Young Hunter Learns Fast 
Andrew Rosencrans From Trucksville, Kingston Township, Was Successful In His 
Pursuit On The Second Day In December While Many Grown Men Who Are Veteran 
Hunters Were Not.

2 Men Sentenced On Simple Assault

Saturday, February 01, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





The burden of blacks' history weighs in on side of affirmative action &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Martin Luther King's dream of a time when Americans would judge each other
not by the color of their skins but by the content of their characters has not
yet come true. Nor can we hasten the coming of that time by saying that it's
already hereWhile many people and institutions of public trust, such as your
newspaper and the U.S. Army, do judge their countrymen on the basis of their
character regardless of their color, there is reason to believe that racism is
still a powerful force in American life today. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How else can we explain such an unfortunate phenomenon as the recent rash
of arson against black churches? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 How else can we explain the revelations about impenetrable glass ceilings
over the heads of Texaco Corporation's black employees? Or, despite Texaco's
official policy of anti-discrimination, the prevalence of racial slurs in
conversations among its executives? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 How else can we explain the widespread failure of school boards to provide
predominantly black schools with the same quality and quantity of books and
school supplies that are provided to predominantly white schools? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As long as widespread racism persists, our nation needs affirmative action.
Affirmative action cannot remove for black Americans all the obstacles to a
decent life left by their forebears' experience of slavery and segregation.
But it already has opened many doors that were previously closed to ~them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the past decade, thanks in large part to affirmative action, the ranks
of the middle-class have been increased by a large influx of black men and
women. It may have been the welcome spectacle of many more black doctors,
lawyers, judges, scientists, politicians, business men and women than America
had ever seen before that gave rise to the impression that it is all right now
to expect black Americans to compete on a basis of equality with their white
countrymen for college acceptance, jobs, promotions, business contacts, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is not all right yet. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Today, 2-3 million African-American families enjoy middle-income status.
But they represent only 1/3 of our country's black population. The other 2/3
live in poverty, many of them in dire poverty. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That this is so is not explained solely by racial prejudice. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Drugs, crime, family collapse, homelessness, and a high suicide rate all
are important parts of the deplorable situation. But are these all "their own
fault"? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is true that a great many inner-city blacks lack the initiative,
assertiveness, daring and self-confidence that are keys to success. But aren't
these exactly the qualities that were forbidden or sternly discouraged during
slavery and segregation? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is true that what white people mean by family values seem to be in short
supply among some inner-city blacks. But wasn't marriage among slaves
forbidden? Weren't fathers sold away from their children? Mothers from their
children? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What if white Americans had a similar "heritage"? Would they, in the span
of two or three generations, be better able to "make it" than today's poor
blacks? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If we wish to be realistic about America's racial situation, we ought to
always keep in mind that it is tightly connected to our nation's history. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In 1963, in a book entitled "Why We Can't Wait," Martin Luther King
suggested that Americans "Ask a prisoner released after years of confinement
in jail what efforts he faces in taking on the privileges and responsibilities
of freedom, and the enormity of the Negroes' task in the years ahead becomes
clear." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Betty Schechter &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shavertown &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Burden Of Blacks' History Weighs In On Side Of Affirmative Action 
Martin Luther King's Dream Of A Time When Americans Would Judge Each Other Not 
By The Color Of Their Skins But By The Content Of Their Characters Has Not Yet 
Come True. Nor Can We Hasten The Coming Of That Time By Saying That It's 
Already Here.