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Segment One: Occurs during Thursday's County Commissioner meeting during a period of time reserved for "commissioner business."

Alston: Yes Mr. Chairman. I was out of town Tuesday and yesterday. It is my understanding that there was some information in the News & Record concerning a statement that I made concerning Greensboro city housing staff and about them being racist or having a racist mindset.

I just want to say for the record I did say that. I stand behind that. And I believe that. They do have a racist mind set. I did not apologize by any means. I simply narrowed my focus. I know that it's totally irresponsible for anyone to say that the whole city staff is racist. But I did narrow it down intentionally so that it focused on that department.

And I understand that - I haven't read the article yet. I guess I have to go pick my papers up tonight and read them - but (city council member) Tom Phillips I understand has some things he wanted to say to me. And I heard that before and I had called him when I heard it. He could have picked up the phone and called me if he really wanted to talk to me about my positions.

But he said in his eyes that he didn't see any racism in the housing department. But he's looking through his white eyes. I'm looking at it through my black eyes. And his eyes have not seen what my eyes have seen. Nor have his feet have traveled where my feet have traveled. So he has the right to his opinion, but at the same time it don't make my opinion wrong and I stand behind that.

And the city's manager and the city council can take that and (inaudible) and do something about it, or they can put their head in the sand and do nothing at all. That's up to them.

But I have made a statement, and when I make statements like that I make it with clear conscience and with plenty of background as far as NAACP. I do recognize racism when I see it and we do have some problems around here.

We have some problems here in Guilford County that I'm going to be dealing with also. So realize then that that's not the only department in the city that has problems. And we can put our heads in the sand and make believe it's not happening, or we can do something about it.

We need to work on (the county's) minority and women's enterprise programs. There's some problems in that department. That department can lead to some racist mindsets and I said that and I believe it, and I don't apologize for it. (Alston has complained that the county's purchasing department had been slow to hire a Minority and Women's Business Enterprise coordinator. That person helps minority owner firms land county contracts.)

And the News & Record, they can paint any picture they want about me, they can say (inaudible for about 10 words.) But my momma always said that a kicked dog would holler. And obviously somebody is hollering because they've been kicked. And if somebody steps on your toes you're going to say "ouch." And if they don't step on your toes you're not going to say anything.

But I have struck a nerve. And that's why the News & Record wants to try to discredit me, disbelieve me, whatever. But I still stand proud and I stand behind what I said. And again, they can disbelieve me, they can stick their heads in the sand and say oh, that's just Skip Alston. I know the definition of racism, and I can see it, and I've been trained to see it. And we've got some problems.

(Inaudible for six words) And I don't take this lightly. But I still stand proud and I still know there's racism in the city housing department and some other departments and the county also and I plan on doing something about it. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

(The commissioners then took up other business, including changing their meeting date. Then it was Commissioner Billy Yow's turn to speak.)

Yow: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I really wasn't going to say anything but I just couldn't help myself.

You know, I asked Skip tonight when I was coming in, I said, "Skip, you-all have had this little problem. You've had your foot in your mouth and I haven't heard from you." And he indicated pretty good when I talked to him so apparently he must really like it because he's working really hard to put it back in there.

And I really wish Mr. Alson would realize there's not really the problem that he sees to that extent. He creates more of the problems that we really experience. (inaudible for 10 words) But I realize that in his position as NAACP (president) and his background of life that he's dedicated to creating chaos and problems at the county so that he'd have his job position (inaudible for about 20 words.)

I really think the stuff he sees doesn't happen in Guilford County. I think that we're in a year and time where society is past it. And I really with Skip would join us in the 21st century and get past it. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Alston: Mr. Yow, any time I can make you uncomfortable, I'm doing my job.

Yow: You ain't bothering me.

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Segment Two: Occurs after the meeting in a short interview with Alston as he leaves the commissioners' dais.

Scoop: My bosses had asked me to catch up with you regarding some of your comments about the city staff.

Alston: I've already said what I need to say about the city staff and your boss is trying to get more information in order to keep me tied to St. James Homes II. I haven't managed that property in five years, but your bosses have a racist mentality and they're just trying to do something to discredit me. I don't have times to play those games with him.

That's why I didn't return - I talked to Matt (referring to Matt Williams, the News & Record's city government reporter) and I put him off because I don't like him. Matt, in my opinion, is very racist too. Every time I would say anything to him about anything, he would totally twist it around and I knew his intent. Okay? And I had really looked at not even saying that much to the News & Record, but at same time, I mean, I'm a public official, I can take it.

See - for the newspaper to say that I make myself irrelevant when I use the race - when I say racism, come on. If it's true, I'm going to say it, regardless of whether they say I'm irrelevant or not. I'm not trying to win no popularity contest.

Scoop: One of the stories you were talking about, and I guess you haven't had a chance to read yet, some of the city officials themselves were saying, you know, if this was the first time we were hearing this from Skip, maybe we'd pay more attention to it. But we hear this so frequently from him, it's beginning to loose its bite.

Alston: And they still haven't done anything about it, because they still put their heads in the sand, because they know that it's there, but they continue - As long as racism is around, I'm going to continue to raise it and they're going to continue to hear it. Okay? I don't care. At some point somebody is going to listen.

But the people who are there listening now don't care. They're condoning racism. For (City Council member) Tom Phillips to say that he hasn't seen in racism, looking through his white eyes, what makes you think he could recognize racism? He's never been discriminated against so he can't recognize racism. But I can. But I don't care what Tom Phillips, the city staff, or the city manager, or anybody else says that I'm just shooting off the lip. They can say that if they want but they know what I'm saying is true and they're the ones who have to sleep at night.

And I'm going to continue to say it every time I recognize it, whether they do anything about it or not but something is going to be done about it and I'm not going to shut up about it.

But tell Matt (again referring to News & Record reporter Matt Williams) he don't need to call me because I don't trust him and I'm not going to give him no interviews because I think his whole intent -

Rhino Times Report Scott Yost (interjecting from several feet away): Who are you talking about?

Alston: Matt Williams, their, I guess it's you-all's -

Scoop: City government reporter.

Alston: City government reporter. He filled in before - I don't talk to him because he's got that little racist mentality too. And every time I say something in an interview with him, it gets totally twisted around. So I don't do interviews with him any more. So you call me (referring to News & Record reporter Mark Binker) or somebody else call me, because I don't talk to that boy.

(At this point, Alston began to move toward the exit.)

Scoop: Have a good night.