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vO! e 21 NUMBER 1051
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Chris Sullivan, 11, of Columbia, 5.C., takes part in a rally outside the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, 5.C.,
Saturday, March 16, 2002, as an NCAA South regional basketball game was being played inside.
The rally was part of a boycoit of the South Carolina tourism industry over the flying of the
Confederate battle flag on the Statehouse grounds. AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain
Kimberly Bush
:: Special to AUGUSTA FOCUS .
2 ’ : AUGUSTA
~ For weeks now, South Carolina’s attorney general
- Charlie Condon has threatened the National Associa
~ tion for the Advancement of Colored People that he
would sue the group if they continued to protest at
- welcome centers and rest stops in South Carolina.
. Monday Condon followed through claiming the rest
stop protests violate a state Supreme Court ruling that
determined such activityisillegal when the object isto
~ damagebusinesses. -
Despite Condon’s claims and his suit against the
NAACP, the group says they are not backing down.
“Until we get some kind of injunction from a court,
. border patrols will proceed asplanned,” says Reverend
+ David Walker, president of the Aiken Branch of the
~ NAACP.
The group began its border patrols almost three
~ weeks ago, stopping travelers at the state’s visitors
_centers to remind them of the flag controversy and
No vote for mayor, many black voters say
Forum hosted by black ministers reveals mistrust of proposed legislation !
By Shuu Norris
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
¥ AUGUSTA
. There was barely enough room to
fitthe 150-plus people whodecided to
come and voice their opinion about
the changes the legislation delega
tion proposes for Augusta’s city gov
ernment structure. Gentlemen even
gave up seats for the ladies. Let the
debate begin. ,
.. The forum, held Monday, March
48, was sponsored by The Concerned
Ministers of Augusta who feel no
changes need tobemadeto Augusta’s
government structure. ,
+ Justlast week duringa public press
conference on the steps of the mu
nicipal building, szkesperson for
‘théministers, Rev. Kenneth Martin,
“gaid changes would eliminate voting
A and undermine the political
om of African Americans.
Condon sues to
ban all protests
“Allof thebillsrequireaseven vote
override. On things that are racially
sensitive, the black commissioners
have a monumental task just to get
one whitecommissioner to vote with
them, two are almost impossible; in
reality,” said Mallory Millender, a
professor at Paine College who was
among the panelists.
Every time a black politician is
elected into office the legislators per
ceivethegovernment tobebrokeand
needs to be fixed, said Millender.
“Our inability to be honest, our
inability to tell the truth, our inabil
ity todojustly with the total commu
nity that they always talk about,
that’s what’s broke. The city ain’t
broke, the government ain’t flawed,
wl}at’s flawed are the people running
it.”
Augusta’s legislative delegation
has introduced'two bills that makes
changes to the city’s government
discouraging thém from spending money in 'the Pal
metto State. . “
Then about a week later, the European-American
Unity Rights Organization, a white rights group
based out of New Orleans, countered the protests by
starting their own patrols. Now Condon is suing both
of the groups.
The flag controversy poses a new fight for EURO,
but the NAACP hasbeen battlingit out with the state
since 1999 when the flag flew atop the capital dome and
inthe Houseand Senate chambers. Today it flies at the
Confederate Soldier Monument.
“Theresolution that was passed back in 1999 stated
that the flag would not be placed in a position of
sovereignty. Well where it is placed right now isin a
place of sovereignty. This is not what we agreedona
few year ago so we are not going to back down. Our
legal department has assured us that what we are
doing is legal and we are planning even more protests
in the weeks to come.
Vincent Breeding, the national director for EURO,
says there are no plans for more events at this time.
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Mallory Mlllmd_ir,?Pulne College professor, voices hls"opposmon
to proposed chianges in city government. Photo by Jimmy Carter.,
MARCH 21 - 27, 2002
| Augusta Gladiators
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Shannon Hudson (L) lands a kick on Phillip Botha on route to
winning his bout in the amateur middieweight kickboxing match
Saturday, March 16, 2002 at the Winter Wars 2002. Hudson’s
victory was one of 12 on the fight card that was presented by the
Augista Martial Arts Academy at the Augusta State University
Athletic Complex. Photo by Jimmy Carter
ASU hoops star returns
with Harlem Globegrotters
By Lillian Wan
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
The legendary Harlem
Globetrotters’ 2002 “Unforget
table” World Tour came to the
Augusta-Richmond County Civic
Center on Thursday evening,
March 21, 2002. Players included
Augusta’sown Fess Hawkins, who
graduated from Augusta State
University in 2001. ;
Fess led ASU to the Peach Belt
Tournament championship during
his senior year in the 2000-2001
season. His play with an average
of 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and
2.5 blocks per game earned him
first team all-conference honors
and a place on the all-tournament
team.
He is now playing his rookie
year with the Harlem Globetrotters
as a dominant low post player or
| 50 CENTS
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“‘ nsz,’(' Hawkins
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center. He’s the second youngest
player but the biggest one at 6’11",
275 Ibs.
A special moment amidst the fun
and basketball wizardry by the
Harlem Globetrotters occurred when
ASU’s Coach Gary Tuell presented
Fess with a Peach Belt Conference/
ring at half time. ‘
Welcome home, Fess! ¥
structure, including changing the
way commissioners voteand increas
ing mayoral power. Thre¢ unofficial
proposals and one amended bill are
also in discussion. ’ :
Of the five legislators who have
made proposeédchangesto Augusta’s
governinent, only Rep. Ben Allen was
in attendance. v
“One of the things that we need to
be mindful of is anytime you have a
government in place and any type of
contingency in place, sometimes
change is needed. No one indicated
that this was the perfect bill,” he
said, addressing the anxious crowd.
“You have got to understand and I
have been consistent in saying this.
You got to understand ... that no
matter what form of government we
have, the government is only as good
as the people you put in office.”
Despite Rep. Allen’s urgency in
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