Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 January 2003 — Page 3

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2003

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A3

Rep. Rangel seeks to reinstoto militory draff

By J. ZAMGA BROWNE Special to tho NNPA From tho Amstordam Nows NEW YORK (NNPA) - For decades, fat cats in government, particularly on the federal and state levels, have used their clout to shield their sons and other close relatives from serving in the U.S. military. Now, a ranking member of Congress wants to put an end to the practice and have the tables turned so that the playing field is even, regardless of race, political connection or socio-economic standing. “If our great country becomes involved in an all-out war, the sacrifice must be shared. In that regard, I am preparing a bill to authorize reinstatement of the universal draft and other forms of mandatory national service,” said Rep. Charles B. Rangel. He also said in a telephone interview that he would push for a reinstatement by introducing his bill when he returns this week to Capitol Hill after the holidays. In a letter to his Democratic colleagues who voted against the Iraq war resolution, Rangel said he was concerned that the burden of military service was being borne disproportionately by members of disadvantaged groups. “Successful implementation of the administration’s policy toward Iraq will require long-term sacrifices by the American people, particularly those with sons and daughters in the military who will be placed in harm’s way. “Shared sacrifice, especially in times of war, is key to preserving the nation’s morale. Yet it would appear that we continue to favor, with our tax cuts and other domestic initiatives, the wealthiest Americans,” Rangel said. “No policy, whether on taxes, health care. Social Security or any other pressing domestic concern, can be separated from the concept of shared sacrifice without threatening the people’s belief in their leaders,” he declared. Rangel, dean of New York’s congressional delegation and a senior Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said he was concerned that elected officials who wage war know full well their sons won’t participate. “Since President Bush has said the nation is in some kind of danger and he should be given war powers to unilaterally strike a country without going to Congress, there should be shared sacrifice since all Americans would be affected,” Rangel declared. If not, he said the president’s position should be vigorously challenged. “We cannot have a full-time war in Korea, Iraq and possibly Iran, and have a parttime participation,” Rangel said. The congressman, who represents Upper Manhattan, including H arlem, said a universal mandatory draft would be an equalizer, guaranteeing sacrifice across the board. “There are officials on Capitol Hill and across the country who are clamoring for war, but they have absolutely no personal understanding of the danger of war,” said the lawmaker. “Some ofthem even make decisions about waging war without worrying that their own children may face combat. “Just because we have a volunteer army, which is often recruited from the lower- and mod-erate-income segments of the nation, we should not just be so anxious to allow them to go in harm’s way unless America feels more confident that they are in danger,” Rangel declared. Meanwhile,the congressman’s call for the reinstatement of the draft drew mixed reviews. The Rev. Lawrence Lucas said he had strong reservation about Rangel’s proposal, because when the draft was in effect, rich people still always found ways of avoiding it. “Why do we believe they wouldn’t do the same next time around?” he added. Lucas said he is vehemently opposed to the draft. The main purpose of the draft, according to the Roman Catholic priest, is

to train people to kill and be killed for white supremacy and U.S. multi-national corporations. “If Congressman Rangel could make sure that President Bush, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will lead the troops into battle, I may change my mind about the draft,” Lucas said. He added that one should be quite clear that Bush’s educational program, where “allegedly” no student should be left behind, has already become a program to ensure that no student, particularly poor and people of color, “should be left unregistered for the draft.” Dr. Marco Mason, executive of the Brooklyn-based Caribbean Women Health Association, said he agrees that the attitude of folks on Capitol Hill is too cavalier when it comes to sending children to war. Mason, like Rangel, calls for an even playing field in drafting young Americans to serve in the nation’s armed forces. “There has always been disparity based on the disproportionate amount ofyouth from inner cities, especially from the community of color, who serve in the military,” he added. Radio talk-show host Bob Law said that Rangel is on target. “I think the draft is ultimately going to be used as a weapon against Black youths, and Rangel and his colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus need to look for an even better antiwar initiative that can be implemented,” Law said, declaring that Rangel’s efforts demonstrate the kind of frustration that progressive people feel in dealing with a kind of irrational Bush administration. Assemblyman Nick Perry said he agrees that a sort of affirmative-action opportunity should be imposed when it comes to drafting Americans for the military. Speaking on behalf of the nation’s immigrant community, Perry said that even though the events of Sept. 11 have had a significant bearing on the immigrant community, any war to protect America’s security and freedom would be fought by immigrants with or without the draft. “There are lots of people who complain about immigrants enjoying the benefits of this country, but no one is saying they shouldn’t be drafted into the armed forces,” Perry said. “There have been a lot of efforts by anti-immigrant forces or socalled conservative flag-waving groups to deny immigrants eligibility for every program or opportunity from the federal government to enhance the quality of life for themselves,” Perry said. H e added that those groups that want to beat on immigrants should now be walking the halls of Congress to keep immigrants from going to battle and let it be known they would replace them.

Has hip-hop replaced Hie civil rights movement?

By ARTELIA C. COVINGTON NNPA National Correspondent “It's been a long time, I shouldn’t have left you without a strong rhyme to step to. Thinking of how many rhymes you slept through. Time’s up, I’m sorry’ I kept you.” — Eric B. and Rakim, 7 Know You Got Soul, ” 1R87. WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Hip-hop is a movement. It hasn’t spawned sit-ins or marches, it hasn’t broken down racial barriers and it hasn’t opened previously closed doors. But if you believeTodd Boyd, an associate professor of cinema studies at the University of Southern California, hip-hop has supplanted the civil rights movement. In his recently released book, The New HNIC: The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of HipHop, Boyd argues the civil rights movement is dead and that hiphop, a popular music genre, is brimming with life. “I decided on the title for the book because of all that was going on in hip-hop and I started to think about what we had going on in hip-hop that had replaced this new generation of people,” says Boyd, 38. “I truly felt that the title best summed up what was going on right now in hip-hop.” When pressed about his premise, Boyd refuses to back down. “I believe that hip-hop has replaced the civil rights movement because a new generation has emerged, and being Black now is

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER USPS 262-660 Published weekly by: The George P. Stewart Printing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 18499, 2901 N. Tacoma Ave , Indianapolis, IN 46218. Entered as Second Class Matter under Act of March 7, 1870. Periodicals paid at Indianapolis. IN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Indianapolis Recorder, P.O Box 18499, 2901 N Tacoma Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46218 Subscription price by mail or carrier: $39 per year; $29 for 6 mos.,75 cents per copy National advertising representative: Amalgamated Publishers Inc., 45 W 45th St. New York, NY 10036. Member: National Newspaper Publishers Association, Central Indiana Publishers Association, Hoosier State Press Association SUBSCRIBERS BY MAIL: We are not responsible for replacing issues missed due to change of address or late renewals Please allow two weeks when placing a new subscription or change of address order Call (317) 924-5143

Todd Boyd a lot different than it was during the civil rights movement,” Boyd contends. “Hip-hop to me is the sort of thing that cuts across all boundaries and races the way the civil rights movement did. “I’m not denouncing the civil rights movement for what it stood for, I’m simply saying that it was useful in some ways and in some ways it wasn’t - it’s played out now.” But Esther Iverem, cultural critic, author and editor of SeeingBlack.com, disagrees. “The Black social movements of the past were rooted in grassroots organizations and while hip-hop in its infancy may have had the potential to speak to racism of the times, now it’s become an entertainment venue,” Iverem says. Rev. Otis Moss Jr., pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga., sees an element of truth in both positions. “I agree that hip-hop is most definitely a cultural movement

but I don’t think it's as prophetic as the civil rights movement is,” says Moss, 32, a Morehouse College graduate who considers himself a part of the hip-hop generation. He does see a gulf, however. “The problem that I see is that my elders and those associated with the civil rights movement have no problem supporting missions, but the younger generation doesn’t," Moss explains. “We’ve (young people) got to learn how to be critical of class and color issues, we can’t be afraid to speak out about certain things." Kevin Powell, a political activist and former Vibe magazine writer and ed itor, sees a clear connection between the civil rights era and the hip-hop culture. “As you know, it was the poor who created hip-hop in the first place and it was the poor that Dr. King was trying to organize in a sincere way with his poor people’s campaign near the end of his life,” Powell says. “So in a sense, the civil rights movement literally spun into the hip-hop movement.” And while Powell agrees that the civil rights movement is meaningless to most young people, he doesn’t see hip-hop as a social or political movement yet. Boyd feels that the older and younger generations can learn something by coming together. “We need to sit down as a community and discuss the good things about the civil rights movement and those things that are bad and discard them,” he says. To Iverem, it’s not that simple. “There is no comparison be-

tween hip-hopand thccivil rights movement," she says. “Ilip-hop hasn't gotten anyone any rights and I think that by writing this, the author is trying to force a generational divide rather than figure out away to close that gap." There is evidence of a generation divide. For example, when the movie “Barbershop" was released in theaters recently, many civil rights leaders were critical of comments made by the character Eddie about Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. and presidential-candidate-in-waiting Al Sharpton threatened a boycott. But many among the younger generation saw this movie for what it was - a comedy - not a assault on civil rights icons. The producers apologized but made no changes. Hip-hop did not begin in controversy. Rather, it started in 1975) as rap music by Afrika Bambataa and Grandmaster Flash deejaying at parties in the early 1970s. They would play the beats from popular rock, soul and disco records. And at first words were spoken over the beats to get the dancers hyped, then rhyming slowly emerged. Thus began the ascension to hip-hop from rap music. According to the Rec >rding Industry Association of America’s survey of2001 sales, rap and hiphop accounted for 11.4 percent of all U.S. music releases, the sec-ond-highest percentage in a decade. It trailed only rock with 24.2 percent and pop with 12.1 percent.

LAW OFFICES OF TOM SCOTT & ASSOCIATES BANKRUPTCY Free Consultation with an Attorney

HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED • Mistakes Of Youth • Illness or Layoff • Overtime Cut

STOP Repossessions Garnishment Foreclosures

255-9915 6100 N. Keystone Ave., Suite 454

Gregory M. French M.D. Internal Medicine Specializing: Hypertension High Cholesterol Diabetes Preventive Medicine 3737 N. Meridian St., Suite 410 • (317) 925-8283

Could You Be At Risk For Diabetic Eye Disease? Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may faec as a complication of this disease including diabetic retinopathy, cataracts ami glaucoma Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause ot blindness in American adults If you have diabetes you should have a dilated eye examination at least once a year to detect these problems and avoid losing your vision Diabetic Eye Care Laser Vision Correction Glaucoma Management Hye hxams tor All Ages Cataract Surgery Fashion Frames - Contact Lenses Ivvo Convenient Locations

iW'vt Tulienh Wef omr Most /nuourm s Accepted

1X01 N. Senate 6920 Park dale Place

926-6699 293-1420

(Midtown) (Westside)

BETTYE-JQ RAWLS LLOYD, M.D.

NBA Robin Run Village Apartment & Garden Homes • Adult Day Centre • Robin s Nest Child Care • Home Health Care Robin Run Healthcare & Rehabilitation Canter • Alzheimer's Unit A long walking path circles the outer edge of the 70 rolling acres on Indianapolis' northwest side known as NBA Robin Run Village. The lifestyle of this friendly community is enhanced by the several lakes for fishing, tennis courts, horseshoe pitching stakes and garden plots. NBA Robin Run Village includes individually owned garden homes and apartment-style living. The huge apartment building - with its imposing clock lower, is the hub of the activity for the village. Several meeting rooms, a woodworking shop, indoor bowls, a library, general store, beauty parlor and bank are all conveniently located for all residents. v NBA Robin Run Village is a community of active persons whe enjoy a variety of leisure time activities including a swim in the indoor pool, line dancing, exercising in the new fitness room, and activities in the quilting and sewing room. Entrance Fee - The NBA Robin Run Difference ^ Apartment resident pay an entrance fee an important guarantee: When your apartment is vacant and reoccupied, 75% of the original entrance fee is returned to you or your estate In short, your retirement savings nest eggs can be preserved, regardless of how long you are a resident at Robin Run Village.

/ < i\ N \t'tjihhi>is ui

NBA

r

^ r \

;0,'

0

v • • *

vr

IT

Monday-Friday. Saturday Sunday.......

000 am. 5.00 p.m. by appomtmani only by appomtmam only

(317) 293-5500 5354 West 62nd Street Indianapolis, IN 46268