Newspaper Page Text
Mtlanta^nquirer
Established July, 1960. Published weekly. Editorial, Advertising and Circu
lation offices at 953 Hunter Street, N. W., Atlanta, Georgia. Subscription
rates, $5.20 for one year, $lO.OO for two years. The Atlanta Inquirer is an
independent, non-partisan newspaper, dedicated to truth and the advance
ment of the total community. The opinions expressed by columnists,
contributors and news sources are their own. The Inquirer cannot accept
responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials.
Publisher, THE ATLANTA INQUIRER, INC.
President, Jesse Hill, Jr.
Vice-President, Clinton Warner, M. D.
Treasurer, J. C. Johnson
Exec. Comm. Member-at-Large, Charles Goosby, D.D.S.
Editor ■ Secretary, M. Carl Holman
PAGE TWO
LET FREEDOM RINQ
By Lonnie King
If you didn’t vote last Tuesday, don’t argue about the out
come. Too often too many people are prepared to criticize and
disagre with a situation. These people are rightfully critical and
if they disagree, they are only exercising their basic American
right. But when they criticize without offering to change the
situation or disagree with a position without taking steps to
rectify the things which cause this disagreement, they are just
as harmful as the people who create the situations they disagree
with. We have too many criticizers and disagreers and not
enough doers. One must assume that all Negroes are dissatisfied
with segregation. Certainly this evil and the troubles, both petty
and actually harmful, are the chief topic of discussion in most
Negro homes. If this is the case, why are so many people con
tent to treat this problem in the same way that Mark Twain’s
people treated the weather: “everyone talks about it, but no
one does anything about it.”
*******
Now that the election is over, we shall gee if the promises
and predictions, made before the American people decided to
place their futures in the hands of one man, will hold true now
that the die is cast. We shall see if the glad hand once extended
in apparent friendship will be withdrawn or extended i na real,
sincere desire for a betterment of all poeple and all races in the
true meaning of democracy.
The true meaning of the democratic process will be ex
hibited when the ideals and beliefs that have built this country
and made it strong are brought into complete harmony and co
existence with the actualities of daily existence for the thousands
of Americans who have yet to feel the blessings of democracy
which are part of everyday life for millions of others.
*******
Negotiations are still being continued over the integration of
the stores downtown. We hope that this question will be settled
soon to the satisfaction of all involved. Until that time, however,
there is still a necessity for those who do not like segregation to
let the managers and owners of the stores downtown know
exactly what your feelings are. You can do this by writing let
ters to them. You can let the mayor know through your letters
and cards that you would like to see speedy desegregration of
lunch counters and jobs in the entire downtown area. You can
let the merchants know by withholding your dollars from the
support of esgregation until they realize that the loss of money
overrides the moral wrong of segregation.
A WORD TO THE WISE
Word comes to us that many of the tests being given to
Negro pupils and teachers throughout the state should be taken
more seriously.
These tests are often explained as being intended merely for
guidance and counseling purposes. However, there is good reason
to believe, according to those in position to know, that poor or
second-rate results on these tests will be used later to provide
ammunition for the segregationists in the public school fight.
Both pupils and teachers should, therefore, try to make the
best possible scores on even the most innocent exam, insiders say.
LETTERS
To The
EDITOR
Dear Editor:
James Morehouse Poole and
Rufus Clemons 111 would like to
congratulate the many students
and friends who were taking part
in the sit-in demonstrations. We
also extend our gratitude toward
the Atlanta Inquirer for their
wide coverage. So, as we kneel
and pray each night, hoping that
we obtain these rights, we are
hoping that others will carry on
this worthy cause.
Yours truly,
James Morehouse Poole
Rufus Clemmons 111
Tennessee State A & I
University
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1960
Dear Sir:
Enjoy your paper. I would like
to see more of everything in it.
You seem to know how to mix
the serious and the humorous to
gether without harming either one.
Franklin P. Jackson
Dear Editor:
About the Statue of Liberty Car
toon, I agree with you about a
woman being mistreated by a
man. But what about the man
being mistreated by a woman?
Especially when there are chil
dren involved.
I want you to ask your readers
to pray for me. I am the father
of five children. I love my wife
and children so much that it hurts
down deep inside. We went to a
dance last month. She and I did
wrong. She had the court to put
me out of my home. I love her
so much that I forgive. So I am
asking you to ask your readers to
pray for her to forgive also on
account of our five little children.
Our children need education now
and it takes all mothers and
fathers together to give it to them.
THREE
MARTIN
LUTHERS
The first one was born some
477 years ago in Germany during
this month of November. The
church, as will all human insti
tutions from time to time, had
begun to betray itself by depart
ing from the spirit which had
given life to the letter of its laws.
Before he died the first Martin
Luther had been cut off forever
from the church he had ques
tioned and attacked. He burned in
public the paper which cast him
out of the community of that
church. That small flame helped
to kindle the fires of the Pro
testant revolution and to bring
into being our modern world. A
world which Lutherans, Catholics
Baptists, Methodists, Congrega
tionalists, Episcopalians share
with the many other faiths men
profess.
Now comes, in the strange and
twisting course of history, a fam
ily of Kings with both father and
son bearing the prophetic name
Martin Luther. Martin Luther of
Germany was 34 wh^n he nailed
his famous theses to the church
door as Wittenberg. Martin Lu
ther, Sr., was a man fully grown
before he came to Atlanta to re
direct his life and lay down a
firmer foundation for his chil
dren’s lives than he himself had
known.
How well Rev. King, Sr., did
this is being attested by the dedi
cated life of his world-famous son.
The first Martin Luther, looking
over a space of almost 500 years,
might be puzzled by some of the
peaceful preachments of Dr. Mar
tin Luther King, Jr.
But the reformer who passed on
to us “A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God” would certainly see the
spiritual kinship between himself
and the modest young man who
has not quailed before violence,
threats, chains and prison bars.
For Martin Luther King, Jr.
illustrates daily the words spoken
centuries ago by the first Martin
Luther: “There I take my stand.
I can do naught else. So help me,
God. Amen.”
JOIN YOUR LOCAL
NAACP NOW!
Please pray for all mothers and
fathers that are in my shoes.
Sincerely yours,
A Lonely Father
* * * *
Dear Sirs:
It has been some time since I
last wrote a letter to the editor.
I hope this one gets printed. I
liked the election predictions and
was glad to note, as you probably
were also, that you were right in
nearly every case. I wish you
would try to do something in the
next election or even sooner, to
clear up some of the voter con
fusioi| which surrounds this privi
lege. Too many people are un
familiar with the machines as well
as the issues that — 100% de
mocracy results from this.
Thank you,
Ralph T. Story
Mfr JRII B it
■Min' S
■ Mi Jr w
IS I v" ®
IWI
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\ ' ... - ?
\ OO O Q /
“WHO’S ON TV?”
Much of what we see on TV
screens in Atlanta is piped in
from New York, California or
elsewhere. But not all.
Daily, and on Sundays there is
live, local television. Who appears,
in addition to the newscasters, the
announcers and the weather. re-
THE BIBLE SPEAKS
By Reverend John A. Middleton
Every age has had its great men. One of the reasons why the Bible’s message is pertinent to us
today is because it was written by men whose greatness transcends their own age. It seems safe to
state that there are some men that the world will never outgrow. That small group of men known in
Hebrew History as the Eighth Century Prophets are men whose greatness the world increasingly ap
preciates. Amos, Hosea, Isaiah and Micah are men whose marvelous insights are matched only by
their moral courage. Let us briefly discuss one of these men — Amos.
Amos was a native of Tekoa, a small Village south of Jerusalem. He appeared on the prophetic
stage about 750 B.C. Amos was not a prophet by trade or profession. He was a herdsman who was
called to the prophetic ministry by an experience that he could not resist. In chapter 3 verse 8 of his
book he says, “The lion hath roared, who will not fear; The Lord God hath spoken who can but pro
phesy?” Although Amos cared for sycamore trees his call came while he followed the sheep over the
hills of southern Judah.
The education of Ames poses a big question. Like most of his life this too is shrouded in mystery.
But there are some positive indications that the prophet may have been well trained. (1) His style and
diction betray training. This is all the more important when we consider that Amos was the first pro
phet who wrote his message and left it in a book for anyone to read. Had there been other prophets
to do this before him it could be argued that Amos followed their style. But in the matter of leaving
a record of his message Amos was a trail blazer. (2) We may also argue that Amos was a trained
man because of his knowledge of the international situation. His book reveals a pretty clear knowledge
of history along with the affairs of his own day. In the considered judgment of this writer it is there
fore safe to say that Amos was a man of profound training.
What then can be said about the Message of Amos? His message must be seen in the light of the
conditions to which he addressed himself.
Some of the most glaring evils of Amos’ day were. (1) bribery (2> the double standards of measur
ing used in the market places, (3) under paying the workers, (4) over charging for goods sold to the
common people and (5) excessive drinking of intoxicating beverages. All of these things were done in
and around the Temple where the most elaborate sacrifices and offerings were being made. The hypo
crisy of the situation smelled to the very high heavens. To this situation God says through Amos: “I
hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Take away from me
the noise of thy songs” — and let judgment run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.”
Amos’ message is that the Judgment of A Just God is certain to follow the evils practiced in Is
rael. From the judgment of God there is no escape. It is “as if a man did flee from a lion and a bear
met him; or went into the house and leaned against the wall and a serpent bit him.” There is no es
cape, says Amos.
Because of the note of Judgment that Amos sounds it has been said that he is entirely a prophet
of total doom without any concern for the redemptive work of Judgment. Among old Testament schol
ars this is a disputed area. We shall therefore not enter into this dispute but rather in the concluding
sentences summarize the teaching of Amos.
The prophet Amos spoke to his day and not ours. But because he spoke genuinely to his day. his
message is good for our day. Twenty-seven centuries have passed since the shepherd of Tekoa spoke
his message at Bethel. But despite that tremendous lapse of time, his message in many w'ays is as
modern as this morning. But for the shock due to technological advancement since his day, Amos would
be perfectly at home anywhere in America today, (a) His emphasis on justice in the realm of human
relations makes Amos an “eternal contemporary.” (b) The world has now accepted the idea that
privilege brings responsibilities and special privileges, special responsibilities. Who has said that bet
ter than Amos? (c) The idea that people should be put above things is a value that lies at the heart
of the Christian Religion. Jesus said we have not profited if we get the world and lose the soul. Amos
said that the poor should not be sold for silver nor the needy for a pair of shoes. Indeed, the pro
phets, like Amos and others, are the pioneers of Christianity. It is to mankind’s everlasting benefit that
their message has not perished from the earth.
Amos' message stands as a bridge over the gap between the tribal or national God of the Hebrews
and the universal God of later times. This bridge which Amos built made the crossing easier for Hosea,
Isaiah. Jermiah, Ezekiel, Micah and Jesus. Without the daring courage and keen insight of the Tokoan
shepherd, who could have built this bridge ?
porter-by-the-grace-of-the Weather
Bureau?
WqII, for example, ministers of
the gospel. And doctors who talk
about health problems and the ad
vance of medicine. Local or visit
ing entertainers and celebrities.
Plus teachers, lawyers, architects,
discussing or demonstrating their
work. Along with housewives and
‘just folks’. Later in the afternoon
the kiddy shows come on.
And it is possible to watch all
of these live, home - produced
shows every day for weeks and
months without seeing a single
brownskinned face.
