Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 August 2005 — Page 8

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2005

EDITORIAL

My public plea to smokers: Please quit By SHANNON WILLIAMS Recorder Editor

Smoking is an addiction. It’s as simple as that. Smoking is an addiction, which means that the individual that’s addicted devotes or gives himself “habitually or compulsively” to cigarettes. It took me a long time to really grasp the fact that smoking is an addiction. You see, I have smokers in my family and I’ve always believed that if they really wanted to, they could quit smoking entirely. However, now, I’m a lot wiser and certainly a lot more realistic in my thinking, so I am finally able to understand that smoking truly is an addiction. Once I came to this realization, I began a personal pursuit to help members of my family combat their addiction. Strongly believing in scare tactics, I rattled off various statistics on deaths and cancer, I became a smoke-free advocate and told my family how every time they smoke, they were placing themselves in more danger. I even went so far as to tell my cousin, whose children are teen-agers, that there was a strong possibility that he wouldn’t be able to see his children reach a certain age or even experience the joys of being a grandfather because of his compulsive smoking habits. While my methods were somewhat harsh, I also tried to help my family members by telling them about addiction support groups and offering to personally buy them antismoking devices such as the ever-popular nicotine patch. There’s even a reality television show that focused on helping smoke addicts kick the habit that I tried to motivate my family to watch. Nothing seemed to work...my family was just as adamant about continuing to smoke as I was about getting them to quit. Even still, I was steadfast in my attempts and I finally saw a change. My cousin...the one I so forcefully told would not see his grandchildren born, quit smoking. As with anything as significant as attempting to stop smoking, it took time. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and I’m proud to say that recently, months turned into a year. When I talked to my cousin on the first anniversary of his smoke-free commitment, we talked about why he decided to quit...there were a few reasons, but I’m proud to say that the main reasons were his concern for his kids and he was tired of hearing me rattle off statistics and telling him he would be dead before his children could even think about having their own kids. At first I felt a little bad for my scare tactic methods, but then I had to realize what happened as a result of my attempts... someone in my family quit smoking. That’s what I set out to do and that’s what I did, but I still have much more work to do, as I still have other family members that continue to smoke today. My brother is one of those people. Like my cousin, I’ve bombarded my brother with a million reasons why he should stop smoking, but unlike my cousin, my brother continues to smoke. I love my brother very much, so it really hurts to see him doing something that is so dangerous to his body. But I also understand that smoking is an addiction and with any addiction the realization and recovery process can be a long one. Knowing the facts and dangers associated with smoking, it hurts my heart to think that one day my brother could have some form of cancer or some other ailment due to his continuous smoking. That’s hard to grasp, especially when you love someone as deeply as I love my brother. I can only hope and pray that one day soon he’ll have the strength to fight the nicotine urge that lies deep inside him. Hopefully as he reads this editorial, as he does every week, my public plea will trigger something different inside of him and he’ll take the necessary steps that will eventually lead him to living a smoke-free life. Many people are upset with the various smoking restrictions that local and federal governments are implementing, but I think in common areas such as restaurants and malls, it’s a great initiative. More has to be done to address not only the war on drugs, but smoking as well. An increasing number of teens are smoking, which naturally will result in even more health issues in the future, especially if these teens continue to smoke throughout their adult lives. I’m interested to see what new legislation regarding smoking will come up during the General Assembly’s next session. At Recorder press time gas was $2.69 per gallon — $2.69 per gallon! Gas prices are outrageous, and the rapid increase is affecting a lot of people of various economic levels. However, my heart especially goes out to people who make the $5.15 minimum wage rate. After taxes, some will have to work 114 to two days to fill up their tanks ...and even for individuals who make more than minimum wage, the increase is hard. What’s really sad about all of this is that there is no sign of gas prices going down in the near future - if ever. Seems like we’re definitely close to mimicking the Great Depression era.

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER DIREQORY

George P. Stewart

Marcus C. Stewart Sr.

Eunice Trotter

William G. Mays

Founder-Editor-

Editor-Publisher

Editor-in-Chief

Chairman-

Publisher

1925-1983

Publisher

Owner

1895-1924

1988-1990

1990-present

Publisher/General Manager. Carolene Mays Administrative Assistant Kelly Sankowski EDITORIAL Editor. Shannon Williams Staff Writer. Brandon A. Perry Ericka P. Thompson Ericka C. Wheeler Copy Editor. Jack Sales ART & PRODUCTION Production Manager. Jeana M. L. Ouattara Senior Designer. John L. Hurst Jr. Designer. Jessica R. Holman Designer. Brandon M. West

ADVERTISING Sales and Marketing Manager. LeRoy Lewis Classified Advertising Sharon L. Maxey Local Display Advertising Lisa Shoemake Rita J. Wise C. Denise Petty BUSINESS/CIRCULATION Business Office Manager. Angela Kuhn Interim Controller. Arthur Carter Business Office Crystal Dalton Kay Toliver Shirl Williams Circulation Bruceil Mays

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JUST TELLIN' IT The quarter million population quandary

By AMOS BROWN III

The late John H. Johnson, r r ^ J the pioneer Si publisher whose creations A ' ^ ■ Ebony and | J et created the modern Black media, wouldn’t want me spending lots of space commemorating his singular accomplishments and historical significance. Rather he’d gruffly want me to get back to work informing our community. So, we honor one milestone by writing about another milestone. Quarter million. It has a nice, significant ring to it. Last week’s release of the Census Bureau’s population estimates confirms what we’ve suspected. That our African-American community is now a quarter million - 250,000 - strong. As of July2004, there were 247,118 African Americans in the official Indianapolis metro area. Ayear later, we’ve easily surpassed the quarter million mark. Indy’s overall Black growth from 2000 to 2004 was 22,817 or 10.2 percent. That’s almost twice the growth of Blacks nationwide, which was 5.7 percent during the same period. In Indianapolis-Marion County, our Black community grew 13,499 to 229,952. Blacks now comprise nearly 27 percent of this city-county of nearly 864,000. If the pace of Black population growth continues in the next five years the way it has the first five years of the decade, Indianapolis’ Black population could equal its record setting growth of the 1990s. During that decade, Black population rose by over 50,000; the highest ever one decade growth in history. The stunning explosion of Black population in Indianapolis’ suburban counties poses significant challenges for our African-American community’s leadership. The new Census Bureau estimates reveal Hamilton County’s

Black population to be the 11th largest of any Indiana county. By 2010 the Afri-can-American population in Hamilton County, could be the fifth or sixth largest of any Indiana county. The Census doesn’t release racial population estimates for townships. But, the huge increase in Black suburban population also means that Blacks in Marion County continue to move from closein inner city neighborhoods into township areas. Since 2000, Black population in the township areas in Wayne, Warren, Pike, Washington and Lawrence has grown. Small but still significant, Blacks continue to move into Marion County’s three southern townships - Franklin, Perry and Decatur. In 2000,33 percent of the city’s Black population lived in the Center Township. That percentage has decreased to probably 30 percent today. In 2000,33 percent of the county’s Black population lived in the “old suburbs” of Marion County. That number continues to climb to nearly 35 percent today. The Census data also confirm the continued departure of non-Hispanic whites from Indianapolis-Marion County. The net loss of whites in the city-county is 24,165 since 2000. However, given that thousands of non-Hispan-ic whites are moving into Marion County, fueling the downtown housing boom, the actual number of whites yearly leaving the city-county could be as high as 10,000. That has profound impact politically. Blacks now comprise 27 percent of the city-county’s population. The number of potential Black voters increased by nearly 8,000 in just four years, a number that will continue to increase, while the number of Marion County potential non-His-panic white voters will continue to decline. That’s not encouraging news for the Republican Party as their voter base continues to shrink, while the Democratic Party’s base increases. However, the Democratic Party must now begin to take

advantage of the growing Black suburban population. Once they cross the county line, Blacks don’t automatically turn into Stepford Republicans. There are now nearly 4,700 potential Black voters in Hamilton County. With the advent of the evil Voter ID legislation, how will the Democratic Party make sure that the rights ofthe suburban Black voters be protected? Since the Voter ID rules will only be enforced in Blackmajorityprecincts and Blacks living in overwhelmingly Republican suburban and township areas will be subj ected to selective (only Blacks asked for ID) enforcement. Finally, our community’s growth poses a critical challenge for Black leadership. At a quarter million, with nearly 20,000 living in suburban counties, our AfricanAmerican community isn’t inner city-centric anymore. To some degree the Black church has recognized this fact. The proliferation of Black churches in the outer townships (and Eastern Star’s Fishers church) demonstrates that the Black church is following their members. But our city’s Black political, civic and business leaders haven’t completely understood that our community now lives everywhere. And that leadership must stand up for African-American rights and interests wherever they live. Indianapolis Urban League President Joe Slash continues what his predecessor Sam Jones began. Slash is reaching out to suburban county’s leadership. Other major Black institutions and leaders must do the same. Our Black community has doubled since I960; has grown 48 percent since 1980; 36 percent since 1990. Our community’s leadership and institutions must follow where our people are going. What I’m hearing in the streets A rising tide of criticism is being expressed about Indiana University President Adam Herbert. A recent Indianapolis Business Journal

front page story and editorial told of great concern among IU faculty and trustees about Herbert’s lack of visibility with key constituencies across Indiana. Ed Feigenbaum’s Indiana Education Insight newsletter reports serious dissatisfaction by top officials ofthe Daniels administration with Herbert’s leadership. Herbert’s invisibility is made worse by the contrasting visibility of Purdue President Dr. Martin Jischke with Indiana politicians, business and opinion leaders. A visibility that’s included Indiana’s largest African-American community. Purdue and Dr. Jischke were all over Indiana Black Expo and the Center for Leadership Development (CLD)’s annual dinner. Herbert missed the CLD dinner and was notably invisible at Expo. Two years ago, upon being named IU’s president, Herbert boldly told the Recorder and this columnist that “The African-American community in Indianapolis will feel my presence.” Adam Herbert needs to adhere to his commitment and his word. At this critical time, Indiana doesn’t need an absent and absentee university president. Daniels’ Diversity Watch: Did a major African-Ameri-can Daniels appointee suddenlyleaveherjob after seven months? Why? There are questions about the direction and importance of minority health issues at the Indiana State Department of Health. Danielle Patterson, who headed the Office of Minority Health, has j oined the American Heart Association. The fear is the Daniels administration will replace Patterson with a Hispanic with no expertise, understanding or experience in the health disparities and health needs of Indiana’s 600,000 African Americans. See ‘ya next week. A?nos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of The Indianapolis Recorder. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or e-mail him at [email protected].

Ebony’s John H. Johnson in perspective

By GEORGE E. CURRY For NNPA

When someone dies, especially if they are well known, there is a tendency to exaggerate his or her contributions. Such was the case with John H. Johnson, the late publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines, who was buried this week. Without a doubt, Johnson s contributions to journalism and improving the lives of African Americans are exceptional and need no embellishment. There is no question that when Johnson launched Ebony in 1945, he altered the face of the magazine industry for good. Six years later, he built on that foundation by starting Jet. Perhaps more than anyone else, Johnson forced major corporations to advertise with Black publications and insisted that they use Black models and advertising agencies. As lawyers like to say, I’ll stipulate the foregoing. Where I part company with the revisionists is when they proclaim incorrectly - that Ebony magazine was the first publication to reflect Black America in its full complexity. That’s simply untrue. That honor belongs to Black newspapers. The first one, Freedom’s Journal, was started in 1827- more than a century before the first issue of Ebony was published. Like the NAACP, Black newspapers bravely conducted anti-lynching campaigns. The office of Ida B. Wells Barnett was torched in Memphis, forcing her to leave town. The famous W.E.B. DuBois-Booker T. Washington debate had its seeds in the Black press. Contrary to population impressions, DuBois did not object to industrial education; he

objected when it was advocated to the exclusion of Black economic, political and social rights. In fact, Washington offered DuBois a job at what is now Tuskegee University in Alabama, but DuBois had already accepted a teaching position at Wilberforce University in Ohio. William Monroe Trotter, editor of the Boston Guardian, was far more critical of Washington than DuBois. In fact, upon learning that Booker T. would be speaking in Boston, he planted a stink bomb in the church. When Trotter was roundly excoriated by Blacks, DuBois sprung to his defense. As noted above, Black newspapers were aggressively defending the rights of African Americans before John H. Johnson was born. Black newspapers chronicled the modern civil rights movement, which began in 1955 with the slaying of 14-year-old Emmett Till for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Jet published that unforgettable photo ofTill’s mutilated body. But Black newspapers covered his accusers’ trial and conducted their own investigation into the murder. This is no attempt to denigrate John H. Johnson. Rather, it’s an attempt to set the record straight. African Americans have a bad habit of spending more time looking at life through the rear view mirror than the windshield of the future. Instead of only celebrating Johnson’s accomplishments, let’s see if there are lessons we can learn from his life. One of the things I admired about John H. Johnson was his refusal to sell to the highest bidder and, in the process, claim he was acting as any businessperson would. That can’t be said of the sellouts of today. Whether in publishing or broadcasting, we see example after example of Black entrepreneurs asking to be carried on certain cable systems or given certain ads because

African-American consumers deserve to be treated with respect. However, once large sums of money are waved in front of them, they sell out the community, usually saying it’s not about Black or white - it’s about green. They neglect to acknowledge that the green they’re amassing is a direct result of their having pimped our Blackness. We’ve already witnessed the sale of Motown, Johnson hair care products, BET, Essence, BlackVoices.com and Africana.com to whites. The New York Times plans to start a Black” newspaper in Gainesville, Fla. Given the recent population shifts, you can expect this trend to continue. My issue is not whether we should help swell the ranks of Black millionaires. My real concern is the decrease in the number of legitimate sources of news and information for and by people of color. There are more than 18,821 magazines in the U.S., according to the Magazine Publishers Association. Yet, we can name the number of substantive national Black magazines on one hand and still have a finger or two left over. Considering today’s right-wing assault on human rights, we need strong Black publications more than ever. We need to preserve and expand what we have. In the end, it won’t matter if we create profitable Black businesses if all we do is sell out and leave our community devoid of outlets. John H. Johnson proved that one can be a millionaire and have integrity at the same time. George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the NNPA News Service and BlackPressUSA.com. He appears on National Public Radio (NPR) three times a week as part of News and Notes with Ed Gordon. To contact Curry, go to his Web site, www.georgecurry.com.

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