billbo rds "Leg lized drug p h-
ing." The org niz tion
founded in 1 by urb n environ­
mentali t Alberta Tinsley- Wil­
liam , who id h w ppalled by
the amount of malt liquor nd
cigarette ad in 0 troit.
Her coalition ttac outdoor d­
vern mg agencie nd h p hed
for a law th t ke p billbo rd t
lea t 00 feet away from chools,
church and playground. Wil­
laim aid h i not ati fied with
thi achievement.
"Our b lief i that the e produc
hould be totally eliminated," he
said. "We understand the First
Amendment, but Detroit can no
longer afford the e kind of ad ."
Last September, Sen. Lana Pol­
lack, D-Ann Arbor, and Rep.
Mary Brown, D-Kalamazoo, intro­
duced legislation to ban all
billboards in Michigan, which they
both referred to a "vi ual pollu­
tion."
LAN I o-The ne t time you
ee billbo rd dverti em nt, there
i a trong ch nee it will be n d for
eith r n lcohol or tob ceo
produ t. In n inner city, th ch n-
c m y over 0 percent.
"If you look t the e mall
billboards in th inn r citie, tie t
half of th m re covered with to c­
co and alcohol ad ," id Dr.
Ronald Davi , chief medical officer
of the Michigan Depa.rtment of
Public He lth.
Dr. Davi aid Michigan h the
econd worst rate of cigarette
mokers t 29.2 percent. Over
15,000 deaths in Michigan each
year are attributed to moking,
Davi aid.
Billboard advertisements target­
ing vulnerable populations in inner
cities, uch as Detroit, Flint nd
Grand Rapids, are a major con­
tributor to Michigan's smoking
problem, according to Davi . The
"Joe Camel" figurehead who
promote Camel Cigarette, and
malt liquor companies were
specific Davi pointed out.
But verdict
. had familiar ring
BY UREEN JOHNSON
A SOCIA TED PRESS WRITER
LONOO (AP) - Th c­
quittal of four white U.S.
policemen in the atin of
Blac motori t caused little
urprise today in Europe,
where activists charged that
police often treat minoritie
with exce ive force.
South Korea, meanwhile,
expressed concern about the
afety of more than 300,000
Korean in Lo Angeles,
where rioting broke out after
the verdict was relea ed. Rela­
tions between Koreans and
Blacks have been ten e in the
city.
The rioting and the acquit­
tal led morning radio and
television new ca ts across
Europe, and the verdict was on
the front pages of mo t
newspapers.
"The acquittal was shock­
ing, but I wasn't surprised,"
said Hussein Zahir, spokes­
man for the Newham Monitor­
ing Project, a group that
monitors racial incidents in the
north London borough of
Newham, which i 40 percent
Black.
"IN THE LA. trial, the
whole thing was portrayed
basically as police officers
having a duty under certain
circumstances to beat a man to
pulp just in case he might at­
tack them. "This certainly
could happen in Britain. And
the incident itself is the sort of
thing that happens every day
here," Zahir said.
In Germany, the refugee
rights group Pro Asyl said the
os �geles case released
"pent-up hatred." "That
comes from the fact that police
- and we see the same thing
in Europe - obviously move
in more forcefully and more
violently with foreigners and
people of a different skin color
than with whites or local
people," said the group's
spokesman, Herbert
Leuninger.
Some people said they
were surprised that a case in­
volving all-white police of­
ficers came to trial at all.
, 'In this country there
would have been a police com­
plaint, but I doubt whether
they would have put them on
trial here," said Richard
Rushton, 33, a surveyor from
London. .
In Newham, for example, a
middle-aged Black grocer and
his son were allegedly beaten
up by police on Nov. 4, but
ended up being charged with
. assault themselves. The case
has provoked demonstrations
and fears of disturbances.
RACE RIOTING in 36
Briti h cities in 1981 and riots
in London's Tottenham di -
trict in 1985, in which a white
policeman was beaten to
death, were sparked by police
trying to arrest Blacks.
Cities in France, Germany
and to a lesser extent Italy
have been hit by racial distur­
bances in recent years. In
South Korea, the Foreign Min­
istry expressed concern to the
U.S. Embassy in Seoul about
the safety of Koreans living, in
Los Angeles. Many grocenes
in predominantly Black Los
Angeles neighborhoods are
Korean-owned.
Tensions between the two
ethnic groups worsened last
year after a Korean, shop
owner was given probation for
the shooting death of a Black
girl who the Korean accused
of shoplifting.
THE BI L, which till hasn't
pa ed the Legi lature, would pro­
vide for the removal of all alcohol
and tobacco adverti ing within a
year. The remaining billboards
would be removed within five
years.
Brown aid the alcohol and
tobacco billboard carry destructive
me age, and that 40 percent of the
billboard throughout Michigan
carry the e adverti ements.
Attorney General Frank Kelley
is strong proponent of the Brown
and Pollack bill. He said, in par­
ticular, the alcohol and tobacco
billboard mislead inner-City kids
An estimated 50% of Detroit' billboard pace is occupied by
advertisements for alcohol and moking products.
ROB R PET R ON, direc­
tor of the tate Office of Drug Con­
trol Policy aid he once saw a
billboard ad telling consumers to
drink malt liquor to "get her in the
mood quicker." He added that Joe
Camel is more popular with the
younger generation than Mickey
Mouse.
The Coalition Against Billboard
Advertising of Alcohol and Tobac­
co in Detroit, refers, to such
urce: Michigan Dept. of Public Health
any product, but insisted that it.
imply leav con umers with
choice to buy a particular brand of
product they are already using.
"I can't believe that kid will look
at a billboard and tart moking," h
said. "I tarted moking in high
chool, and I sure as hell didn't tart
because of a billboard."
aid he view the billboard and
their me age differently.
"TH TOBA 0, liquor i u
i very emotional," he aid.
"People mu t understand what ad­
verting does. It generate the u eo
a brand and if you don't us cer­
tain product, there i n way that it
will make you do it."
Evola added that he wi hed ad­
verti ing were trong enough to 11
and hurt all of society.
"The e billboard are a form of
unregulated pollution," Kelley aid.
"I hop to be thought of a a Johnny
Apple eed in ridding the tate of
these billboards that are de ecrating
the whole peninsula."
Although he acknowledge that
there are lobbyi ts challenging his
company, Sam Evola, vice presi­
dent of public affairs for Gannet
Outdoor Advertising in Detroit,
in tax propo, als
langui ,h in Lan ing
By MATIAS SAARI
Caplt.1 Haw. S.rvlc.
Sobelsohn aid the Hous and Senate must meet and
make compromise on certain poin of the bill, uch as
how much revenue health and education would each get
and how the tax would be measured.
Rep. Lynn Jordahl, D-Okemo and chair of the
Taxation Committee, fears a governor' veto and aid he
ees little purpose in pursing a tion now with ut hi.
upport.
N. CHW ARZ I not among the Ie i lat
laying low on the issue.
"This legislation is long overdue," he aid. "(But)
when you mention raising taxes (now), most of the troop
nm for the woods."
Not Schwarz. He said he is actively pressing for a
Finance Committee hearing and is open for negotiating
with the House' version of the bill. He is confident the
goverror would enthusiastically sign the bills if they
made it to his desk.
Recent opinionpolls show considerable public up­
port for the tax hike.
A March survey
showed 55 percent of
people would upport a
candidate who favored a
25-cent to acco tax in­
crease, according to Bill
Sederburg, vice pre i­
dent of Public Sector
Consultants in Lansing.
Just 13 percent said they
would rot, In October
1991, its survey revealed
70 percent would ap- ,
. prove of a 2O-cent in-
crease in cigarette taxes if the revenue were used for
public health programs.
SEDERBUR, former GOP senator, said despite .
� public' upport damaging nega�ve advertisin� could
work against a legislator who � tax dunng an
election year. Losing the vot of Cl�tzens who oppose
any type of tax raiser--reg�le of �ts refits-make
joint committee action unlikely until after Ho and
Congress' ovember electio , he said. . .
The Senate is not up for election this year bu� l
affected well ina: many of i mem rs are runrung
for Congress.
Meanwhile, the House bills, introduced January 30
am the Senate bill introduced March 4, remain in
committee.
"Many pe pie believe this proposal may � up in a
lame-duck ion in ovember or December If uch a
ion is held," Davis id, although there is n uch
guarantee.
lANSING-It's a political tug-of-war.
A proposal to increase cigarette and toba� taxes has
Michigan politicans dragging in this election year; The
legislation has two purposes-e-tc reduce tbe numbe� of
smokers in Michigan and to raise revenue for education
and public health programs.
The bills-two each in the House and Senate­
propose to ready double t� current cigarette tax to 48
percent and tax other forms of tobacco, such as cigars,
chewing tobacco and snuff, at the same rate. .
Currentl y, cigarettes are taxed at 25 cents a pack, while
other tobacco forms are untaxed.
•
Mel Robin on of Benton Harbor tand In front of Ign that
hows support for Rodney King.
"
National UL conference ·
set for San . Diego
THE PRO DIEM is the bills have not moved, in part
because some legislators fear raising taxes. of any �nd
during an election year may damage their campaign.
unless Gov. John Engler endorse the propo I, which
he has not.
Dr. Ronald Davis, chief
medical officer for the
Department of Public Health,
said t� tax increase is the
department's biggest cam­
paign this year .
"Tobacco use is tb! most
preventable cause of death in
Michigan, " Davis said. "It'
OIl: tax we don't want people
to pay for. We'd rather have
them quit"
If the bills pass, Davis
predicts almost $230 million
in additional revenue for the health department and
71,CXXl fewer Michigan smokers.
Education would also get a big boost, Sen. John
Schwarz, M:O., R-Battle Creek, is sponsoring the Senate
bill and projects $90 million in revenue f�r K-12 educa­
tion and $41 million to higher education under the
Senate' proposal.
HOWEVER, TIlE BIUS may not see tb! light of
day because of politics. .
"The' ue of raising tax 'a political bot potato (10
an election year)," said David Sobelsohn, tat! attorney
for Perry Bullard, D-Ann Arbor, sponsor of the �o
cigarette bill. "The governor is talling from taking a
leadership position. " '. .
Engler is withholding endorsement of the bills until
tbey pass � Legislature, Press Secretary John Truscott
said. He said the govermr wan to see the final bill
before approving them because u.:y could change dras­
tically due to revisions.
The National Ur.ban League'
Annual Conference will meet for
the fi t time in San Oieg , July
26-29 and is expected to attract
more than 1, 0 conferee under
the theme "Making a Difference in
the' : Bringing the Future into
Focu .. "
In announcing the conferenc ,
John E. Jacob, Pre ident and Chief
Executive Officer of the' League
aid, "The theme i an imp rtant
one. As America tand at the cusp
of the 21 t century, the decision
and policie that emerge from the
current election campaign will lar­
gely determine our future and our
children' future."
The conference 0 ficially egin
with the keynote speech by Mr.
Jacob. Over 6 noted cholars.
politican , c rporate executive ,
government agency profe ional
and civi leaders will addrc criti­
cal i ue impacting ocial and
economic equality for African
Americans.
Teache , AFL-CI'O; Dr. Charle V.
Hamilton, Wallace S. Sayre,
Profe sor of Government, Depart­
ment of Political Science, Colurn­
bia Univer ity and a leading expert
on government affairs; Ronald H.
Br wn, Dem era tic National om­
mittee chairman; Major League
Ba eball C mmi ioner Fay Vin­
cent and actor Danny GI ver.
Fr nt-running pre idential can­
didate 0 tw leading political par­
tie a w II a Republican Party
Chairman Richard Bond ha aJ 0
been invited t adore th con:
ference. A ala on ert wi th head:
line entertaine on M nday night;
July 27 will be on of the many
conferen e highli ht . :
, Also featured durin the four!
day event will b over 400 exhibi
booths of companie which will in­
elude the F rtune 1 and major
government and ocial ervice
. agencie a well a a Jo� ?ppo.r'�
tunity Showca e. The exhibits wII�
be open to the general publi�
without charge.
All official con erence event
will e held at th San Di go Con:­
vention C mer.
The conference brin together
peopl from div e backgrounds t�
examine the condition of Africa�
Americans and t pre ent elution
for the a hicvcm nt ial an(.l
econ mic equality.
"Tobacco use is the
most preventable
cause of death in
Michiqan."
- Ronald Davis
Til I will be di -
cus ed in the five plenary e ion
and over 13 panel di cu i n
planned for the conference.
Participants will include Ro rt
C. Stempel, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, General Mot r
Corporation, Albert Shanker, Pre i­
dent American Feder ti n 0