ndth
n
(Criticized, but unbowed)
ould Dr. Kin vie
George Bu h nd hi d-
minis tion?
Or Ronald Re an or
Gerald Ford during th 19
and 1970s?
Thumb down, mo t
Atri n America would like
to believe.
Although it . y (or dif-
ficult for om e) to peculate,
wh t i clear i the fact that
ne rly 35 years go, King,
keeping hi option open,
dialogued with his republican
nd democratic contem­
porari .
One would like to believe,
and there appears to be enough
evidence to support the notion,
that although King believed in
the importance of the ballot,
he also did not preclude an
africentric doctrine of elf­
help.
It hould be noted that
during his early day a
leader and also during his lat­
ter days, King was sometimes
considered "not in step!' with
some of his more tradi tional
civil tights peers.
FO R EXAMPLE, the way
he choose to utilize young
people and children in peace
marches wa questioned.
Also, some felt that he had
gone over the line with his in­
famous criticism of the war in
Viet Nam.
We have often commented
and uggested in this column
that young people today will
likely gain a dee apprecia­
tion of King, th man, by
viewing him as a doer rather
than a dreamer.
The image of the King
deity looking down at the
world from up high has unfor­
tunately been a dominant
image that young people get.
Three major sources of this
image come from segments of
corporate America, some
members of the civil rights es­
tablishment and yes, the
African American press.
In 1958, a young Martin
King, less than thirty years
old, reached a climatic point in
his career when he or­
chestrated a successful meet-
. ing with then President Eisen­
hower.
THIS COMMENTARY
or similar one did not hinder
SCLC, the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference.
SCLC still had plans of
registering millions of African
Americans in the South.
They also realized that im­
plementation would often be
slow and that the civil
rights/human rights move­
ment would be a protracted
one-and African led.
Whether it was endorsed or
not .by the republicans or the
democrats.
THIS MEETING
PRO:VEl> to be a turning'
point for him because al­
though he and Ralph Aber­
nathy had met the previous
, year with Vice President
Nixon, even some within the
African American press were
less than impressed.
In fact, one noted writer for
the then named National
Negro Newspapers Publishers
Association wrote a column
that ran in several ewspaper
which read; "The Rev. Martin
Luther King, Jr., leader of the
Montgomery (Ala.) bus
boycott, is an estimable young
man and excellent pulpit
orator, but he is not-yet ready
for the political big-time.
"At his press conference
here, after he and the, Rev.
Ralph D. Abernathy, another
leader of the bus boycott,
talked with Vice President
Nixon for more than two
hours, he showed that he has
more homework to do if he i
to become a political as well as
a spiritual leader. "
2
DIVERSITY IS NURISHED in
the cl room onI y when tuden
are challenged to as ume the iden­
titie of people who are different
from them elves.
Instead of perceiving thing from
one's traditional background, tu­
dents should be asked to assume dif­
ferent roles and to learn the values,
belief and perspective of in­
dividuals from other religions, races,
and language groups.
When I have gone into my
children's classes during African­
American history month, I have or­
'_ganized small skits in which the
subject content is racism.
A row of chairs positioneq at the
head of the classroom becomes a
"bus," and children are asked to act
out the roles of the bus driver, pas­
sengers and the police. But I ask the
students to pretend the year is 1955,
the place i Montgomery, Alabama,
and any hite children in the room
must "play" the role of African­
Americans.
By being personally placed in the
symbolic position of being op-
. pressed and "arrested" for siting in
"white -only" bus seats, white
children can begin to learn the pain
and suffering generated by racism.
VIEWS/OPINIOINS
-"
"
...
"
"
Dr. Manning Marable is Profes­
sor of Political Science and History,
University of Colorado: Boulder,
Colorado. "Alon th Color Lin "
appear in over 200 publicastions,
and is bro dcass by over 35 radio
rations internationally.
�.
.n-{Ifl �A I'�
THE WHITE" HOUSE
b
--*- HARRI S - '" -- (f)1<)91
o 10111 Creq ua r r t « Production .•
1\ 1 1 t j �. it t s r e s e r v ( 1 (11 2 ) 2 3 fl - ) �� J 7
ooronW
'. -
...
. ,
READERS WRITE
I
I
To the Editor:
Re: Pete Waldmeir's cember
16, 19?1 (Detroit News) column.
Enough's enough!
I can only agree with him that a
crackdown is long past due at
WCCC. However, padlocking the
college is not the solution to its
problems. A college education is the
prime vehicle of soclat and
economic mobility that allows
citizens full employment in a grow­
ing technical and highly-skilled
workforce. WCCC provides a valu­
able ervice to those seeking an op­
portunity for a college education at a
reasonable cost.
Such a seductive appeal to close
down the college during these hard
economic times sounds a lot like the
rhetoric of David Duke, David Jaye
and Gil Di Nello all speaking in
unison.
h
Everyone knows that during lean
times such as these, many adults
return to college for retraining or
completi�n of their degrees.
CALLING FOR TliECIOSing of
WCCC to me contradicts your recent
appeal for Goodfellow donations.
Making sure that children up to
age 13 area able to enjoy Christmas
is a worthwhile endeavor. However,
these are the same children who are
igning up for the Detroit Compact
that ensures 'them job opportunities
and a college education through their
'certainty of opportunity' in the fu­
ture.
Closing the doors of WCCC
would only cutoff their future. Clos­
ing the doors ofWCCC would only
cut off their future opportunities in
just a few hort years. Assuring
them of a college education is also a
worthwhile endeavor that benefits
all of us for years to come.
Why would you close the door on
their futures?
Investment in the front end for
higher education instead of the back
end is needed now more than ever.
The new Sgt. William Dickerson
facility (Wayne County JaiJ) recent­
ly opened in Hamtramck and new
state prison facilities for Mound and
Ryan Roads are scheduled to open
soon in Detroit, and you (Pete
Waldmeir) and your paper (Detroit
News) are advocating the close of an
educational institution?
The state legislature just ap­
proved a state subsidy for the Pontiac
Silverdome 4!.nd gave approval for
the Tiger Stadium financing
proposal to go on the ballot Wayne
County to impose more excise taxes.
Something is gravely wrong when
sports and detention facilities take
'precedence over educational institu­
tions.
Unfortunately those making the at­
tacks happen to be African
Americans.
MR. CHAVIS rightly noted,
" .•. inter-racial injustice must be dealt
with forthrightly and fairly."
In this spiri t, I would like to con­
tribute this "Jewi h Rap," origi.nal.ly
a response to Anti-Semetic com­
, ments by an African American rap
group, but now omething with
wider implications.
I'm telling you, "Get off my
back!"
And together we might get on the
right track."
A COLLEGE EDUCATION
should not be seen as a cost, but as
an investment that pays generously
in dividends.
If there really is to be reformof
WCCC in this community, it will
rno t likely come form concerned
taxpa yers, the demands of business
.leaders and the heeds of their
workers than by any other forces.
Regardless of the corruption, fis­
cal mismanagement and scandals,
the college as an institution has ful­
filJed its mission of offering a low­
cost education and an open door
admissions policy to adults in
Wayne County.
Each one of these individuals and
the many other Joe Sixpacks from
Jewish Rap has me
age.for all
To the edlto .
I would like to praise, honor, and
congratulate Benjamin Chavis for
hi column, "stop Asian Bashing in
the u.s.," MIClllGAN CITIZEN,
December 22-28, 1991.
As he noted, "We must have the
same passion and sense of moral out­
rage in response to race bashing no
matter what the geographical or 0-
cia} context."
In this spirit, I would like to peak
for another ethnic minority, which
has been the victim of recent verbal
bashing and even one apparent
lynching of a seminary student
within the State of New York.
I am talking of the Jewish people.
Harper Woods and the Josephine
Chardonays from the Oro se Pointes
represent over 25,000 graduates, in­
cluding myself, who are a broad
spectrum of people who have a real
sense of "ownership" of WCCC. It
i accomplishments like these of
WCCC alumni that many in this
community are not aware of as the
college prepares to celebrate its 25th
Anniversary.
My halleng is (or the students,
alumni, friends and others who have
benefited from the institution to
stand up, tep forward and be heard.
Now is the time to remind the board
of trustee that as they prepare to
reapportion the district that 1992 is
not only a Pre idential election year,
but time for-many of them not to eek
re-election.
M dg r L Clark
WCCC Alumni, 0 trolt
, .
My religion says, "I'm nothing, if
I'm not for you,
But I'm DOwbeIe if I don't stand
up for me too.
Why're we getting this same jive'
from Farrakhan1
Cause mo t of the folks going
after the Jew
Are the exact same ones going
after you.
Have ome meditation and some
contemplation
Bout the Ku Klux Klan and the
Aryan Nation.
And know that the more you at­
tac and defame
The more you are going to play
their game.
So let's stop this quarrelbetween
Black and Jew.
We've both got better thin� to
do.
I read of a historian, whose mind
seemed lost,
Said "Blacks houldn't care about
the Hollocaust, .
If Hitler conquered Africa -
Now let's be fair-
Jews have been fighti'ng for
equality.
� some Arab tates practiced
Slavery.
You think he wouldn't have put
death camps there
No, all this defamation, it doesn't
quite cut it
You're opening up a Pandora'
box. Shut it
For this we've been landered by
the K.u Klux Klan.