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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 1972)
Page 2 To Be Equal— MUST WMK TOGETHER FOR FULL AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT. t hursday September 28, 1972 The Northwest's Best Weekly A Black Owned Publication Published every Thursday by E xie Publishing Company, 2201 N. Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217 Subscriptions - $5.25 per year in Tr>-<3ounty area by m ail. Uutade the Tri-County aiea - $b.00 per year by m ail. Phone: 283-248c M ailing adress - P. O. Box 3137, P o n ia rd, Oregon 97208. ALFRED LEE HENDERSON. Publisher E d ito r INPA The Observer's official position is expressed only m its Publisher's Column (The Observation Post' and the E ditor's Desk. Any other m aterial throughout the paper is the op ion of the individual w rite r o r submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Observer. Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or' reputation of person, firm o r corporation, which may appear' in the Portland Observer w ill be cheerfully corrected ipon being brought to the attention of the E d ito r. i 1 The Editor’s Desk ALFRED LEE «lOERSON As I See It Black Republicans: Some observations by Vernon E. Jordan, J r . To Presuient Nixon and Senator McGovern: This open le tte r is oc casioned by the deep sense of d isp a ir felt by many of your black fellow citizens t f * t their interests are being neglected aid theirhopes ignored in this 'c ru c ia l election campaign. It is readily apparent that the great running would that has so crippled our nation — m o ra lly, economically and s p iritu a lly — is racism . It is equally apparent that the number one domestic p rio rity must be the revitalization of our urban areas. Ard yet, neither of these issues upon which the history of our country w ill turn, has been dealt with bv e ith e r can didate o r party with the hones ty ard detailed concern they demand. A political cemapegn is more than a completiuon fo r power and office; it is an opportunity to educate the public to the issues that so deeply affect their live s. This campaign in p a rticu la r,o ffe rs a m ajor opportunity to take the words and phrases that appeal to emotions and in stead, to initiate a great de bate on the real public policy issues of our tim e. This has not yet been done. Many black people sense, in stead, an open h ostility to th e ir cause, or, at best, a disinterest in our aspirations fo r a more equal, justsociety. The feeling is strong that white Americans are not being educated to the issues that affect our citie s and black people, and that black A m e ri- cans themselves have been neglected as a measure ot political expedience. I bis is a dangerous situa tion. It breeds cynicism and m is tiu s t of the political pro cess. It deflects national at tention from problems that need to ba solved. And black disaffection would well mani fest Itself in a reaction at the voting booth that could defeat either candidate, both he who takes black votes fo r granted and be who p re maturely may have w ritten them off. There are numerous as pects of the nation's educa tional system that need se ri ous discussion on the national level, » ith clear proposals on how education problems a f fecting black children w ill he met by the Administration. Problems of school finance, upgrading ghetto schools, early childhood development and others come readily to mind. Instead, the onlyeducational issue that has been aired has been the a rtific ia l anddivisive issue of fusing. A matter that has been ade juately lealt with by the judiciary has teen thrown needlessly into the political arena, unleasing vio lent emotions and im periling the constitutional rights of little black children. C ities are decaying and housing fo r poor ami lower income fam ilies is virtually non-existent. Black people, caught in a desperate ‘•ousing c ris is , look to political cam- paigners fo r their views on this basic issue and fo r pro posals to eliminate housing inequities ami fo r rational development of land re sources. But, as yet, such proposals have not l«en forth coming. With both candidates jo in ing in the attack on a so- called quota system which is, in reality, merely a practical system of guidelines fo r the inclusion of black people into the labor force, we are faced with what appeal to 1« with drawal of prospects fo r equality of employment op portunities. And with neither candidate offering a welfare reform program black people can support, replacing serious discussion of poverty with at tacks on those whom our eco nomy has so sorely tailed, black Americans are again faced by withdraw il ami ne glect, N o r has either can didate dealt with issues sue! as penal reform o r a con structive African policy. It is not too late to change the disastrous direction m which this camjieign seems headed. It is not too late to clim b tack to high gnund tfiroug! serious consideration ot tie needs arid aspirations of 25 m illio n black A m eri cans and fo r tfie future of our nation that I ask fo r positive signs that black Americans too, are welcome in the “ new ma o rity ,'* and (lack people too, are included in the America we are asked " to oine hon e " to . The choice is ours Recently the House of Representatives passed a repressive amt-busing b ill which, if passed by the Senate, could reopen a il school desegregation cases and create complete chaos. Even in d is tric ts where desegregation has proceded peace- fillly fo r a number of years, segregated schools could be restored. This b ill was pushed through the House by Edith Green, the Congresswoman from Oregon. The b ill could go to the Senate fo r approval w ithin the next few days. The Leadership Conference on C iv il Rights has asked that concerned citizens w rite their Senators and ask that they vote against this racist b ill. It is a well known fact that Senators do respond to the w ill of their constituents_ especially in an election year. But we are not so sure about the Senators from Oregon— they have never been very responsive to the needs and the appeals of black people. Mark Hatifield, who is campaigning fo r reelection in November, has always talked about c iv il and human rights. But he also talks on both sides of the case—he told a cor respondent from the OREGON JOURNAL that he opposes busing to lesson racial isolation, yet told the OBSERVER that he favors busing to fu rth e r desegregation. Except fo r his anti-w ar policy, be bas steadily moved to a more con servative position during his six years in office. His vote on this issue bears watching. Bob Packwood's views on busing are not known to the OBSERVER. Packwood has attempted to stick with Nixon when possible, but to go with the m ajority at all costs. On the .ote on the confirmation of Haynsworth to the Supreme Court, which was opposed by a ll black and c iv il rights or ganizations, Packwood withheld his vote until a ll other Senators had voted, and when the outcome was clear, be joined the m a jo rity. Hardly an act of leadership! Packwood’ s four years in the Senate have been largely devoted to work on an a n ti-la b o r b ill which Nixon has now forsaken. This is not a very imposing record fo r our Junior Senator. These are our Senators because they were chosen by the people of Oregon. M r. Hatfield is now asking that the people o i Oregon return him to the Senate. But where has M r. Hat field been when we needed him? Now the choice is ours. W ill we choose M ark H atifield— who bas hesitantly supported our rights but who has often voted against us? O r w ill »e choose Wayne Morse, whose long and courageous record in the senate placet him squarely and consistently on our sxfe ’ The choice is ours . . . . < If you send your name and address we w ill be glad to pring your le tte r regarding the Black Caucus. E ditor Dear E d ito n 1 must commend you on your editorial of September 21. Jim Rogers SHOP ■ENOW'S L FOR WASHINGTON POST September 13, 1972 A t some point in the next few days o r weeks, depending on how a p o litica l/p e rlia m e n - tary wrangle comes out, the Senate may be obliged to take up HR 13915, a te rrib le b ill that only incidentally may be termed an ' ’ anti-busing’ ’ measure. It would be more appropriately called the Urban Chaos A ct of 1972, That is because, although the b ill purports to be a legislative e ffo rt to put some lim its on school desegregation plans requiring busing, a combina tion of cynicism and hysteria in the House has transformed it into something quite d if ferent. HR 13915 would en join both federal courts and the executive branch from compelling any desegregation pan that involved the "tra n s portation of any student to a school other than the school closest o r next closest to his place of residence.” It would also provide fo r lor.g-settled school cases to "b e reopened and modified to comply with the provisions of this A c t." Wbat a ll this means is not Dear B rother Henderson: 1 am very pleased to dis cover that "T he Observer” can use "Soul Purpose” . 1 read through a backlog of three of your papers as 1 returned to my office after much traveling and 1 was very Impressed with the quality new m aterial. As I ’ ve read the larger white newspaper during thia election year 1 wish to es pecially commend and en courage your honest in pub lishing. 1 am in hopes of visiting you soon in Portland, Thanks again. “ B r a n d s you know Sincerely yours, Chuck Singleton V A R IE TIES you like I TU I Stoc« In Town I « W 1901 . • > • . » •» . .*/•.» J • vou . • * • . w ant A » M x s 1 .. ... ' • ' * A . K Q, US|, , 0 &toC(w m en tio n e d men have te e n life tu n e D em o ra ts and fo r them to becom e o v e rn ig h t " B la c k R e p u b lic a n s " I m u s t question H e i r m i liv e s . M o re o v e r, th is Another point of view Letters to the Editor Linda Sue: by Lenwood G. Davis I can understand— to some degiee— how some long time Black Republicans w ill sup port the Republican Party and President Nixon in the forth coming election. I can not understand how some long time Black Democrats w ill support the Republican Party and President Nixon in the upcoming elections. Recently, some Black Republicans and Democrats raised $25,000 at a $100-per-plate dinner fo r President Nixon’s leelection. This act along brought sharp c ritic is m tn the ranks of both Black Republicans and Democratic P a ttie s. Need less to say. the Black popu lation in general was also c ritic a l of that a ffa ir. home of the national known Blacks that have come out and supported M r. Nixon included: ham m y Davis, J r.; jm . Brown; D r. Charles G. Hurst, J r „ President of Malcolm \ College in Chicago. Floyd Me K issick, form er d ire cto r of Cl>RE and developer of Soul C ity, N.C.; Roy Innis, D ire c to r of CURE; Stanley s. Scott, Assistant D ire cto r of Com munication attheW I iteHouse: Robert J. Brown. Special A s s is t a n t to President Nixon; . , . etc. Georgia state Representative J u lia n Bond called them a "new breed of political p ro sti- tutes’ I rarely agree with M r. Bond's suppositions, > » e v e r on this point 1 do agree M any of the atove Anonymous ’Residents of the Model Neighborhood’ : The salary of Portland City Commissioners is $22,132 a year. Chalmers J ones or any one appointed w ill receive that salary. The Mayor’ s salary is $28,898. just that enactment of this measure would put a -ard won record of southern school desegregation in jeopardy. It also means that judges and federal administrators would be invited to remedy unlawful discrim ination in a way likely to enhance social tensions without providing a com mensurate gain—or any gain at a ll— in the quality of the txised children's schooling. F o r the legislators have, in effect, done two things. They have voted to spare high in come persons such ts them selves and the communities in which they live the incon veniences that attend busing orders. But they have also made sure, in their " c l sest o r next closest” school pro vision, that the impact of out- *a rd hound ghetto fusing w ill be hardest felt in those ad jacent blue-collar, lower- income "e th n ic” communities whose schools have least to offer poor black children and where racial feelings are the most inflamed, [he word is overworked these days, tu t never mind; This is a tru ly e litis t peice of legislation. The cynicism that under lies all this posturing has a happy home at the.NIxonWhite House, which was the w e ll- spring of t!«se election year e ffo rts. It is compounded when you realized, firs t, that a number of the big busing cases in contention came to us as a result of ea rlie rN ixo n adm inistration desegregation efforts and, second, that it is commonly assumed that the Supreme Court this fall w ill establish firm outer lim its to mandatory busing in tny event. But such things are meant to be overlooked in tfie great legislative suction now going on. It is an auction in which the White House and certain sp iritu a lly attuned (o r p o litica lly frightened' legis lators keep bidding up the moderate middle. Introducing and countenancing ever more reckless measures w ith a view to forcing tie other ultim ately to buy a so-called " a n ti- busing comprimise program well beyond anything that con science o r sense can recom mend. Thus it is that the same teleagured senators of tfie middle may te put to tie test once again when HR 13915 comes to the flo o r. Being w rite r can only conclude that some ol them are obvious “ Opportunists'*. It is suing« tiist Floyd McKissick had leen tryin g fo r years to get the F a ie ra l Government to loan him several m illio n d o llais fo r the development ol Soul C ity, N .C „ aid the kept giving as it relates tu Black |»ople huu the run around and then because It s|«aks fo r »sell. they changed th e ir minds and Before Blacks support P resi gave him a $14 m illio n HDD dent Nixon, aid tl« Republican grant. Wlist implications can P a tty, we must ask ourselves Iw drawn from Uns decision? what lias tt« Republican Party I wonder! done (o r Black people over Most colleges ui America Uie |>ast three aid a halt are lacing drastic financial years? What have they done c ris is , yet Malcolm \ College in employment, housing, in Chicago is ex|ianduig with schools, war, iKivetty, ect.? the help of tr«e Federal Gov Some ol tlese ' ’ turncoats'* ernment aid private louida- w ill say that it is not what tlons. \A list implication can tt« Republican P atty lesdor« !e drawn from this situation' in tl« |iast, lu t what it w ill I »order1 do in tl« future. L e t's turn that question around, not »tiat I ’a ie n th e tia lly , most otthe the Rei>ut'lican Party w ill do, Blacks that t i e supporting lu t what lias it dot«,* 11« M r . Nixon surmise thatBlacks Republican P arty's record— must liave a two party system ui , iv il rights, employment, aid U n the Republican Party housing, schools--speaks tor must actively reek the Black itse lf. Need J say more,' vote. Consequently, it Bla>. ks It is co n ce ive ah le tlia t if vote aid support them, we w ill get a bigger piece ot is doubttul--(ur President t! e pie aid some say so in Nixon aid ttie Reixihlleans. G o v e r n m e n ta l P olicies. Blacks would (that is the Hence, Black people w ill bene masses ol Blacks tenet It aid fit trom this alliance' 11« receive some pieces of tl« question that comes to my pie. At this juncture of tt« mind ts which gi uup ot Blacks game, we liave no precedence » ill twnefit. ulwiously, not oi assurance that Black people the masses ol Black people, »UI even get an invitation tu unly those Blacks that are tt« ! an juet, let alone le in already in "p o w e r" ard liave vited to stere in the (east. influence w ill gain from tins However, I suppose »e w ill alliance »ith sue! i stunge get It« le ftuveis--as usual-- le d le llu w . i o believe other- it * e supported tt« Republican »rse is sheer fo lly. P arty. It is not necessary to state 1 his is oi« election w l«re the R e publican P a r ty ’ s record .'¡ere is s cle a r choice. W lelhei Blacks are R e|uhli- cans o r Democrats, we must vote. A lte r a ll, tl« Demo crats liave taken tt« "B la ck Vote” (or granted fo r too lung, I l«y also liave pro politicians, presumably tl«y mised much, tu t deliveied too would like an ’ antl- little . Tie Democrats record busing" vote in their record. in tl« area of c iv il rights, I he question, forced upon employment, housing, shcools them by the White House ard speaks to r itself, and from Com|«ny, Is whether tl«y w l« re I am sitting it dues want such a vote badly enough not look to w ell. to support legislation that Is It would 1« e rrant dog- on its (ace a fra u d and a hoax ' alien. H a m i I Het all of ard a cruel hoax at that. A tl« manifestations of Black m ajority in tl# House has Reiubliciam have teen un already indicated that it does. raveled in thia a rticle . Many ram ifications remain obscure awaiting the tool of tim e. Play Pool With Ron Hendren A YOUNG VIEW OF W ASHINGTON HOW TO WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN W A SH IN G TO N "Dear Senator,” the let ter began "What are we going to do about pornography? It has even crept into my favorite television programs, and I ’m so embarrassed Please, Senator, tell me what I can do about pornography on The Senator's eyes flashed mischie vously as he dictated one o f the shortest congressional responses on record “ Dear Madam Turn it o ff Sincerely, Stephen M Young. USS." Until his retirement in 1970, Stephen Young (D -O hio) was known throughout the Senate and indeed around the world for his cryptic responses to constituents who wrote what he considered stupid letters. During his career Young, like other representatives of populous states, re ceived thousands of pieces o f mail each week As a result, stupid letters were not hard to come by, and Young's collection of replies is now considered classic. (One of his favorites was "Dear Sir Some idiot ls going around putting your signature on insulting letters, and I am advising you so that you can take steps to protect your good name .” ) But Senator Young’s reputation not withstanding, constituent mail Is taken seriously by most members of Congress, and during a national political campaign is as good a time as any to let your officials know your views. There are a few simple do’s and don’t's which will make your letters, telegrams and phone calls more effective First, letters They should be short and to the point, always on one page and generally covering no more than one subject Do expect a reply signed by your representative but don't be surprised if he per «on ally never sees either your letter or hia reply Remember, legislators (Senators especially) receive hundreds and in tome caaes even thousands of pieces o f mall each day To answer each one personally would be an impossible task It should be enough for you to know that most legislators view their mail as an important barometer o f public opinion As a result, they pay attention to if and your letter makes its mark along with all the others Telegrams are often even more effec tive For one thing, their cost forces you to be concise and for another the Sen ator will realize you felt strongly enough to make an investment larger than the price of a stamp. You should know that there . are .. special rates for telegrams to the Presi dent, to Congressmen, to Senators or to other important government officials. While a regular 1 5-word telegram message would cost $5 45, you can wire your representative in Washington a message of equal length for $1.2$ ($1 00 for tele grams to your state government officials) Check with your local Western Union office for details, but in all cases remem ber to ask for the special rates. Telephone calls are acceptable, but it's better to put your views in writing. If you do telephone, don't expect to speak to the Congressman or Senator himself Ask for one o f his legislative assistants and above all be succinct Remember, it's costing you money on both ends for the phone call in the first place plus taxes to help pay that assistant's salary (While some efforts have been made to provide for toll free phone calls to the President and members o f Congress, don’t bet on it happening soon The costs for staff to handle the increased load would be astro nomical ) But no matter the medium you choose, communicate. It's worth the trouble because your voice will be heard And that is the essence of representative government ^C opyright IV» 1 by W A S H IN G T O N W E E K LY . Inc All rlfhls rn a rv til • tl Bob 'Woody’ Wtxdard of Inner City l«velopm ent Company demonstrates tl« M a rse illa is pool shot at Geneva’ s Re gulation Tables. GENEVA’S 25222— Call On Us for a step-saving extension telephone. © Pacific Northwest Bell