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VOLUME 18 No. 908
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Black Filmmakers * Section C
Webster flip flops on review panel
Blasting video gane violence
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President Clinton applauds nine-year-old Arthur Sawe of Seattle as he speaks out against
violence in video games in the Rose Garden of White House Tuesday, June 1, 1999. Modeling
his anti-school-violence campaign after his assault on Joe Camel and the tobacco industry,
Clinton ordered a government investigation Tuesday of how the entertainment business mar
kets violence to children. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson)
Confederate flag lawsuit -
gains renewed life in Mississipi
By Gina Holland
ASSOCIATED PRESS Writer
JACKSON, Miss.
+. The controversial debate over
the Mississippi flag has moved
to the state Supreme Court,
which has reinstated a 6-year
old constitutional challenge to
the flag.
.- The Mississippi Legislature
has refused for years to change
the flag, which includes a con
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Worlk Congolese rebels vow to fight on Page2A
Religon: Good Hope welcomes master musician Page 28
Serving Metropolitan glAug!m, South Carolina and the Central Savannah River Area
densed version ofthe Confederate
flagin the upper left hand corner.
The court’s Thursday decision
gives some encouragement toflag
opponents.
“They’re going togive us ashot,”
said Jackson attorney Shane
Langston, who represents the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People and
dozens of other Mississippians in
the lawsuit.
A Hinds County judge had
Is racial divide
worrisome or
-
self-correcting
By Paul Shepard
ASSOCIATED PRESS Writer
WASHINGTON
At this embryonic stage of the Internet’s develop
ment, no one disputes figures showing minorities
trailing whites in computer ownership, cyberaccess
and Internet know-how. -
Buttheimpact of“the digital divide” is a matter of
dispute between some Internet experts and civil
rights advocates.
Some, like B. Keith Fulton of the National Urban
League, see the gap as a sign that minorities might
find themselves relegated to second-class citizen
shx('i;; in cyberspace due to a lack of computer apti
tude.
“We are talking about the new information age
and heart of a new economy,” said Fulton, director
of technical programs and policy for the civil rights
group. “The ramifications are enormous in terms of
jobs and where minorities will be in the new millen
nium.”
But E. David Ellington, a founder and president of
one of the Internet’s most popular black-directed
sites, believes it’s too early to fret over the paucity
of blacks and Hispanics on the Internet.
“I'm tired of how I see this issue being positioned
in the media, of black folks being perceived as in
need and not having the wherewithal to deal with
the computer age,” said Ellington, founder of a San
Francisco company that runs the popular NetNoir
Web site. L
See INTERNET, page 14A
JUNE 3 -6, 1999
thrown out the NAACP’s law
suit in 1993, and a debate has
waged since then over whether
black plaintiffs filed their appeal
quickly enough.
Special Assistant Attorney
General Hunt Cole said courts
in other states have refused to
intervene in similar flag cases.
“The chancery court ruled
there was nothing illegal or im-
See FLAG, page 2A°
Sheriff puts blame on HRC
inefficiency; citizens to turn
to legislature for assistance.
By Adrienne Turner
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
- AUGUSTA
After months of waiting, Sheriff
Charlie Webster snatched the rug
from under the Human Relations
Commission by refusing to ap
point the Civilian Review and Ad
visory Committee. In a letter to
Jimmy Murray, HRC chairman of
the board, dated May 27, Sheriff
Webster cited the commission’s
failure to produce the agreed upon
30 names as the reason for not
approving the committee. Instead,
he decided to work directly with
the board members of the HRC.
“In the creation of this commit
tee, we agreed there would be 30
names...submitted to me by the
Human Relations Commission for
my final approval for
appointment...however, only 10
names were submitted to me ini
tially and only after I voiced con
cerns that the procedure was not
being followed were the other
names provided for my
consideration... Therefore, in re
sponse to this failure to follow our
agreement as to the simple task of
setting up this committee, I have
reconsidered the effectiveness of
same...The make upofthe present
Human Relations Board appears
to be qualified in serving as the
Citizens Review/Advisory Commit
tee. I feel I can work closely with
the existing board in resolving
any problems that may surface,”
Sheriff Webster wrote.
We are extremely disappointed
by his decision,” Mr. Murray said.
“Alot of hard work went into this
that could have been avoided ifhe
had simplysaid hedidn’t wantitin
the first place.”
The HRC, after agreeing to
guidelines set along with the sher
iff, interviewed 60 applicants
within one week, which were later
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Noah Perry, 15, won First Place in the bull
riding contest. The youngster pocketed $950
for his efforts in Augusta’s First Black Rodeo
and Horseshow on Saturday, May 29.
#] feel that when
Alfaigo Davis was
shot Sheriff Webster
was in the hot seat
and was, therefore,
very accepting. The
difference between
now and then is
that he is no longer
in the hot seat.”
- Nadine Horne,
- HRC board vice chairperson
“We are extremely
:disappointed by his
‘decision. A lot of
_hard work went into
this that could have
‘been avoided if he
had simply said he
didn’t want it in the
first place.”
= Jimmy Murray,
HRC chairman of the board
ranked by the Georgia Human
Relations Commission. After sub
mitting the names of the top rank
ing 30, HRC waited for over two
months for the sheriff's appoint
ment, during which time he not
only performed background
checks, but held further inter
views of his own.
HRC board vice chairperson,
Nadine Horne, is not convinced
that the sheriff is being totally
honest in his reasoning. “I feel
that when Alfaigo Davis was shot
Sheriff Webster was in the hot
Officers accuse
-
S.C. resort police
of discrimination
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.
(AP) Two former and two current police officers
have sued this resort city, its police department and
several officers, alleging that racial discrimination
shut them out of promotions.
The four men, two black, one Hispanic and one
Asian, also claim they were subjected toslurs, jokes
and a hostile working environment and that the
department promoted less-qualified white employ
ees. They sued Monday in U.S. District Court in
Florence, The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News reported
Thursday.
Don Gause, Michael Bland, David Parenti and
Paul Rouppasong seek back pay and damages for
pain, suffering and mental anguish.
Gause and Bland are black and remain with the
force. Parenti, who is Hispanic, and Rouppasong,
who is of Asian descent, resigned this spring.
The suit says that the men were subjected to
slurs, jokes and a hostile working environment.
The men claim that despite their eligibility, they
were denied promotions because of race and that
the department promoted less-qualified white em
ployees.
“Officers who engaged in racially discriminatory
conduct were not sanctioned but were promoted to
more prestigious positions or were placed in posi
tiox(;s of authority over minority officers,” the suit
said.
The four men also accuse their superior officers of
giving them bad reviews after learning a complaint
had been filed with the state Human Affairs Com-
See MYRTLE BEACH, page 2A :
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NO. 302 AUGUSTA, GA
seat and was, therefore, very ac
cepting. The difference between
now and then is that he is no
longer in the hot seat. I feel that
inasense he used HRC tohelp get
him out ofthe hot seat,” Ms. Horne
said. She felt he was looking for
an excuse not to appoint the com
mittee.
According to Ms. Horne, Sheriff
Webster was initially given 10
names under the advisement of
Sid Hatfield, theliaison appointed
to HRC by Sheriff Webster. Upon
receipt of the 10 names, Sheriff
Webster protested and was pre
sented with a complete list of 30
names on March 15, only four
days later.
“Ifhe wanted to do away with it
forthatreason, why didn’thedoit
then,” Ms. Horne said.
Though Sheriff Webster did not
refer to Alfaigo Davis by name in
his letter, he did make reference
to the young Apple Valley resi
dent that was shot by police offic
ers while trying to avoid arrest.
In his reference, Sheriff Webster
noted the outcry from the com
munity regarding the conduct of
those officers. In spite of this
outery Sheriff Webster wrote that
he “believes it to be in the best
interest of the citizens of Rich
mond County not to participate in
or acknowledge the existence of
any ‘Citizens Review/Advisory
Committee’ at this time...l fail to
see how the-creation of another
board would in any way enhance
the scrutiny under which our of
ficers operate.”
Still, some HRC board mem
bers are not giving up.
Ms. Horne said that she will
petition the board to pursue this
committee with other coalitions
that are looking into getting a
committee appointed through leg
islative means. She urges all
citizens to contact their legisla
tors with regard to this matter.
By alerting them to the public’s
concerns, Ms. Horne feels that
dealings would become easier
when coalitions approach them
on the topic. '
Mr. Murray, though surprised
See WEBSTER, page 3A ;