European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes  20,1957 opinions offered on Block history month once again we have paused to celebrate Black his tory month and contemplate the contribution of american whose pigmentation might be slightly Dif Ferent Tram that or Youn but americans nonetheless during the month of february everyone gets on theban Wagon to stress the events of America s forgotten children. The mass Media bombard us with historical data and personal achievements constantly during this period. It s somewhat ironic that these important events escaped being captured in print and studied in our school systems As other noteworthy historical and scientific achievements were a corded for  i deem a travesty of the greatest magnitude. In today s society it is necessary Tor us All to interact with everyone to exist. No one group regardless or political persuasion or affluence within the Ciummu. Nulty should be Able to dictate policy Down to the Les fortunate simply because they Are less fortunate. Is that what the democratic form of government is about government of the affluent it s Lime for this country to live up to its Creed of Equality and Justice for at under the Law. The military has a slogan today of be All that you can be and thai takes total dedication and year round commitment from which an individual will derive Pride and a sense of accomplishment. With that Ideal firmly entrenched in our minds and conscience Ihen where is the Pride and sense of accomplishment from the individual who looks Forward to being proud of his ancestors accomplishments for Only 28 Days a year what happens for he remainder of the Lime do they slip Back into the obscurity from which they came it s the political ideologies like Black history month the actions of Cov Mecham of Arizona in reference to the King National Holiday and the renewed outbreaks of racism in Howard Beach . And for Syth county ga., that Force the nation to take two negative Steps backward for every positive step Tor Ward. Did the civil rights marches of the late 60s i Alabama teach us anything at at evidently not be cause vie Are still marching today 20 years later i Georgia for the same purpose some 120 years after president Lincoln gave some americans what god had Given them at birth. It still has t been fully achieved to America today. We need More positive programs like affirmative action health care and medicare Tor the aged and system to provide More Federal jobs for american workers. If Congress can authorize a pay raise for it self surely some of Pur need can be met or is the affluent system in action again we have come too far from where we have been to turn around and accept tokenism and handouts and that s How 1 View the february Celebration asap easement or pacifier. 11 reminds me of How certain groups of people were Given 40 acres and a mule for All their diligent work and labor after the emancipation proclamation. Yes i am an american like you one of Many who compose this great nation of ours. We come from Many diversified backgrounds but we Are All still americans. As americans we should be concerned with interacting with our neighbor and our god on a daily Basic to ensure that America will be All that it can be and insure Liberty and Justice for All  Dixon Katser Szulem when you hear the National Anthem do you stand up As a Black american or As an american who Hap pens to be a Black your answer is crucial because i you put your race first before your country you Are promoting the same racist attitude that you As Blacks have rallied against for so Long. I remember Selma ala., and 1 remember How Blacks were treated in the 50s and 60s, i remember Bow badly i Felt not As a White but As a human being to realize that my race encouraged that sort of treat ment of any race. So i was glad 10 see the civil rights act of 1964,and the changes it mandated i Felt a sense of Pride that our Constitution was finally being upheld an that a terrible social injustice was being rectified. Now we have Black history month and i hear again the speeches of Martin Luther King jr., crying out his dream of a truly free America for All Minori ties. But wait he was talking about All minorities was t he i thought i heard phrases like for All americans and for All people and  not just Black americans. What happened to his dram Black history month seems to promote Only Black interests. We hear commentators speaking of Lack radio networks Black Rock charts Blacks promoting All Black Busi Nesses Black caucuses in Congress Macks this. Blacks thai. You give the impression thai you want to Lake the gains made by the civil rights movement and wrap n Black cover around it. And Pinsl a sign saying Blacks  i  such an Altitude in inc eyes of so Many Young Blacks today. Hostile eyes with a look that says. We re on our feet now and we re going to get even or we be found our own culture now and you re not Welcome in  it s the kind of Iii Udo that say sit s of to Call a while Man Hanky but it s a racial slur to Call a Black Man a  and How do you think the rest of America feel when your commentators speak of reducing Black on Black crime what docs that mean you seem to be saying Stop mugging your fellow Blacks go Mug a White Man or a Chicano or an  How should we react when we hear now thai an All Black University in Tennessee is refusing to integrate aft Rall inc fuss Blacks have made Over non inc Gracd schools and Hen we hear Black congressmen and school officials Condon i no such an All etude and justifying it As promoting Black morale and Pride. Who arc the racists now Many of the comments made this month on of have referred to fears of a rising tide of racism in America. Folks it s not racism per so although there Are still racists in America it s frustration an resentment Over your attitude. 1 work with Many races in the military and i Sel Dom notice or think about what race icy belong to. I m proud of that. So naturally t resent it when some one anyone flaunts their race in my face especially for a month at a time. I think Black history month should be renamed civil rights history month so that we can Al share in your Pride in what the Black Community 1 t achieved name withheld Brunsink Netherlands Young poets promote Good dental health february National children s health month is always an exciting time in the Neu urn Community. There were lots of activities for Alj Ages. The highlight of this year s activities was a poem contest in which students in grades two through six were asked to write a poem promoting Good dental health. First and second place winners were selected from three categories second Grade third and fourth grades and fifth and sixth grades. I have included a photograph of the winners with myself and Pic Jim Allen As or. Sugar  from left sixth grader Dernell Pierce first place Winner fifth grader Nancy Meriwether second place Winner myself third grader Jami Bench first place Winner Allen third grader Tamisha Fleetwood second place Winner second grader Phillip Vogt first place Winner and second grader James Cope second place Winner. Other activities included dental screening examinations and a puppet show for kindergarten and elementary children Tours of the dental clinic pre Natal classes for expectant parents a slide presentation to High school students on the effects of tobacco on the Oral cavity and a slide presentation to family child care providers. Kindergarten an first graders Drew posters that were Dis played in the dental clinic. I also take this Opportunity to expressly gratitude to the stars and stripes for All inc articles carried during dental health month. It is through the Media that we in the dental profession can bet Ter promote Den lat awareness. You have provided an invaluable service to your readers. Or. Leander Lanier or. Denial fitness officer Neu Ulm Germany dental health winners at Neu Ira. See letter at left for identities writer says All assignments can be Good my military career started off Ike this i was an average student attending fort Johnson High school in Charleston ., who look the military test As a joke. Then one afternoon i received a Call from the Marine Recruiter who said i was qualified to join up. I thought about it awhile and then a couple of Days later i received another Call his Lime it was the army Recruiter now i fell a Little better and next in line was the air Force. I was a 17-year-old senior in High school with a Tough decision to make. The air Forte Recruiter sent me on a bus to fan Jackson  February 1981, i was sworn in on the air Force delayed enlistment program with a departure Date for Basic training in july 981. After graduation from High school in june i was getting a Little nervous and said to myself is this what 1 really want Basic training was a Challenge that i la never forget especially after finding out my Job in the military would be a Morse code operator. The i Dah dil ditty became a problem for me and i was eliminated from the course. My last nine weeks in ground radio oper Ator class were smooth and i enjoyed it. I was realty surprised to find that my first assign ment was not one that 1 had on my dream Sheet but to make things worse where is Hess Isch Oldendorf air station that s when my family decided to have a going away party boy was that a smash. After being in Germany for two months breaking up with my Girlfriend and feeling lonely again 1 said to myself do i really have to be Here thank god the answer was yes or i would not have seen Paris Berlin Belgium Denmark and the Netherlands. Two Yean in Germany was Long enough for me when i received my second non Volunteer assignment to an Drews fab my. 1 was Able to go Home and visit my family in Charleston and new York City our capital has Romany activities going on Here was no Way you could be bored. Getting married and living in Baltimore was a Challenge especially driving Back and Forth my wife was a senior at Morgan University when 1 received my third non Volunteer assignment. My wife was More excited than i was about going to Torrejon a. Spain. Being Here for Only eight month and spending the first three months waiting for our car to arrive was rough metro Riding downtown Madrid is fun and travelling will be even better this summer. I things work out we re planning to visit London Lis Bon and Paris before we leave in june 1989. Coming in inc military open administration and gelling three non Volunteer assignments is bad Luck if i we can manage to Lum it around by praying and making the Best out of it we Al i Cun. Hang in there. Ren and Jay Davis Torrejon a Spain