Say Brother; Conversation with Bill Owens

Favorable is a program born about the black community. So it was right up with us call them terrible. Good evening. Today Stay brother would like to welcome several members of the Massachusetts media to interview Bill Owens the newly elected state senator. And I'd like to recognize to begin our discussion let's Overby Senator-Elect Owens. Do you plan to work with the Black Caucus and proposing legislation for the coming year. As we know the Massachusetts Black Caucus has now been expanded from five members to more members in the house. We have one member from Springfield now at this time and there is a minority person that's been elected in New Bedford. I have continuously worked with the Massachusetts

Black Caucus. And then as the caucus expands I will continue to do that. The Senate district covers the entirety of the almost entirety of the black community and as a senator it would be in the interest of the total community that the Senate and the members of the house were very closely together. We will do that and we will co-sponsor legislation albums we used to sing sometime ago and how do you view the overall outcome of the post election which you emerge victorious with states proportionate. Well of course the race we were fortunate in that we received about a little better I believe than 75 percent of the total vote that that was cast in the Senate district and I view that as a good indication that the people in the city of Boston overwhelmingly

decided they would like for me to represent them as their senator but only statewide level. I I have to say I need to wait and see. It seems that the Republican Party is now somewhat defunct nearly defunds. It's certainly got to develop and generate some new leadership and some new blood to play some balance in both the House and the Senate as well as the top level positions the constitutional offices. I think it's rather sad that we don't have a dual party system here in Massachusetts. We can take a look at what has happened with the Democrats and the Democrats. While I am a Democrat have taken the black community for granted. I'm very appalled at that and I certainly hope that the new administration under the. Ask the seeds of Governor-Elect to cockles will certainly be more sensitive

to the black community than the Democrats historically have been serious. Senator elect do you feel that the new newly elected governance of the Congress will in fact be receptive to blacks and to minorities when we look at what happened over the past few months. Very few blacks publicly came out and endorsed Mike Dukakis to be governor. Why should he be responsive to us. Well let me just simply say that I'm very pleased with the trend that has emerged in the black community I think black people are showing a great deal of sophistication in that they are saying though though we are we are both recognized as Democrats and though we are registered Democrats by and large we cannot allow any party to take us for granted. I think Governor elect Dukakis recognizes that and somewhat is pleased from the number and the roster that has already

been proposed and seemingly is being proposed that I don't see any black yet being proposed for his cabinet and the appointments that are likely to come forward. But I do think that. In the black community throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts we have the potential to begin to really decide the outcome of the vote and the outcome of major elections. This is one of the things that I think Governor elect do cockles will should well take a look at. And if we nurture that process we can become a deciding factor. Russ Tillman senator or once you are elected from the second Suffolk district which is in Boston the Roxbury to a just Area Man Appin However there are blacks throughout the state who do not in fact have black representation. Do you feel that part of your responsibility will be to relate to those blacks in the western part of the state no question no question about it.

I will try and relate to every constituency. In the black community as well as minority communities throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts as of now we're receiving phone calls from people in Springfield new method and even down the Cape. And we look at those people as our constituents as well as the people in the second Suffolk senatorial district. However it should be pointed out that the largest amount of work clearly has to be done in the second Suffolk senatorial district where I was elected from but nonetheless we cannot and will not be parochial about the way we behave. But once you endorse Governor Sargent during the campaign in fact you think that endorsement will damage your chances both with the Democratic leadership in the in the legislature with Michael Dukakis as well and would you consider

becoming an independent or even a Republican. Well let me just simply say that I have talked with the leadership in the Senate. Senate President Kevin Harrington and as of now we have a very good relationship. We have a very and one I don't expect that endorsement to have impair that relationship at all I had a good relationship with the speaker of the House last year and tend to nurture that relationship and hope it will certainly be enhanced as time goes on. As for as damaging the kind of relationship or not with the governor elect I don't think so I think that he left the caucus will clearly take a look at what it is my community stands for and stood for what my community wanted and that it had a message it wanted to deliver the community did live with that message and I think Governor led to caucus will recognize that

and respect us because of it. If you recommended any specific. Blacks as appointments for his cabinet or for other appointments. No I have not recommended in this specific blacks and nor do I anticipate recommending specific blacks for the appointment by the caucus but I am very interested in taking a hard look at that and I have raised questions prior to his election as to whether or not he would be in fact appointing blacks at high level positions. I think that it's going to be important and extremely necessary for the governor elect to appoint blacks to positions of decision making. I don't think it would be in the interest of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for blacks to be appointed they had a lot of jobs and positions right Pilkington. Senator like you said that you intend to work with the Black Caucus in the house. Are there specific pieces of legislation which you now have in mind which you're hoping to get through the

legislature next session. Yes there are some very specific pieces of legislation that I certainly do hope to get through the legislature all of which I cannot expand on at this time but the primary pieces of legislation that we want to get through economic packages for the second Suffield senatorial district and we well know that we have the largest rate of unemployment right there in that district which is about 20 percent or better. Weve got to develop mechanisms in that district to provide jobs and that is the major pieces of legislation. There will be other kinds of legislation that make it illegal for banks to discriminate against certain people of certain areas where they may or may not invest the money is and of course there will be other housing pieces of legislation that will make make it possible for certain low income people to

have adequate housing. When you were in the house you were there were other black representatives now in the Senate you're the only black senator do you feel that. Your power will be diminished in any way because you cannot function as a bloc within the Senate the way you were able to in the house. No I think realistically I have been talking with a number of senators who in many instances share my viewpoint I will be developing coalitions in the Senate and I don't think the fact that I am a lone black will have any diminishing effect on on the ability that I may have I think it can be viewed as very positive and that we'll be able to relate to the community exactly what does go on in the Senate. And I think that's the kind of educational process that is really necessary in our community and one that we've got to move on forthrightly in our community there are some critical areas that we need to deal with. That is the whole question of education

around government. And if we can begin to educate our people more and get them more involved in the process of the state government I think we'll be better off looks over to the store and some word about the redistricting three redistricting that will come when there's a reduction in the number of people in the house. And how are you looking at that. What's going on. How. But with black representation. Well I think there is a possibility clearly of losing some black representation but I'd like to look at the other side of that. Well now that the I think it clearly hurts and people should look at that we talk about it and we try to inform people as to how they ought to be voting and felt clearly that we would lose some black and minority representation. But on the other hand now that is happening I think is very important that black people begin to look at not just getting elected from black

districts but getting elected from districts that districts that have black and white people black and white representation so we cannot be too parochial around the question of representation we've got to begin to expand and I would clearly and I like to see a representative of a black person elected in and one of the white suburban towns I think that there are certain people who are very qualified to do that and I think they should run for office whether they are black or white and that they should try and seize the opportunity in the moment and become elected and represent a broader spectrum of of the thinking of the population throughout the state. WILLIAMS So to work with us to form responsibilities the responsible state. Computer your new office is the primary difference between the office of

Representative and the Office of the state Senate is that the Senate has twice six times as many constituents as the house. My problems and responsibility as well as areas that I have to deal in will be multiplied by six women in the house I only have a total representative body of 23000 in the double district that was that had 40000 constituents. I was one of two representatives now there are one hundred thirty eight thousand people in my district so that is multiplied by 6. How do you determine who should be covered. Producer put it for him. Well clearly it's important that I work very closely with the representatives on in each district in order to be able to get certain goods and services for people in the area. It's also

important that we establish a liaison with the city government and I've been trying to do that. We got to work out with amicable relationships and that we do not have elected officials in the city government. And one of our priorities will be to do just that. But in addition to doing that we've got to make sure that we can provide a system by which goods and services can be delivered both from the city and state level. We'll still. Senator Owens you were very much in favor of the excuse me referendum for the reorganization of the school committee. It was defeated. What effect do you think that is going to have on Boston in general in your constituency in particular in 1969. I was the primary petition with Ben Scott in going to court with the desegregation plan that could have been implemented.

There is a good possibility that we may do that all over again and I think that while Judge Garrity realizes that we have to have desegregation in the schools he also realizes what the school committee represents and we know that school committee is is probably one of the last of the institutional. Races institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the city of Boston in particular maybe even in the country it is probably that races it needs to lose its power or be abolished. I believe that the court would be willing to favorably look at the Decent the legislation plan we're looking at that plan and we may go back to court with that plan and allow the judge to to rule on one of the things are you satisfied with the

way black people turned out for the election this person. Well compared to the citywide totals. Of course we know that. About 55 percent across the city turned out but in the black community about 50 percent turned out. I'm not too discouraged with that except I would have been more encouraged if we had had 100 percent clearly but in comparison to the rest of the city 20000 people turned out whereas we have about 40000 people in the second civil senatorial district that are actually registered to vote. One of the primary things that we'll be doing this year immediately is moving on voter registration and we're going to certainly be talking with church members talking with the ministers in churches as we did before. But now that we're not running for political office I think it's a good opportunity for the churches to take some leadership role and developing

good cadres of voters in the churches and providing voter education programs while encouraging people to register great Pilkington. Going back to the school issue everyone is aware of the fact that there's been a lot of problems with desegregation this fall. But the desegregation order has not been applied to the whole city yet. Is there something which you think that black community leaders should do to prepare other parts of the city like East Boston like Charleston perhaps which have shown signs of resistance to desegregation to prepare them for desegregation to head off the kind of violence that took place in South Boston. Well I think it's unfair for the burden to be placed on the black community I think the black community is willing to share that burden. But I would not be willing to assume that sponsibility. I would certainly hope that we'll be able to sit down with people from other parts of the city center to LoPresti for instance who represents

part of East Boston and some of the other you know Senate and elected officials throughout the city. I think we should be we can sit down with them. I'm certainly going to make every attempt to sit down and see if we can begin to work out some of what may become problems but by the same token to assume that total responsibility. We don't have the funds or the resources to do that and we control those funds. It clearly could be the responsibility serious show backing. Gregg what about preparation of the students. That is going to be going into the series that's been a problem in this first phase that students have not been adequately prepared for what they had to face once they got into the school situation. I think you're absolutely right. Students have not been prepared and we all know that the Boston School Committee has been as disruptive in everything that has been set in motion or

trying to do preparation stuff as they possibly could. They have voted against allowing students who are coming into Boston who will be coming in to Boston now and will have been in Boston from going into the public schools I think that's sad. And I think that that alone. It isn't enough to probably go to court with. I think that we in the black community are doing have done a fantastic job in that we have sought to add that there has been minimal violence and I don't know that one white child who's come into a black community has been injured at all and I applaud these students and the parents and community leaders for assuming and asserting themselves to see to it that that does not happen. I cannot claim that the other part of the city has done the same thing and I'm very disappointed that that has not happened. But I think that we must continue to have the kind of cohesion in the black community

that we have had and in having that I think it is very clear that that kind of cohesion has allowed the school desegregation order to move to where it is right now. Bill and I'm in this business. In terms of voter registration mentioned earlier you've been elected to public office twice as state representative now as a state senator like what you think can possibly be done to convince people that it is worthwhile to register and to vote. We've got a lot of 18 year olds and up who aren't registered a lot of people adult not young adults but older adults who aren't registered. What's going to make them register what's going to make them vote for school you know when you're in a system where the school committee has been unresponsive when the constant cries we need to provide more goods and services but yet the state government in the federal government isn't being responsive to the plight of minorities. What's going to make to register them.

That requires a two part answer. One we have to recognize that a lot of people have in fact registered to vote but because of the Mechanism Design now and the way that people stay on the books not get taken off the books is one that is archaic and chaotic. If during the census the police come around and people are not at home. They might be taken off the books. They may send a card out but if people don't get that card and don't send back their names could be eliminated from the books. I think that's unfair. And speaking to some of the legislation that is one of the pieces of legislation that will be entering this year we entered it last year. We'll be doing it again this year to try and change the whole process by which people register and get. And of course maintain their registrations so that they don't lose that. The second

part of it is that some goods and services have to be provided they have to be incentives for people to vote. I think that we can begin to put into operation a mechanism if we can in fact begin to eliminate the joblessness that exist in the community and provide people with jobs begin to really work to change the educational system. I think that people will begin to look at that very closely and that those two particular issues can develop incentives for people to come out and vote. Senator you've been very outspoken advocate of prison reform during the Sargeant administration some major changes were made in terms of getting people out of institutions. There are some signs though that the governor sergeant's popularity may have started to decline at about the time when prison reform was really hitting its peak maybe under commissioner Commissioner John Boone. Do you think there's a

commitment first of all by Michael Dukakis secondly by the legislature and thirdly by the people of Massachusetts in terms of programs as well as money to prison reform and what do you think is has been left undone. Up to this point. As for the popularity of the governor going on the wane I cannot really speak to that thing that the media by and large responsible for much of that. I think that if the media had the total media have been supportive of prison reform and is involved and interested in social change I think that can happen. I think it's important that media play a very positive role in that as far as the commitments that Governor elect to caucus has cannot really speak to his commitments but I did raise some very specific questions with him around that. And I might add that he was

not very clear in his commitment to me. I did not quite understand what his commitment was. He did say that he was interested in prison reform he was interested in and social change and I would presume that he is. I certainly hope he is and I'll be talking with him on a continuing basis about that. Particular subject. But what the future holds for prison reform thing rests with you and other people in this room who will give you a fair and honest assessment about what what it is you feel is really going on in the prisons and whether or not there are programs there what needs to be. I think I think that what needs to be in the prisons of programs there are really no good programs in the prisons at this time that could speak to real change and in the prisons there are no rehabilitative programs in the prisons. And when we talk about corrections I think we need to be very clear what we

mean about corrections. We need to make sure that I mean for instance people who are now guards are labeled correctional officers could become counselors. I think a piece of legislation that's going back into the house back into the legislature this year that has gone through for the last two years developed developing in educational districts around prisons so that there can be funds coming into the prisons to to develop educational programs so that when men and women actually come out of prison they may be able to have a job waiting for them. These are just some of the things that I really believe need to happen in prison reform. Senator Owens once again recession time is upon us and once again it's the black community the hardest. Do you propose next year. Do you feel that you will hold any

legislation that would deal with the unemployment problem in the black community. Last I mentioned that earlier and I certainly will be proposing legislation that will deal with the economy of the of the black community particularly in developing rehab of certain blighted areas within the community. New construction that should go on in the in the community flood grants that may come for housing in the community the giving increases to the welfare checks that people now receive that they cannot live off. To make sure that people have guaranteed incomes to make sure that there are day care services provided for men and women who are presently receiving. Welfare jacks and further I'd even like to change the whole connotation of the welfare

check itself but to a guarantee than income. And these are some of the proposals that we'll be making so that people who do in fact collect checks at this time can get involved in day care services while also going to school and bringing up their level of education so that they can move into a productive world of work. Russell Tillman many of the voters in your district particularly some of the senior citizens and some of the folks who who have whose entire family has to work mothers and fathers who are out of their homes who experience breaks and things like this bag snatching muggings things of this nature very much concerned about crime in the streets very much concerned about the attitude of the police department in the area. What are some of the things that that you hope to do or proposed to do or plan to get involved in that would move toward rectifying some of these problems.

First of all the attitude I believe of members of the police department has to be changed. There is no way clearly of legislating anything that can deal with attitudes. I'm very concerned about that and I think one of the things we've talked about community control of schools we've talked about community control of practically every level but we've got to deal with the community control of the police department now. We've got to have more input into what happens in the police department than we do. People now feel alienated from the police department by and large and cannot and will not get involved the police will do its own internal investigation of alleged crimes that are perpetrated on citizens by the police. I think that's foolish and it is nonsense and I think it's got to in. We will continue to work to try and get that change so that there can be external investigations of what happened that to

legitimatize that the courts will accept. And I'm not really sure we need to set up a community advisory boards around the police department so that certain recommendations can be made for a change in the police department. And when these things begin to happen as well as setting up more recreational facilities for young men and women and having community people work closely with that process and begin to take some of these young people off the streets and get them involved in good. Constructive programs I think the crime rate will begin to diminish. How do you feel about increasing the number of black police officers on the street I think it's very very instrumental and the solving of problems that do exist in the black community I think however that we need to have more blacks in administration and where the decisions are made

around the policy of what functions police officers actually continue to carry out. And when we can get more blacks into the police departments some on the level of making decisions about that and clearly deal with the police union around its behavior and attitude toward the black community I think that we'll have a much better police department I think Al Williams known as one of the ways to start from the community as a kind of supply line start to fight the black community is being strangled because of want of services and goods in the community of course is illegal because these companies are why more than one time by city years what a state. How do you plan to deal with those. I don't have a COD blunt solution of dealing with that but I think it's important that people who who have companies that

will cut off services that they would contact me and I would be very happy to assist them in finding legal counsel so that litigation and we can go into litigation around that particular issue. The only other method that we have is to begin economic boycotts and I think at some point we're going to have to really do that with companies that will not come into the black community but that the black community continuously go out and seek the services that they are providing. Looks over been. Senator you've been criticized at times for going to the outside for getting your support from being elected there. Today you announced that you're going to be involved in a national demonstration against racism. And I was wondering how will that how does that help bolster.

Well let me just simply say that Boston is the place where the revolution began. Boston is the place where democracy really took began to take hold. Boston is the cradle of liberty and it was in Boston where schools actually began public schools actually began. I think that the problem in Boston and we also point out that Boston has always rallied to the needs of other cities and towns other states across the nation. Numbers of people went from Boston to participate in the demonstration at Selma and people in Boston have gone to demonstrate at Birmingham and for Boston now and to think it's an island unto itself is hypocritical. I think that Boston the eyes of the nation

and the world is on Boston and we need participation. From the nation and the world to begin to change the press of conditions that exist now in Boston what was once democracy has now turned into oppression. And I think if the problem is solved in Boston around institutional racism and racism in education that will also spread throughout the world as democracy spread throughout the world. When it first began here in Boston. Could you explain institutional racism because people just aren't sure whether that's rhetoric or reality institutional racism and I can give a clear example of the Boston School Committee. We take a look at the makeup of the Boston School Committee. It is all white. It is Irish white body. All of its members are white and up to a certain parochial way of thinking. Most of the people they

employ. White Irish and think a certain way. Most of the people who teach in the Boston public schools come from Boston State Teacher's College which numbers about 65 percent of the total which was also controlled by the Irish the white Irish Catholic certain way of thinking. When we began to look at this and and recognize the exclusion of certain other groups such as blacks particularly in that body that has been designed that way it is specifically designed that way and that then constitutes an institutional race's body. That is what the Boston School Committee is. That is what the Boston school department is. And then of course that filters throughout not just the school committee but threw out the whole establishment of city and state government CERN's show right now in a period where the

incoming new incoming state leaders there's hints that perhaps you might have to increase in state taxes President Ford's talking about a surcharge on incomes. We're definitely in a period of tight money yet many of the solutions that you put a proposal would like or things that you would like to see happen or things that are going to require a lot of money. Where do you think this money will come from. Well much of the money that I'm talking about may come from the city state and federal government. Most of it will probably come from the federal government. Now there has to be an ordering of priorities. And it seems to me that one of the priorities right now is to deal with the situation as it exists in the in the black community but particularly in the poor and oppressed communities. If poor people in this country began to look at themselves they

would. Even in South Boston begin to recognize that South Boston nights have the same problems that people in Roxbury have. They are without jobs there. They are in low incomes. They have problems in housing. They have all of the kinds of problems so. If there is a united effort and a united force that calls on the government to levy ate some of the oppressive conditions that do exist now the government will have no choice other than begin to deal with that and have an influx of funds sent into the those oppress communities that have to do with it when they say no money is tight now and they're cutting back on this. Now they're cutting back on this program. This program is going to be phased out. There's not enough money to continue this program at its present funding or involve the same number of people and they also talking about certain programs that haven't really produced very much in terms of results. You know job training programs and that kind of

thing so what makes you think that there's going to be that leverage that is going to get the federal government to do the things that you you think need to be done in order to create some change it simply goes back to the ordering of priorities. I think the priority in this country ought to be. For people and not for bullets we have a big budget in the country for defense and we need to begin to tell the people the people need to begin to tell their congressmen and their senators that we don't want those kinds of budgets for defense but we can use that those funds for elevating people for survival. There what we need to make sure that people get food every night and this country can provide that there is more than enough money in this country so that everybody in this country really could be wealthy. But what happens is there are few people in this country who want to hoard all the

wealth and control the economy. We've got to find a way to make them cut that loose. The whole question of a graduated income tax. We need to be looking at setting up a graduated income tax but the fat cats once again who have the power and control are not going to allow that to happen unless and until the people really begin to speak out. I think the whole question of financing campaigns the public financing of campaigns is going to be a very critical issue in this country. So that it will not allow large corporations. To control people who are going to be elected to positions where they begin to make those decisions. We've got to take a hard look at the primary and the secondary even lead in this country. In order to force them to make those changes the primary leader recognizes one thing. The amount of money is going to make and people say we're not going to allow you to make that money on a continuous basis unless you're willing to distribute it to us. The people of primary will then begin to understand that the

people mean business. The secondary elite have to recognize it through the ballot and that's how people have got to deal is with the ballot so that the secondary leap meaning the governor the mayor and other elected officials have to understand they have to behave in terms of making policy and decision in a way that is responsive to the needs of the people rather than the needs of big business. Maurice Lewis Senator black people in Boston seem to be traditionally apathetic to ballot boxes and voting power. We've got two crucial elections coming up 75 in terms of school committee and the City Council opportunities for black people to hold office. If they haven't in the past behind all the crisis that have occurred here rallied around the ballot box and around political power. How are you going to get the support that you need to carry out

these programs that you mention. And secondly what do you think the chances are for a black person understanding the concept you ation being able to hold a seat on a city council or the Boston School Committee. I'll start with the last piece. I think the chances are extremely good for blacks to be elected to both bodies. And I would suspect that excuse me that we will have blacks elected to both of those bodies in the coming year. I personally commit myself to work very diligently with candidates and individuals that will be selected by the community to feel those positions and I believe the other process the one that is the strongest institution that we have in the community meaning the Church that we can really. Hook up with the church and get the church to begin to do voter education and encouraging people to turn out and vote. And

once this mechanism is put into play I really think that a lot will begin to change. But the other piece of that is people do have to see some some delivery of goods and services and I'm hoping I'm working very diligently to work with the city and the state government so that we can provide a system for delivery of those services to our community. But you know it was Kumaris we have one minute left so would you please make your question if you're one man how do you propose to do something between now and 75 it has not been accomplished ever before in Boston. This is a new era and there are some new people in town and I would suspect that some of the new people will be having some of the kind of commitments that are really so very necessary to make some of this work. I will personally be working on it I have a cadre of people who have committed themselves to that. And I think we can deliver.

Well with say rather would like to think States and it's a bill ones and the Germans who have come in to interview him this evening. Thank you. This is not a child loving society. This charge is amply substantiated by the growing use of psychotropic drugs to control the behavior of so-called hyperactive or hyper kinetic children. Children whose behavior is impulsive and manifest itself in various forms of agitation distractibility and irritability are subjected to drugs such as Ritalin vallium and Mellaril to name a few. The drugs are being prescribed by physicians who usually claim that the children are suffering from some impairment in the central nervous system minimal brain damage. However in most cases such a clear diagnosis is difficult to make based upon the inadequate state of medical knowledge in this field. In fact hyper conies is a

phantom disease. But the diagnosis is often used as justification for prescribing the use of psychotropic drugs for children. The negative side effects of meth. If these drugs are not yet known however we do know that the widely used Ritalin has caused loss of appetite weight loss and the pressure of normal growth in some children. Research efforts to discover the potential negative consequences of using these drugs usually sneer parents and their children into participation under the guise of providing treatment services. Such was the case with the drug medication research project at Boston State Hospital in cooperation with the Boston public schools. Children in Dorchester were involved in an experimental research program to determine the behavioral effects of three psychoactive drugs. Parents were not fully informed about the potential negative side effects of these drugs. The Boston schools allowed for a time. Nurses from Boston State Hospital to administer the drugs in schools during the day. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of the Fort Hill Mental Health Association and the Massachusetts

Advocacy Center this research was brought to the attention of residents in the Dorchester community. Being so in public policy controversy involving the public school participation in drug research led Representative Mel King to submit legislation designed to regulate the administration of psychotropic drugs in public schools. That legislation has become law. A school system can only allow psychoactive drugs to be administered in school if the Department of Public Health is certified after case review that the child in question has a legitimate medical need for the prescribed drugs. Both parent and child must consent in writing to the use of medication after having been fully informed of potential harmful side effects. Parents do not have to consent to the use of drugs for their children as a condition for continuing their education in public schools. This law coupled with Chapter 7 6 6 protects parents against coercive practices of school administrators parents or children should contact the Department of

Public Health at 600 Washington Street Boston to make a formal complaint. If their rights are being violated in this regard. Why should black people be particularly concerned about the use of psychotropic drugs for behavioral control. First of all we recognize it is part of a pattern that is assaulting black urban children in public schools. We know that black children are excluded and suspended from school in numbers disproportionate to the total school population. Second we recognize that school administrators attempt to camouflage the failures of schools by scapegoating the children who are the victims. It is part of a pattern to localize failures within the student and not within the system of education. Finally the psychotropic drug phenomenon is another societal ploy to avoid the elimination of the plausible environmental and institutional conditions that assault our children. A society which refuses to address itself to basic economic political and social causes of behavioral problems cannot accuse black people of being paranoid

because we see the use of psychotropic drugs as a mechanism for social control. The passage of the law to regulate the use of psychotropic drugs indicates what the state legislature can do to protect children. For this reason the children's campaign was initiated in order to force political leaders and candidates for statewide office to face up to issues of children services and children's rights. In 1974 the legislature had done a great deal for children in the Commonwealth but there remains a great deal more to be done. Because children do not vote their interests are usually trampled in the political arena. We seek to change that. The childrens campaign will shortly release a children's platform which spells out the legislative and funding priorities which should be pursued by the legislature and the executive branch. On September 23rd the campaign held a public hearing for candidates for governor lieutenant governor secretary of state and attorney general. These candidates were asked to state their positions on the children's

platform. They were also questioned by a citizen panel including young people under 18 years of age about their past record of performance regarding youth. Nobody is against children but who is for them. We must be for them. Children are this nation's most precious resource. This is Hugh B Jones chairman of the children's campaign. A. A word tonight about the old politics and the new politics. The old

politics. There's a town in Alabama called right off right on. Just before the train pulls into the station. The porter comes into the Jim Crow car and says. The next stop is right off right on. Everybody in this guy better stay in their seats except that old man in the corner with all the lumps in his if. He lives in that town. There's a sheriff meets every train and if you get off this train Shame on you. The name of this town means of a color and gets right off like the white folks. The sheriff gets right on his head with a stick. Well the train stopped there right off right on and everybody stayed in their seats except the old man in the corner who lived there. He got off of the sheriff's economy or. Walked over to the sheriff and took office as. The sheriff ran his hand over Tom's head full of lumps and bumps. There were so many knots in all times here that the sheriff couldn't find a place to put a new not. So we didn't hit him at all. The sheriff

just stood there hoping some strange negro would get off and looking at the Jim Crow car swinging his stick to the train pulled away. How about the man. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary. For one people to dissolve the political violence which have connected them with another. And to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature. And of Nature's God entitle them. A decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among ways are Life Liberty

and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights Governments are instituted among men. Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these events. It is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it and to institute new Government. Laying its foundation on such principles. And organizing its powers in such form. As to them. Shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Let's wait. So Brother will talk with all Aboriginal relatives.