Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 March 1990 — Page 2

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

SATURDAY, MARCH 24.1990

Accommodation to racists should have limits

The State Civil Rights Commission is exploring whether Indiana University Medical Center violated the Civil Rights Act when authorities there allegedly accommodated a white patient who did not want Africtm-Ameri-can hospital employees around him. Commission Director Karen Freeman said legal counsel ii checking the law and past case histories. IU Medical Center can clearly show a business necessity in treating the patient, "but the question that arises in our minds is how far do you take the business necessity,” Freeman said. According to black employees who called The Recorder, the man was admitted with a serious heart condition on Feb. 28. When his condition improved, he was transferred toa ward but did not want black technicians to give him an EKG. The employees further contend that other black hospital stuff, including nursing staff and maintenance woikers, were not al-

lowed in his room, unless he was not there. Hospital spokesperson Mary Maxwell said that contrary to what was reported in The Recorder March 10, the man was not diagnosed as havinga racial phobia, and it is untrue that black employees were ordered to stay away from the man. She further contends that she did not say the man was “not the kind of person who fought against civil rights” and has a tape recording of the interv ie w to prove it. In general, she said, the hospital may be getting a bad rap, which is unfair when the hospital wasjust trying to provide the best possible medical treatment In a statement released by the hospital, officials said the man was admitted to the Medical Center by physicians from a state mental facility. He was referred to University Hospital because of a serious medical condi-

tion.

“Based on patient information, which is confidential, hospital officials took appropriate actions in insuring the protection of the staff and to accommodate the patient's needs,” the statement said. “Staff concerns regarding this case were investigated at that time and were resolved in the way necessary to protect the patient and the staff. “If members of the Medical Center staff have any continuing coqcems, hospital administration has established internal mechanisms to handle them. No formal complaints have been filed to date. The patient was transferred on March S from University Hospital to the referring mental facility.” My questions now revolves around “appropriate actions in insuring the protection of the staff and to accommodate the patient’s needs” and “staff concerns... investigated... and... resolved in the way necessary to pro-

tect the patient and the staff.” (Sounds like the Washington Township case where a black student who was the victim of an alleged assault by a white student was removed from class until things cooled down). Since there continues to be a shroud of mystery around this case, one can only guess that perhaps hospital administrators thought a black staffer would strike out at the patient if he made a racial slur. Or they may have believed that the patient would strike out at black staff. I think the hospital should have come clean, without revealing the patient's name, and stated what they were dealing with—but never accommodate this man and keep everything

hush-hush.

Even though the man was released, I think it’s evenmore important to determine how far a hospital, or for that matter, any facility, should go in cooperating with people who have

bigoted racial opinions, regardless of

their medical conditions.

In the same respect, is it OK to assign only black coeds together as roomates in a college dorm, when the white students do not want Mack roomates? Is it OK to reserve a section of a Metro bus for only Japanese passengers who do not want to sit next to Hispanic passengers. Is it OK to prevent Jewish hospital staff from having contact with a Nazi patient who does

not like Jewish people?

I think the answer to all of these quesitons is “NO.” People who want to segregatethemselves should do so but not at the expense of insulting, harming or in any way afffecting

another group of people.

How policy is set at the hospital regarding these types of cases will go far in reflecting and molding racial

attitudes in this city.

Indiana has first conviction for altered lottery ticket

By SHIRLEY J. MILES Recorder Correspondent Investigators for the Hoosier Lottery hope a recent conviction for altering a lottery ticket will send notice to others who may also try to beat the system. Rita J. Maikranz, 45, of Fort Branch, Ind., is the first person to be tried for alteringanlndiana lottery ticket. Maikranz was tried in Vanderburgh Circuit Court and convicted in Vanderburgh Superior Court on March 13. It took the jury two days to convict Maikranz for presenting the altered ticket to the Evansville lottery office for payment. According to records, someone scratched a zero off the $5,000 to create a matching $500 winner. Maikranz is facing up to eight years in prison as a result of presenting the

altered ticket. In court testimony, Maikranz contended she did not do anything wrong because she did not alter the ticket herself and did not know it was altered. “It is against the law to intentionally present the ticket, whether the presenter is the one who altered it or not," the Investigators from the Hoosier Lottery said. “A lot of people probably just don’t know the law... but it is important to understand uttering (presenting) that ticket is against the law,” said Gerry Van Meter, chief investigator for the Hoosier Lottery. “They think the law has to do with fixing the ticket.” FredJackson, who investigated the Maikranz case, added the system can’t be beat. “The system is pretty much infallible, especially at the high tier

Pendleton lockdown ends

By AUDREY GADZEKPO Staff Writer Prison officials last week ended a two-month-long lockdown of GCetlhouse at Pendleton penitentiary after some prison inmates threatened violence against prison staff and other inmates. According to letters received by The Recorder from prison inmates, G-Cell had been locked down since Feb 23 and after two shakedowns (searches) it was alleged that 47 shanks (home-made knives) had been found, although no stabbings have been reported. Vaughn Overstreet of the Department of Corrections said GCell is where most of the problematic offenders are kept. “G-Cell houses most of the violent offenders,” he said. Overstreet confirmed that the lockdown had been on and off for two months but was ended last week. An unspecified number of weapons were also confiscated from the cells during shakedowns, he said.

During lockdowns, the prisoners are confined to their cells and fed one hot meal a day. (in the letters, prisoners claim they were not fe^ any hgl T|»ey are deprived of their visitation rights, but are allowed television privileges, correspondence privileges and they can still have attorney visits, said Overstreet. “There is a chronic problem with that unit and if a majority are misbehaving, then thewhole group is punished,” he said. In January of 1986, G-Cell was the site of a disturbance in which one inmate was killed. It consists of 225 cells, most of which are single cells. Although lockdowns are disruptive and affect productivity in the prison;, Overstreet said, prison officials do not have much latitude. “We do not have lockdowns unless it is absolutely necessary, but when there is a real presence of destructive behavior, we become concerned about the safety of others,” he said.

BETWEEN th< ■lineR By EUNICE TROTTER Editor & Publisher Boy falls from third floor balcony By AUDREY GADZEKPO Staff Writer A 22 year-old mother had a terrible scare last week when her 2-year-old son fell from the third floor balcony of his Hillside Avenue home. Police say Cameo Mitchell fell through the banister bars of his Parkview apartment complex home in the 2300 block of North Hillside Ave.. Lisa Mitchell, the boy’s mother, said she had put her child down while attempting to open the front door of her apartment. She stated that when she turned around she found Cameo on the eastside of the balcony watching some boys playing down below. She then opened the door and proceeded to place some articles in the door, at which time the child stepped on the westside of the balcony and fell through the

bars.

In a panic, Mitchell took the baby to a nearby cousin’s house where an ambulance was summoned, she said. Cameo suffered a broken tooth and somebruisesand was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital where the tooth

Tutu's daughter to speak March 31

Mitchell said she is planning to

1987 Human Rights Award by the cccds will go to the Bishop Desmond move from the Parkview complex Baltimore chapter of Delta Sigma Tutu Southern African Refugee Schol- t** 31186 the balcony bars made it unThcta Sorority, Inc and the 1987 Martin arship Fund and the Howard Univer- ^ or children. “The space between Luther King Award by the black cau- sity Alumni Club of Indianapolis too big, even I could fit in,”

winners."

The Hoosier Lottery system works like this: each ticket is coded which allows the lottery computer to tell whether a ticket is actually a winner. The number of winning tickets is determined before a ticket is even pur-

chased, officials said.

Secretary of StateJoseph H.Hogsett announced that “enforcement and prosecution of securities fraud has more than doubled in the last four years. The best way to fight securities fraud is to prevent it from happening in the first place." Hogsett also said, “fraudulent schemes are not going to

be tolerated in this state.”

The investigators report there are between 12 to 15 similar cases pending statewide, but they believe the number of such cases will dwindle in

the future.

Hudnut unveils Blankenbaker plaque State Senator Virginia Blankenbaker, widow of the late Richard Blankenbaker, and Mayor William Hudnut, unveil a plaque dedicating the IPD Richard I. Blankenbaker Quadrant I Headquarters. (Photo by

Greg Persell)

Fauntroy to run for D.C. mayor

By LARRY A. STILL Despite overwhelming opposition from his wife, family and church members, Washington, D.C. ministerpolitician Walter E. Fauntroy shocked political observers by agreeing to a city-wide DraftCommittce’sappcal to give up his influential position in the U.S. Congress by “running” for mayor of the District of Columbia to replace his accused friend and ally. Marion S. Barry. Declaring that he discussed the matter with Barry before announcing his decision, Fauntroy told reporters he would not disclose the private conversation despite reports that the current mayor is disappointed. Meanwhile, Rev. Jesse Jackson confirmed his intentions not to run for D C. mayor as he disclosed plans to “run for senator” in a “shadow” election to dramatize the local residents’ campaign to make the District the 51st Slate. These startling actions were the latest in a series of dramatic events which still have citizens, business leaders and government officials reeling. And Congressional Delegate Fauntroy, who is serving his 19th year in the House of Representatives, announced his surprise decision just before leaving the city to lead a delegation of New Bethel Church members to the Holy Land for a two week visit. Calvin Rolaric, publisher of the Washington Informer newspaper and president of the United Black Fund, and Rev. Ernest Gibson, pastor of the Rising Ml Zion Baptist Church and past president of the city’s Council of Chorcbes.co-chair the interracial Draft of African Americans,

Hispanics, Jews and white citizens who urged Fauntroy to seek the post held by his former colleague. Barry, who was recently indicted on well publicized, videotaped, minor drug | charges, plus fraud and perjury allegations, still operates the city government from a substance abuse treatment center in South Carolina. Rolark recently met with City Administrator Carol Thompson to express support for the government and Barry. Fauntroy, who helped Barry form the “Free D.C. Movement” 20 years ago, leading to limited “Home-Rule” for D.C. residents, affirmed his continued support for Statehood, but said that now he would not have time to lead movement by urging citizens not to pay their income taxes in a 200 year old protest against “Taxation Without Representation”. Although Fauntroy is a ranking member of several Congressional committees because of his seniority from ten elections, he still cannot vote on the floor of Congress because D.C. residents do not have full voting rights. The minister-politician, who served as a key aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., along with Reverend Jackson and Barry, says his election would heal the city by emphasizing four partnerships with (I) Congress and the president (2) labor, business and development interests (3) committed and talented people he would recruit from other projects he has directed and (4) current talented leadership in government, including employees of Mayor Barry who have made great contributions to progress in the cky.

Mpho Tutu, daughter of Bishop Desmond Tutu will be the guest speaker at the Howard University alumni club of Indianapolis Charter Day Lunchconai 12:30p.m. Mareh3! at the Madame Walker Urban Life

Center.

The Charter Day Luncheon will be in celebration of the University’s 123 years of service to the African family, its descendants and the world. This year’s theme “Pulling together” focuses attention on the alumni chapter’s scholarship fund and the Bishop Desmond Tutu Southern African Refugee Scholarship Fund, established to develop the leadership, professional and technical capabilities of refugee students who arc future leaders of a new South Africa. Mpho Tutu is the youngest of four children born to Archbishop Tutu and his wife, Leah. She was educated at Marvels Lane Primary School in London, England; Waterford Kamhlaba High School in Mbanc Swaziland and majored in electrical engineering at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She has served as Assistant Director of the Get Ahead Foundalion/USA with the responsibility for fund-rais-ing and publicity and is currently the Dircclorof The Bishop Desmond Tutu Southern African Refugee Scholarship Fund. Among the numerous honors conferred upon her, Tutu was given the

cuspf the Rivcrskje Church, r She is also a member of me boards

of the Wo/,a Afrika Foundation, the Get Ahead Foundalion/USA and a

member of the committee of the

Friends of the NA ACP Legal Defense

Fund.

Reservations for die luncheon should be made by March 26. Pro-

Scholarship Fund.

she said.

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