Show More discussion needed to address poverty and violence Rev France Davis of Calvary Baptist Church Frank Penman Staff Writer t TE just dont don't talk said V V Rev France Davis of the Calvary Baptist Church The liThe Rodney King incident was just the tip of the iceberg The situation has persisted in the black community community community com com- since before the riots of 1968 Davis says the problems in LA exist here in Utah in-Utah Utah as well They are just less noticeable noticeable noticeable notice notice- able because of the smaller population of blacks Following Following Follow Follow- ing the recent riots the concerns concerns concerns con con- cerns of the black community are once again in the public eye At the moment one of the major concerns is jobs This includes access to learning job skills and the motivation to leave the welfare system which along with medical benefits pays better than most available available available avail avail- able jobs Another is safe affordable affordable affordable dable fair w f w r 1 i 1 t 5 i V j I Photo by Ed Lite Ule Rev France Davis housing Banks and politicians must respond in a positive way to address these situations According According According Ac Ac- cording to Davis the dialogue with local authorities has improved since the riots Now is the time to respond to consider the options and for these different groups to take action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion said Davis Also being addressed by bythe bythe bythe the black community is the case of William Andrew a convict on death row at the Utah State Prison for his part partin in the Hi Hi-Fi murders Davis said other death deathrow row inmates who are white such as Lance and Killpack who in 1968 killed six people in Utah Mark Hof Hof- the Mormon bombings bombings bombings bomb bomb- ings and Richard Worthington Worthington Worthington Wor- Wor the Alta Alia View Hostage siege have received less than the death penalty either because of changes in inthe inthe inthe the constitution or being allowed al allowed allowed al- al lowed to plea-bargain plea in a capital offence Davis said regarding the former doctrine in the Church which didn't allow blacks to hold the priesthood priesthood priesthood priest priest- hood Its lilts good that they admitted they were wrong When on Sunday you teach that an entire race of people are cursed that carri carries s over overto overto overto to work on Monday Many wonder if this this belief belief still affects affects affects af af- af- af local attitudes The Reverend and other members of the NAACP are L going before me courts to attempt attempt attempt at- at at at- tempt to have hav Andrews Andrew's sentence sentence sentence sen- sen tence changed to life without parole on the basis of his being treated unfairly due to his color In the 24 years since the ri riots of 1968 sect sections ons of Watts have yet to A generation of blacks in the inner cities has been lost to poverty and violence Davis said It has been said that those who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it |