University of Virginia Library

Jordan Calls For End
Of 'Benign Neglect'

By MARGARET ALFORD

CD/Arthur Lnt

"Civil rights is a popular issue only when it is limited to the South."

The United States is in a
period of dangerous
withdrawal from facing
national problems which is
similar to the end of
Reconstruction, National
Urban League Executive
Director Vernon E. Jordan Jr.
told a sparse but appreciative
Cabell Hall crowd Monday
night. The Student Legal
Forum sponsored his speech.

Reconstruction In The 60's

"People ignore landmark
legislation which was passed in
the '60's decade," Mr. Jordan
said. "The period affected
America in a way comparable
to Reconstruction."

"The first Reconstruction
ended after much social
legislation and concern for
black citizens. The question
now is whether the second
reconstruction will end."

'Enormous Gains'

He called the 1964 Civil
Rights Act, 1965 Voter Rights
Act and 1968 Open Housing
Act "enormous gains", but said
such strides have "melted
away" into failure to enforce
civil rights laws and
compromises by "erstwhile
friends" on "important
legislation" concerning these
rights.

He condemned "benign
neglect" of blacks. "There is
no difference between the
Alabama racist and the New
York or Michigan liberal who
denies that segregation exists,"
he said.

"Civil rights is a popular
issue only when it is limited to
the deep South. The South has
made great gains, and now
looks at Northern hypocrisy,
wondering why New York was
the only state in 1972 whose
legislature passed an
anti-busing bill.

He called busing a phony
issue; "a device to hold on to
school desegregation
resistance."

"Access is the basic issue,"
he said. "There is no inherent
virtue in sitting next to a white
child in school. There is virtue,
however, in equal access to the
rights and privileges of
society."

Mr. Jordan urged an end to
the "negative quota system
applied to exclude black
people from housing, schools
and jobs," and said the nation
should adopt flexible systems
to ensure equal access to these
areas.

He said "erstwhile friends"
have also compromised on the
"stinking rotting welfare
system, which has been
perverted into a full scale war
on power rather than a war on
poverty."

Sixty per cent of all persons
on welfare are white," Mr.
Jordan said. "Whites too must