Page 2
Portland/O bserver
Thursday, June 14, 1973
WE SEE THE WORLD
Party needs unity
THROUGH BLACK EYES
ALFRED LEE HENDERSON
EDITOR/PUBLISHER
EDITORIAL FOCUS
MSC agencies
lack commitment
The A lb in a M u lti-S e rv ic e C en te r is p ro v id in g
services fo r th e p e o p le o f A lb in a a n d as an e x p e ri­
m e n t in th e m u lti-s e rv ic e ce n te r c o n c e p t it is a
success.
But th e c o m m itm e n t o f th e a g e n c ie s
h ou sed in th e ce n te r to e m p lo y Blacks is sa dly
la c k in g .
W e m ust re m e m b e r th a t th e M u lti-S e rv ic e C en te r
has o n ly a sm a ll s ta ff e m p lo y e d by th e c e n te r a n d
re s p o n s ib le to the d ire c to r.
The d ire c to r has no
a u th o rity o v e r th e p o lic ie s o f the a g e n c ie s or o ve r
th e ir p e rs o n n e l.
W h e n fu n d e d by M o d e l C ities o ne o f th e s tip u la ­
tio n s w as th a t th e a g e n cie s e m p lo y re sid e n ts o f the
a re a a n d th a t o p p o rtu n itie s fo r Blacks be d e ­
v e lo p e d .
Som e o f th e a g e n c ie s m o ve d in to th e c e n te r
w ith a ll- w h ite staffs.
For e x a m p le , th e W e lfa re
D e p a rtm e n t tra n s fe rre d its o n ly Black s u p e rviso r to
th e p o s itio n o f o ffic e d ire c to r a n d th e rest o f the
sta ff w as w h ite .
O f course a t th e tim e it w as
im p o ssib le to tra n s fe r Black c a se w o rk e rs to the
o ffic e because th e M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty W e lfa re
D e p a rtm e n t h ad m a d e it a p o lic y fo r ye ars to a v o id
h irin g Blacks.
But fo u r ye ars h a v e passed a nd
w ith th e tre m e n d o u s tu rn o v e r W e lfa re has, th e re
co u ld h a ve b e e n a g re a t increase in the n u m b e r o f
Black p ro fe s s io n a ls d u rin g th is p e rio d . In fa c t, o ne
Black a id e , w h o w as re fu se d e m p lo y m e n t as a
ca se w o rk e r in M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty, w as
w e ll
e n o u g h q u a lifie d to b e c o m e a su pe rviso r in
a n o th e r co u n ty . The o n ly c h a n g e in W e lfa re is th a t
it n o w has a w h ite d ire c to r. The J u v e n ile C ourt,
a lth o u g h a m uch s m a lle r o ffic e , is m uch th e sam e.
Their o n ly Black su p e rviso r w as tra n s fe rre d to
A lb in a a n d th e rest o f the p ro fe s s io n a l s ta ff is
w h ite
-- since th e re a re no Black co un selors
w ith th e J u v e n ile C ourt.
M u ch o f th e e a rly c o n flic t in th e M u lti-S e rv ic e
C en te r w as th e re su lt o f the a ll- w h ite a g e n c y p ro ­
fe s s io n a l s ta ff's lack o f u n d e rs ta n d in g o f the
c o m m u n ity a n d o f Black p e o p le , a n d th e ir re la tio n ­
ship to th e n e a rly a ll-B la c k n o n -p ro fe s s io n a l s ta ff
o f th e ce nte r. Lack o f d e fin itio n o f a u th o rity a nd
lin e s o f c o m m u n ic a tio n a n d d iffe re n c e s in in te r­
p re ta tio n o f th e stru ctu re by th e ce n te r a d m in is tra ­
tio n a n d th e a g e n c ie s a d d e d to th e co n fu s io n . It is
p ro b a b le th a t th e cu rre n t criticism on th e p a rt o f an
a g e n cy s ta ff m e m b e r w as d u e to racism a n d a lack
o f a cce p ta n ce o f th e r e la tiv e ly fre e a tm o s p h e re as
c o m p a re d to th e ty p ic a l stru ctu re d p u b lic a g e n cy.
If th e ce n te r is to s u rv iv e a n d to p ro v id e
o p tim u m services, th e a u th o rity o f th e d ire c to r m ust
be s tre n g th e n e d
A lth o u g h each a g e n c y m ust
h a ve a u to n o m y , the ce n te r d ire c to r or a c e n te r
b o a rd m ust h a v e so m e a u th o rity o v e r w h o is as­
sig n e d to w o rk in th e ce n te r a n d o v e r in -h o u se
p o licie s.
He m ust h a ve som e in p u t in to p o lic y
m a k in g o f th e a g e n cie s, e v e n if th is re q u ire s
p a rtic ip a tio n a t th e state le v e l.
These a g e n c ie s ca m e to th e ce n te r w ith th e id e a
th a t it w o u ld p ro v id e an o p p o rtu n ity to e x p lo re
n e w m e th o d s o f th e d e liv e ry o f services.
They
k n e w citize n s p a rtic ip a tio n in p la n n in g a n d in
e m p lo y m e n t w o u ld be re q u ire d
They h a v e not
m et these re q u ire m e n ts .
The a g e n c ie s m ust be re q u ire d to h ire Blacks at
a ll leve ls.
W e a re not a d v o c a tin g a n a ll-B la c k
c e n te r, b u t a n e n d to a ll- w h ite staffs in A lb in a a n d
th ro u g h o u t th e state. There is no excuse fo r the
e xclu sio n o f Blacks fro m p ro fe s s io n a l e m p lo y m e n t
w ith g o v e rn m e n ta l a g e n cie s. The c o m m itm e n t to
e q u a lity m ust be s ta te -w id e a n d it m ust be
im m e d ia te .
Watergate reveals
Society’s corruption
O n e o f th e m ost tra g ic re v e la tio n s to c o m e o ut
o f th e W a te rg a te a ffa ir is n ot th e in v o lv e m e n t o f
th e p re s id e n t, th e c o rru p tio n o f those closest to h im
or th e e x te n t to w h ic h these p e o p le w e n t to o b ta in
pow er
The re a l re v e la tio n
w as the b lin d
o b e d ie n c e o f th e lesser characters w h o b ro k e the
la w a n d c o m m itte d p e rju ry a t th e c o m m a n d o f
th e ir s u pe rio rs.
These a re n ot m en w h o w e re p e tty c rim in a ls
in v o lv e d in stree t c rim e to m a k e ends m ee t. They
are w e ll e d u c a te d m e n w ith su b s ta n tia l careers
b e h in d th e m a n d w ith p ro m is in g fu tu re s in la w ,
business a n d g o v e rn m e n t. W h y d id th e y p u t a sid e
p rin c ip a ls a n d a ll th a t th e y had b e e n ta u g h t to
b e lie v e ? W h y d id th e y put th e p o litic a l ca re e r o f
one m a n b e fo re th e ir conscience?
They say because th e y fe a re d th e y w o u ld be
re je c te d if th e y to ld th e tru th .
In o th e r w ords,
so cial a c c e p ta n c e w as p ut a h e a d o f conscience
a nd p rin c ip a l.
It b e h o o v e s the p e o p le o f this n a tio n to ta ke a
look a t a so cie ty th a t creates such u n th in k in g
o b e d ie n c e in its " fin e s t y o u n g m e n " . For it is the
sam e so cie ty th a t has p ro m o te d o pp re ssio n b ased
on skin c o lo r, the re le g a tio n o f a la rg e s e g m e n t o f
the p o p u la tio n to a b |e c t p o v e rty , a ca llo usn ess to
the h u m a n p ro b le m s o f its c itiz e n ry , the a c c e p ­
tance o f ille g a l a n d im m o ra l w a rfa re , a n d c rim e in
hig h p laces. W e c a n n o t e x p e c t y o u n g p e o p le w h o
are ra is e d in such a so cie ty — w h e re m o n e y a n d
p o w e r a re s u p re m e — to d e v e lo p standards a n d
values w ith w h ic h to m a k e p ro p e r d ecisions.
W a te rg a te sh o u ld cause A m e ric a n s to ta ke a
g o o d lo o k a t th e m s e lv e s a n d th e n to b e g in r e ­
stru c tu rin g so cie ty to p la c e th e m a jo r e m p ha sis on
h u m a n va lu es. It sh o u ld cause A m e ric a n s to fin d a
w a y to v a lu e a s a tis fy in g life fo r a ll its c itize n s
a b o v e e c o n o m ic p ro fits a n d a d v a n ta g e fo r the fe w
O n ly th e n w ill the n a tio n 's y o u n g m e n h ave the
in te g rity to re fu s e to se ll o ut th e ir consciences fo r
social a c c e p ta n ce .
W ith G o v e rn o r M c C a ll's possible d e fe c tio n to the
D e m o cra tic Party, a tte n tio n turns to th e fu tu re o f
the p a rty a n d its e ffo rts in the u p c o m in g ele ction s.
A stron g S e na te race w ith M cC a ll c h a lle n g in g
P a ckw oo d s h o u ld a d d strength to th e to p o f the
D e m o cra tic Party. M cC a ll has not d o n e a ll that he
c o u ld in th e f ie ld o f a ffirm a tiv e a c tio n a n d e q u a l
o p p o rtu n ity as g o v e rn o r - he has n ot used the
in flu e n c e a n d p o w e r th a t is his. But, w h e th e r w e
a g re e w ith h im or not, he has spoken o ut on
c o n tro v e rs ia l issues. D u rin g his fo u r years plus in
th e U n ite d States Senate, P a ckw oo d has been
re lu c ta n t to ta k e a stand on a n y th in g a n d w e s till
d o n ot see a Black on his s ta ff.
The D em ocrats h ave a n u m b e r o f g o o d p e o p le in
p o s itio n to ru n fo r state o ffic e b ut a re in d a n g e r o f
fig h tin g a m o n g th e m s e lv e s a n d lo s in g o ut a g a in .
N o w is th e tim e fo r the p a rty to m a k e p la ns fo r the
1974 race w ith a slate d e s ig n e d to d e fe a t the
Tom Bradley's victory in
the Los Angeles mayoral
election is the most dramatic
signal to date of a new era in
m inority participation in
American politics.
Bradley's win over incum­
bent Mayor Sam Yorty in
the nation's third largest city
should put to rest assump­
tions that Black candidates
win only in areas with major
ity or large Black popula
tions. In Los Angeles, only
15 per cent of the potential
voters are Black. Moreover,
the great majority of the
Bradley v ote came from
whites.
The large white vote de
monstrates that white voters
ran look beyond race in
judging the merits of can
didates for elective office.
The interracial Bradley
campaign, coupled with the
broad support he received, is
evidence of the effective
V A R IE T IE S y o u lik
SIZE S * o u w a n t
•
M IM M I *
I
U N ItIO
G R O C IW s
o p p o n e n t.
The m ost ta lk e d a b o u t p o te n tia l c a n d id a te s fo r
the g o v e rn o rs h ip a re Jim R edden, Jason Boe a nd
Betty Roberts.
W e th in k R edden w o u ld m a ke a
fin e g o v e rn o r w h o w o u ld p ro v id e the le a d e rs h ip
th e state so b a d ly needs. U n fo rtu n a te ly , R edden's
c o n s titu e n c y is S outhern O re g o n a n d he is not
g e ttin g th e a c tio n he needs to b e c o m e w e ll-k n o w n
s ta te w id e
Jason Boe, fro m a s m a ll to w n on the
coast, has n o t g o tte n m uch m ile a g e o ut o f his
p o s itio n as P resident o f the Senate a n d has not
a c c o m p lis h e d as m uch w ith his D e m o c ra tic a lly
c o n tro lle d S enate as m a n y had h oped.
B etty R oberts, on the o th e r h an d, is fro m
M u ltn o m a h C ou nty a n d c o u ld p u ll a g o o d vo te in
th e M e tro p o lita n a re a , w h ic h is necessary to w in a
s ta te -w id e e le c tio n . The tim e m ig h t be rig h t fo r a
w o m a n to be e le c te d - p a rtic u la rly o ne lik e Betty
Roberts, w h o has bee n c o n ce rn e d w ith social
p ro b le m s b u t has n ot " g o n e o v e rb o a rd " on
w o m e n 's lib .
N o n e o f these th re e c o n te n d e rs has bee n
o u ts ta n d in g
as fa r as a ffirm a tiv e
a c tio n
is
c o n ce rn e d . N o n e has e a rn e d the Black vote. Of
course n e ith e r has the m ost lik e ly R ep ub lica n
c a n d id a te . C la y M yers
M yers does m a ke h im s e lf
a v a ila b le to th e Black c o m m u n ity , but as far as
s p e cific a c tio n in b e h a lf o f Black e m p lo y m e n t or
e c o n o m ic d e v e lo p m e n t is co n c e rn e d - n o th in g
Each o f these persons, som e o f w h o m hop e to
be o u r n e x t G o v e rn o r, s till has the o p p o rtu n ity to
cre a te a re c o rd o f a ction on b e h a lf o f e q u a l
o p p o rtu n ity .
fflmgi an©
0JTO7
ENJOY
O R A N G E CRUSH
'CfiudïA,
Bradley victory signals new era
(Editor’s note:
The fol­
lowing is a reaction of Joint
Center for Political Studies
President Eddie N. Williams
following the recent munici­
pal election in lx>s Angeles,
California.)
B R A N D S you knot
ness of coalition politics.
In recent months one could
point to the elections of U.S.
R ep resen ta tiv es A n d rew
Young in Atlanta, Barbara
Jordan in Houston, and Ron
D ellum s in B erkeley as
examples of Blacks being
elected to represent majority
white constituencies. Or one
could point to the election of
Minnesota state legislators
B. Robert Lewis and Ray
P leasan t in m ostly w hite
suburbs, or point to many
other Black c a n d id a te s
throughout the country. It is
a healthy sign.
St.
M
not-*-Muvirr
CLERY
wrmr
*un move » ncrcut
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THE VICTORY OF
5% discount on réntala to churches and o rg an izatio n s
THOMAS BRADLEY OVER
MAYOR SAM YORTY IN
LOS ANGELES CAN BE
VIEWED AS BOTH THE
REJECTION OF A
DEMAGOGUE ANDA
DEFEAT FOR RACISM.
N Y. TIMiS
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His victory was the rejection of the tactics of defamation.
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