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The Augusta News-Review - May 3, 1973, ■ With JSIE ■ ■ Dignity ■ by Al Irby WHO ARE THE “JESUS PEOPLE”? THEY’RE YOUNG TIRELESS, DEVOUT, DOGMATIC, EVANGELICAL AND DETERMINED NEVER TO FORSAKE THEIR NEW-FOUNDED “SAVIOR”. BEING CALLED FREAKS DOES NOT WORRY THEM. THEY CONTEND THAT THEIR FOLLOWER, “JESUS,” WITH HIS ITINERARIOUS HABITS, WAS ALSO CALLED QUEER OR FREAKISH. The battle has been raging for several years about sincerity and authenticity of these so-called “Jesus Freaks” in an outside of religious circles. There are some who welcome these converted youngsters; and as would be expected, there are others who label them as sacriligious devils. But in 1972, a concerted effort has been made to thoroughly research this controversial ecclesiastic phenomenon. The latest flair-up concerning this group was between Dr. Billy Graham and Ex-Governor Maddox. Mr. Maddox attacks, while Dr. Graham defends, as you would guess. Dr. Graham sees these young people as a challenge to institutionalized religion. These young religionists are scattered over the country, mostly in the Far-West and Mid-West, they live in communes. During the summer of 1971, a goodly number of them open their communes to reporters, and they were amazed at the orderliness of these groups. The approximately 100 persons living in one Western summer camp were drawn from the group’s year-round houses strung out along the West Coast. At the end of summer, the members return to their original houses or continue on where they can be trained for leadership, and groomed for work in evangelical teams. One of the most active centers is Christ’s Commune in Southern California; it has been in existence four years. In addition to commune activities, there is agriculture and a small fishing fleet. In the Christ Commune organization there are between 600 and 1,000 members overall, and financial assets of about a million dollars. One of the reporters that covered the Christ Commune in 1972 wrote this account: “In addition to studying the sex roles at Christ Commune, and the structure and history of the group, we gathered information about members’ backgrounds and personalities about the theology and values of the sect. We also gathered data on the techniques used to win conversions, and acquire commitments.” There are no drugs, no liquor, no tobacco, no pre-martial sex, no hot pants, and no personal possessions. Within these communes it’s a man’s world, and the women know their places. The women know that God created them equal, but they’re destined to be helpmates for man. They are not stupid, they understand absolutely that their souls and spirits are equal, these Godly young women are reconciled that they have different ministries to fulfill. Sisters as they are called explain that it is necessary for women to dress in a manner that reveals neither ankle or curve. Cosmetics and jewelry are discouraged for the same reason; sisters are to avoid drawing attention to their bodies. The justification given for these feminine rules are that the male’s God given nature automatically causes him to “stumble” at the sight of certain parts of the female body. It is reasonably true that the male has little or no control over this, so it becomes the female’s responsibility to avoid sexually charged situations. According to these young, chaste, inspired women, it is a mark of vanity and pride for the female to call attention to herself through flirtation or dress. It just may prove out that many of us Pseudo-Christians will be showed up for the real hypocrites we are by so-called “Freaks”. Observers at these communes have found out a lot about the love-life of these devout youngsters. Courtship is encouraged, but closely regulated. Close chaperoning guarantees that taboos on petting and premarital sex will be honored. COURTSHIP-Indirect evidence to support their purity in life comes with the zeal that these young people place on courtship and marriage. Courtship is encouraged, but closely regulated by their faith in Jesus’s way of life. If genuine interest is manifested by a girl and boy, they go at once and talk with a pastor. Then, if they receive the pastor’s permission, they go steady for a six month period that must include a three month separation. The couple may separate immediately, or they postpone the parting until the last three months of their engagement. HEART SEARCHING -- This temporary separation gives the couple a chance to search their hearts”, to discern God’s will in the matter. Married members spend much time with engaged couples, thus preparing them for their future lives. REDEMPTIVE SIMPLICITY - The members of Christ Commune usually are up at 4:30 A.M., and are in bed at 11 P.M. They meet for meals in a rustic dining hall with rough benches and tables. A bookcase is provided for the members Bibles while they eat. A gong rings and the sisters and brothers file in quietly and sit down. Then spontaneously, they will start singing. The songs are simple minor-key spirituaoS', and are sung with deep feeling. After several songs, a prayer is offered, asking God to save the world from its sins. Then the simple meal is served, very little meat, only peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. During the summer months, they work real hard six days a week, hoeing and harvesting crops, repairing machinery. This keeps the profitable agricultural operation going. All the members work without complaint and with praise to God. WHO ARE THESE YOUNG CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS? Visiting interviewers live with the group during their visits, sharing food, attending nightly Bible-studies and prayer groups. These intervierers are tough newspaper men trained to observe closely. One Eastern newsman sent this report to his city-based paper: “Many of the members of the commune made attempts to convert us during interviews, and in their extemporaneous prayers at meal time, and in Bible-study periods. They were genuinely glad that we were there and went out of their way to help us with our research; even though we plainly did not share their fundamentalist Christian beliefs, and were there only to gather personal data on their members.” Most of the members are between 18 and 24, and the average age is 21. There were a few Black members, who declined to be interviewed. A third of them had finished High School, a few had studied at graduate-school level; a third of them had served in the armed services. Their former habits were about normal; 85% had used alcohol and 67% were former users of tobacco. None reported using drugs, although 90% said they had previous experience with drugs. These young Jesus People maybe some what dognatic and obsessed with far-out fanaticism, but you’ll have to give them credit for being real and zealous for their Lord and Savior; because we modern-day Christians are lacking in those “Graces”. Page 4 TO BE EQUAL IHKa Verao" E. Jordan, Jr. t b TIME FOR BLACK MANAGER IN BASEBALL by Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. Major league baseball has returned to the playing fields for another season and not one team will be without a black player. The front office, however, is another matter. Twenty-six years after the late Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, baseball has still to see its first black major league manager. I cannot believe that in this period of time there have not been .any blacks within the sport who possessed managerial capabilities. The reasons for their absence must therefore lie in other directions. 1 suspect that at least part of the explanation is to be found in the way the sports establishment has traditionally seen the black athlete, not so much a man, as a machine. Not too many years ago, the highest accolade that could be paid a black athlete by white fans and sportswriters was that “he is a credit to this race.” This meant essentially that the athlete was good at what he did, he did not concern himself with social issues, and if he had any human weaknesses, he at least had the good sense not to display them too often in public. We don’t hear much of this anymore, but there is still a reluctance to accept the black athlete on any intellectual basis. Thinking athletes are in a sense, dangerous. They can’t be pushed too far, they are liable to question the decisions reached by management, and of course, they may decide that there is more to life than playing games. This upsets some people who think athletes should be the strong, silent type. For several years after Robinson put on a Dodgers’ uniform, he was under orders to keep quiet on and off the field. Later when the tensions had eased to some degree, the restrictions were removed and Jackie was able to reveal his true competitive and aggressive nature. Some baseball followers never forgave him for that. It was one thing for Robinson to steal a base, but it was quite another for him to vocally insist on the right to act just the same as any other ball player. In the early days of his career when he was still Cassius Clay and projected the image of a brash, bold, over-grown youth, white fans had an amused tolerance for the Louisville fighter. When he changed Ms name to Muhammad Ali, announced Ms conversion as a Muslim, and refused to submit to the draft, he was swiftly stripped of his title and thrown out of boxing as an undesirable. Given boxing’s reputation for conniving, cheating and dishonesty, there was a strong odor of hypocrisy about the treatment meted out to Ali in the name of morality and patriotism. One has to wonder whether it would have been the same had he been wMte or not so outspoken. Some sports fans cling to the belief that an atMete, and particularly a black atMete, owes his sport and/or his team a special kind of blind loyalty that requires Mm to submerge Ms own personality and beliefs for the “good of the game . Increasingly, black athletes are saying they are no longer willing to do this. On the college campuses they are striking out against what they consider prejudiced coaches and atMetic departments. Curt Flood challenges the right of one team to sell Mm to another like a piece of furniture and then walks away from a lucrative contract because all the fun has gone out of the game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar insists on Ms right to be a private individual, whether the fans or press likes it or not. These are healthy signs of a coming-to-maturity of black atMetes. By not being willing to accept things as they are, just because they are, black sports figures can help end the discrimination that still exists in sports. The plain fact is that as long as they are silent, tMngs will remain as they are. As to a black manager in baseball, I think the move is long over-due. I recall the many expressions of sorrow that came from the baseball world when Jackie Robinson died last year. I recall too that in his last public appearance he spoke of Ms wish for a black manager in the game he served so well. To see Robinson’s dream come true tMs season, just might justify describing baseball as truly the great American Game. f SUBSCRIBE | TODAY |ll THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW P. O. BOX 953 AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 30903 NAME ADDRESS iLi CITY One year (in county)ss.oo One year (out of county)s6.oo ’ k 5 years (in County)s2o.oo 5 years (out of county)s2s.oo I Speaking 1 I WKS From I Athens I ' Roosevelt Green, Jr. ig| Ine nun annual conterence of the National Association of Black Social Workers was a tremendous success. Approximately five thousand Black social workers from all across the Umted- States Plantations of Amerikka were in attendance in New York City. The theme of the conference was “Nation Building”, which involves the development of Black institutions in the Black community to the extent that (the institutions) are as independent of white control or dependency as possible. The four-day conference continued the association’s aim of strengthening Black families, but with a stronger emphasis on building political and economic institutions in the Black community. The president of the association, Genie J. Williams, of New York pointed out with a high degree of satisfaction the association now has over eighty chapters and hopes to expand to over two hundred chapters by tMs time next year. The national body has over ten thousand members in its eighty chapters indicating the growing realization of Black social workers that only they can deal effectively with the problems of the Black community. Black social workers must take a leading role in solving the social problems of Blacks independent of control of wMte social workers and the larger white community. Black nationalism is a must for the future development of the Black community. It is good strategy for us Blacks to build our nation as only we can do. All Black organizations are the only ones that will deal effectively and consistently with the problems of Blacks. Desegregated organizations-because none is integrated-give lip service and liberal inconsistency to the problems of Blacks. There are many things that we can only do for ourselves. Dependency on whites must be kept at a minimal or low level if and when it’s possible. The well wishing and liberal wMtes can always get off the freedom train at any stop. However Blacks must travel to the end of the line. An examination of the workshop topics covered by the Black social workers at tMs conference will clearly indicate how Blacks must have social organizations to set goals and strategies for assessing and solving our problems. The workshop headings are as follows: Comprehensive Black Child Care Services, Organizing the Black Community, The Black Family, Basic Skills for Nation Building, Black Students and School of Social Work, Health Services, Black Senior Citizens, Political and Economic Development of the Black Community, Communications, ana Building a New Theory of Black Personality and Modalities of Treatment. This writer will not discuss the essence or highlights of those workshops except with other Blacks. Black liberation is the business of Blacks only since white participation invariably means control and pacification. Only babies use pacifiers and doctors now say that babies are better off without pacifiers. There are people, both Black and white, who think that a person is anti-white if he or she speaks from a Black perspective. A Black person is not anti-white if he or she hates wMte racism and insists on being treated with digmty while not accepting the idea that any white or Black person is color blind. To be color blind is to cross a super Mghway while the traffic light is green with trailer trucks bearing down on you at eighty miles per hour. Simply stated, now is the time for Black people to develop more self-help programs of advancement. Whites should only participate in Black programs in non-controlling positions and ways that are defined by Blacks. The high point of the conference was a keynote address by Minister Louis Farrakhan, who is the national representative of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Black Muslims. Minister Farrakhan delivering a stirring address that was interrupted frequently by applause. He received approximately a ten minute ovation at the close of his address which served to pin point the need and possibilities of Black nation building within Amerikka. Some of the main points of Ms speech will be presented next week. Minister Farrakhan made an excellent point that Black people should not be misled by the wMte press to believe that the Muslims teach hatred. He urges Black people, especially Black social workers, to study the Black Muslims for themselves indicating that the Muslims are the most effective Black self-help Senior Soldiers To Be Honored Over a dozen nominations for the oldest military retiree in the Augusta-area have been submitted to Fort Gordon officials, according to Wally Walworth of the post Visitors Bureau. The post is seeking the identity-of the oldest military resident in connection with its annual open house set for Friday, May 4, from 9 till 12 at Barton Field. The oldest retiree will be the guest of honor during the morning activities wMch are designed to bring former servicemen up-to-date on today’s Army, plus inform them of services offered to ex-military men by Fort Gordon. Walworth says, “The nominees named thus for range in age from the early 60s up into the 80s.” The deadline for accepting the names is Tuesday, May 1, and nominations may be made by telephone by calling 791-6917. E„, T I i|j FLOWERS MILLEDGEVILLE ROAD | BUS: 738-5401 RES: 793-3909 lIGOING IPLACES jBSL I ■ Wwn I £ PHILIP WARING IbT® IF I R PASSING OF DEAR FRIENDS I It is with sadness that we note the passing of several dear friends during the past month including Mrs. Zorata Martin Ridley, Mrs. Tama Dugas and Mrs. Wilette S. Wallace. All of them were wonderful people who made their mark and contributed in various ways toward community uplift and betterment. Wilette I knew well as she was at Paine College during my time there, and she later married Livingston B. Wallace, one of my close life-time friends. A very beautiful legend later developed on how Livingston lovingly cared for Ms wife, Wilette, during her long period of illness. Thanks to the United Church of Christ and the various civil rights organizations, coupled with dynamic new Commissioner Ben Hooks, the Federal Communications Commission is at long last listening to the plight and pleas of Blacks. I’d like to share with our NEWS-REVIEW readers an editorial from the Chicago Daily Defender on tMs subject: BLACKS MEET WITH FCC For the first time in its 39-year history, the Federal Communications Commission felt obligated to listen to a group of 40 Blacks who voiced their complaints against the commission and the broadcast industry. Included in the complaints was criticism on programming for the portrayal of minorities and a charge of daily indignities wMch g* are “inflicted upon us by a media wMch pretends we do not exist, " except when we are ‘militants’ or ‘suspects.’” It was, from all accounts, a useful meeting. The commission had an opportunity to see and talk with the people who are genuinely concerned about the media’s insensitivity to their existence and who want sometMng done about it. The Blacks complained that the commission’s equal employment rules, adopted three years ago, had had little impact so far. The Blacks attempted to convey something of the depth of frustration, the despair with the performance of the broadcast media which afflicts peoples of color. Programming for minorities is inadequate, and the procedures to alleviate the problem, such as complaints, petitions to deny license renewal and the fairness doctrine, are not vigorously enforced by the commission and are also inadequate. Dean Burch, commission chairman, promised to set up another meeting with the group that would be expanded to include such civil rights organizations as the National Urban League and the NAACP. nation building group in this country. He also urges Black people to buy their newspaper entitled, “Muhammad Speaks . This writer has long been an admirer of the Black Muslims for their program of progress for Black people. Any group that seeks to operate independent of white control will suffer as the Muslims have by the usual Klan mentality wMte press. The Muslims offer an excellent model for Black people to study and imitate. TMs writer enjoyed a health oriented meal at one of the Muslim restaurants in Harlem last week. There will be more information on tMs conference next week for tMs writer would like to cite some other items of interest before closing tMs week’s column. Suffice it to say that more Blacks should explore the possibilities for becoming social workers since this is a greatly needed profession in the Black community. One cannot help but admire Black Augusta Attorney John Ruffin as he labors for the human and civil rights of Blacks. He is a true Black leader who deserves our support in every possible way. He is not a “hat in hand” Black leader who can be bought for the usual tMrty pieces of silver. We need more truly Black attorneys and leaders who do not shuffle to wMte folk’s music to the tune of do notMng and empty promises. All power to the Indian American as he struggles for liberation from white oppression at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Blacks are again urged to support Russel Means and the American Indian Movement(A.l.M.)Let us hope that another modern day massacre does not occur at Wounded Knee like it did in Augusta and Attica. TMs writer was misquoted on the front page of the News-Review last week. What we have in tMs country is socialism for the rich and free enterprise for the poor. Free enterprise is a myth or fiction presently because of monopolistic captalism. Readers are encouraged to read the paperback entitled “The Rich and the Super Rich” by Ferdinand Lundberg in order to understand the state of Amerikka. Watergate, the wheat grain scandal, the defeat of Senator George McGovern, crime in Amerikka, Black genocide, a weak Congress, and many other startling truths about tMs country or plantation can be understood clearly upon reading tMs important book. Blacks are further encouraged to read books by Black authors and Black newspapers to get a balanced view of current events in this country. WMte authors and newspapers are not capable of understanding fully the nature and dimensions of the Black experience. We must teach our children about Black heroes such as Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. Dubois, Fredrick Douglas, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The colors of Black liberation should be displayed in our homes and elsewhere as a visible sign of unity seeking. Those colors are red, black, and green. Study for yourself the meaning of those three colors as it relates to Black liberation. Finally, attendance at tMs conference in New York has helped tMs writer to increase and clarify Ms commitment to Black liberation. The basic issue for Blacks in tMs country is survival. We must learn to love and respect each other while building on a foundation of unity. We must not get “caught up” with hatred for whites since hate and prejudices has virtually destroyed the minds and bodies of wMtes. We must stop killing each other and demand that wMtes stop killing us. Violence is self destructive unless it is in self defense or posed as the only alternative to liberation. Malcolm X said I agree that we must be committed to liberation by any means necessary. Harambee!!! THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY Mallory K. Millandar Editor and Publisher Mailing Address: Box 963 Augusta, Ga. Phone 722-4555 Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30901 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Payable in Advance One Year in Richmond County $5.00 tax incl. 6 Months $2.50 tax incl. Ohe Year elsewheres6-00 tax incl. ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Classified Advertising Deadline 12 noon on Tuesday Display Advertising Deadline 12 noon On Tuesda*' News Items Printed Free