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Sunday, Aug. 26,1990
Do the
right
thing
South can, must end
discriminatory clubs
By FRANKLIN McCAIN
Special to the News & Record
CHARLOTTE — Our nation
has always been poised to believe the best and the worst
about the South. While history
shows that some of these beliefs are
based on substantial and documented evidence, the converse is also
true. A fair number of these beliefs
are based on myths and fabrications.
One widely held view is that the
South, guided by its past and inertia, is incapable of addressing racial
discrimination in an amicable and
fair fashion. I
would challenge that often repeated
assumption.
The recent
controversy
over the discriminatory
practices of Alabama's Shoal
Creek Country
Club — and of i
many private wlcoain
clubs in North Carolina — gives us
an opportunity to prove these stereotypes false. What we need, just
as we did at the time of the sit-ins,
are civic and business leaders not
afraid to stand up for what's right.
Viewpoint
Greensboro News & Record
The question raised by the N.C.
A&T State University students
Feb. 1, 1960, was a simple one:
"Why aren't all citizens regardless
of race afforded equal access to public facilities and accommodations?"
Many responses emerged quickly
after the first "sit-in" to address
these demands. Most were a modification of the status quo. The advocates of fairness and true democracy
were too small in number or were
"shouted out" early on. An overwhelming majority of churches declared a sabbatical of silence when it
was time to stand up and be counted.
The business community initially
assumed a posture of aloofness, saying this simply "was not their fight."
But justice did reign, and it did so
because of the students' unrelenting
pressure and persistence, and the
leadership of honorable men such as
E.R. Zane and McNeill Smith.
The cost of denial and recalcitrance proved to be dear for Greensboro's business community; not only
would it suffer economic losses but
also it would lose something almost
as meaningful — the image of being
a progressive and enlightened city,
a good place to do business.
I know for a fact that there were
members of the business community
who wanted to end their discriminatory practices, but lacked the courage and commitment to break ranks
and do what was right. The expression, "evil triumphs because good
men stand aside and do nothing"
became a reality for me.
There is now a similar situation
with all-white country clubs and
dining clubs. I see this as an oppor-
(See Discrimination, E6)
Franklin McCain was one of the
four N.C. A&T State University
students who participated in the sit-
ins demonstration at the Wool-
worth's lunch counter in downtown
Greensboro in 1960. He now lives in
Charlotte, where he works as an
executive at Hoechst/Celanese
Corp.
_
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| Full text | Sunday, Aug. 26,1990 Do the right thing South can, must end discriminatory clubs By FRANKLIN McCAIN Special to the News & Record CHARLOTTE — Our nation has always been poised to believe the best and the worst about the South. While history shows that some of these beliefs are based on substantial and documented evidence, the converse is also true. A fair number of these beliefs are based on myths and fabrications. One widely held view is that the South, guided by its past and inertia, is incapable of addressing racial discrimination in an amicable and fair fashion. I would challenge that often repeated assumption. The recent controversy over the discriminatory practices of Alabama's Shoal Creek Country Club — and of i many private wlcoain clubs in North Carolina — gives us an opportunity to prove these stereotypes false. What we need, just as we did at the time of the sit-ins, are civic and business leaders not afraid to stand up for what's right. Viewpoint Greensboro News & Record The question raised by the N.C. A&T State University students Feb. 1, 1960, was a simple one: "Why aren't all citizens regardless of race afforded equal access to public facilities and accommodations?" Many responses emerged quickly after the first "sit-in" to address these demands. Most were a modification of the status quo. The advocates of fairness and true democracy were too small in number or were "shouted out" early on. An overwhelming majority of churches declared a sabbatical of silence when it was time to stand up and be counted. The business community initially assumed a posture of aloofness, saying this simply "was not their fight." But justice did reign, and it did so because of the students' unrelenting pressure and persistence, and the leadership of honorable men such as E.R. Zane and McNeill Smith. The cost of denial and recalcitrance proved to be dear for Greensboro's business community; not only would it suffer economic losses but also it would lose something almost as meaningful — the image of being a progressive and enlightened city, a good place to do business. I know for a fact that there were members of the business community who wanted to end their discriminatory practices, but lacked the courage and commitment to break ranks and do what was right. The expression, "evil triumphs because good men stand aside and do nothing" became a reality for me. There is now a similar situation with all-white country clubs and dining clubs. I see this as an oppor- (See Discrimination, E6) Franklin McCain was one of the four N.C. A&T State University students who participated in the sit- ins demonstration at the Wool- worth's lunch counter in downtown Greensboro in 1960. He now lives in Charlotte, where he works as an executive at Hoechst/Celanese Corp. _ |
