Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 January 1986 — Page 7

-■— MKHfr: • torials and Opinions

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■Frederick Douglass

Emerging minorities must prepare for job market Fut-food restaurants provide thousands of American youngsters their first opportunity to hold a job. Often, no experience is required. The restaurants give the young employee*'a place in which to learn good work habits, earn wages and establish a track record that can help them move on to more demanding and better-paying jobs. some young applicants for jobs in fast-food restaurants, however, can barely read, according to Arthur Gunther, president of the Pizza Hut restaurant chain. Some have trouble filling out the application forms. Gunther said he blames the school system. “We should be frightened to death," hesaid. * Gunter isn't the first person to lament the fact that some youngsters are reaching the upper grades without acquiring the ability to Fill out a job application form correctly. Some can’t meet the basic expectations of employment. His company is giving away $30 million of pizza to children who read at least four books a month. There is. a place for programs that encourage reading and stress the importance of a basic education. But the responsibility for solving the problem ultimately belongs to the family and the schools. Too many young people continue to be victimized by inferior schools and parents whoare too self-centered or uncaring. Bobby Ray Inman, chairman of Austin's Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation in Texas, said the other day that Texas will be a bad way if.it doesn’t do a good job of educating its Hispanic and black youth. He's right, and he could have been speaking for the country as a whole. Inman had his eye primarily on the certainty that more and more of the young pepple entering Texas’ work force—a majority, perhaps, in another decade—will be Hispanic or black. The work available, the jobs for which industry will be seeking qualified personnel, will at the same time become more and more oriented to the high technology side of the economy. Making sure that the emerging minorities get the necessary education to fill those jobs is of enormous importance. Inman paints a picture of a welfare state, where increasing numbers of minority citizens must be supported by the state because they lack the tools to fill the jobs, as a result of the failure to provide the needed education. That is something the “majority," which still provides the power structure, must address and has begun to address. But achieving it also requires the attention of Hispanics and blacks. The urgency cited by Inman is real. The opportunities will be there. But to provide the opportunity is one thing. To take advantage of the opportunity is another. Blacks must be challenged to accelerate the progress they have made. When these “minorities” become a majority of the entry-level working force in the future, they must be ready to grasp the opportunity or all will suffer. As Inman says, the best answer to the future is in education. And alkhavs^ to recognize that and invest not only money in providing effective education but also individual effort in accepting what it offers. More than ever, education is everybody’s business. , Syadkated Writers A Artists Challeagiag year ahead

The blind can see this

Greetings! Hopefully you have understood my past two articles, not as protective defense of minister Louis Farrakhan, but an attempt to open your mind and decipher between subtle brainwashing and truth.

Here's a thought By Row. PonoUCorpwnfr

The new year brings some major challenges to the nation and to the black community. As in previous years, the black community in 1986 will have to fight off continuing threats to past civil right's gains. There is little reason to expect the Administration’s offensive against affirmative action, school desegregation, and other key issues to slacken.

Nor is there any reason to expect social programs to escape further attempts to cut or end them, especially with the massive federal deficit likely to grow beyond current projections. At year’s end, Washington was full of talk about a 1967 budget that would slice another $30 billion out of government programs. The Congress is determined to lower the massive deficit and the Administration is equally determined to continue increases in military

spending. Since neither side is willing to raise taxes, that means programs for the poor and domestic programs in general will be the targets for budget-cutting. So a major challenge in the coming year will be to reorder national priorities, for we can’t allow poor people to suffer more - they’ve already been driven to the wall by earlier cuts in survival programs that helped increase poverty and hunger in this rich land. Ariother challenge will be to create jobs for those bypassed by the economic recovery. As of November, white unemployment was down to. under six percent while black unemployment rose to about 16percent. The black-white job gap is growning instead of closing, and this intolerable situation has to be met by programs bring work to the jobless and training opportunities for displaced workers and youth. There is no sign that an Administration and Congress crowing about the economic boom understand that black American is deep in an economic Depression and needs urgent action. This will also be a year in which education becomes the major issue in the black community. Black dropout rates are high and college entrance rates are lower than in past years. The new jobs coming on stream today demand skills, knowledge and attitudes not found among many poor youth, so it is imperative that the educational system become responsive to the needs of the black community. That won’t happen through current proposals to undercut public education vouchers, tuition tax credits, and similar schemes. But it can happen if the Mack community harnesses its political power and its volunteer power to insist on schools that provide quality education for aU. And it can happen if a business community concerned about the need for a more skilled and better trained work force joins fully in the struggle to make the educational system fimctton in inner-city ghettos as it functions in suburban There are sigas that this may hap1A Mon-ribbon grata of top

This man, Minister Louis Farrakhan, is accidentally on purpose being set-up for any assasination attempt that may occur and basically, the work for such an attempt, has been manipulated and contrived by persons who never knew or heard of him until his announcement to support the candidacy of the Reverend Jesse Jackson for the prsidency of the United States. Reflect back on the late Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. and ask yourself what real motivation sparked a James Earl Ray to want Dr. King, Jr. dead? Since Ray’s years of imprisonment, he has wanted to let the world know a story that has been concealed, yet each attempt has been foiled. Was Ray the assasinator or the fall guy of the plot? Prior to Dr. King’s death, the same ineundos were attached to his movement thrusts, as those now attached to Farrakhan. Those lies make a gullible public reactionary, rather than thinkers with questions for justification. The same application would fit the Kennedy brother’s assasination and especially those persons accused of the heinous acts. In each of the above mentioned, an improvement for the lot of black Americans destined their demise. How caa a Mack Christian be “anti-Semitic?” or those who accept him as Prophet. Who has defined “Semitic?" Are all Jewish persons “Semitic" universally? If not, how can a comment or slur apply to the universal Jew or those adherents to Judism? Black Christians acknowledge Jesus the Christ, as the king of the Jews, and the scriptures teach this title was attached to the cross in three languages. To hate Jews, woald he to hate Jesus Christ. To hale Jesas Christ and have Him removed from Christiaaity would deny as the priv Hedge of being Christians. The hatred is for some of the un-religious expressions and attitudes of God’s chosen people- A non-thinking public will acquiesce to subtle brainwash, which is the mechanism for media professionalism. As the Reverend Tom Brown has often stated.

And I have stated, “Christ died to

Those who attended the birthday memorial services for' the late Dr. Martin L. King, Jr., at St. John Baptist earlier this yew remember the RAbbi Jonathan Stain of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, who shared the occasion and extended warm congradulatory remarks to the Mack community. His very presence at a predominatly

Winnie Mandda needs our help. EDWARD MCFARLAND

m : j

PAOI7

The Color Purple if white There is a growing inability of the embrace of a souful, bisexual

Mack men and women to love one

another.

blues singer named Shug Avery...Shug, the catalyst in Cdie’s

hating themselves can be traced back to the early 1660s in American

when slavery was started.

Tony Brown's Comments

should be against the law not to see’’ „ this epic (of beautiful sisterhood and Black men stinking). I’m quoting others because I did not see the movie-and never intend to. If the NAACP had produced, I would not go to see it. And some who have, have lived what I’m sure my reaction would be. One black man walked out of the Chicago premiere, confronted a black actor in the film, and asked him how a black man could take part in such a

degrading movie.

The Coalition Against Black Exploitation said it degraded black men, children and families. A white Los Angeles newspaper said “all that’s missing... is a shot of Uncle Remus..." Willis Edwards, president of the Hollywood NAACP, said it was “stereotypical" and demeaning. Furthermore, the Los Angeles opening was picketed by a

host of harsh critics.

While I know that some black

Slavery was an example of economic racism which I define as the use of the concept of white

supremacy for an economic advan- men have raped their daughters, 1 tage. Example: the security costs of know that the vast majority have building high fences to restrict not. And although many black men escape or sabotage or hiring armed have difficulty loving--period-guards to watch the slaves woulrj^ because much of the love has been

speaks of an inter-faith- and ecumenical quality, not often found in Indianapolis. I am stressing the point that Rabbi Stein came into the heart of the supposedly black ghetto to share an experience, rather than inviting blacks to come north of Kessler Blvd., as has been the more recent black-Jewish interaction groups approach, or at a selective blck church, considered the more prestigious of the black experience. The late Robert (Bob) Gordon, director of the city’s or regional Anti-Defamation League, once located in Indianapolis, had rapport with every black organizational leader and interacted with the black community on frequent basis. Does anyone remember his being oversensitive or reactionary and attempting to lead a campaign against “Anti-Semitism?” Those who instigate such in Indy, today, either are subtle racists and anti-black or they accept the stereo-type myths about the black experience. I am inclined to believe the first half, for too much evidence can be documented and verified. There’s a planned endeavor to reach black leaders in the community to become supportive, after an orientation, on the Russian Jewry problems (Jews enslaved in Russia, more of an oppresive, than penal enslavement). The more blacks know, the better, but I question the sincerity, when there was a complete absence from these same persons in supportive Trans-Africa, support of divestments in South Africa by blacks and a visibility in “antiapartheid” demonstration throughout the summer, is the new “Russian Jewry" coalitional effort, an attempt to create a new black leadership venture, from the blacks who will attend such orientations? Does black Indy, need more “rap-dialogue groups" or “the map for soido-economic liberation". Think it over! Support urged for wife of Nelsoa Maadella Tothekditor: Very recently in the South African township of Soweto, which is all black, the beautiful Winnie Mandela, wife of Nelson Mandela, a long-time prisoner of the racist regime, was forcibly taken by racist police from her home to a desolate area where she had prevously lived under a banning order until her house was burned down. After her house was destroyed she moved to Soweto, and began to speak out against South Africa’s evil system in violation of her banning border, under which she cannot speak out on issues, and is under house asrrest. Black people in the in the U.S. are going to have to rally behind Mrs. Mandda, and begin writing letters to the editors of major white conservative newspapers, and let them know that they are wrong for supporting South Africa’s racist

have reduced the profits of the

slavery system.

drained" out by the brutality of a,, society panic stricken over black

To avoid these unprofitable masculinity, enough has been methods and to reduce rebellions salvaged to make most black women

and escapes, it was far cheaper to re- today happy.

ly on restrictions of the slaves’ mental and psychological development

And lesbian affairs will never replace the passion and beauty of a

Ignorance of who they were as a free black man and a- free black people was much cheaper-and more woman. In “Purple,” ^emotional efficient-than physical methods of and sexual salvation for women is restraint. found in other women. Thbt’s not African men were assertive by the real world, as some. black culture and tradition. This made women, out of frustration, dtan to them particularly dangerous, want to believe. , Therefore, the black man’s dose of I offer no excuses for the kinds of psychological dependency and wor- men that Walker wrote about; they ship of whites was intensified in pro- are, for whatever reason, sad exportion to his independence and amples. But I know that many of us assertiveness. who are male and black are too Subsequently, he learned to direct healthy to pay to be abused by a his hostility away from the objects white man’s movie focusing only on of fear and worship, whites, and our failures, towards those without power And because so few films are pro-instruments-other blacks, women duced with black themes, it becomes being the most vulnerable. This the only statement on black men. phenomenon manifests itself today “Purple” points us away from the in the way many black men view fact that Nelson Mandella, Martin themselves and, as a result, what Luther King and Malcom X overthey do to themselves and to those came the system’s psychological wholovethem. warfare and produced healthy, nonAlice Walker brilliantly and incestuous, non-brutalizing relapowerfully captured this self-hatred tionships with women. Their women in “The Color Purple,” a feminist never needed a “Shug." novel. Steven Spielberg adapted it Furthermore, most of us will be for film. He brought to life, accor- men inspite of white men and ding to Time magazine, a black women who only publish books by woman’s story “both of injustice, at black women or homosexual black the fists of black men, and of emo- men with degrading themes or tional regeneration, at the caressing passive attitudes-and them make hands of black women.” Time add- them into movies of “the black ed:‘...Walker’s message: Sisterhood experiertce.” is beautiful, and Men stink." „ And the movie’s star, Whoopi It’s the story of Celi4 (played by Goldberg, Time said, “hates” being Whoopi Goldberg), Newsweek said, called “a black actress.” “raped by her father at a tender age. She need not worry. With her abused by her cruel commmon-law level of consciousness, she doesn’t husband, Mr., and brought to life in qualify.

#

1986: a year for thaak yous, good-byes aad hellos

As the old year dies and a new year dawns, it is altogether fitting and proper that I take a look at the thank-yous, the good-byes and the hellos that are in order. My tenure as Executive Director of the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice comes to an end on December 31, 1985. Therefore, I need to say thank you to a public that has been most responsive to both our audio and our written versions of Civil Rights Journal as we have attempted, throughout the years, to address issues relevant to black, poor, and minority communities. The letters written and the comments made to me as 1 travelled the length and breadth of this country have made me glad and warmed my heart as that which is dearest to me—the struggle for justice—was regularly lifted up. Many of you I never met personally, but through our correspondence we became friends. And so, I do thank all of you. o I also say good-bye because this commentary represents the last one that I shall make under the title Civil Rights Journal. During the last few years we have treated everything from South Africa, to the resurgence of the violent right-wing in this country, to the bombing of abortion clinics. Always we have tried to put forward a reasoned perspective, based on the facts as we know them and on relevant historical information. However, at the same time that I say good-bye, I also say heUo

side since the year 1968 will be filling in this slot. He is the Rev. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., who will succeed me as Exective Director of the Commission for Racial Justice.

Dr. Chavis is more than qualified to fill this position. 1 know of no man of such young years who has experienced first-hand the oppression and the denial of justice more than he, as exemplified by his long incarceration as a member of the Wilmington 10 of North Carolina. And, of course, even before that time he had long been active in the struggle for human rights. As he makes his entrance into this new position, he will carry with him the guantlet which I have passed to him. I have great confidence in his ability, shaped by training and experience, to carry it strongly and with a good understanding of its history. And I pray that you, in your prayers, will be as supportive of him in the days ahead as you have been of me. So, let there be no mistake. Even as I say good-bye, I do so with a joy that abounds in my heart. I know that the tradition of Civil Rights Journal and the goal and objectives of the Commission for Racial Jastke will continue to be lifted up with an increased intensity and

a young

who has been by my

1*

This, you might say, racial journey to self-discovery, divorce is bedded in a strong Dorothy Gilliam, a black columpsychological distrust of and dislike nist at The Washington Post, wrote

for Mack manhood. Many males that “it is really a film about the ,

who are black confuse manliness purity and depth of love" and with the ability to act out neurotic “when it concluded, I stood up and feelings. The roots of this pattern of cheered." Gilliam was not alone, some black men psychologically The Today Show critic said, “It

V