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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 29, 1972)
Paga 2 The O b s e rv a tio n POST MLfrT WORK T06E THEPFVK FULL ANO EQUAL EMPLOYMENT. Portland Observer Thursday. June 28, I9T2 The N o rth w e s t's Best W e e k ly A Black O w n e d Publication N . K tllin gsw o ith , I ’ o it'a n d , < legon < 2 1 7 Subscription $ . 2 ^ pei year in T ri-C o unty .tie s by m a il.O u t- side the Ti i-County are.» - t « ' veur b> m a il. Phone 283-2486. M a ilin g address - P. U . Box 3137, P o rtU is i, 1'iegon 97206. \ I F K ;D 1.1 Hi N lE R S t N, P u b lis h e r/E d ito i \ erna I . Hendetson Asst. Publishe; business manage- iv p \ Helen Hendrix liv r A Pei sonneI and P rtxluctio n Managet Vxn> erroneous re fle ctio n upon the chai a e ter, standing o i rep utation ot person, firm oi coi poration, » h ich may ajxpear in the Portland o b serve r « ill be che erfully c o rre cte d upon being brought to the attention of the E d ito r. The Editor’s Desk A LF R E D LEE HENDERSON Black political unity: A priority for Oregon T h ere are many ways to attack oppression and one of them is p o litic s . P o litic s does not consist of m e re ly putting names on the ballot o r casting a vote on election day. P o litic s is a power game and we a te operating fro m a position of pow erless ness. This is a p o litic a l land we live in, and it is foolish to think we can accomplish anything without using the p o litic a l system that has been built - regardless of our philosophical view of that system . We cannot d ism iss any means to fu rth e r o ur course, w hether that means is our own o r someone e ls e 's . When we are tru ly involved in the p o litic a l process and build a strong base of po itlc a l power, then we can change that process. As a unified group with common goals and expectations and a plan of im plem entation, we could begin to build a base of pow e r . P o litic ia n s who are elected to rep resent us d ire c tly , as those fro m our legislative d is tric ts , would be made to under stand that they a re responsible to us. They would know that they can no longer be explo ite rs of naive black people. These politicians who we a re not d ire c tly responsible fo r putting into office would re a liz e that we a re potentially a pow er with which they must reckon. A small group of citizen s reacting fro m a position of w ear ness, fragm ented and apathetic, cannot yield influence on the p olitical and economic forces that are now in c o n tro l. But a ■ n a il group of citizen s who are united, who are involved at all levels of the p olitical spectrum , and who unde rstand the p oliti cal process, can become a powerful fo rce. The Oregon Black Caucus can be the vehicle to build this uni ty. T h e re Is aplace intheC aucus fo r e v e ry black person - re gardless of p o litic a l theory, economic s u m s , age . reducation. Only through an organization of this type can the black commu nity get together, draw up p rio r itie s , plan a course of action and present a united front to o u r oppressors. Buy Black! It am azes many to see black people, y e a ra fte r y e a r, spending th e ir money in business establishm ents that have a negative art nude toward us and our com m unity. W ith it . the heart of Albina there are businesses that w ill not h ire blacks and that do not contribute anything to the .rg a n iz a - tlons and agencies of the com m unity. They a re In A I ’ ’na to make money — and that is th e ir only concern. And even m o re sed is the fact that black businesses a re fallin g because of lack of tra d e . We spend o u r money with the racist white businessman and let o u r own black businesses starve. It Is d iffic u lt to s ta r ts business. Expenses are i.igt^ esp ecially in the beginning. Those among us who are brave enough tc take this step need our encouragement and supper I t is easy enough to point with p ride as a successful black business o r to m oum when one fa ils , bi here w ere we when trade was scarce, when we m ight have hao ;o pay a little m ore than at the superm arket next door? A little pride and a little d iscretio n can go a long way. w hy spend your money where you can’ t work? Why support some one who has no respect fo r you? Why not spend another m cxle and trade w ith the black busi ness o r with the white business that hires blacks and is p art of the community? Unless we support these businesses they cannot exist and we w ill continue to see our resources drained away by uncaring white business establishm ents. It is easy to see if there a re blacks employed in a store; to check your M ack papers and see who pays to advertise fo r your trade; to see who supports youth activities; to learn who contributes to community serv ic e s . Only when these businesses learn that black people w ill no longer buy fro m racists w ill there be a change. The O bserver*a official position is expressed only in its Pub lis h e r's Column (Th e Observation Post) and the Edttor*s[>esk. Aey other m a te ria l throughout the paper Is the opinion of the in -' dividual w rie r ot subm itter and does not necessarily re fle c t the opinion of the O b s e rv e r. As I See It White Businesses in the Black Community — Part 1 By Lenwood C , Davis Schomburg Library saved Fhe Schonibuig Co lection of N egro L ite ra tu r e and A rt has been a * a riled >2lA),XX) by the National Endowment fo r tie H um anities. th e Schomburg C o llection , which is owned by t ie New Y o rk P ublic 1 ib ra ry , has been housed in a tenemant en 135th Street in H a rle tn . where lack of storage fa c ilitie s ami dampness and w eather change have contributed to the d e te r- ic. mon of its precious m an uscrip ts. Black scholars have long implored the City of New Y o rk anil foundations to save the col lection. The Schomburg C o llection contains the heritage of Mack people and has long been one of the most Im portant centers In the world fo r the study of blacks. It includes w orks by auth ors of A frican descent, books, m anuscripts, recordings, p e r- lodicals, sheet m usic, and a rt objects by and about M ack people. The collection was begun by A rth u r A, Schomburg, a Puerto Rican of A fric a n descent, who through the years amassed one of the D ig e s t and most im portant lib ra rie s devoted to M acks. During the e a rly 1920’ s. when the 135th S treet L ib r a r y found It impossible to keep enough books on blacks on its shelves, a com mittee of black scholars includingSchom burg,Jam esW eldon Johnson, H , H . H a rris o n and John N a il, decided to p re s e rv e books that w ere d iffic u lt to rep lace. The com m unity responded « ith gifts fro m private lib r a rie s and the referen ce room of the :35th Street L ibra ry became a center foi students of black history and c u ltu re . The collection was purchased in 1925 by the C arn egie C orporation and given to the New Y o rk Public L ib r a r y . Many original m anuscripts of e a rly black w n te rs - Gustavus V aasa. Benjamin Eanneker, J u p ito r H arm on , Lem uel Hynes, Ir a A l dridge, C ru m m e l. Blyden - a re a p art of the C o lle c tio n . Black scholars have been concerned about the condition of the C ollection aixl afraid much of it would be lost. Now the Collection w ill 1» saved. The g ift w ill enable cataloguing and storage so that it can be used fo r research. Now the battle to save the Schomtxirg Col ection may be o ve r. Thanks a re in o rd e r fo r the dedicated staff that protected the C ollection during its w orst days. M ost tesklents In the Black com munity in Portland are un aw are that we a repaying re la tively m ore than w hites fo r our housing, d urable goods, and fo a l, in the Black com munity and getting a much low er qua lity of food than w hites m o th e r parts of the c ity . Perhap s, one of the reasons why we do not re a liz e chat we a re paying these higher p ric e s is that we do not shopoutsale of the Black com m unity, tin e needs only to go to other areas of th e c ity to see the difference in q uality. Surveys have teen conducted nationwide to show th a t> 3 ,0 (» Congress and courts on busing By D r. Benjam in E . M ays A n ti-b u s in g sentiments have united the N o rth and South. Both Houses of Con gress have passed the m am moth education b ill w ith an an- tl-tu s m g a rtic le attached to It. No one clothed In his right mind would fight the education b ill, a b ill that would provide approxim ately 19 b illio n d ol la rs fo r colleges and u n iv e rs i ties in the next three years. This b ill would aid all col leges, especially Black col leges fo r a student may get as much as $1400 a y e a r on his school expenses. The oppo nents of busing knew that If they could make anti-bus mg a p art of a 1 9 -b llllo n -d o lla r package, it would get through Congress. — Letters to the Editor — Put people programs first To the E d ito r: A great deal of public d is cussion regarding the Coun ty’ s fiscal c ris is and the re sulting service cuts has taken place. W hile there has been some m is in fo rm a tio n and some o ve rs im p lific a tio n this examination is . 1 believe, of real benefit. It has not beer, com monly understood what services are provided by the County. Many continue to think of county gov ernm ent as ru ra l governm ent, although m ost of the real ac tion Is in the area of urben human s e rv ic e s . Demands fo r m ore " la w and o rd e r,'* health and environm ental protection, and responsiveness fro m gov ernm ent a re e v e r increasing. These increasing demands, coup led with a e n p p i mg in fla tion ary s p ira l, a f a m ilia r fac to r to fa m ily tud gets.eq uals a need fo r m o re re so u rces. The inflatio nary im pact on fa m ily budgets and the dependence of local governm ent on the prop e rty U x does little to m otivate the c itiz e n ry to pass revenue m easu res. The closeness of local governm ent allow s It to become the most convenient place fo r people to vent then fru s tra tio n . It has been said that the F ed e ra l G overnm ent has the re sources. the state govern ments have the auth ority, and the local governments have the p roblem s. If the national de fense budget could he halved and the saving be sent to local governm ents, O regon's share would be enough to totally e l i m inate the property tax. The tax system in A m eric a stinks. Many A m ericans are not paying th e ir f a i r share. The wage e a rn e r who file s a W -2 fo rm has no access to g i ant loopholes to " ta k e advan tag e" to reduce his taxes to little o r nothing. Some A m e r icans are super ric h , yet avoid paying taxes. Twenty p ercent of our people are In an upper income strata and are " m a k ing It*’ at anyw h erefrum a lev el fo rm e rly reserved for re alty to one of living f rly com fortably. Sixty p er ent are just making ita n d a re a M e to pay th e ir b ills . But twenty per cent are not making it at a ll. Y e s . 1 agree, we a re In need of great and sweeping tax re fo rm . It must start at the F e d e ra l level and work down. M y own position during the budget slashing sessions (a m in o rity of one) was one of putting people program s firs t by taking a large sum fro m the gas tax fund and tra n s fe rrin g It to the general fund. M y f e l- low Board m em bers dis agreed. Such an action m ight w ell have found Multnomah County in the courts defending this " r a i d " on dedicated funds. The m a jo rity position may « e ll be sounder and w ith out question a s a fe r in te rp re tation o! the Oregon C onstitu tion relating to gas tax funds. I was prepared to run the ris k of a court test because I feel a com munity thatdoesnot provide fo r lib ra rie s which prom ote tle a s and Intellectual a c tiv ity, health protection, help fo r kids In trouble, and a justice system with justice has no business spending money fo r roads and public w orks. T h is is not to say that storm d rain s, road m ainte nance, safety devices, and the : ike a re unim portant, fo r they are also needed. In my set of v- es, however, they are of 1« t r p rio r ity in maintaining thy society. xts* a re indeed complex m a tters of the f ir s t o rd e r, and we should not engage in the fru itle s s luxury of o ve rs im p lific a tio n o r scapegoating. In these tim es of m assive and p e ll-m e ll change when all of our Institutions are strained to th e ir foundations, we must seek real answers and solu tions. The discussion should continue to that end. S in cerely, Donald E . C la rk County C om m issio ner Alcohol greater k ille r T o the E d ito r: Advocates of gun control have attracted a f a ir amount of attention fo r th e ir concern » behalf of about 20,000 L’JS. c iv ilia n s k illed each year by guns. T hat’ s about55 p e rd a y . A better case fo r all gun con tro l might e x is t, though, when combat deaths a re considered too. If a ll w ars and m ilita ry engagements this country e v e r has participated in « ereg oin g on today, the total d aily UJS. combat deaths, together with c u rre n t c iv ilia n gun deaths, would amount to 467 killed p er day. One m ight think (he end had com e. How ever, when this figu re is compered with the greatest k ille r of a ll > alcoholism - one wonders why there isn't any concern about the 41X1,000 A m ericans that die annually fro m this sickness. That’ s m ore than 1.100 per day. Why? P robably because the "p o w e rs that he" don't want inform ation put out that might disturb the " s y s te m " . And when you question a trem en dous source of revenue fo r government and business you’ ll find many deaf e a rs in Congress. Alcohol c o n s u m e tion lik e ly w ill not be outlawed but a substantial amount can be replaced by something le s t harm ful than smoking c i g arettes. Tobacco Is addic tive; m arijuana is not. If w e 're concerned about youth, look in any b ar on S atu r day night and it probeMy w ill be packed with young men and women - future alcoholics if they a re n ’ t a lre a d y . If public awareness ot Che damage by alcohol, by fa r the greatest k ille r of all.ca u s e s the subse quent legalization of m a r i juana as a substitute, then thia country w ill have done more fo r the people on a scale that this o r any other country e v e r has done before. The Oregon L eg islatu re w ill consider changes In the law on m arijuana in the next session. The question la - w ill (hey deal in " B la c k m o n ey" buy only (he equivalent of >2,51» in "w h ite money.** Blacks have known fo r a long tim e that we pay a " c o lo r ta x " In higher prices fo r food and other consumer products, as w ell as, in in stallm ent c re d it charges. The increasing unrest t o w a r d these p ractices could have se rious repercussions In the Black com munity to higher p ric e s fo r SUBSTANDARD g oals ami services could re sult in f a r m ore "s e le c tiv e buying" by Blacks than what we have been doing in the past. Ih e Black com m unity should with It In light of the needs of people, o r the needs of the "s y s te m " ? Wayne L . Johnson 4366 N jE . 41st Ave. Albany, Oregon Scientology D e a r E d ito r: I recently found that your paper c a rrie d our press re lease regarding the Church of Scientology's 22ndAnniversa ry , (T h u rs d a y , M ay 18th). I c e rta in ly hope that the a rtic le was of Interest to your read e rs . Thsnk you fo r helping make known our church's plans for helping the com m unity, s in c e re ly . Rev. Steven R, Heard The Church of Scientology of Washington State 910 E llio tt Avenue W. » ta ttle , Washington 98119 Now a m o ra to riu m has heen dec I a red on any new busing aid on busing that has been acted favorably upon by a F ed e ra l C o urt but which Is under ap peal. This w ill continue until Janu ary, 1974, o r u ntill all cases under appeal have teen ajialicated. The next result is and w ill 1« to slow down de segregation in the N orth and in the South. th e Richmond Case con solidating Richmond, Ches te rfie ld a id Henrico Counties school systems has been de nied by the Fourth C irc u it C ourt of Appeal. It w ill no doubt be appealed to thel nited Supreme C o u rt. I he education b ill a id its busing m oratorium w ill in a ll pro bability be signed into law before this a rtic le is w ritte n . Two things have happened here in A tlan ta. The D is tric t C o urt has denied aproposal by the N AACP which would re quire that a m ajo rity of each school in A tlan ta be black, ranging fro m 55 per cent to 87 p e r c e n t. T h is plan would have required m assive busing. 7 he N AACP plan req un ing this was a plan worked out by D r . Stoiee of M ia m i L ntve ratty In F lo rid a . Ih e court said in sum m ary that the Stoiee Plan would hasten the day when Atlanta would become an all - black school system and that since 1967 segregation In the Atlanta Public Schools has beenJueto de facto forces. It is the opin ion of this w rite r chat the Stoiee Plan would do what the courts say since the Atlanta Public School System has bean becoming M acker and b lacker since 1953. In 1953 the black-w hite ratio was approxim ately 70 p er cent white and 30 per cent black. In 1972 the white enrollm ent is 27 p e r cent and the Mack en ro llm en t is 73 p e r cent. A t lanta is an independent school system with five adjacent counties having a m a jo rity of w hites. To Institute the Stoiee Plan would make It easy fo r w hites to flee Into e ith e r one of the counties adjacent to A tla n ta . What Is the solution to dlls while Bight fro m (he C e n tral C ity? If the U . S. Supreme C ourt upholds t ie Richmond Case, It m ight w ell be that this would be the next step for x her school systems In the United States to follow . The A C L U has Just filed a suit requesting the consoli dation of nine school systems in M etrop olitan A tlan ta. This would Include M etropolitan A tlan ta, five adjacent counties and three city system s. Such a plan would c e rta in ly make the white flig ht m o re d tffic u lt. WASHINGTON BRIEFS ih e U , S. Justice f repart ment w ill attack racial dis crim in atio n In f ir e d ep a rt ments in Los Angeles. C h i cago and B irm ing ham . A ll face action under (he 1964 C iv il Rights Act which last M arc h was extended to cov e r state and local employees Of the anti-busing legisla tion passed by Congress, Rep. Augustus Hawkins ( b - C a llf) said the m easure "suspends the constitutional rights of black child ren . It not only ef fects busing of children but even those who walk tr school." no longer patronize those white stores that refuse to supply it with the same quality of services ami products that they give th e ir white custom e rs in other parts of the c ity . If white businesses In the Black com munity do not change th e ir attitudes toward Black custom ers It may be come necessary (oi (lie Black community to boycott, picket, a id dem onstrate against them . T his tim e , however, uni Ike the past, the picketing ami demon strations w ill be more mas sive ami more Intensified. " N a lio n w d e ," according to D . P a rk e Gibson, In " F h e >30 B illion N e g ro ," "th e Black community spends up to 33 per cent on food as compared to 23 pet cent of all A m e ric a n s ." M o re o v e r, m em bers of con gressional subcommittee in vestigated consumer com plaints ui m a jo r cutes ami tium l (hat superm arkets In the Black community in ia -m a ik e d package goxds, frozen fowls w ere half thawed, ami Ihe man agers adm itted that a fte r (wo days on the shelf, package! m eat was taken heck to t ie but- c le r 's block, repackaged, re labeled, and a new dale placed on the package. S lm ila r p r a c - tices are alleged to be occur ring in the g re a te r Model C it e s area here in P o rtland . A number of Blacks have In form ed this w r ite r that they have purchased a number of frozen m eats and la te r found that when they unthawed them. L en w o o d D a v is the meata w ere spoiled. V e ry little has le a n done by the government to in fu im and educate B la c k shoppers. Hem e , thia la one area that our local civic community organ izations can establish m ean- tntfful consum er educational p io g ra m s . Even iliough mean ingful consum er pioiecdon laws, no doubt, w ill have lo come (ru m national, slate, ami local government, consum er protection to combat sharp selling p ra c tic e s , excessive chaig es, poor i|uallty m e r chandise, abuse of c ie d li reg ulations, and im provem ent of garnishm ent laws would con tribute substantially to an im proved c lim a te among Black consumers toward white bus inesses. Blacks a re , aisl rig htfully so, in revolt agalnslfraudulent selling practices, hkklen g a r nishment p ra c tic e s , e tc . W hile legitim ate businesses have an interest In c u rta ilin g th e ir r i vals sharp p ractices, T H E MAJOR SOURGB OP CON- SI Ml-.R IN F O R M A T IO N FDR BLACKS COULD WEI I ■ KNDWIJ I x a .A B IE MEM BERS o f THE B I j ACK COM M U N IT Y IT S E L F I Note: P a rt 11 of Whlss Bus iness In the Black Com m unity w ill appear next week. ¥)ur ticket to the big game: 2Lincluding transportation You warn Io m the btg fam e So what do you do? I um iw llch oa your T V •»< And ma nvora of lha actum tfcaa moat of ihe mao on lha ftald You No got dm beat mal la tha houaa lo t about 2« worth of electnctty par game Sound Ilka a pratly food daal? I l la. Electnary ICS a bargain A ad wa know that bargarna arw hard to Sad today Almost aa hard to And aa enough lag room la lha graadataad RrificRMerwAw.— * * tb n ric U t rhar t a t t t UUagr altar far raarydady
