I
y
THE MICHIGAN CITT.ZEN
Published each
Sunday by ,
NEW DAY
PUBLISHING ENTERPRISE
12541 S cond St
, P.O. Box 03580
Highland Park, MI 48203 r:
Phon.: (313) 888-0033/ Fax II: (313) 888·0430
Western Michigan Bureau: 175 W. Main St
P.O. Box 218, B nton Harbor, MI 49022
(818)927-1527 '
Publisher: Charle. D. Kelly
Editor: Tere.a Kelly
Office Manager: Bernice Brown
correeponaents:
a.rnlce Brown· Mary Golliday· D rrlck Lewl.
Calvin Lowry • Flodeen S. Rlgg.
L.ah Samu I •• Nathanl I Scott - Vera White
Product/on Manager: Deweyne Buchana
Production Staff: Ka.c ne Bark. - Norme B nn tt
Idell Car�er
Advertising Representatives:
T rry Broyle. - Gary Watkins
Every thin bout the un-
nece ry ar in the Per ian .
Gulf h di proportion t ly
affect on Arric n
merit n .
ric n Americ n are di -
proportion tely repre ented in
the miJit ry nd n the
frontline in the Per i Gulf
bec u cere di p rpor
lion tely di dv nt ged i the
United St te .
Wh t ill fric n Americ n
ho urvi thi w r find when
they come "home"-An
economy th t i in deep rece -
ion nd Inner-city Afric n
Americ n communi tie which
will till be r vi hed by poverty,
crime. d r u • violence and
NEGLECT.
A' recent Ne Yor Time
en on p verty put it. urb n
center re faced with worsen
ing cri i . And yet there eems
to be no coherent policy and no
serious national commitment or
will to olvc the crisis.
A MAJOR REASON for this
I ck of poli y and commitment
i the complexion of tho e who
arc .disproportinately locked
into poverty within the inner
city urban areas.
BI ck and Brown people are
overwhelmingly the victims of
poverty in America' inner
clue . We arc all supposed to
"stand together" as
"American It in the prosecution
of war in the Persian G ul f. But
white America seems unwilling
to see a united front in a war
against poverty as a patriotic
duty.
he war in the Persian Gulf
will adversely affect Black
progre s for years to come. As
Georgia Congressman John
Lewis ut it. "y. u c n t s nd
\ b," rn t
and still deal wit the problem
a tho �I." ( e' �. .,. i
1/27/91 ).
The "peace dividend" which
held out the hope of providing
the much needed re ources to
invest in education. housing,
health car e . infra- tructure
development. enviornmental
clean-up and 'greater energy
self-sufficiency is being wasted
Geo eB
A number of other ervere
problem arc mounting even
our attention is diverted to the
Pe rsian Gul r. It appear that
another SSO-80 billion will be
required to 'continue the S&L
bailout over the next two years.
And no '!II come the alarming
revelation that the Federal
Dcpo it Insurance Corpor lion
(FDIC) is also in seriou trouble
as incrca ing numbers of com
mercial banks face bankruptcy.
It is estimated that $4 billion
will be required to shore up. the
· FDIC this year and $23 billion
in by 19
"when whit
cold, BI c
pneumoni ".
Th r w Jordon'
aying th t when Americ oe
into rece ion, BI ck people are
driven into economic depre -
ion.
With r ci m till fact of life
in America, African Americans
are stlll the last hired and til
first to be fired. The Black un
employment rate icon Istenlly
2 1/2 - 3 times higher than th t
of our white counterp rt . A dis
proportionate number of
Arric n American remain un
employed nd underemployed.
And Black income is till only
about S6� of that of whi re
Americans - SI8,OOO for
Blacks, $32,000 for whites.
The war in the Persian Gulf
i unneces ary, and it is certain
ly not in the best interest of the
vast majority of African
American.
When the Black oldiers
return from the hot and hostile
s nds of the Persian Gulf, they
Ron Daniels serves as Presi
dent 0/ the Institute lor Com
munity Organization and
Development in Youngstown,
Ohio. He- may be contacted at
(216) 746-5747.
In Tribute to Pvt. Robert Tall y
by Benjamin . Chavis, Jr.
What'll I e the rapact a d'
h ttl CMt'
on the African American com
munity? In addition to the tragic
loss of life, there are many who
are now trying to compute and
assess the full impact on the
domestic situation in the United
States. It appears that there will
be a long term negative effect on
the plight of the poor and those
millions or American who are
increasingly being caught in the
ravages of poverty and economic
exploitation.
, We caution against the rising
celebrations of victory and the
tendency to ignore the real pain
and suffering that this war has
caused here and abroad.
Especially in the African
American community as the
tragic death of Pvt. Robert D.
Talley, 18 years old from
Newark, New Jersey, exposes the '
lingering pain of the Gulf War.
But also the life and contribu
tions of Robert Talley to his fami
ly, community and nation need to
be paid a lasting tribute.
There�is no greater sacrifice
than to give your life for your
country yet the question remains,
will America honor Robert
Talley's memory by dolng
greater justice at home in the in
terests of Talley's family and
community?
WE PAY TRIBUTE to thi
young African American U.S.
Army soldier who wu killed in
action Februar 8 1991 on the
• , (\' rt J
f CJ • .# f -- •
Rotiert aney wa one of our
belll· He graduated from' Bar
ringer Hiih School in Newark
last year and joined the rmy in
order to receive the benefits of
getting a college education.
Ms. Deborah Talley, Robert's
mother tated,"1 am extremely
proud of my son and tbe efforts
and contributions that he ha
made on behalf of his 'country,
al though I am concerned about
the large percentage of African
American serving in the
military. , I am likewise con
cerned that while African
Americans are serving in the
military at such large numbers,
the President vetoed the Civil
,_Rights. BiIl_ that offered protec-
tion to us from racial discrimina
tion." The family of Robert Tal
ley should also be commended.
His mother Deborah, and his
grandmother, Lou Ann Monroe
have been outspoken in challeng
ing the immorali.ty of the war it
self.
Robert Talley wanted to be a
doctor. He wu killed by a U.S ••
Lt. Col. who fired a U.S.
"HeUfire" mis ile that hit tbe ar
mored personnel carrier
transporting Talley and seven
other U.S. soldiers. The United
States refers to Tilley's death u
being the result of "friendly fire."
But there was nothing "friendly"
about this tragedy. How is it tbat
a young person join the U.S.
Army and in leu than 6 months
time is ordered stationed on the
frontline of a ferocious war? Do
Army recruiters instruct young
people "volunteering" for a tour
of duty with the military concern
ing the life-threatening risks in
volved?
President' Bush. hails rhe :
military as being the greatest
equal opportunity employment
agency in the nation. If thll il
true, then "the Presiden,'1 er
lion becomes a confe sion 'to the
reality of the institutionalized
racism that' operates th�u&bout
this SOCiety to deny equal oppor
tuni ty based on race at aU levels
of our SOCiety.
Grandmother Lou Ann Mon
roe sighed, "To think that my
grandson died for a drop of 011
makes me sick. Robert didn't
even get a chance to live hil life."
Since the news of Robert's death,
thou nds of persons throughout
the nation have sent expressions
ofsympathy to the family. At me
funeral held at Mount Calvary
Baptist Church in Newark,
n'umerous tributes were made in
honor of Robert Talley including
from Newark Mayor Sharpe
James, Congressman Donald
Payne (D-NJ), and the Rev. Je se
Jickson.
WE �UST NOT ailow
Robert Talley's death to be in
vain. Neither should we allow
the death of all of those from out
communi tie who were
sacrificed in thi immoral war to
be in vain. Our best tribute to
Robert Talley and to the others
who lost their live In the Gult
War is to demand justice and
peace at home a well as abro d.
We must allow Robert Tilley'.
name to become Just a Itatiltie It
the Pentagon but rather tbe
memory of Talley sbould erve
a constant reminder of our eellee-
"eij�Siii��ii�l.�:r1�iliiL t1ve responsibilities to prevent
• ' war and to make our ociet, more
Ju t and equitable.