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The Augusta News-Review - January 26,1980 -
Mallory K. Millender Editor-Publisher
Paul D. Walker Special Assistant to the Publisher
Frank Bowman Director of Special Projects
Ms. Fannie FlonoNews-Editor
Billy W. Hobbs Reporter
Ms. Mary BoyntonAdvertising Manager
Harvey Harrison Sales Representative
Mrs. Rhonda Brown Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Mary Gordon Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Geneva Y. Gibson Church Coordinator
Mrs. Fannie Johnson Aiken County Correspondent
Mrs. Clara WestMcDuffie County Correspondent
David DupreeSports Editor
Mrs. Deen Buchanan Fashion & Beauty Editor
Roosevelt Green Columnist
Al IrbyColumnist
Mrs. Marian Waring Columnist
Philip Waring Columnist
Sterling WimberlyPhotographer
Roscoe Williams Photographer
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Going places
Move the Olympics
to America
People from the free and fair-minded
nations should not participate in the
August Olympics in Moscow. As
Americans are raising this question, the
Games should be re scheduled for the
United States. There’s still 7 months until
August 15.
FACILITIES AVAILABLE
Nub of this plan centers around the
decentralization of the various athletic
events. Hold the programs simultaneously
at some 15 to 20 different American
urban centers. Our nation already has
over 200 large athletic facilities,
swimming pools, huge indoor and
outdoor stadiums, etc. This is a $2 billion
infrastructure of college-university and
amateur-professional facilities which
could easily accomodate the 10,000
athletes and their 100 events.
Thousands of school dormitories
would be available for housing during
mid-August. Should the Olympic
Committee need volunteers to assist in
supervision, etc, we have them also. There
are literally millions of former and
current sports judges, umpires, referees,
time keepers, etc., whom I feel would
volunteer. Also the splendid corps of
American athletic directors and coaches
who could help in the planning and
rescheduling.
The philosophy, policies and
operating procedures of the Olympics
would be maintained. Local amatuer and
school athletic communities could form
sponsoring committees in the 15 to 20
American communities. By having only
one or two Olympic events this would
result in a smaller use of local resources,
thereby making it possible to sponsor. In
addition to excellent sports facilities,
they also have good cultural and
recreational amenties to properly
entertain the visiting athletes and
distinguished foreign visitors. All of them
have well placed transportation and
communications resources locally. This
proposal would “bring the Olympics to
the people.”
The famed Olympic torch of fire could
be brought in from Athens, Greece and
carried to the various localities for the
opening ceremonies. After completion of
the Olympics, the gold, silver and bronze
Black Empowerment
f
By Dr. Nathaniel Wright Jr., Human Rights Activist
This past summer, the National
Association of Property Owners held its
first meeting on land use in Washington.
Those who were privileged to attend this
meeting became aware that they were
sharing in a concern which has been
central to our nation’s well being ever
since the founding of our great republic.
A brilliant land-use lawyer named Ben
Wallis from San Antonio, Texas sparked
the event, pulling together a diverse group
of people including national park
in-holders, formers, ranchers, loggers,
Indian chiefs from Minnesota’s boundary
waters, and Alaskans fighting to keep
control of their state’s resources.
Ben Wallis’ principal concern has been
a dual one-that of the preservation of the
right of all citizens to own land
unmolested by needless federal restraints,
and the extension of home or land
ownership to involve practically all of our
citizens, most especially the nation’s
poor.
By Philip Waring
winners could be moved to one central
place for the awards program. This could
well be the super dome in New Orleans. It
holds over 70,000 persons.
SPORTS STRONGHOLDS
In my proposal it would include the
major regions of our nation: New
England (the Boston area); the Middle
Atlantic States (the New York
City-Philadelphia sector which contains
over 100 colleges and universities alone);
the upper South (Norfolk and the
Tidewater); the Southeast
(Atlanta-Birmingham-Charlotte and also
the Miami-Tampa-Orlando sections); New
Orleans and Baton Rouge would
represent the Gulf Coast while Memphis
and Nashville highlights the mid-South;
Fort Worth and Dallas are for the
Southeast and Phoenix and Tuscon the
Desert states. Denver would go for the
Mountains and Omaha-Kansas City the
Great Plaines. Now for the West Coast. At
the southern anchor, I’d suggest Los
Angeles and San Diego; San Francisco
Oakland and San Jose and Sacramento
for the middle. Portland and Seattle in
the far Northwest would be terminal.
(There are many “Olympic size” pools
and sports facilities in these regions.)
The mid-West would be represented by
St. Louis and Southern lUionis while
Chicago-Milwaukee and northern Indiana
are important sports centers. They’d be
followed by the Detroit-Cleveland
sectors. Columbus, Cincinnati and
Louisville with the Minnesota Twin Cities
rounding out this region. For good
measure Pittsburgh and Houston, two
championship cities, would also be asked
to share their facilities if needed.
LET’S CHANGE NOW
The big job before us, however, is to
convince the International Olympic
Committee that these are times when
changes and adjustments must be made.
Therein lies our challenge. Let’s salute
President Carter and the other civic and
athletic leaders of our nation for taking a
bold stand for change. This is owed to the
thousands of fine men and women who
now, and in the past, have exhibited their
skills for sportsmanship, fairness and
decency. May I hear from you?
Home and land
ownership
In this latter regard, Ben Wallis asserts
that the basic mind-set of the poor would
change-with land and home
ownership-from an outlook of
dependence to an attitude of investment.
People who own property, Wallis notes,
have a lively sense, both of belonging and
of having dominion. Our alienated poor
presently are lacking in both of these
regards. One solution: to sell to the poor
on attractive terms the
federally-constructed housing units which
they now occupy.
There would be immediate results in
terms of diminished police, fire,
sanitation, recreation, and social service
costs, plus major savings to local, state
and federal governments in the area of
administrative costs.
Essentially conservative in his outlook,
Ben Wallis would be among the last to
advocate more expansive programs to
benefit the poor. On the contrary, Wallis
believes that all our citizens stand to
Page 4
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7
MA V
BlACfc INC
Congress’ calculated insults to blacks
and minorities are becoming more
frequent, the latest being its rejection of
the proposal to make January 15, Martin
Luther King Jr.’s birthday, a national
holiday.
Passage of the bill in the House of
Representatives seemed possible, but
then, when the bill hit the floor, all sorts
of phony excuses were invented for not
voting for it. After a counter-proposal to
make the holiday one of those Sunday
non-events was introduced, the sponsors
of the bill rightly withdrew it.
Making the King Birthday a Sunday
holiday would put it on par with other
routine “Days” ignored by aU. Martin
Luther King Jr., black people, and all
believers in the message of non-violence
and racial equality deserve better.
In fact, the nation would be
well-served by making January 15 a
national holiday.
It would be an act of homage to the
greatest American of modern times, a
symbolic assertion of the vast
contributions blacks have made to
America, and a substantive commitment
to the humane values that inspired Dr.
King, for a brief time at least, his fellow
citizens.
King’s stature is indisputable. His
moral leadership inspired the nation. His
courageous non-violent strategies toppled
the institutions of segregation.
His contributions to the entire world, a
world hungry for spiritual and humane
leadership, was recognized by his 1964
award of the Nobel Peace Prize.
There are those who object to a
national holiday in his honor on the
grounds that he was an ethnic leader and
if Dr. King is so honored, other groups
will come forward with parochial claims.
That’s the kind of argument that can’t
be taken seriously, even if its adherents
are temporarily in the majority on
Capitol Hill.
The very fact that he led black people,
the nation’s largest and most influential
minority, through a period of peaceful
revolution, is a strong claim for honoring
him.
benefit most substantially when there is
less government spending and
control-not more.
On Wallis’ side in his conviction is the
recognition that it has taken far less
money--indeed, only a relative drop in the
bucket-to fund the FHA, which moved
low-income whites into home ownership,
than it costs to fund low-rent housing for
blacks, complete with its staggering array
of implicit social costs.
Wallis’ motivation for his work with
the National Association of Property
Owners centers largely in his fear of the
unbridled encroachments of the federal
bureaucracy.
Typical of some of the concerns which
have engaged the interests and talents of
Ben Wallis is the case of the La Croix
Indians in Wisconsin. The La Croix are a
small tribe which-like most modem day
Indians-has had far more than its fair
share of poverty, crime and drug
addiction. A few years ago, a new chief
was chosen who decided that these
problems were unnatural to any
community and so could and must be
rooted out.
The Indians went to work serving
advantageously as guides through the
fascinating river and lake country near to
TO BE CONTINUED
To be equal
King tribute
By Vernon E. Jordan
This America that has treated its black
citizens so harshly needs to make a strong
symbolic gesture that reaches across the
troubled past with new hope for the
future. A Martin Luther King Jr. Day
would do just that.
Through such a gesture, the nation
would be striking a great blow for the
pride of all its neglected people. It would
be saying in the most effective way, that
it too honors and venerates the memory
of this great black leader.
But Martin Luther King Jr. belongs to
all Americans. His efforts to free black
people from the vicious heel of
segregation resulted in freeing all
Americans from the economic, social and
moral wounds it inflicted on the'nation.
The South especially, should exalt Dr.
King and support a national holiday in his
honor. For the changes he helped bring
about provided the impetus for the
enormous and healthy changes that have
taken place there.
In fact, Dr. King belongs to the world.
His commitment to non-violence, his
moral leadership, and his inspiring
message of faith penetrated into every
nation on the globe. His name symbolizes
the best in America even in places that
proclaim their dislike of our policies and
past.
It’s hard to think of another American
in our history who has meant so much to
so many people at home and abroad. His
life and his work inspire everyone who
believes that all mankind is bound
together in a chain of interdependence
and mutual need.
In a world torn by terror and
destruction, in a world torn by violence
and oppression, he showed that by
following a nobler, more moral path,
people could free themselves from hate
and complicity with evil.
Our America still needs to learn his
lesson; it still needs to heal its racial
wounds and become whole again.
And an important step toward that
wholeness would be to make January 15
a national holiday honoring the birthday
of a true national hero -- Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.
where they had lived and soon poverty
was virtually ended. Coupled with the
new dignity and independence was a
determination to see that
no poverty-inspired social problems
would plague the life of the tribe. Drug
addiction became practically
non-existent, as was also the case of
crime.
Then came the federal bureaucracy,
declaring that under provisions of recent
federal legislation the waters on which
they served as guides had been taken into
the national system of parks. Hence, all
profit-making activity would have to
cease, including the service as guides.
This case-which holds the possibility of
shattering the life of the La Croix Indian
community-is still in -litigation, as are
numerous cases where park in-holders
(persons owning private homes in areas
declared park lands) reportedly have been
almost unbelievably abused in
un-warranted and extra-legal ways by
agents of the federal government.
For information about the fascinating
and important work of the National
Association of Property Owners, one may
write to the organization at 2400 Tower
Building, San Antonio, Texas 78205.
Retired persons especially would be
overdue
M. " 4
The presidential election year is upon
us again. We can expect to miss our
favorite television programs as the
candidates lie to us once more. Political
promises, more than others perhaps, are
made to be broken.
It seems that nearly all of the potential
presidents are sailing on the conservative
ship. Any candidate who admits to being
liberal is regarded as not recognizing the
mood of the country, the temper of the
times.
Most of us have trouble defining what
stripe a conservative carries. Is it down his
back or the middle of the road, politically
speaking? Such a label seems to define
someone who is insensitive to the poor,
the black and ethnic minorities-except
those with political clout. Even sensitivity
at election times only lasts until the
ballots are counted.
What is a liberal? Is a liberal someone
who is tuned to women and the Equal
Rights Amendment? Is a liberal someone
who will appoint a black or two to
governmental positions? Does a liberal
give a happy about the poor? Is he or she
against foolish defense spending? I heard
someone say a moderate is a liberal who
is afraid to come out of the closet.
For our purpose it is most helpful to
understand that political labels don’t
mean anything anymore-if they ever did.
A politician is very often an opportunist
who wears chamelion issues for clothes.
Please do not misunderstand me for I do
believe we have the best politicians
money can buy.
Many politicians are so religious they
believe wholeheartedly in the Golden
Rule. As has often been said, the rule
means he or she who has the gold, rules.
Some even believe in silver rights so
strongly that they will quickly dance to
the tune of thirty pieces of that fine
Walking with dignity
“So far, so good,” is the way to sum
up the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia peace
operation. It will only take one major
incident to break out, and ignite the
potentially explosive situation. The fact
that such “major incidents” have thus far
been avoided-although sometimes
narrowly-has surprised skeptics.
Meanwhile, the process of ending
Rhodesia’s isolation from the world, and
turning it into the black-ruled nation of
Zimbabwe, gathers momentum each day
the cease-fire holds.
MOVE INTO NATIONAL STATURE
Events are occurring daily that, even a
few months ago, would have been
considered improbable, if not impossible.
Mozambique and Zambia, neighboring
countries that provided staging areas
for the Patriotic Front guerrillas
attempting the overthrow of the
Salisbury government, have now sent
diplomatic and military representatives to
the Rhodesan capital. Border crossings
between Rhodesia and neighboring
countries are being reopened. The Forbes
border post at Umtali, once the scene of
traffic jams as Rhodesians hurried to
seashore vacations in Mozambique, is
expected to swing open on Saturday, Jan.
12 - after mine fields and explosive booby
traps on both sides of the border are
removed or deactivated.
GUERRILLAS STILL REMAIN
Unused bridges over the Zambia River
at Victoria Falls and Chirundu are
expected to relink Rhodesia and Zambia
later in the year. The United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees is
making plans to repatriate thousands of
black Rhodesians who fled their war-tom
country. And the United States, once
anxious to avoid even the appearance of
dealing with Rhodesia, is cautiously
stepping up its diplomatic presence here
in Zimbabwe. American government
representatives are quietly opening an
office in Salisbury, with the
establishment of an embassy likely to
follow once the country becomes
independent of Great Britain. The
Patriotic Front, which launched the
guerrilla war some seven years ago, is also
encouraged by an emphasis on the part of
some within NAPO to facilitate the
ownership by retired persons of
practically all of the housing in which
they live.
Blacks, who have lost two thirds of
their land holdings since 1910, would also
find many of their basic interests
coinciding with those who support
NAPO’s pioneering work.
Speaking out
It’s lying time again ••••
By Roosevelt Green
Speaking of religion, it is quite
fashionable to profess religious beliefs as
a vote-getting strategy. Weaving one’s
religion on one’s sleeves while citing a
stack of things deserving negative
consideration propels one into the
Congress and the White House quickly.
A most prominent aspect of political
survival in America is the political poll.
We now have national politicians
governing by popularity polls. This means
give the public everything it wants except
what it needs-leadership. It also means
getting elected by fanning the fires of
racism and hatred. Full speed ahead, with
the latest poll serving as captain of the
conservative ship.
Madison Avenue advertising experts
have become the fairy godmother of our
Cinderella politicians. Voice coaching,
powder puffs and make-up experts are
regular tools of our mass media and office
holders. Political, economic and social
issues carriages turn into pumpkins as
soon as the cameras cease in the
midnights of reality.
I note with some alarm that no blacks
or women are running for the presidency
so far. Perhaps, they know something
those who are running do not know.
Surely some black in these fifty states
will run for president since we cannot just
play political possum. President Lyndon
Johnson is the only white president that
truly helped blacks and he had problems.
Yes, millions of dollars will be spent
this election year for nothing of
substance. This seems sad in times when
children and adults are starving,
malnourished, unemployed and living in
poor housing conditions. When you get
tired of political commercials, you can
always flip on your stereo set.
Zimbabwe,
so far so good
By Al Irby
opening offices and holding political
rallies. As recently as two months ago,
such activities would have been grounds
for arrest.
MUGABEE’S WING DRAGGING FEET
But the British, who now have resumed
interim control of Rhodesia, are keenly
aware that there are some elements that
would like to light torches in a gun
powder factory, even if the ensuing
conflagration were uncontrollable. The
major threat to peace in Rhodesia,
according to the British, is from guerrilla
forces that have not assembled in
ceasefire camps. Some of these out-laws
still are roaming the countryside,
committing what one British spokesman
calls “violence, banditry, and
intimidation” of the civilian populace.
Local experts say most of the renegade
guerrillas are members of Robert
Mugabe’s ZANU (Zimbabwe African
National Union) wing of the front.
Almost all the ZAPU (Zimbabwe African
People’s Union) forces of Joshua Nkomo
are believed to have reported to the
camps.
Military commanders of both wings
joined together in a call for all remaining
guerrillas to join their - comrades in the
encampments. The commanders
estimated that some 3,000 to 4,000
guerrillas were still at large, and promised
to lead the effort to round them up. The
Front’s public show of support for the
cease-fire effort masks sometimes bitter
behind-the-scenes criticism of British
Governor Lord Cristopher Soames’
running of the country, however. Both
wings of the Patriotic Front blasted his
decision to deploy Rhodesian security
forces to aid police in dealing with
continuing lawlessness in the country.
And they are equally scornful of his
decision to allow South African troops to
remain in Rhodesia during the cease-fire
period. British spokesmen play down the
importance of the South African
contingent, arguing it is small and its
duties are restricted to protecting a vital
rail and road bridge linking South Africa
and Rhodesia.
HARAMBEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FRONT NOT SATISFIED
If moisture gums up your
salt shaker, wrap the shaker
in a piece of aluminum foil.