The Augusta News-Review-July 18,1981-1
The Augusta News-Review
Mallory K. MillenderEditor-Publisher
Paul D. Walker Special Assistant to the Publisher
Barbara Gordon Sales Representative
Rev. R.E. Donaldson Religion Editor
Harvey Harrison Circulation Manager
Mrs. Rhonda Brown Sales Representative
Mrs. Mary Gordon Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Geneva Y. Gibson Church Coordinator
Mrs. Fannie Johnson Aiken County Correspondent
Mrs. Clara West McDuffie County Corresponsent
David DupreeSports Editor
Mrs. Been Buchanan Fashion A Beauty Editor
Roosevelt Green Columnist
Al Irby» Columnist
Mrs. Marian Waring Columnist
Philip Waring Columnist
Grady Abrams editorial Cartoonist, Columnist
Roscoe Williams Photographer
Mailing Address
Box 953 (USPS 887 820)- Augusta, Ga.
Phone (404) 722-4555
Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30903
Published Weekly
AMALGAMATED
PUBLISHERS, INC.
NAACP Doesn’t
Subscribe To Views
(Michigan Chronicle)
In the opinion of a vast
majority of Black
Americans, President
Reagan’s repeated
expressions of faith in the
private sector’s ability and
eagerness to pave the way
out of our nation’s
economic doldrums is a lot
of conservative hogwash.
That opinion permeated the
atmosphere at the
NAA'P’s 72nd annual
convention.
When the NAACP
Chairwoman Margaret Bush
Wilson introduced the
erstwhile movie star for his
featured speeech at the
national get-together in
Denver last week, she
strongly advised an already
somber audience of 6000
delegates from around the
country trot to expect too
much.
As Chairwoman Wilson
put it: “The NAACP
doesn’t necessarily
subscribe to the views
about teo be expressed.”
Although the reminder in
that final introductory
remark was unneeded
among the listeners, it was
greeted by a spontaneous
burst of enthusiastic
applause.
But from then on Mr.
Reagan’s increasingly
familiar claptrap was
received cooly but calmly
by delegates who seemed
to be determined to grant
him the courtesy due him
as chief of state even
though he was writing off
millions of their Black
brethern with his pontifical
pronouncements about what
government should not do.
The chill which marked
the audience response as
the review of government’s
programmatic flaws
continued was due largely
to the fact absolutely no
attempt was made to match
the destructive criticism
with constructive
suggestions for corrections
and strenghtening existing
services described as
faulty.
There must be a better
solution for the failing
programs than simply
slashing the lives from
them. Few would discount
the beaurocratic flaws in
CETA, food stamps, health
care, welfare, school
lunches and low cost
housing assistance, ’but
there was value in all of
them.
Better by far to clean
them up and put them back
cm the righteous task for
which they originally were
intended. To do otherwise
only adds more weight to
poverty’s burden.
Mr. Reagan displays
an inexcusable lack of
understanding aLuut. the
work world when he keeps
Support The
Black Press
harping about the private
sector's role in providing
jobs for the nation’s
multitude of hard-core
unemployed. Industry is
neither willing nor able to
absorb these unskilled and
untrained members of
society.
Furthermore,
Michiganders wonder how
the man in the Oval Office
could be so uninformed
about the auto industry’s
already demonstrated
determination to mechanize
all possible operations in
the production process.
Automation may be a sad
fact of life in our time and
place, but it’s a convincing
sign of the future.
Were he to read this
damning criticism, Mr.
Reagan probably would say,
“Yes, but there are other
jobs to be had. Each and
every day, the classified
sections of big city
newspapers are filled to
the brim with enticing
notices about jobs- good
jobs.
But, of course, those
employers are looking for
trained people -- all of
which serves as another
reminder that the provision
of training is what CETA is
all about- or was until it
got dumped along with
many other federally
funded programs which
were deemed useless.
Those and other
unpleasant thoughts must
have been pounding away
loudly in the minds of
NAACP delegates as they
sat quietly, listening to
more and more of the same
unrealistic utterances. And,
while sitting thoughtfully
twiddling their thumbs,
many listners tried to think
of an acceptable
explanation for Mr.
Reagan’s political stance an
explantation which would
rule out racial bias. But
every time they did so,
another jarring recollecton
would bring back their
distasteful thoughts.
For many, a
particularly bothersome
remembrance was the
Voting Rights Act
extension, a sorely needed
safeguard against
nullification of Black
political power in many of
the nation’s polling places,
and a law Reagan opposes.
Is his opposition born of
bigotry or blindness?
In either case, we must
agree with NAACP
Executive Director,e
Benjamin Hooks, who said,
'“Reagan’s polices are
setting into motion forces
which will wreak additional
hardship, havoc, pain and
despair on a huge body of
Blacks and other minorities
in America.”
Page 4
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it
Going Places
By Philip Waring
Draft Horse Aids Blacks
Thanks to television,
radio and the press,
millions were informed in
detail about President
Reagan’s address to the
NAACP. Bill Raspberry,
among others, did an in
depth evaluation.
Mr. Reagan said that
“Government is no longer
the strong draft horse for
minority advancement.”
While our group agrees
that the nation should
attain fiscal soundness, the
Reagan cut in human
service programs is not the
way.
Blacks have but little
other than to view
themselves as a despised
minority, states Mr.
Raspberry. They have only
government to look for aid
and advancement. History
is so very clear in this
matter.
Let’s look at the record
of that “Draft Horse.” (1)
It pulled us out of slavery.
(2) It integrated and
expanded our roles and
opportunities in national
defense. Just look at Fort
Gordon here in Augusta as
an example. (3) It was
government which opened
the voting booths. Thanks
to the Voter Rights Act
over two million Southern
Blacks have registered.
While there are almost
5,000 elected officials, the
figure represents only one
percent erf the national
total. And there are still
voting and election barriers.
(4) Affirmative action, not
"States Rights” or private
enterprise opened jobs,
training and promotion
opportunities. (5) Doors of
hotels and lunch rooms
were opened by federal
How To Fight Reaganauts: A Call To Action
By Gerald Horne
Unlike most subjects,
not enough can be said
about President Reagan’s
economic game plan. He
claims to be cutting
government spending but
what he is actually doing is
snatching dollars from
social programs and glad
handing them over to the
Pentagon. This policy is so
bizarre and murderous that
even other members in
good standing of the United
States power structure have
begun to raise tentative
voices in opposition.
Witness the recent
documentary on CBS-TV
broadcast for a precedent
shattering 5 evenings in a
row. This graphic portrayal,
entitled “The Defense of
the United States,” helped
to put the lie to the false
clamor about the so-called
"Soviet Threat” that is the
main rationale of Reagan
and Secretary of State Al
Haig and the main grease
that skids mega-bucks to all
those Fortune 500 Pentagon
contractors.
But it takes more than
words to pin the
Reaganauts to the mat and
no organization realizes this
more than the
Ccngresiicnal Black Caucus
(CBC). Their Spring 1981
"Report to the People" h
if I I »- . ) I r »«:
public accomodation laws.
(And Southern business has
realized monies it had
missed by segregation). (6)
It was government which
opened schools, bank and
small business loans, fair
housing access and entry
into union-based jobs and
training.
Yes, Mr. President,
your “Draft Horse” has
been one of our few hopes
in the past. And all of the
much critized social
programs have not been
failures.
A writer in the
Atlanta Constitution said
that we often forget that
millions of dollars are paid
into the federal treaspr
often forget that millions of
dollars are paid into the
federal treasury in taxes by
CETA, Neighborhood Youth
and other manpower
training units. And think of
the millions 6f dollars'these
trainees and their teacher
supervisors put back into
local market places and tax
bodies. I understand that
research is being done on
how these local federal
funded betterment
programs help local
communities.
PROGRESS IN
MISSIPPI
.... Good news from
Mississippi with the
election of McComb Mayor
Wayne Dowdy to the U.S.
Congress recently. He gives
solid credit to aid from
Black citizens. Mr. Dowdy
supports Legal Aid and
extension of the Voter
Rights Act. We hope that
his election portends a new
day for this state.
in Washington, DC and
needs to be read by every
churchgoer, every trade
unionist, every student,
every thinking person. In
great detail it adheres to
Ossie Davis’ admonition
that “It’s not the man, it’s
the plan- It’s not the rap,
it’s the map.” And map
out they do a vigorous
counter-offensive against
Reagan, that if followed
will send the “Republi
crats” into a scattered
retreat that they may never
recover from.
They outline a lengthy
10 point program that,
unfortunately, can only be
briefly summarized here:
They called for conducting
“Teach-in” and or
scheduling appearances at
community organization
meetings; initiating contacts
with your Congressional
representatives -- “request
appointments, send letters,
make phone calls.
Particular attention is paid
to organizing “phone bank
programs” in targeted
Congressional Districts.
Voter registration and
reverse print out telephone
directories can be obtained.
Voters in your district can
be alerted; they can be
asked to phone friends and
family mobilising
Tony Brown’s
Journal
Is The Media On Trial?
When asked if total
confidentiality would have
been granted to Janet
Cooke by the Washington
Post had she reported that
her fictional eight-year-old
drug addict was a White
youngster, 44 percent of a
television opinion poll said
“no,” the story would
never have been run. Also
on Tony Brown’s Journal,
57 percent erf the poll did
not believe that the press
does a satisfactory job of
reporting news that is not
biased.
In a very rare media
event, the media was used
to critique the media.
On a special television
program, “Is The Media
On Trial?,” Host and
■Executive producer Tony
Brown examines the
implications of the
Washington Post scandal
which involved a Post story
that won a Pulitzer Priz ; e
and how this has affected
the press' reputation, Black
reporters and affirmative
action.
To help judge the
situation in question, Tony
Brown interviewed a variety
of media types: Bill Green,
Washington Post
ombudsman; Petey Greene,
D.C. activist and TV Host;
Roger Wilkins, Washington
Star Associate Editor and
member of the Pulitzer
board; and Richard Cohen,
Washington Post columnist.
Brown’s Associate
producer Jim Cannady
joined in the discussion
from New York.
Roger Wilkins, one of
the Pulitzer board
members who voted in
favor of Washington Post
reporter Janet Cooke
unemployed, senior
citizens, housewives and
others can be recruited to
make calls during the day.
Youth can be organized
for door-to-door distribution
of information and
recruitment of other
volunteers. Letter-writing
campaigns can be organized
in churches, clubs,
fraternities, sororities,
colleges, schools, labor
unions. Public service
announcements about your
organizing efforts can be
prepared for radio and
television. The
Congressional Black Caucus
in a typically smart move
advises that the dergy
should be urged to address
the question of budget cuts
from the pulpit.
.... Rallies can be
convened in support of the
Congressponal Black
Caucus ‘‘Constructive
Alternative” budget.
Letters can be written to
local newspapers and
appearances on the many
radio and TVtalk shows can
be hocked up.
A visit to your
congressional representative
is a must. You don’t have
to trek to Washington for
this since he or she has an
office in your vindnity. A
gizeable, repreiantatlva
getting the prize, said that
despite public perception,
“The Janet Cooke failure is
The Post’s failure ,it is
not the failure of the
Pulitzer board.” When asked
if they agreed with
Wilkins, 70 percent of the
QUBE two-way electronic
audience said yes.
Bill Green, The Post’s
ombudsman, wrote an
18,000 word front-page
story on the Janet Cooke
hoax. In it he critiqued the
Post’s role in the scandal.
Although Green admitted
that the editors at The Post
should have demanded
sources from Cooke, he was
not sure to what degree
“confidentiality” should be
given to a reporter.
Petey Greene and
Richared Cohen, both
agreed that Cooke’s story
seemed like a set of
unlikely circumstances from
the beginning. Greene, an
ex-narcotic addict himself,
explained that much heroin
would have
killed the eight-year-old boy
over a three-year period.
Cohen explained that
anyone, Black or white,
would have found the story
hard to believe and that he
didn’t believe a junkie
would “give the stuff away
to some kid.”
On the issue of
affirmative action, Roger
Wilkins felt that it was
under “very heavy attack’.’
Tony Brown's Journal,
the longest running national
Black television series, is
sponsored by Pepsi-Cola
Company. It can be seen in
the Atlanta area on
Sunday on channel WXIA
II al noon.
together for this. On the
all-important House Budget
Committee there are at
least 9 Congressmen who
have a district at least 15
percent Black. This includes
James Martin, Euguene
Johnston and Bill Hefner of
North Carolina Paul Trible
of Virginia and a big fish,
Jim Wright of Texas-one
of the House leaders. If
your Congressperson is in
the Congressional Black
Caucus or already in line,
then visit your Senator.
Letters are the life
blood of any organizing
effort. It can be done
without at least some
writing. The only address
you need is the name of
the Representative, then
United States House of
Representative-Washington,
D.C. or the name of the
Senator, the U.S. Senate-
Washington, D.C. Though
some who don't know any
better try to deny it, letter
wrlting-particularly a
massive, organized effort
can be extremely effective.
Even if your
Congressperson already
agrees with you, he or she
should be written because
it helps to stiffen the spine.
When you write, note any
association*, churches,
union*, ate, you belong ta (
Walking With
Dignity
Blacks Accepted The President,
Grudgingly, In Denver
President Reagan’s
sales skill was put to test
before a skeptical NAACP
audience in Denver. Every
concerned Black was
wondering what was
Reagan’s policy toward the
nation's Black citizens and
their problems. The answer
came when the President
mounted the hostile
rostrum to address the
(NAACP) at i ts 72nd
national convention in
beautiful Denver. During
his 1980 campaign, he was
scolded by the NAACP
leadership for “ignoring”
an invitation to speak
before the organization’s
convention in Miami Beach.
TROUBLED TIMES FOR
THE ORGANIZATION
.... But, currently,
Congress is clashing over
the President’s truncated
1982 budget. Critics charge
that it pulls the rug from
under programs that have
helped Black Americans
gain a more equal footing
with their white
counterparts in United
States society. Mr. Reagan
was briefed by the
NAACP’s two top officials,
board chairwoman Margaret
Bush Wilson and executive
director Benjamin L. Hooks,
at the White House on
June 23. Noting that
Reagan's economic program
appears to be "cutting out
those things we need unitl
we get to the place where
we ought to be,” Blacks
are a peculiar breed, when
it comes to politics as
played in these United
States.
They are innately
democratic, but when their
breed is in power, they
raise more hell, than they
do for their adversaries.
For example, when Jimmy
Carter and his liberal pro-
Black regime was in the
Oval Office, Vernon Jordan,
the top skipper of the
Urban League Harassed his
old Georgia comrade to the
inth degree; and Blacks in
New York City insulted
Miss Rosalyn Carter, and
would not let her speak.
So, the question arises,
what do Blacks really want
when they are the worst
voting minority in America?
Mr. Hooks advised the
President to keep his
communication lines open
with Blacks. He assured the
President that ultimately
our goals are his goals. The
NAACP leader continued,
however if his economic
program has not changed
from what he has presented
to Congress, I’m su re
NAACP delegates will be
skeptical.”
more attention to members
of organizations than
isolated individuals. Note
that you have been
discussing this matter with
friends, neighbors, co
workers, etc. Underline it.
It will definitely make them
sit up and take notice.
Always ask for a response
and always incidate you’ll
be keeping a close eye on
what's happening in
Washington, D.C.
Fortunately, the
Congressional Black Caucus
does not only spell out a
detailed battle plan of
attack against the
“Republo-crats” but they
proposed their own
“Constructive Alternative”
budget. Strikingly, a
number of white
Congresspersons-especially
those from districts with
Black and Latino population
-- have signed on to their
program.
It is not surprising that
their budget should get
such support for it is a
positive and forward-locking
document. For example,
they call for the closing of
the tax loophole that allows
fat-cats to make a
deduction for “three
martini lunches" -a
whopping $l.B billion- and
ualng tnat amount tor
WANTS TO RE-EDUCATE
MR. REAGAN
.... The talented lady
sees in Mr. Reagan a
sensitivity to help Black
people, but Mrs. Wilson
made this pithy statement:
”1 think the President
needs to have that
sensitivity deepened.”
Concern over the depth of
the President’s sensivities
is growing because of a
number of minority-related
issues that he will face
■ during his first term,
including: Proposed
changes to the Voting
Rights Act of 1965. This is
perhaps the preeminent
issue among civil rights.
When President Reagan
requested a review of the
act, which expires in
August 1982, he explained
that his administration is
committed to the spirit of
that law. But there remain
questions on whether the
act “continues to be the
most appropriate means of
guarantee’’ Blacks’
franchise.
NATIONWIDE IS
DILUTING
. . . .Civil Rights
advocates argue that
proposed changes would
seriously compromise voting
rights safeguards. Those
who wish to change the act,
including Sen. Strom
Thurmond, (R) of South
Carolina, chairman of the
Senate Judiciary
Committee, have advocated
approaches ranging from
making it nationwide -
Blacks call this dilution --
to letting it expire. The
NAACP strongly supports
strengthening current
regulation Reagan’s
federalism calls for a
review of the Federal
Contract Compliance Policy,
which deals with hiring
practices for federally
funded projects, and rules
implementing. Executing
Order 12250 (coordination
of all federal
antidiscrimination laws).
Strengthen Black
colleges, and bolster public
school systems and school
desegregation, says the
NAACP. It opposes tax
credits or voucher
payments, both favored by
Reagan. The President has
pledged help for Black
colleges. But his
supporters also favor
restricting Supreme Court
jurisdiction and United
States Justice Department
participation in school
desegration cases.
Will Black throw off the
bondage of welfare
paternalism, and rely upon
the salvation of free
enterprise.
stamps. They call for taking
the $1.3 billion wasted on
the notoriously slick tax
loophole called “tax
straddles" and using that
amount to restore funds
slashed for loans and
grants to college students.
The Congressional Black
Caucus budget is too
lengthy and detailed to
summarize here but
mention should be made of
it in every Congressional
visit, every letter, every
speech, every media
appearance.
Though we should not
procrastinate, time is left.
Congress is scheduled to
complete action on all
spending bills one week
after Labor Day. On
September 15 Congress is
scheduled to complete
action on the second budget
resolution. On September
25 Congress is scheduled to
complete action on the so
called “reconciliation ” bill.
And on October 1 the new
fiscal year begins.
But what about after
October 1? Do we fold up
our tents and go off silently
into the night at that point?
Os course not. One lesson
that should be learned by
now is that the decline of
marching and picketing, the
