European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cover Story Pridean prejudice for Tom the cover remembers How English children would follow Black soldiers hoping to catch a glimpse of the tails they were told were hidden under the men s raincoats Quot now mind you we were supposed to Supply All it took to fight thenard food clothing shelter shells Gas a Fletcher said checking the items off on his Long fingers. A a it a still a Miracle How the 3rd army managed to pull it off with that a kind of animosity going on in the  Fletcher said that while the military has per formed awesome feats in race relations since then minorities still do not always receive Lair treatment. Quot the military seems to have come Forward with a very sophisticated Way to use the different military judicial processes to provide them air cover for their discriminatory behaviour a Fletcher said. Equal Opportunity offices have been directed to carry out the military s anti discrimination programs but Fletcher feels the people working in those offices apparently have found ways to get around the system at the expense of minorities. People who have complained to Fletcher about the system feel that the equal Opportunity process might be great but they have no Trust in the military s representatives who Are supposed to run it. The rights commission said last month that it is preparing a report detailing about 180 racial discrimination complaints from Scricc members in Europe. The report has been forwarded to the Pentagon s inspector general. Pending action by the defense department the commission would then prepare a report for president Bush and Congress analysing the complaints and possibly recommending corrective measures. Fletcher said he has asked Congress to consider special funding for an overseas hearing but hardly anyone on Capitol Hill thinks that will be possible in these tight budget times. A hearing in Washington costs about $200,000. A the Senate voted a few weeks ago to authorize a $7.16 million budget in 1992 for the commission although the White House requested $11 million. Most congressional officials arc Content to let the Pentagon Deal with the complaints from Europe. Those staffers Point to the fact that Dod has sent a team of former military people on a fact finding Mission to Europe and in addition is conducting an internal investigation of equal Opportunity and equal employment Opportunity. The problems in Europe arc similar to what is tearing at the advances made in civil rights legislation Fletcher said. His fear of losing Progress made during the 50s and 60s is the underlying reason he asked a fellow Republican Bush to appoint him commission chairman in february i�?~>90. Never mind that at age 66 he had undergone a triple bypass heart operation. And that alter the morning ceremony when he was sworn in As commissioner. Fletcher returned to the Hospital for a repeat of the operation. The operations Only seemed to strengthen the Many a resolve and forced him to put his priorities in order. A i knew what i was getting into and Why a Fletcher said. He noted that he spent 30 years in civil rights not because he wanted to but because he was forced to stand up for himself and his race. After leaving the army in 1945, Fletcher used his i Bill education benefits and earned a Bachelor s degree from Washburn University in Topeka Kan. As the son of an army sergeant Fletcher had been taught to believe in his own abilities. So when he began Job searching he was surprised by the reception he received. A no one would give me a Job or a loan to Start my own business a he said. A in my own personal Case in be never really Given a Damn about social acceptance if i did no to have Money. I did no to expect anyone to accept me if i was  business Wasny to Fletcher a Only Talent so he decided to get physical. At Washburn he played football Well enough to draw pro interest. In 195 1. He joined the los Angeles rams Only to be Cut during the exhibition season. The Baltimore Colts picked him up hut a leg injury Cut him Down after a couple of games. It shocks me that Blacks Between 20 and 35 have no feel for the need of civil rights Laws. They Arentt even aware that its not working the Way it ought to. Arthur Fletcher then the Only Job he could get to support his wife Mary and five children was As a Public school teacher for Black students in California. He Learned that to land a Good Job in business he would have to influence political leaders. Fletcher worked with other Blacks to get a favourable ruling in the 1954 supreme court Case Brown is. The Topeka Board of education which desegregated the Public schools where he taught and his children attended. Fletcher made powerful enemies partly because of his involvement in the Case. He lost his Job an event that caused his despairing wife to commit suicide on oct. 2, i960. A my first wife killed herself believing i d never work again a Fletcher said. A education notwithstanding she Felt we were being constantly rejected because of something we could t change namely the color of our  the tragedy strengthened his resolve to push for changes Fletcher became More Active in the government and from 1969 to 1971 worked As assistant Secretary of labor for employment standards. "1 helped get the Basic civil rights legislation on the books a he recalled. A the civil rights commission is in existence today because of the need to investigate voting  Fletcher spoke As a Delegate to the United nations in 1971. He remembers warning South Africa about the possibility of future problems unless the rights of Black citizens were recognized. Between 1976 and 1977, Fletcher served As Deputy assistant to the president for Urban affairs and while working at the White House met George Bush. He also suffered another family tragedy when his oldest son Arthur jr., died at Anc 26 of leukaemia. Fletcher looks at his Job with the commission As a Way to ensure that past gains in civil rights will not be eroded by the widespread apathy he has noticed in the Young Black generation. It shocks me that Blacks Between 20 and 35 have no feel for the need of civil rights Laws a said Fletcher who regularly lectures at schools across the country. A they Aren t even aware that its not working the Way it ought  Blacks and other minorities Are regularly discriminated against in the availability of jobs education and housing he said. Quot affirmative action is under  Fletcher said. A there Are those who Are not willing to see women and minorities earn in the same income brackets and have the same responsibilities that the traditional Folk who have the lock on the jobs. Thais understandable but  Fletcher has voiced his concern that minorities May he caught in the budget crunch and downsizing of the military. He found that Many service Mem hers overseas feel that Quot the last thing that the department of defense wants to do is rely upon a majority Black army Superior soldiers  some of Fletcher a colleagues appreciate his Energy in pursuing civil rights complaints but feel he needs to do More. A this rhetoric about civil rights has had some positive effects although he comes off As something of a Loose Cannon a said Mary Frances Berry one of the eight members on the rights commission. A the needs to focus the commission More on specific contributions it can make. We re searching for a focus and we need to concentrate our  members of Congress who have recently been feuding Over the commissions budget Echo Berry a concerns. Fletcher is paid $415 per Day plus per diem when he is on commission business. Which is normally limited to one or two Days a month. Quot it is our responsibility to measure the effectiveness of the commission so that we can Tell How Good of a Job it is doing a said rep. Jack Brooks a Texas chairman of the House judiciary committee. A Over the last two years the commission has issued Only one report has held no hearings and has had no consultations despite having received nearly $14 million in Federal funds a Brooks said. Quot or. Fletcher has been entrusted with the serious responsibility of pursuing equal treatment for All americans. I expect him to use the resources available to him to achieve this  Fletcher said he is up to the Job. He clicked open his Large briefcase and a dozen books on leadership strategy business ethics humor therapy and spiritual understanding spilled out. Quot in be Learned that we were All born to do something and whatever that something is you were Given the Power to do that a Fletcher said. As a professor of business at the University of Denver and also the director of the colleges new International Institute for corporate social policy Fletcher feels he is milling his destiny. 1 Lis unyielding workload includes flights Between his jobs in Denver and Washington. That May allow him less time for his children grandchildren and wife Bernyce but he says they arc certainly in his thoughts. A i m doing what in a doing now not so much because its going to serve me a he said Quot but it will leave in place an infrastructure Long after in a gone that will hopefully improve the Quality of Lile that my Gran kids and great Gran kids will be Able to  Quot Page 4 a sunday december 1, 1991