, “Don’t ever get old.” When asked how long he wished to continue carrying on in the service of Augusta and Augustans, Phil once said. “Well, I’ll tell you...the good Lord up stairs — he’s calling the signals. He’s calling the signals.” “holidays.” Education broadens our con cepts. Culture extends our thoughts. It is the time of complete growth, hardened eyes of reality, answers, contradictions and life. Thirty-fiveyearsold: Santa’s responsi bility and ours are now one and the same. Family is indeed the most precious of gifts. It is a time of renewal of faith and self, assured eyes reflecting Oneness; universality; soul and salvation. The times of Christmas: Child, adult, elders. A time of divine essence as no other. Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa, too. Charles W. Walker Publisher Frederick Benjamin Managing Editor . Dot T. Ealy Marketing Director Debby Rivera Advertising Production Christy Allen Writer/Reporter Sheila Jones Office Manager Lillian Wan Layout Artist Loretta LaGrone Classified Ad Manager Editorial il , i ‘:‘ ;' ",J v“-'- il o et i ' -"‘ " e . iyt ireesgeed .' / Ay o % o' f e by L ael N, ! “Tm. *‘l ", " ' A., .“'n‘.:‘\ - "N . ' T - i el g o . e g § i) B N : ) : i -l y k| i 5 % i bl B | W, | ' b ! = 3 $ (~~ !) \ = ‘ i oo . | - i é o { L # ! J 3 ] : \ | ; T 1 TN i v \ \ ) i - '3 Bt ol ; / ‘ ‘:; ‘ﬁt : | e AT i : i ~.;v ;"‘ .\ / 1 : B i RN F : k. L T 4 How to change society ost Americans will tell you that practical, pragmatic poli tics is always defined by the “center.” How many times have we been told that the effectivebattleground for determiningthe future of society is the great American mainstream? That tobe a serious factorin politics, we need to work inside the corri dors of power, not on the outside. That we need to tailor our political message to be acceptable to contented, complacent sub urbanites, who drive RVs and watch cable tv. That by becoming a centrist, or even conservative, weavoid being marginalized, excluded, locked out, and isolated on the political periphery. I respectfully disagree. Fundamental political change in a democracy almost always comes from the boundaries of soci ety, not from the center. Conscious, dedi cated minorities, not the numerical major ity, become catalyst for change. Andif you build a political movement te stand firmly on the middle ground, you may find that ground collapsing from under your feet. How do we achieve democratic change within a society? We must, first, under stand how that society actually works. Who gets ahead, and who doesn’t? Who is rewarded, and who is punished? Usually, the people we should learn from are those not at the top of society, but at the bottom. Two centuries ago, if we had listened only to Thomas Jefferson, we would have gained some important insights in understand ingthecontradictory relationshipbetween TO BE EQUAL By Hugh B. Price Try to do your best any of us are lucky enough to have had, when we were chil dren and teenagers, not only parents, but other adults, to guide us toand keep uson the path of achievement. Forsome, it was an aunt oruncle, grand mother or grandfather, older cousin or big sister or brother. For others, it was that special teacher, in chemistry or math or English or History. For still others, it was the track or football or basketball coach. You get the idea. The ways in which many of us who are now adults benefited from adult guidance are endless. The very lucky ones had a series of these kind of mentors whoin various ways devoted them selves to our welfare with no thought of material gain for themselves, or, often, even a word of thanks from us. I’veoften marveled at thedevotion these adults show, and I used to wonder what it was they got out of helping young people until I identified and understood the ‘bar gain’ that is at the heart of all of these relationships. That bargain between adult mentor and his or her charge can be put very simply. I devote myself to helping you. You try your best to do your best. That bargain is at the heart of the Cam paign for African-American Achievement we at the National Urban League and the Congressof National Black Churches have J. Philip Waring 1992 - 1997 ”Qoing Places” \ ' \ ‘ Ib ‘ y democracy and slavery. But we would have to listen to the slaves themselves, those who felt the sting of the lash, and those who were bartered and sold on the auction block, to really know the reality of slavery. We would have to learn from black abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. Less than a century ago, women were denied the right to vote in this country. Generations of white male politicians jus tified and rationalized the exclusion of women. We would have to listen to the early feminists and suffragists, such as Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell, to comprehend how sex ism compromised the promise of democ racy. How do you achieve change in a demo cratic society? By recognizing that in a democracy, the majority can be wrong. Only a generation ago, racial segregation was legal in the United States, There were separate and unequal water fountains, public toilets, hotels, restaurants and churches. Birmingham, Alabama’s city council even passed a law making it illegal for blacks and whites to play checkers together! The overwhelming majority of good, middle class whites in Birmingham supported their racist chief of police, Bull Connor, and their pro-segregationist gov ernor, George C. Wallace. But they were wrong. Martin Luther King, Jr., did not say, let us wait until the majority of South ern whites change their minds about seg- launched with nearly a score of black pro fessional and fraternal organizations. We — our coalition involves such orga nizations as black fraternities and sorori ties, the National Bar Association, and the National Black Child Development Insti tute—intend to increase the already large number of African-American youngsters who are doing well in their schools and in their communities. We intend to help schools in our communities become places where effective learning can and does oc cur. We intend to enlist the aid of many more adults in these communities to help young people follow their natural inclina tions to try their best, Yes, it is natural for African-American youngsters to want to do well, though some would have us believe otherwise. But we know that black youngsters have to be — and in too many instances, are — discouraged from doing well. They are too often discouraged from doing well in school by a disorganized learning environment, and too often discouraged from doing well in their communities by a disorganized community environment. Our task is to counteract the anti achievement peer culture that has en snared some of our youth and convince them that achievement matters. And it is to create a movement whose members demand that schools do a better job edu cating our youth and who will hold educa regation. Martin lid not counsel patience, or try to moderate his message of “Free dom Now” to read“ Freedom Someday.” Several years ago Proposition 187 was being debated in Glifornia, which pro posed discriminator) policies against un documented immigrints, mostly Latino people. A majority o California’s regis tered voters supportedthis initiative. We must not be afraid to saythat the initiative was wrong. Amendmert Two was passed in Colorado sgveral yeas ago, which at tempted to outlaw local neasures protect ingthe civil rights of lesbigns and gays, the same rights that other Americans take for granted. We should affirn our belief in equal justice for all by saying that the homophobic politics behindthat measure was mean-spirited, discriminatory and wrong. We should never be #fraid to lose an electoral campaign when we are fight ing to affirm democratie rights and equal Jjustice for all. How do we achieve progressive change? By celebrating our divinediscontent with the way things are. To be divinely discon tent is to want our democratic ideals and our egalitarian hopes to be realized in the world around us. Dr. Manning Marable is Professor of History and Director of the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University, New York City. “Along the Color Line” is distributed free of charge and regularly appears in over 325 black and progressive publications worldwide. tors ard elected officials accountable for . their aciions good or bad. i We arp organizing a national honors society, the National Achievers Society, , that will avard jackets, badges, and sashes to student: who achieve academically and do good wolks in their communities. Karl Kani, the feghion designer, is designing the jackets axd logos for the program. The honort group is modeled on the McKnight Ac:ievers Society in Florida : that was estabished a decade ago by Dr. Israel Tribble Jy, president of the Tampa- . - based Florida iducation Fund and an . Urban League . That program has . inducted atotal 0f\4,000 black youngsters in the state. The figt induction ceremony . forthe National Aclievers Societyissched- | uled for the late sring; Gen. Colin L. Powell (U.S. Army-gt.) will preside over the ceremony. i\ - We're also designding September as . “Achievers’ Month” ad will expand our annual one-day “DoingThe Right Thing” event into a montl‘:l%g series of pro gams gl;:b;gto% youtis’ achievements. ore ,000 yourg people partici patedinthisyear’sSepu:g:berZOeelebra- . tion. \ : Finally, with generouu:;hport fromthe _ State Farm Life Ins Companies, , we'll soon launch a medii campaign to . spread our message across he airwaves. .