Regaining relevance means learning from our past, and moving toward a future

One thing Greensboro can do to regain its relevance is to appreciate its past, learn from its present and make strides towards its future. In this example, it's time for Warnersville residents, including Otis Hairston, to work with Greensboro College officials on the J.C. Price complex.

I've been following this back-and-forth for some time now, and somewhere, somehow, I can't see where Greensboro College is the "Mr. Charlie" in this fight.

But this is the Peoples Republic of Guilford County, where everything is racial, and of course, racial politics were dragged in this ongoing feud.

Yesterday's N&R Counterpoint by Hairston, a community activist representing Warnersville, throws more gasoline on the fire. Hairston accuses the college of "raping" the community.


Hairston:

[GSO College president] Craven Williams referred in a September Counterpoint article in this paper to “a new sports park 'near’ the historic Warnersville neighborhood.” He does not acknowledge destruction of the historic Warnersville community, where he is planning his sports park.

Williams and this wealthy Christian college see it easy to attack and destroy a community of many widows who worked hard with their husbands to buy the homes and property that will be destroyed by his actions.

It does not surprise us that Williams has been able to get a few blacks to support him in the raping of our working-class community. The tactic is to bring out blacks who claim kinship to the community and use their testimony against the wishes of residents.

James Griffin, who continues to publicly speak for our community in support of Williams and the college, does not reside in Warnersville or Greensboro. More than 90 percent of Warnersville residents are opposed to this raping of our community by Greensboro College.
We are calling on Williams and Greensboro College to repent for this sinful act of attempting to destroy the investments of the widows, widowers and working-class families of our historic African American community. Donate this land and the historic J.C. Price School to Guilford County Schools to educate the young people in our community.

Live up to the college’s founding virtue as a Christian college, founded on the principles of the great humanitarian Jesus Christ.

The comments that follow his Counterpoint are equally impressive. I particularly am fond of this one:

Evil is never satisfied when he has his own agenda.
It amazes me how many in the black and progressive community otis has hindwink and bamboozled with this spectacle of lies and half-truths. He can definitely teach a master course in manipulation and vindictiveness.

I expect little from otis, but I am disappointed by the black leadership for not speaking out about the division otis has created and there are black leaders who are well aware of this division. They know that everything in Warnersville isn't the way that otis is trying to portray to the greater Greensboro community.

Doesn't seem as though this fight will be over for some time.

E.C. :)