Alston just isn't helping the museum's chances
Margaret's story yesterday about the International Civil Rights Center and Museum bond proposal captured a little bit of Skip Alston at his worst.
Responding to Chuck Forrester's criticism of the request for $5 million in city funds, Alston said:
"Some people believe to this day that blacks shouldn't be eating at that lunch counter."
Never mind that there's not yet a lunch counter in the far-from-completed museum. Alston's point, which he makes so repetitively, is that any opposition to one of his causes is racism.
It's just absurd to say that Chuck Forrester doesn't think blacks should have equal access to public accommodations. It's insulting to suggest that racism motivates oppostion to, or concern about, a city commitment of $5 million to a privately owned and operated project that, in 12 years under Alston's leadership, hasn't made much progress.
A personal note: I don't live in Greensboro and can't vote on this measure. However, I think there is a good case for supporting it. It is that, without the city money, the museum probably will never be completed. Failing to finish it would be an acute embarrassment for Greensboro. Bringing it to reality can produce an asset for the city, of which everyone could be proud.
It's certainly iffy whether voters will buy that. I can understand the skepticism of those inclined to vote no. There's enough distrust of Alston and his partner in this venture, Earl Jones, to explain a lot of opposition. Fortunately for the project, it has many other, more competent and trustworthy supporters working very hard to make it a success. They know they have a lot to overcome, which is why they go out of their way to assure the public that this isn't about Alston and Jones.
It had better not be. But it doesn't help that, even before the votes are cast, Alston is using racism as an excuse for defeat.
Comments (4)
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Doug,
Since when isn't the label of racism thrown around easily in Greensboro for political gain? That's the favorite tactic of Skip Alston and Deena Hayes. I've found that when some can't win on the discussion of the issues in this county, they will always resort to calling their opponent a racist to win. Surprisinly, it works quite often, but it is getting a little worn.
Posted on October 3, 2006 12:14 AM
I believe that blacks SHOULD be allowed to eat at the lunch counter. I just don't think the counter should cost $10 million!
Alston has taken the money for years and spread it around to his relatives, political cronies, and used it to buy influence and votes in the black community.
And he'll continue to do it as long as we let him.
Posted on October 3, 2006 12:20 AM
Skip, where's the money?
Posted on October 3, 2006 5:55 AM
In light of the characters, Skip & Earl, who are respectively the Chairman and Vice Chair, I don't think it's gonna pass.
If the bond did pass, pressure would be on the City to release the five million dollars regardless of whether the matching fund obligation was being met. Of that one million dollars already promised for the match, I can only imagine that it's pledged dollars, not real, and pledges, though promised and legally enforcable (though seldom), can be easily broken.
The fact that it's taken 12 years to come this far with half the funds still to be raised indicates to me this project has been mismanaged all along.
Earl Jones "misplaced" $700,000 in his non-profit org, along with the recent Homstead controversy still in the minds of the voter will hinder any passage of this bond.
I looked at the donor list and I didn't see Skip or even Earl's name on that list (they could have donated through their company) though I did see where the News & Record has donated at or over 100,000 dollars. If anyone would give, I would have thought the two founders would be somewhere on the list, but Skip must be using his funds to become building code agreeable on his rental units and Earl is still looking for those "misplaced" funds.
Posted on October 3, 2006 10:46 AM