NAACP leaders address challenges of freedom

Ageism, racism, terrorism and sexism are the enemies of freedom, the speaker said.
& lt;a href=mailto:milliken@vindy.com & gt;By PETER MILLIKEN & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
GIRARD -- Freedom is under fire from multiple sources, and the public must rise to the challenge, NAACP leaders said here Friday.
"Freedom is understanding that you have the free will to do whatever you would like," said Jomo Kenyatta Bellard, assistant director of the NAACP's national youth, college and young adult division. The challenges to freedom include ageism, racism, sexism and terrorism, he said.
"Those are challenges, but they can be beaten," he said. "A lot of this is psychological. If you can recognize that you're free as an individual -- free will, free body, free mind and soul -- then you're capable of fighting off things like racism, ageism and terrorism.
"But if you don't recognize that you are free, then you can always be held by the bondage of those things," he explained.
Bellard was here to address more than 500 guests at the annual Freedom Fund Banquet of the Youngstown Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at the Mahoning Country Club.
The event -- one of the largest annual fund-raisers for the local branch -- was attended by local religious, education and business leaders; elected officials; and candidates for office. Its theme was "Freedom under Fire."
Making change
"The dream is alive and well," Bellard said of the dream of racial equality articulated 40 years ago by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
He added, however, "The same challenges that Dr. King faced in the '60s, we still face today. There are still disparities when it comes to economics within our community. There are still disparities in housing. There are still challenges of racism in the structures of America.
"We've spent a lot of time dreaming and talking of change, but almost no time actually making change. I still cannot get affordable health care. I still have problems buying a house wherever I'd like to buy one."
A Columbus native, Bellard became an influential student leader at Florida A & amp;M University in Tallahassee, Fla., initiating "The Deal" administration, which put in place intellectual, academic and entrepreneurial systems for the students.
After five years, his concepts are still in place at the university today. Later, as a fellow with the Schools for Africa Project, he was instrumental in getting more than 85 schools built in South African cities and villages.
Deteriorating freedoms
The freedoms of Americans of all races are deteriorating "because of the liberties that are being taken from us in the name of security," said Willie R. Oliver, president of the Youngstown Branch. Oliver said his office is getting an increasing number of complaints from people who say they haven't broken any laws, but law enforcement officers have mistreated them.
Oliver urged those who believe their civil rights or those of others have been violated to complain to the police and organizations such as the NAACP and the Youngstown Area Urban League. "You have to become an active citizen in working toward making your rights recognized," Oliver added.
& lt;a href=mailto:milliken@vindy.com & gt;milliken@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;