Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 October 1989 — Page 4

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7,, 1989

George P. Marcus C. Eunice Stewart Stewart, Sr. Trotter Founder-Editor- Editor- EditorPublisher Publisher Publisher 1895-1924 1925-1983

Green tourist dollars came from black hands When will the economic contributions of African Americans in Indianapolis be recognized by City Fathers, whiteowned businesses and just plain ole white folks who live in this city? What will it take for it to be understood that African Americans of Indianapolis contribute in a substantial way to business and industry of Indianapolis? When will it be realized that without our dollars, without us patronizing their businesses, the margin of profit will diminish, or even worse, their businesses will bankrupt? Case in point: the economic contributions of African Americans during the Circle City Classic held here last weekend. How many green dollars do you think were spent by the 54,000 people who attended the Classic and the thousands who came to the city for Classic events? Every downtown (and many suburban) hotel and motel was filled. How many of these same hotels or motels put out “Welcome Circle City Classic Fans” signs? (We only know of a few, including the Fairgrounds Motel on East 38th Street.) What about parking? How many thousands of dollars were spent at downtown lots and garages, which charged rates higher than the normal rates for Hoosier Dome events? What kind of profits do you think the taxi companies, res taurants, tuxedo rental businesses, department stores, shopping centers and other businesses made from black people spending money for or during Classic-related activities? Beyond the fiscal impact, how many young African American children will go to a black college after seeing the many visiting students from black colleges around the country, or after attending the Black College Fair? Of the 30 African-American students who will receive scholarship money to attend a black college or majority university, how many will return to become local business people, doctors, elected officialsjoumalists, even the mayor? Students who benefitted last year include young scholars like Bernard Miller, an honors microbiology student at Princeton; Howard University student Rashonda Moore; Dolla Kendrick, a nursing student at Martin Center; Gwen dolyn Fredricks, studying at 1UPU1; and Roland Walker, at Morehouse. Besides the scholarships to local students, the Circle City Classic legacy includes the favorable impression left on out-of-state guests. That will boost Indiana tourism efforts for years to come. What would appropriate recognition entail? *It means that downtown hotels won't hire extra security guards in fear of problems from such a large influx of black people. *It means that those same hotels won’t instruct their desk clerks to take “extra precautions” in accepting credit cards from black people here for the Classic. *h means that parking fees won’t be excessively in creased over normal parking rates for our events held downtown. ♦Downtown pubs won’t cancel African-American acts when they discover they “blundered” in bringing a black group during an event such as the Circle City Classic. (01 course the fear that a black group would bring in a crowd of disruptive black people is unfounded and purely racist. But that is the mindset!) Most importantly, recognizing our contributions means that black businesses will receive loans based on their merits, rather than a criteria of color. We commend Indiana Black Expo and the Indiana Sports Corp. for their superb annual work of bringing the Classic to Indianapolis. Both organizations have done the right thing for the health and growth of this city. Now it’s time for other folks here to “do the right thing” and give credit where credit is due— to the many patrons (most of whom just happen to be black)— who contributed to the economic and social vitality of Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER DIRECTORY

Pubksher/tditor Eunice Trotter Advening Executives Managing Editor Leslie L Fuller Pamela J Beene Lifestyle Editor Houston B Rogers *- Sharon Smith AH Director John l Hurst > Bit Ferguson Photo Editor Crystal Carney Isaac Osborne Credit • Celections Robert (Bob) Moore Business Manager Sundra Tate Sports Eddor James M Keough Louise Henderson Staff Witters Larry Omens Margaret Starks Susan Merwetl Camille T ichenor Greg WhiSey Producton Hdsnsgsr Pant Read Oaialon Director Gerald A Trotter Production Beverty Watkins Subscriptions Rhonda Mller

Will there be bigots in spacesuits?

Contradictions abound. We hear on all sides that the government has no money in the till, but it’s as full of grandiose visions as ever. The latest is the plan to settle the moon and explore Mars within the next 30 years. I’m not really sure what that bold vision is supposed to accomplish. After all, why do wc need to build sculements on the moon when we haven’t yet demonstrated the ability to make our earthly settlements livable for all? And a trip to Mars may be a fun vacation, but is such an expensive voyage necessary? The White House Budget Director, Richard Darman, says it may cost $400 billion, (and you know how those big projects wind up costing two or three times more in the end.) Not that Mr. Darman likes spending all that money, especia/ly since the government is running annual $150 billion deficits. But he says the ambf tious space program is “the preeminent symbol ol public policy commit nient to the luturc.”

Is it? If so, then there are some awfully strange notions floating around about the future and our commitment toil. I thought our commitment to the future is in more mundane things— like educating and training a workforce capable of competing with the Japanese and the Germans. I thought it was making our cities livable; ensuring access to health care for all; increasing the stock of affordable housing, and ending poverty and racial discrimination. Such earthy pursuits still seem to me basic requirements for a decent society's commitment to the future of its people. Others disagree. Mr. Darman, for example, told a congressional committee that forced to choose between a space station and housing the homeless, he’d choose the space station. Others would choose to pour billions into military equipment such as the B-2 bomber, estimated to tost $600 million per airplane. The cost of one of those bombers—

To Be Equal BY JOHN JACOBS

which many defense experts claim is not needed—could assure prenatal health care and nutrition for every poor pregnant woman in the country. What kind of commitment to the future is it to allow children to be bom underweight and face early deaths, while squandering so much money on space stations or bombers? The one understandable aspect of sending a manned mission to Mars is that it docs represent a national vision of sorts—a commitment to explora-

tion and technological breakthroughs, and a commitment to mobilizing the nation behind a distant, visionary goal. But a more appropriate national vision would be to build a society in which racial discrimination is eliminated, a society in which there is parity between the races. That’s the commitment to the future the National Urban League urged on the new Administration last fall— a vision that would enlist the nation’s most noble aspirations. Such a vision requires new priorities. Investing in our people and in our communities would pay off in a far more prosperous America that is at peace with itself—better able to explore outer space because its inner space would be secure. Working for racial parity by the year 2000 may delay costly space jaunts fora decade, but it would tap the vein of idealism and energy that ensures America’s continues greatness.

Political, race history in today’s headlines

The greal African American free dom fighter and orator Frederick Douglass over 100 years ago staled, “If there is no struggle, then there will

be no progress.”'

Indeed, the struggle of the African American community as well as the struggles of other racial and ethnic communities in the United States for greater political empowerment have been long and difficult. Yet, 1989 will he considered in the annals of American history as a very significant year ol political pi ogress m terms of the unprecedented victories that have already been won.

victories because we believe these are We welcome the victories that have of the Government doing anything to clcarindicationslhatthcresurgenceof been won in New York, Virginia and deliberately polarize the electorate on overt rac ism in America has nut c losed in ConnecticuL the grounds of race. We remember the door to the possibility of continued It is our hope that the togetherness how the Bush campaign utilized racist racial progress in the political arena, and unity of the coalitions that made advertisements in the 1988 elections. ihc concept of rainbow and coali- these victories possible will continue The outcome of the November tion politics is paying off. to be vibrant models of effective po- elections this year again will provide The degree to which racial and litical participation across the lines of another litmus test on how far this ethnic communities can join together race and class. nation at the state and municipal levels politically with progressive white We find it interesting that Fresi- has progressed in termsof racial incluconslitucncics is the degree lo which dent Bush has announced his support sivity in the political sphere. It appears American politics will be transformed, of the Republican candidates in Vir- that the comments of Frederick The transformation of American ginia and New York. We do not ques- Douglass are still applicable. In order politics, however, must also neeessi- lion Mr. Bush's loyalty to the Repub- lo protect the victories and progress talc a concomitant transformation of lican Party. that have been won thus far, “The the economic system of this nation We understand that, but we would struggle must continue.”

that perpetuates racial injustice. caution against the Executive Branch

Civil Rights Journal BY BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS

In Virginia, once the capitol of the Confederacy, Lt. Gov. L. Douglass Wilder has captured (he Democratic nomination for Governor If elected in November of this year. Wilder will become the lirst African American Fleeted Governor of any suite in die United Suites. Manhattan Borough President, David N. Dinkins, has dramatically won die Democratic nomination to be Mayor of New York City. If Dinkinsis elected in November, he will be the first African American to be Mayor of the largest and richest metropolitan area in die nation. State Senator John C. Daniels won die Deniociauc nomination to he Mayor of New Haven, Connecticut. If Daniels is elected in November, he will be the lirst Aliican American to be Mayor of this predonimandy white city -once an enclave ol Indian American political strength. It is important to lake note of these

Tax cut shortchanges the Tittle people’

Millionaire hotel businesswoman Leona Hclmslcy, currently awaiting sentencing forfederalutx evasion,once remarked rather crudely that “only the little people pay tax." Alter the recent action by the House Ways and Means Committee lo cut taxes on capital gains, the words of Leona Hclmslcy.as insincerely as they may have been delivered, unfortunately possess a ring of truth. Specifically, the Ways and Means Committee acdon would allow taxpayers lo exclude 30 percent ol capital gains when compudng their taxes, thereby cutting their tax rate on capital gains by the same percentage. Hence, for the wealthiest taxpayers- those in the lop tax bracket—the tax rate on capital gains would drop from 28 percent to 19.6 percent. Capital gain is a term used to describe the personal income earned by the sale of assets such as stocks or real estate. The gain is the difference between the price paid for the asset and the selling price. These types of transactions arc conducted overwhelmingly by individuals who have money (remember the expression “you need money, to make money.”) Therefore, when a tax cut is granted on capital gain income, it dispropor tionatcly benefits upper income lax payers. In fact, the over $100,000 group gets 80 percent of the tax savings. The average household income in my Congressional District is $ 15,000. The income group between $10,000$19,000 comprise 21.2 percent of all taxpayers, but the capital gain income from this same set represents less than I percent. Unemployed citizens receive no benefit at all. The Committee on Waysand Means proposal, which is strongly supported by President Bush, is an outrage. The

Congress is already scrambling to locate scarce government funds to pay for quality child care, education, toxic waste cleanup, senior health care, the war on drugs and other important public priorities. Add to this all of the President’s expensive initiatives: a new version of “Star Wars”; a trip to the planet Mars; foreign aid for Hungary and Poland; the B-2 Stealth Bomber; and much more. In short, the capital gain tax cut gives away money that we can’t spare. Supporters of a cut in the capital gain tax rale claim that it is important tocncouragingncwinvcsunent in hightechnology, high growth firms. Yet, the evidence suggests otherwise. A study in 1985 by the U.S. treasury indicates that cuts in the capital gain tax rate seems to play a relatively

Congressman Augustus F. Hawkins

minor role in decisions about investment. An excerpt from the report states: “between 3 and 12 percent of the external funds flowing to small technological firms in recent years represented capital supplied by venture capitalists who arc directly sensitive to the personal tax treatment of capi tal gains.” In othci words, reducing the capi-

tal gain tax rate does not necessarily translate into a boost for the economy and job creation. It can be similarly refuted that the tax cut increases savings. During the years following the 1981 Reagan tax cut, not only did the national savings rate not increase, but, it declined steadily. And while advocating a tax break for the rich, the Administration will not even discuss a modest wage gain to improve the plight of the minimum wage worker. Bush ignores the realistic needs of Chapter 1 and Head Start eligible children. Shame on the President and the Ways and Means Committee for supporting this tax giveaway. It is the energy, toil and talent of the “liule people” which makes our country prosperous. They deserve belter and fairer treatment.

The two faces of racism

Along The Color Line BY DR. MANNING MARBLE

Much has been written about the tragic, racially motivated execution of 16-year-old Yusuf K. Hawkins in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn. When Hawkins and several African-American friends visited the white neighborhood on Aug. 23 to look at a used car, they were attacked by approximately 10 white youths.

Reportedly, the white youths were outraged that a local white woman wasdating an African-American man, and they were lying in wait for their victim Armed with baseball bats, goll clubs and at least one gun. Witnesses reportedly heard them say before the shooting: “Let’s club the [expletive] nigger.” Young Hawkins backed away from the confrontation, ' but was gunned down by two .32 caliber bullets. Hawkins’s murder triggered a deep outrage among the cRy’s AfricanAmerican population for several reasons. Hawkins was only the latest of a series of African-American men beaten and/or killed in New York, following Howard Beach, and the killing of Michael Stewart, Eleanor Bumpers and other African-Americans by the po-

lice. When local activists Jitu Weusi, Rev. Herbert Daughtry and others called for a protest march to denounce the murder, they were told by New York Mayor Ed Koch that they had no right to protest in the Bensonhurst area. On Aug. 31, thousands participated in a mile-long protest march, which culminated in a confrontation with police on Brooklyn Bridge. About 10 police and scores of demonstrators were injured. On the same day, the suspected killer of Hawkins, Joseph Fama, pleaded not guilty lo the crime. The deeper reason for the level of anger among African-American residents was the viciousiess of the murder, and its random chancier. HawkSee COLOR LINE, A18