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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1970)
ODlilL e o ip a s lH3 o m The THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1970 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA VOL. 93, NO. 73 2 5s A . : ,,4 i . if i f Rap hits political genocide by MICK MORIAniTY itabrMkM ftafl Wrltar Black activ'st Muhammad Kenyatta said Wednesday that the two associates of H. Rap Brown who were killed last . week in Maryland were the victims of political assassina tion. "This is not new," Kenyatta told a group of about 300 students at a rap session in the Nebraska Union. What is new is that there are " now attempts to annihilate the black liberation struggle by political assassinations 1 n g e n o c I d a I proportions," Kenyatta said. "For that mat ter, II. Rap Brown might be dead." Kenyatta said authorities would be reluctant to report the death of Brown for fear that rioting and burning would oc cur. Kenyatta and other World in Revolution speakers Martin Oppcnhelmer and Adam Yarmolinsky, participated in the 90-mlnute panel discussion. After Kenyatta talked about government repress! on, Harvard law professor Adam Yarmolinsky told the audience of about 300 that the division of this country into a black and n white camp is neither feasible nor desirable. Yarmolinsky emphasized the need for community unification over fundamental issues if organization for change is to be effective. C oncernlng governmental repression, Yarmolinsky said, "You ain't seen anything like the McCarthy era. "I know, I lived through it." Sociologist Martin Op pcnhelmer said that communi ty organization by whites in their own neighborhoods is one way of putting an end to "the ghetto, the internal colony of America." But Oppcnhelmer said he had no advice to give the black man. "The only thing I can do Is organize my fellow proletariat white collar workers to end imperialism, colonialism and racism," Oppenheimer said. Yarmolinsky: The panelists commented on local race problems. Kenyatta asked if University professors were doing anything to prevent injustice to the 54 black stu dents now facing charges In Omaha stemming from a sit-in at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Kenyatta said it is the duty of Nebraskans to prevent repressive legislation, like the measures that are now being used against the 54 students at UNO, from becoming law. Too-slow urban recovery The situation In tirhnn areas Is nnf getting worse, but it isn't getting better fast enough, according to Adam Yarmolinsky, a Harvard law professor. "Constructive, Imaginative and energetic community participation and organization can change cities and change them in radical ways for the better," he said in a World in Revolution Conference address Wednesday. - Yarmolinsky is also with Harvard's Institute of Politics of the John F. Ken nedy School of Government. He charged that a "great vacuum in the political structure exists between inner city dwellers and city government. "The man in city hall is so far removed from the man in the streets that he doesn't even know what he looks like," Yarmolinsky contended. He said that he sees the community organization as a link between the poor, near-poor and blacks of the inner city and the city government. "The community can't merely be silent partners," ho commented. "But the community can't substitute their technical Judgment for that of the ex perts either." He suggested that the community make their needs known and let the experts make the technical judgments. Then the community should test the ex perts' judgment and should make a human judgment on the adequacy of the advice to its needs, social change," he said. "This Is the "Community participation must be effective and careful not to deny radical only way to achieve change since all Institutions naturally resist it." Yarmolinsky also noted that the city is without resources and unable to ac quire additional living space because of the "noose of the suburbs". He pointed out tne shrinking tax base as persons who can afford to move to suburbs desert the city. "Cities are not equipped with In struments to obtain enough funds. Property tax is proving inadequate and municipal income tax nets relatively lit tle." Money must come from the federal tax collector, he asserted. Present bills No quorum, no care! A special session of the ASUN Senate scheduled Wednes day to consider the ASUN Electoral Commission's report was postponed because of a lack of a quorum. The ASUN Senate will try to meet again Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The Senate had voted last week not to hold their regular Wednesday meeting because of the World In Revolu tion conference. The Senate also approved last week part of the Electoral Commission's report. The rest of the report, dealing with campaign expenditures and regulations, was not approved because of Senate opposition. mi ii ilium j !"". 'w ( ' I lTZJ call for a transfer of a percentage of federal tax revenue to the state and through the state to the city. Yarmolinsky defined poverty as lack ing "the opportunity or capacity to make a contribution to society for which society is willing to offer a decent reward." The poor and the black are unable to break out of the poverty cycle, ac cording to Yarmolinsky. He blames this on job deficiencies, lack of adequate transportation to suburbs where jobs are, and the lack of education and training of the poor. Yarmolinsky said the war on poverty can be won.