Drinking it in THE CHRONICLE CIRCULATION: 15,000 VOL. 87, NO. 82 THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1992 © DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA County body approves merger plan By PEGGY KRENDL stand," said Deborah Giles, one of Strawbridge of the Friends of A standing ovation was the the county commissioners. Giles Durham, a conservative Durham answer to the county commission­ said the state could not legally political group. "There isn't any­ ers' unanimous decision to ap­ reject a proposal passed by a one in this room whose favorite prove the compromised election majority of county commission­ proposal this is." process for the merged school ers. The new 4-2-1 proposal calls The most opposition to the board. for four districts, each voting for a merger came from the Parents But not everyone was satisfied single member, two "super" dis­ for Better Schools which called with the result. tricts which would be composed for William Bell, chair of the The plan was a compromise of two of the four districts each county commissioners to resign between different proposals that and one at-large member who the for "losing trust and lacking lead­ wouldguaranteemmorityrepresen- entire county would elect. ership," said Steven Petry, mem­ tation and others that would not. "Any one plan would not have ber ofthe group. Petry said if the Between praise, insults, threats satisfied everyone or any group," county commissioners could not and charges that the commission­ said Ellen Reckhow, one of the do the job, than they should give ers were responsible for creating county commissioners. it up to some other government racial tensions in Durham, most of The county commissioners body. Petry's remarks were hissed the speakers seemed to have the voted on the proposal after a pub­ by a large potion ofthe audience. same request as GeraldRaleigh, who lic hearing attended by about 300 "I hear less and less about the said, "You have just got to do it." people. Sixty people gave presen­ children," said Durham resident This is the third election pro­ tations to the board about prob­ Harris Johnson, explaining how cess that the county commission­ lems they had with the 4-2-1 pro­ the election process has overshad­ ers will have submitted to the posal, suggestions, complaints owed the merger's purpose to state board of education. The and alternatives. improve the education in both board will vote on the proposal on Four out of five speakers sup­ the city and county. Feb. 6. The board rejected the ported the 4-2-1 proposal. "We want to unify the systems first two proposals, citing "com­ "Lead us in a better way," said and create a combination better munity disenchantment" with the Tom Stern, president of the than either individual system," processes. People's Alliance, a local political Reckhow said. Despite the new plan, the group. He said the commission­ After listening to the complaints county commissioners will also ers' job was to hammer out an brought up by speakers that the at- PAUL ORSULAK/THE CHRONICLE continue their lawsuit against the election plan and it was the job of large member should not be the state board of education for re­ the voters to "elect good candi­ chair ofthe merged board, William Are you high? jecting the 4-3 election proposal dates to fill those seats." Bell, chair of the county commis­ Trinity sophomore Erick Fink seems to be questioning fellow which was submitted in Decem­ "Adopt the 4-2-1 plan. It's not sioners, suggested that the chair be Trinity sophomore Eric Cotte about his study habits. ber. The state law suit should my favorite proposal," said Nelson elected by the board. The commis­ sioners approved this 5-0 also. Members of Public Enemy inform students about racism By MATTHEW RUBEN point of view to everybody at the versy behind the Public Enemy 437 years," he said. lic Enemy all happen to be black. Chuck D and Harry Allen, same time," Chuck D said. "The video for "By the Time I Get to There just needs to be a King "If I had a white guy in the members of the hip-hop group black point of view has never Arizona," in which band mem­ holiday in Arizona, period, be­ group, he'd have been making the PubHc Enemy, preached about the been said." bers kill Arizona government cause there's a Columbus Day," worst bomb," he said. power and influence of language Chuck D said black communi­ leaders, protesting the state's Chuck D said. On the 500th anni­ To help eliminate racism, Allen Wednesday night before a capac­ ties across the country don't have failure to make Martin Luther versary of Columbus' landing, he told the audience "never, under ity crowd in Page Auditorium. the media link that white Ameri­ King, Jr.'s birthday a state holi­ said, "How the hell are you going any circumstances for any rea­ "Everything I am about to say cans have. day. to call a takeover a discovery?" son, as long as white supremacy tonight might be and probably is He has called rap the "CNN of "I wanted to show America, He said the reason why the video exists, must you ever engage in wrong," said Allen, the group's black America." He said becom­ how would you feel if these hypo­ appears to be anti-white is be­ sexual intercourse" with a person publicist. ing involved with radio and hear­ critical leaders ... would be taken cause the it's realistic to portray of another race. ing black artists was "like a net­ out the same way our [black] lead­ Arizona government leaders as "As you know, unless it is ca work." ers have been taken out the last white while the members of Pub­ See CHUCK D on page 4 • While Chuck D explained the messages behind some of the group's songs, Allen, the first speaker ofthe night, urged non- whites to confront whites and Self-sufficiency the key, Chuck says ask them to explain their use of language: By GEOFFREY GREEN own community. the slave trade. He said blacks "The chief weapon of a racist is Chuck D, lead vocalist for the "I'd like to encourage every are superior to whites and that deceit, and the chief tools of rac­ rap group Public Enemy, black person here to look in the the AIDS virus was deliberately ists are words. Pay close atten­ stressed the need for blacks to mirror for your leadership. introduced into the African tion to what [people] say," Allen become self-sufficient without First look to the heavens, to God population. said. having to rely on others for fi­ for your leadership, and then look Chuck D attacked the na­ "Never call any individual per­ nancial or social support in an to the mirror," Allen said. tional media at the interview, son anything that person doesn't interview Wednesday. "We have to be aware of our­ accusing journalists of misrep­ call himself. He also said he believed the selves and who we are as families resenting the blackcommunity. Allen also called on black males white and government-con­ to be able to provide civil services He said he believes blacks to exercise consideration when trolled media neglects the con­ to our community," Chuck D said. don't have equal access to me­ Chuck D and Allen also de­ dia channels. MARK WASMER/THE CHRONICLE using various words. "Unless you cerns ofthe black community. brought a full compliment of The interview, held at the fended the allegedly racist lec­ Chuck D Smith and Hawken gardening Cable 13 studio, allowed repre­ tures given by Professor Leonard been able to come on day by day To be consistent, Allen issued tools with you, there are no ho's sentatives from the Black Stu­ Jeffries of City College of New and say 'this is the issue,' * this disclaimer before and after in this audience," he said. dent Alliance, Cable 13, The York, arguing that critics have Chuck D said. he spoke. Words can be distorted in vari­ Chronicle's R&R section and misrepresented Jeffries'more con­ He lambasted professional "Tlie meaning behind 'Don't several other groups to ques­ troversial statements. black athletes for their lack of ous ways, Allen said. "You need support of the black commu­ Believe the Hype' is don't believe to watch [the use of] certain tion Chuck D. Jeffries, in an interview with everything you hear," said Chuck Chuck D was accompanied the New York Post, claimed that nity. The only time they will words," Allen said, referring spe­ align themselves with the com­ D, the voice of Public Enemy, cifically to the use of "holocaust," by the group's publicist, Harry Jews have conspired against referring to one of the group's Allen, who stressed the need blacks in Hollywood and in edu­ munity is when they're on the "race," "Native American" and downslide." songs. "reverse racism." forblackstofindleadersintheir cation, and that they promoted "Communication gets the same Chuck D addressed the contro­ PAGE 2 THE CHRONICLE THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 1992 World and National Newsfile Bush wants increase in domestic spending Associated Press By ROBERT PEAR military budget to finance a tax cut for Day. One section ofthe budget, describing Peace means pink slip: The N.Y. Times News Service families with children. the administration's economic assump­ peace dividend suddenly looks more WASHINGTON — In an election-year Darman's comments were the clearest tions, predicts confidently that "a sustained like a pink slip to 21,000 workers at budget of $1.52 trillion, President Bush indication to date that the administration upturn will soon begin," thanks in part to the Electric Boat shipyard in Conn., called Wednesday for modest increases in may be willing to renegotiate the budget Bush's efforts to stimulate economic who owed their jobs to the Cold War a wide range of popular domestic pro­ agreement.