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The Augusta News-Review - September 6, 1973
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by Al Irby I jßKEifli
MAYBE PRESIDENT NIXON IS NOT AS REACTIONARY AS
THE EASTERN LIBERAL ESTABLISHMENT AND THE
MAJORITY OF BLACKS ATTEMPT TO LABEL HIM. HE
REFUTED HIS ULTRA RIGHT-WING ASSOCIATES AND
ESTABLISHED A WORKING DETENTE WITH COMMUNIST
CHINA AND RUSSIA. THEN UNDER TREMENDOUS
PRESSURE, HE RETAINED MANY/LIBERAL HARVARD MEN
ON HIS STAFF, INCLUDING THE FAMED DR. KISSINGER,
RICHARDSON, AND THE FLAMBOYANT ARCHIBALD
COX, THE BRUSH-CUT HARVARD PROFESSOR OF LAW,
THE MAN CHOSEN TO INVESTIGATE HIM. ALSO THE
PRESIDENT APPOINTED WARREN BURGER AS CHIEF
JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT. CHIEF JUSTICE
BURGER IS A SOLID MODERATE WITH WELL KNOWN
EGALITARIAN TENDENCY.
Mr. Nixon totally made patsies out of the South in regard to
school busing and desegregation; while he was talking
anti-busing like mad, his Justice Department was pressing for
desegregation in the Upper-South and the North. The most
disappointing aspect, for those who thought the President’s
appointments to the High Court would turn the court
completely around on all social and educational litigations are
disappointed. The big anticipated swing to the right failed to
materialize. Justice Rehnquist is the only “hard-nose”
reactionary on the bench.
It’s entirely plausible to reason that the liberals and the
enemies of Mr. Nixon should be thankful, and work to save the
President from those horrible incorrigible; right-wingers that are
hiding in the shadowry archives of “Reactionary
Republicanism”.
The Nixon court hasn’t abolished Civil Rights, as some
people darkly predicted when conservative Warren Burger was
named Chief Justice in 1969. Women have gained ground in
fighting sex discrimination; so have Blacks, in desegregating
schools. The President did not remake the court in his image by
appointing Mr. Burger and the three other conservative Justices.
Since January 1972, when the last two Nixon appointees took
their seats, the High Court has struck down the death penalty
with which the President concurred, and upheld a limited right
to abortion, which he opposed. It has sharply restricted the
adminstration’s vigorous use of electronic bugging in domestic
security cases.
The High Court recently handed down decisions that
probably killed the President’s legislature plan for aiding
Church-related schools. Has the Supreme Court demonstrated any
far-out thrust to the right as many liberals and Blacks
prophesized it would? STRIM-DOWN INTERPRETATIONS-Of
course the present court is different from the court headed by
Earl Warren, which was a pioneering liberal panel. This court is
more restrained to reading the Constitution, as President Nixon
wanted. But it hasn’t overruled many of the Warren Courts
landmark decisions, surely its narrower interpretations have
hindered the many social edicts expansion in such areas as
rights of criminal suspects, legislative reapportionment and
equal rights for the so-called poor.
Sanford Kadish, professor of law at the University of
California, had this to say about the Burger Court: “There
hasn’t been a revolution, but a change of Constitution
emphasis. The Burger court is slowing the Warren Court’s
decisions from spreading, rather than killing them by the
roots.” While there’s not a clean-cut liberal majority with its
fuzzy social innovations for broad new legal advances, as in the
Warren era, neither is there a clear-cut voting block that’s
prepared to sweep the old precedents completely away.
Another legal observer gives his evaluation about the so-called
Nixon Court. Dr. Paul Bender of the University of Pennsylvania
law school said: “It’s a holding action on the part of the present
court.” He believes that the current Supreme Court, “is going
to be the source of important new principles in American life
about fairness, equality and justice, most legal minds consider
these areas as cutting smoke.”
IDEOLOGICAL DiFFERENCES-One of the reasons that
hold this Burger Court in check is the fact that it is divided
rather evenly along liberal and conservative lines. There are
three hold-overs from the Warren regime, justices William
Brennan, and Thurgood Marshall. The other two hold-overs,
Justices Byron White and Potter Stewart are labeled moderates,
and most of the time provide swing votes in important cases.
The four conservatives are Chief Justice Burger and Justices
Lewis F. Powell, Harry Blackmun and William Rehnquist. Os
course Burger and Powell are definitely not segregationists, and
they vote in favor of most desegregation decisions. In the case
upholding the right to abortion, maybe the court’s most liberal
decision, Justices Blackmun, Powell, Stewart and Chief Justice
Burger voted with the liberals in the 7 to 2 decision.
At times the conservatives and liberals scramble their votes,
and its hard to distinguish who is who. That happened in the
Pittsburgh Press, sex designated employment ads; this case made
the Women Liberation movement very happy. The court held
five to four that most of the newspaper’s help-wanted ads
violated a Pittsburgh city ordinance barring sex discrimination
in employment, housing and public accommodations. It saw no
violation in striking down the ads of the First Amendment’s
free-press protections. On the majority side were the two
conservatives Justice Blackmun and Chief Burger, the third
liberal, Justice Douglas, and the Justice Stewart. That says Yale
University Law Professor Louis Pollack, “is a damn fascinating
division.”
Os the conservatives, Justice Powell is the least predictable.
He is inclined to vote conservatively, but his written opinions
usually reflect a comprehensive effort to balance the competing
agruments. National constitutional scholars give him high marks
for his legal analysis. He is the chief swing man between the
liberals and conservatives on the High Court. Most times Justice
Powell sounds nothing like a Nixon appointee.
In any event, maybe Mr. Nixon might not wish to increase
his headaches with Congress by appointing any radically
conservative Justices.
THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW
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Page 4
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Speaking |
From 1
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Roosevelt Grtsa, Jr.
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The past Labor Day weekend was the cause for many
reflections on may part. I will share some of them with you for
whatever it is worth. It is nearly always a pause that refreshes..,,
one’s mind in many instances.
It was significant in many respects for Black Augusta City
Council Woman Ms. Carrie J. Mays to serve as the acting Mayor
of Augusta for a day. She was the first woman and known
Black person to serve in that capacity. This incident should
point out clearly to Black and other Augustans that there is
no reason why Ms. Mays or some other Black should not aspire
for one or more full terms as Mayor.
I offer my complete support to the current effort by
prominent Black civic and other leaders and citizens who feel it
very necessary to rename Augusta’s Gwinnett Street to
Laney/Walker Boulevard. This action to honor two of Augusta’s
most prominent deceased leaders is way past due. Ms. Lucy C.
Laney and the Rev. Dr. Charles C. Walker contributed greatly
to the Augusta of the past and present. News-Review columnist
Philip Waring and others are to be commended for
spearheading this timely effort. It would be a sign of needed
progress if Black and white Augustans rally behind this effort
to insure it success.
We will miss Black Augustan Charles C. Allen, his wife
Carolyn and family who have now moved to Macon, Georgia.
Brother Allen is the new Director of the Youth Development
Center in Macon making him the first Black to hold such a
position in Georgia under the State Department of Human
Resources. He is a professional social worker who is a graduate
of the Atlanta University School of Social Work and our own
Paine College in Augusta. Best wishes to Brother Allen and his
family in their new home town.
A belated congratulations is due another Black graduate of
the Atlanta University social work school in the person of
Quinten S. Gresham. Brother Gresham is the State Director of
Group Homes under the Department of Human Resources also.
He is the first Black in that position and he is a graduate of
Talledega College in Talledega, Alabama. His wife, Emma, is a
public school teacher in Richmond County. Both Charles Allen
and Quinten Gresham are members of the Academy of Certified
Social Workers of the National Association of Social Workers as
well as members of the National Association of Social Workers
as well as members of the National Association of Black Social
Workers.
It is always an informative pleasure to watch James Earl Jones
and the Black Omnibus television program on a local Augusta
television station. This is a weekly program well worth watching
by both Black and white Augustans to gain greater knowledge
of the Black Experience. Both local television stations in
Augusta have offered sound informative approaches to the
“Experience”. Hopefully, even more will be forthcoming in the
future.
Augustans should offer more support to the local semi-pro
football team named the Augusta Eagles for the team is really
growing and has a very good record this season as well as past
seasons. Black Augustans James Brinson and Calvin Holland are
among the Black stars on he team. Brother Holland is a teacher
at the Augusta Youth Development Center where Brother
Brinson has a position in the recreation department headed by
Black Augustan Hawthorne I. Lee. Brother Brinson is currently
working on a Master’s degree from the University of Georgia.
Local athletic or sports programs such as the Augusta Eagles
offer much to football fans and others who support a
progressive Augusta.
My vacation was made more enjoyable by the opportunity to
preach at the Belle-Terrace United Presbyterian Church in
Augusta. The Minister of that Church is the Rev. Mr. Edward
Miller who is doing a fine job at that beautiful new church as
well as in the Augusta Community. My attendance at the
Morehouse School of Religion of the Interdenominational
Theological Center in Atlanta helped me to appreciate the
ecumenical movement among Christians and other faiths in this
country. The United Presbyterians have led other
denominations in the concern for solving social problems in this
country. Belle Terrace is a progressive church that has now
expanded its community services to include a Nursery and
Kindergarten program which is the kind of program all churches
should operate. It is always helpful for members of different
religious faiths to explore how others worship God so that
narrow minded religious dogmatism can be advoided.
It was idstrubing to learn that a local White peditrician in
Augusta still has “White and Colored” waiting rooms. If this
situation does not change by next week, a protest will be filed
with the Augusta N.A.A.C.P. and his name will be printed in
this column. This is a social blight upon the many fine Black
and white physicians in Augusta who do not practice waiting
room segregation. It must be expensive to provide separate
medical equipment and medicine for various ethnic or so-called
racial groups.
However, Augusta is a tremendous medical community with
a lot of potential for sound and progressive medical care for all
citizens. Augustans can be proud of its medical complex and
especiallythe Sickle Cell Anemia Clinic. Blacks should avail
themselves of the sickle cell clinic servies to an even greater
degree. I will write more about this service in a later column.
It is gratifying to learn that University Hospital and H.E.W.
are coming to terms so that a new comprehensive mental health
center program can be developed in Augusta. This is a greatly
needed service that can enrich the lives of all Augustans.
Blacks are buying new cars in greater numbers than ever
before in Augusta. I hope they will buy from new car dealers
with Blacks salesmen and maybe one day this city will have
Blacks with new car dealerships.
The Clarke Hill Dam affords this central Savannah River Area
with many recreational opportunities. I noticed that some of
the more choice areas are now owned by White Churches in
Augusta meaning Blacks have less areas to enjoy. An interesting
study would be one that reveals how much racial discrimination
exists in the selling of water-front lots to Blacks in the Clarke
Hill areas. Good fishing, boating, and water skiing abounds in
this area which includes some fine state parks.
Another rambling thought is the slowly advancing fight
against alcohol and drug abuse. Alcoholism is a greater problem
than the abuse of hard drugs and it affects many individuals
and families in Geoigia. However, Georgia is making sound
progress in the treatment of people with drinking problems.
They need treatment and should not be thrown in jails only to
add a high arrest record to a problem that is an illness and not
a crime. Persons with drinking problems can be treated at the
Georgia Regional Hospital in Augusta and the Alcohol and Drug
abuse Clinic in Athens. Athenians can also use the
Comprehensive Mental Health Clinic at Athens General
Hospital.
Law Enforcement officials are not necessarily the best people
to teach citizens about drug abuse and treatment. I have seen
policemen spread misinformation about drug abuse which only
hardened the resistance of Youth to what they, the policemen, i
had to present. Only those policemen who have had special I
training should engage in drug information programs. It is ’
probably better to have teams consisting of policemen and
health professionals work together on this problem. For
example, some policemen in a certain city spread the tie that
the use of marihuana always leads to the usage of hard drugs
■ with Philip Waring ■HHkIkV
LANEY/WALKER BLVD. PROPOSAL WELL RECEIVED
Featured on the front page of the News-Review and
highlighted on radio station WBBQ, television WRDW-12 and
in both the Chronicle and Herald, there has been wide
acceptance in Augusta of the proposal to rename Gwinnett
Street “LANEY/WALKER BLVD.” honoring Miss Lucy Laney
and Dr. C.T. Walker, pioneer Augusta Black education and
religious leaders.
As examples, State Rep. Richard Dent who is one of the key
leaders in this project, said he had received many phone calls
from both Black and White citizens who voiced strong approval
of the proposal. L.B. Wallace, the real estate executive and
national chairman of the Haines Institute Alumni Assn.,
indicated that many persons and groups promised active
support.
Remember this is a PROPOSAL, a concept, and a citizens
committee (which should have membership from those who live
and work on Gwinnet St.) must be formed, more discussion
held, planning formulated, etc. before getting this idea under
way. More civic and legislative leaders should be involved now
during its planning stage which follows its introduction.
Another proposal being widely discussed is to rename Central
Ave. “Button Gwinnett Ave.”. This street is now being
upgraded and this would be timely in keeping with the thrust
for the forth coming Bicentennial in 1976. But we must have
LANEY/WALKER BLVD.
such as herion and others. The teenagers who heard that
nonsense simply laughed nad shrugged off policemen in general
as being generally ignorant about the problem.
Athens and Augusta are still in need of good jazz programs.
Local radio disc jockeys either do not know the difference
between jazz and rock and root or rhythm and blues or simply
do not care on wya or the other. The recent so-called jazz
festival in Atlanta was not really a jazz festival since other
musical categories dominated the event. An interesting new jazz
album recently released is on entitled Soul Box by Grover
Washington, Jr. I understand Cannon Ball Adderley will be
visiting a local Augusta Night Club in the near future. Maybe
one day Blacks and non-Blacks will learn to appreciate
something more than the screaming and jumping hyenas and
banshees of rock and roll.
A brief look at Athens is now in order it seems. Best wishes
to Ray Ware of Athens who has jusst retired as Assistant
Director of Citizens Participation of the Athens Model Cities
Program. We wish Brother Ware well after having sewed Ably
with hte fine model cities and other community programs and
activities. Ray and I were charter members of one of the first
desegregated Breakfast Optimist Clubs in the South in Athens.
Athens has recently initiated a Youth Service Bureau which
is sponsored by the Family Counseling Agency of that
community. The Youth Service Bureau is a Comprehensive
delinquency prevention program that encompasses the total
Athens community. This is a good diversion of juveniles from
eh criminal career ladder that is needed by all urban
communities.
Finally, I have been reassured by the recent progress of both
the Athens and Augusta Communities in a limited sense. There
is always hope for tomorrow if sensible Blacks and Whites can
come together to earnestly and honestly plan for the future.
However, this is by no means time for patting ourselves on the
backs since our journey is similar to the one from the earth to
the moon at the speed of a turtle with worn out track shoes.
Some great things are in store for us in the future and the
present if we can sober up from the intoxicating fumes of hate
and prejudice.
1 just cannot close without lamenting the fact that the
practice of naming hurricanes after women should be stopped
immediately. It is not difficult to think about a number of
men, especially some politicians, who deserve the questionable
“honor”. Do you, tike myself, have some good suggestions for
naming male hurricanes Harambee!!!
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CENSUS UNDERCOUNT MEANS LOST DOLLARS
You might be one of the 5.3 million people the U.S. Census
Bureau admits it did not count in the 1970 Census. If so, that
means that your neighborhood loses federal aid apportioned on
a per-capita basis, including revenue sharing money, and shares
less than it ought to in other federal and state programs.
Over five million people not counted may not seem much on
a national basis in a total population of over 200 million, but is
impact on localities, espcially on hard-pressed cities and towns
with substantial minority populations, is important.
The builk of the “missing persons” are minorities; almost
eight percent are black, as against less than a two percent
undercount of whites. Spanish-speaking people were probably
undercounted more than any other group, since the Census
forms were in English only.
How much have key cities lost because of the undercount?
It’s hard to say exactly but a good estimate, based on the
Census Bureau’s own figures of the undercount, indicates that
New York State lost about $15.1 million in revenue sharing
funds alone, while California lost almost as much.
Major cities lost large amounts that could be used to help
relieve the crushing problems they face. New York City lost
about $6.7 million; Chicago, $2.5 million; Washington D.C.,
$1.5 million, and other cities similar amounts depending on
their size and their minority populations.
What ought to be done to rectify a mistake the Census
Bureau admits occurred? After all, the census is no academic
head-counting exercise; it is the basis not only for allocation of
federal and state funds, but also for political representation and
the drawing of political districts at all levels of
government. The Census Bureau itself wants another census in
1975, instead of waiting until 1980 as mandated by the
Constitution. There is a lot to be said for cutting the census
interval from en o five years in our highly mobile nation. There
is an agricultural census every five years counting every farm
animal and tractor in rural America. If we can count chickens
every five years why not people?
But Congress refused a mid-decade Census so we must deal
with these figures for the next ten years. I have already
suggested an across-the-board increase in official population
figures to account for the estimated undercount, but such
suggestions have met with a defeatist response that simply says
that the national figures can’t be adjusted on a local basis.
Now the National Urban League’s Research Department has
come up with a formula it says can be applied to correct the
undercount. The researchers went to the Census Bureau’s own
estimated national undercounts of different sub-groups of the
population and devised a system of adjusting local figures.
They make clear that this is an interim device to be used in
the current emergency. Eventually, population researchers and
the Bureau may come up with a fool-proof method of
compensating for national undercounts, but until then, it makes
sense to put the League’s method to immediate use in all
population-based formulas on federal and state aid.
After all, this wouldn’t be the first time the government used
nation-wide figures to deal with localities. The famous poverty
index, for example, applies a national definition of poverty
regardless of the significant cost of living variations in different
regions. The national poverty index is used as a national
standard for allocating funds to localities; so too, the suggested
revisions in population figures would be used as a standard for
disbursement of funds until the next census.
KAJFKLJAKLFJA
USUALLY, WHEN ONE
PICTURES WELFARE ONE THINKS OF POVERTY-STRICKEN,
NEEDY PEOPLE. MANY OF THEM FROM MINORITY RACES,
PRESIDENT NIKON HIMSELF WHO WAS OFTEN CRITICIZED
FOR WHAT HE CHARACTERIZES AS WELFARE CHISLERS,
HAS ALSO SEEN THE RECIPIENT OF A FORM OF WELFARE.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID TO
IMPROVE THE KEY SISCAYNEANDSAN CLEMENTE NIKON
RESIDENCES WAS $1,203X74.
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