Urban Confrontation; 24; A Black Man in City Hall: Richard Hatcher Sounds Off

Northeastern University the National Information that presents urban confrontation. Now what I would frankly and I do that frequently and well you could make a deal with the general. I realize that they have to have a third of money to be older. Oh yeah and I think you almost get that point. But right at it then they don't know you know why not. If I had it and I have given 30 40 billion and give the general the other 40 I had it that way at me it would not be now to do the whole tablet thing it want here but if we could get that kind of money problem another 30 I think very well then I have the technology to kind of a law that is I think very we would be able to rob many of the problem that they're confronted with. This week on urban confrontation Richard Hatcher mayor of Gary Indiana. This week's program a black man in City Hall Richard Hatch sure sounds

off. Here is your host Joseph arbiter. The American city at the start of the 1970s. They say public strikes transportation snarls skyrocketing crime polluted air and water rising taxes poverty and racial tension on the list goes on and on and on an increasingly hostile place to live and work is our American city. Mayor Richard Boucher What do you see as the most pressing problem threatening the survival of the American city. Well I think of all pressing problems really to be quite fine a modern American city boy home city. We are operating on an inadequate tax they do not have the money to provide the services that people have come to eat. They are hard put to find a source of revenue to have on that and try people out of half

of all it is for people to own property. Great work a lot of that hourly which further back than any of us. Thought I would point out any one thing that I would have adequate reading. Let's talk for a moment about some of the positive aspects of city life or perhaps that is presumptuous. Can one speak positive advantages to living in a city a city like Gary Indiana. I think first of all human being and you want to be around other human being in our history and then also represent a kind of convenience that

many people require in their day to day why are any of these. I don't recreate educational and social opportunities that people have come to have been an integral part of their lives in one place in the city that can be anything any city dweller out of the country. I think there are many advantages to living and it is very clear that we haven't or at least or and enjoyed a higher standard of living in rural areas. I think there are many advantages to living in many forums today some black Americans seem to be dropping out of our political system but you have not only remained a liberal seeking progressive change within that system but you have been a political winner with that system.

How much hope is there that the black man will gain political power within our system without dropping out via travel around the country and talk any country. I think that there is a growing feeling that political in our country is not very far and back and that they think black people now are find that an enemy. Growing up they all think I would say a majority of black people were still calling that already I haven't heard that and thought How about bring about the reforms that are necessary in order to make it real that all the fights in this country but all blacks generally and particularly people country.

How about that over the period of the carrion and that and the various things that can be already. And others I have frankly that think again and they haven't. I've been hopeful that already for black people. Well that that change can occur. You say it is not responding the next logical question would be how much time and give or take say 5 10 or 20 years but how much time would you estimate that the system has to go before a significant number of Americans will give up on that system. Well I don't think that we can really talk about 20 years. I think it's going to be much when we already break crack right now of course celebrate

that point of violence in the country or for our traditional went one way or another particularly young people. Oh I would say that we're really talking about a relatively short period of time for the situation or to the point of you mentioned black Americans giving up on the system if it is not responsive the Kerner Commission certainly was not close to many black Americans predominately white for that Qana report released in March of 1968 stated also that the United States is moving toward two societies black and white separate and unequal. You probably feel the black man is worse off now than he was five years ago when the major civil rights legislation was passed. But I think we have to recognize that any any. And talking and arguing for Aaron. I make absolutely no progress whatsoever and

our progress thanks. But not what I think people particularly black people that are in this country and allow their dogs for an equal opportunity. Now the forward thinking back I think however that is what they mean for particularly for white thing in the report are already on an all black and minority group. And although many people are not in an area or anything out there already well documented people that were talked about in the court

and gone and public and really had. Thought of that. Thankfully only three at the time. I have yet to acknowledge your door that you mentioned that the Kerner Commission Report was directed primarily to middle class white Americans I knew much and neither at the Johnson nor the Nixon administration has as yet endorsed that report I wonder if there is not a connection between these two facts perhaps both these administrations sense that there is no constituency among middle class white America or lower class white America for that matter no constituency to back the programs that would have to follow logically if there was an endorsement of the Kerner Commission Report most white Americans don't want to make war on poverty they don't want to make war on racism when they see blacks as a threat to the livelihood that they have earned for themselves. Well I think that the back

door to the court or to try to referee that I'm afraid is going to bring. Point taken and I think the first reading of that kind of thing. Under consideration the ball or the fact that there are people black and white and all colors of the country. Wow wow. And the way that the Political Junkie can afford to identify with that report no matter how valid think that young people are cowards and fall across our own. Thank you Larry. I think that we have to recognize that if you think that

any raw government people think through how your agricultural department are admiring our own hard firemen California and other. How do you get that state of California to have 40000 and have a crowd of 200000 hungry I think that is very kind of creating turmoil on our college campuses and also in our city. I think that we have to rise up against what is right and the radical thing. You mention that there is a constituency for a war on poverty campaign against racism on the college campuses. Well I wonder if the Republican Party has not made the very astute political observation and conclusion that they can rule and rule for years without the support of a large majority of college students

alienated liberals black Americans Americans Indian Americans what have you. Kevin Phillips a young GOP supporter has written a book in which he argues that the Republican Party can become a majority party through the support of middle America even if it has to write off the blacks and the Northeastern American cities. All I would say that Headley now is I would say that it may be possible for people to make no judgment when you look. But do you think when you act that you will be of course. It will be a question when I would say that anyone with that kind of analysis for a strategy a strategy of your ministry on that kind of an. And I would call my only friend across every American and that

and in fact I and others think that if it means something all that fine print on a piece of paper there are other not. However certain periods in American history before when the two major political parties have in effect sold out black Americans I refer to the post reconstruction period the Reconstruction period following the Civil War in which blacks made a great deal of progress which was obliterated by they post reconstruction moves of the Republicans and Democrats and some aspects of the populist period in American history where blacks were pitted against a lower income white Americans. Is there not precedent for swaying to the conservative side of the political spectrum which could once again Aubut a great black gains from that as you mention the withdrawal of clocks. Government toward the end of the hour and

the period where our workers are African black people of color. Thank you very striking similarities and many of the things that are taking place. I think the only difference however here is that for one thing you have a different black man in the country today and a hundred years ago or 50 years ago or even 10 years ago today I think it will affect how they think they did that and have their freedom and whatever it takes to have a leveling in order to bring that and I think that is the kind of crawled out of the Alliance for a very healthy country and I think that give me a lot to be an accident there. Thank you very

limited all of the fire every act thought that the administration or anyone else for that matter can pull through. Only be able to push so far and they are going to get a very violent reaction I think that would be fortunate. You're great you say that but France with minority have trying to fight back or you know you man so far and he will not make the kind of logical judgement that well I'm out. How can we fight back and I think that what we think we think correct any day. We should pause at this point of the program to let those who have just tuned in to this radio station around the country let them know who we're talking to we're talking with Richard Hatcher of Gary Indiana. We're talking about cities on urban gone from station as happens every week. Gary you know I bet you the question is running through the minds of many listeners to this

program at this very moment why don't Afro Americans like Richard Hatch yours spend less time talking about how they're going to fight back fiercely against unjustifiable oppression. Talking about how they're going to level the earth to get what they feel they justifiably deserve and start following the suggestion that Dick Gregory made recently on one of our programs and that is to do some old fashioned American politicking get a coalition together get enough votes to put through the programs they need. By that I mean an alliance. Dick Gregory suggested that blacks align themselves with poor whites for the first time in the history of America a unity based on a common desire to escape poverty. And I wonder whether a coalition of traditional enemies is possible similar to this one. So I think the answer to that question like Why have we that are very clear about what they were working on. I would not be here if you cure for me with black liberal white white

unity and so on in order to win that election. We've been following Democrat. How often a political process and some degree of a very limited amount of that and yet in your success you only receive 12 percent of the white vote and the question then becomes even if you had received 24 or 34 percent of the white vote are there enough. Richard how juries in this country to make a difference. Well my point is that the white vote. Answering the hard and strenuous effort to secure a larger right and out of all of that effort person and in this election for president and all by getting fiber compared to my candidate's got to prove my point even. Are we doing exactly what they're trying to form a coalition that are necessary to win and I don't need anyone to say that that represents an absolute answer I

don't think that Dick Gregory would think that either I think what he was saying was all the things and all that they require a lot of work and nothing magical about the term. They require a lot of work together and take effect and they can be helpful but I'm. Here to tell you that the bar is very very high that I recognize that limited political power of the country that represents the whole thing that I think not all the how to live free and almost everything in the country. And in order to try to cure up some of the political power of the political power but also to other methods of accountable and freedom fighting that. Absolutely and I think politics are important. Ha. But I don't think

they represent and I think for example that economics and got away. Black people in this country our economic power in this country that go out economic. Are young and black people find themselves in the whole capitalistic country in the world they find themselves literally without capital. Well I think our picks are very important I agree with Dick Gregory but I think that that I'm sure the fire that that represented that for that black people should fall short in the race. Obviously we know that because he's been involved with the way in politics. Well you've also been doing other things like marching in the streets and doing other kind of a thing to try to freedom country. Let's take a look at the State of the American city recently on this confrontation series we told you already. Last minute about the Nixon administration committed to

the obvious question how much help from Washington President Nixon. One ministry called head and heart. We have not been wrong in her life and he have a heart of any suffering any over the counter way for Dick and Harry. Although many of the cutbacks have revolving door for example our program have been cut and wait. I've heard about that. Oh I will think that we have an application for the very heart of the problem

we have here or here. The problem here hon. I think I have one more hot political home governor Republican or Democratic if Oh well thank you. OK hard to block the federal money from them. Well the bear city council the government and the other side I would however if I have a political question here the government just that really relate and meaningful way to travel and I think that all the federal and city thing and I think they have a I think there are many functions that have to be had a lot of I don't have any power with that I think there are three things that they cover and

structure to handle that I have not heard that at all. What I am saying that the problem the problem in America are unique and they require I think first of all I don't have that they'd legislator the administration cannot handle the problem. We have been playing out. I understand the problem. And almost anyone else have they actually think I have a fine answer because they have of course our money on the fact that all things are out they are in a can opener. And I think in terms of priority and for that reason and I don't have a federal government I'm having to monitor correct grammar categorical crap. Thank you that I have a

government after all. Priority will be able to determine that first allocate deal with them. Let's take a look here at the very end of the program. You're at the amount of funding necessary if you believe what John Lindsay of New York says apparently about 100 billion dollars would be necessary to avert disaster in our cities and that's roughly equal to our entire foreign aid commitment since the end of World War 2. Where will that current of money come from during a period when the middle income taxpayer is fed up we're talk about a taxpayers revolt they just won't pay any more. Well I mean of course of anything that they nearly three all pointed out where the money might come from if you're retired and nothing. Thanks I want quite third. How much of that in excess of 80 hours are they are already in our fall that are going to go be an AMA.

That figure is going to be expanded now that we have a growing involvement in Cambodia and Laos and I and you all thought the right so we're going to be spending all 40. We thank There was one tank that required about one point three billion dollars to develop the old and then it was crap the whole thing will just go play. That will allow anyone at all to point the money out and the taxpayer we're talking about the taxpayer dollars are footing the bill for all of that. Now what I would think frankly freedmen and will make a deal with the general. I realize that they have to have money to pay all their call and I think almost get that point but right now then they will find out that the fire didn't have given 30 40 billion and give the other 40 and that it would not be enough to do the whole

job here but if we continue that kind of money on the problem very I think very good technology can allow that. I think we would be able to solve any of the problems. Mehrheit you're here at the very end of this urban confrontation program. We're going to ask you a question which we put to a number of mayors as they have come before our microphones. If you were the president of the United States if your seat was not in Gary Indiana but sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington what course would you steer this country on with regard to solving the urban crisis. Well betcha a couple things but I think there are a number of things that the president himself can do I think that he has to provide the kind of leadership with the Congress that will bring about a real priority. When it comes to the point. I think that we

really are our priorities. Such a way that they're spending billions of dollars to build new weapons that we that money to build new hospitals in the country and I think a president can provide the kind of leadership. The kind of power that records that are great and on the back or anything to help out wherever you go wherever you are in this the last third of the 20th century the city hall seat is the hot spot in this country and we have just heard in the past 30 minutes from one of the most articulate occupants of the city all state Mayor Richard Boucher of Gary Indiana. Thank you Mayor. Northeastern University of Rochester Richard Hatcher. Mayor of Gary Indiana. This week's program black men in city hall. Richard Hatcher sounds

off. The views and opinions expressed on the preceding program were not necessarily those of Northeastern University or the station. Questions asked where the moderators method of presenting many sides of today's topic. Your program host has been Joseph R. baiters Director Department of radio productions. This week's program was produced by Peter Lance directed by Robert emmel. The technicals who provision by plenty grandma's executive producer for urban confrontation is Peter Lance. Urban confrontation is produced for the division of instructional communications at the nation's largest private university. Northeastern University. Requests for a tape recorded copy of any program in this series. May be addressed to. Urban confrontation. Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts 0 2 1 1 5. Your announcer Dave Hammond. This is the national educational radio network.