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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1973)
P orti and/Observer Thursday, March 1, 1973 Pige 3 0E0 cutbacks protested - with vigor! by Mary DesCamp (Statements below are the »pinion of the author, and Hot neceaaarily of all members of the Albina Ministerial Al lianre.) Five representatives of the A lb in a Ministerial Alii »nee Reverend Benjamin Owre, Reverend Roaell Gil more. Reverend Dale S titt, Reverend Allen Wilson, and Ms. Mary DesCamp left Portland Monday evening, February 19. to attend a massive and impressive rally on the steps of the Nation's Capitol Building to peacefully yet vehemently voice objer tion and ronrern regarding President Nixon's recent im pounding of social services funds. The national Association for C om m unity Develop ment. an organization com posed of d ire c to rs and workers in the many social programs which will be se verely and adversely affect ed by the President's ac lions, declared February 20. 1973 “National Mobilization for Domestic Unity," and was Largely responsible for organizing the Rally. Some estimated the crowd to be aa large as H0.000 100.000 citizens, although the nation al news media reported a significantly lower number. Spokesmen for the Wash ington, D.C. Police Depart ment, however, released an estimate of the number of persons in attendance prior to the arrival of the major ity of protestors, and the general tendency of news papers and television and radio stations throughout the country was to play down the size and signifi rance of this well organized and peaceful group. The A M A Representatives traveled on a chartered plane from Seattle to Haiti more with approximately N5 members of Region X of the Northwest Association for Commurtity Development, of which Cleveland Gilcrease is the (’resident. Mr. Gilcrease did a magnificent job in organizing the Northwest group, anil made it possible for the entire trip to go smoothly. Penneys Stocking Sale. Once-a-year chance to Save 25%. Though in a mood of protest, the passengers of the Skyfari charter flight were a genial and exuberant group that night as we “Bleeding heart liberals,” as our political and ideological opponents are wont to label us, always seem to enjoy each others’ company and derive strength and optimism from our shared ideals and goals. Fortunately, the snark bar eventually opened and the temperature r<»se outside, enabling all of us to lake advantage of the free time preceding the rally engaging in various activities visiting different senators' and rep resentatives' offices, obtain ing passes to Senate and House hearings, observing (most of us for the first time) th e rooms and corridors where the laws of this coun try are made. Some of us attended part of a Senate session, in which Senators H u m p h rey and K ennedy presented a bill banning fur ther nuclear testing. Senate Passes and mementoes of this nature are always great for our children to take to “show and tell" t i m e at school, and we learned a great deal about "govern ment in action” before the actual rally began. W ith Reverend Dale S titt as Acting Physical Fitness Director, four A .M .A . mem bers hiked to the White House and were duly im pressed both by the dis tanre from the Capitol to the W hite House and by the ability of a man who lives in such an elaborate mansion (which serves as only one of his places of residence) to stomp down so cruelly upon the dreams and aspirations of those who still reside in ghettos and sharks. The rally itself would be impossible to describe in detail, without asking for a full page or two in this newspaper. but several ma jor conclusions could be d raw n from p a rtic ip a tio n therein. It was most en couraging to see the degree to which the various and diverse groups represented D e ve lo p m en t, and many, are united in spirit, intent, many others in this country, and dedication. During times don't want to see it deferred of crisis, people who might and it is up to us to give ordinarily disagree with each everything we've got to other strongly on tactics, make certain that the troops etc. seem to come together are mobilized, organized, and with a sense of common equipped with the resources purpose. This sense of pur pose was very visible at and talents to see that every the Tuesday rally. person in this nation is We heard from a large guaranteed a decent life and full citizenship in every re number of gifted and inspir sped. ing speakers, including Shir ley Chisholm. Bella Abzug. A fter the rally. The Ore Jesse Jackson, Coretta King. gon Delegation met with Senator Hatfield, who an Ralph Abernathy. Jacob Ja vita. etc. Though each de sw ered several questions livered a message in his own posed by members of the unique way and with his own group and stated his position individual style, the point on the OEO. Senator Hat field is firmly "with us” in came across: “We won't let this happen. We shall over opposition to the dismantling of this agency. He feels come.” K in g Richard will not continue to rule that if OEO is allowed to disintegrate as an agency, without the safety valve of the system of checks and the programs will cease to balances which our Constitu exist. He also stated that tion g uaran tees us and over a third of the national budget is still going into which our President has v i olated. The monies cannot defense spending, and he is violently opposed to this be impounded because they archaic and senseless policy. have already been allocated. By Law, by the Congress Senator Hatfield also ex of the United States, and p r e s s e d his d i s s a t i s many Senators and Repre ta c tio n for the R e v sentatives are fighting Nix enue Sharing Program, call ing it a "carrot" which was on's cutbacks vehemently, being given the people to both for the sake of the pacify them when their so oppressed in our country cial programs were cut off. and for the sake of our Hatfield also mentioned a system of government. If bill he is introducing con Nixon is able to dismantle cerning the formation of OEO. democracy is farcical, and we might as well offici neighborhood corporations, ally call the I S A. a dicta which hopefully would give torial country. But none of citizens more control over the allocation of funds in us attending that rally had lost complete hope. We their own districts. were there, as one speaker Jesse Jackson, during the put it. "Not because we rally, led us in a chant we wanted to be. but because have ail heard before, which we had to be . . . begins: I am, I am some body. I may be poor. I may Bella Abzug urged (in her be Black. I may be on w el own strong, inimitable fash fare. but I am somebody." ion) that every one of us go bark home and fight for This w riter is neither what is rightfully ours to Black, poor, or on welfare. She was lucky somewhere use the training and experi ence in organizing which has along the line and missed out on the human cruelty been learned through OEO and other programs to suffered by over 30 million utilize every resource possi people in this country. But ble in stopping Richard Nix on's disastrous and inhu mane policies. Coretta King said that "The Dream has been De ferred". but the National Association for Community she still came home in a fighting mood. King Rich ard may sit on Pennsylvania Avenue and. like an aging despot veto crucial bills and impound funds to boost his ego, support his personal power trip, and serve the special interest g ro u p s which financed his re-elec tion, but we're going to let him know that his trigger happy executive ball point [»en just has to cool it, because poor people are sick and tired of cooling it. FO R B R A N D S y o u know V A R IE T IE S y o u lik i S IZE S v o u w a n t •’ « t a • R » a < to » Gt .4 *« Lo»e>b«'4 «• G>e B M 'tly « 1 B ?r»«f a ’ S t Ü • M tM H fB Of UNITED GROCERS N E W ... PORTLAND MEADOWS OPERATED BY JERRY COLLINS ENTERPRISES INC FOB RESERVATIONS CALL 2BSB144 SERVICE CHARGE PASSES NOW AVA ILAB LE — SEND A STAMPED SELF ADDRESSED ENVELOPE TO PORTLANO MEADOWS. 1001 N SCHMEER ROAD. PORTLAND, ORE 97117 FEATURING THE PERFECTA ANO THE FABULOUS "BIG PERFECTA" GRAND OPENING Saturday, March 3 "Voice of the NÀACP” I by Ellis C asso n , P re s id e n t Sale 3 1.» 2 « Stockings: Reg. 3 for 2.95. Terrific savings on your favorite seamless stockings. Sheer Arresta ru n ® o r sheer double limp, plain knit stockings. All in fashion shades. Stock up now and save. Sizes 97» to 11 S, A, L. Sale 3 tor l 50 Stockings: Reg. 3 tor 12 Seamless stretch, plain knit stockings in fashion shades. Sizes 8 , A, L. Sale 2 ” Support stockings: Reg. 3.98 Support stockings of sheer Spandex nylon. Fashion colors. Sizes 87i to 11. S ab 2 ” Support stockings: Reg. 34. Total support panti hose with nude heel styling. Fashion shades. Sizes S, A, I,. In queen sizes short and tall. Reg. 35. Sale 3.M . Sale prices effective through Sunday. JCPenney We know what you’re looking for. On February 14th. I at tended a meeting at Port land Stale University where Carl Rowan, noted w riter and lecturer, was the priori pal speaker. As I looked around. I noticed a few Blacks but not nearly e nough to show their respect and appreciation for such a great American. Carl Row an is a man of courage and tells it the way it is whether we want to hear it or not. Judge Mercedes Deiz. in her wonderful way, intro duced Mr. Rowan by refer ing to remarks he made just a few days before arriving in Portland. Therefore, in case you missed the meeting, t h e w rite up, I want to share it with you this week. I trust all of us will take heed to what he is saying and let us get our heads and minds together. Rowan wrote on February 4th: " It is time Blacks especially young Blacks stopped deluding themselves into believing t h a t t h e sheepish following of stupid fads is 'Black solidarity*. “It is time to stop swal lowing this malarkey that styling your hair in ¡10 nap py plaits, with enough head skin showing to cane bottom granny's rocker, is the epi tome of pride in racial heri Luge.' Nothing galls me more than a Black dude who is culling classes, or who nev er reads a newspaper or magazine or bonk, who won't hold onto a job, or won't give a dime to help some needy Black, sitting around the barber shop or |w»ol hall or (he student union talking about how his ‘rags' or his 'fro' symbolizes Black pride. “Black people in t h i s country face a grueling chai lenge of survival. Many of the most powerful forces in the land are arrayed against us these days, some openly and M fflt secretly. So we need to put down all the nonsense and bull, and get about the business of man ning the ramparts. I don't give a damn how you style your hair; what bothers me is that you spend more time on your hair than on your physics or English class. “That folderol over 'ancient African hairstyles' gave n.e a special pain in the scalp because I read it just after reading a very troubling article by a Black senior at Harvard. “This young man. Sylvester Monroe, wrote in the Satur day Review of Education, about what has happened as Black students have let their search for 'Blackness' and 'pride' carry them to a sep aratism that shuts them off from the i n t e l l e c t u a l strength of Harvard. Monroe quotes a Black Harvard professor. Martin A. Kilson, as saying: 'The problem with Black students at Harvard is that they are too caught up in ideology. Most people who deal in ideologies believe only 10 per cent of it, at most. But Blacks at Harvard want to believe 90 per cent of their own ideological bull . , . “So true. A lot of young people think they are show ing W hitey. They are going through his university, tak ing his degree, without sub mitting to the rigors of his academic procedures. They get away with it because W hitey doesn’t know how to cope with ‘Black solidarity'. “But these young Blacks a re snowing themselves. Sometimes destroying them selves. Not many are as honest as Monroe, who ad mils that he is nervous as hell about leaving Harvard to compete in a 'complex, demanding w h i t e world.’ Monroe fears that he has screwed himself by spending three years at Harvard in 'an isolated Black vacuum.' "Let’s face reality: We (Please turn to page 5. Col 6) St. jO y U E R Y PICK-UP • M LIYfPY RMMR * LAM MOWERS' BICYCLES 7017 N. L O M B A R D — A C R O S S STREET F R O M FRED MEYER You Can W IN A 3-Speed Bicycle W e O pen at 9 A .M .— Drawing W ill Be at 2 P.M. No Purchase Necessary, Just Your Presence Is Required C om e in and see for yourself— FREE C o ffe e , Punch and Cookies W a feature assorted sizes and colors of 10 Speed Jeunets, Crystals. 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