Page 2
Portland Observer
Thursday, April 17, 1975
\
Letter to the
WE SEE THE WORLD |
THROUGH BLACK EYESÍ
Bill seeks exem p tio n
To the Editor:
Police bears burden
M a n y groups in the co m m u n ity are searching
fo r w ays to open c o m m u n ica tio n w ith the Police
Bureau.
They are m e e tin g w ith p o lic e groups,
w ith th e M ayor, a n d w ith the H um an R elations
C om m ission.
A ll o f this is good, a nd the
c o m m u n ity does have a re sp o n sib ility to do a ll
that is possible to p re ve n t a c o n fro n ta tio n w ith
the p o lice .
The rea l e ffo rt th o u g h must be m ade by the
Police Bureau a nd th e City. A lth o u g h th ere are
m any serious p ro ble m s that can be solved by
a dvisory com m ittees, the root o f the p ro b le m is
the
racist
a ttitu d e
of
the
p o lice
o ffic e rs
them selves.
Police o ffice rs must be sensifizea to the cu lture,
hobbits, a spira tio ns o f those they serve T ra inin g
in h um an rights a nd re sp o n sib ilitie s m ust be
g ive n a ll p o lic e o fficers, not |ust the new recruits.
The to p a dm in istra to rs choose and train recruits
and as lo n g as racist a ttitu de s p re v a il a m o n g
these m en, it w ill trickle d o w n to the lin e o ffic e rs
The first m ove to w a rd a responsive and
resp on sible Police Bureau is re tra in the bigots,
and this fa ilin g , to rem ove them . This a p p lie s to
the ch ie fs and th e ir helpers as w e ll as the
p a tro lm e n .
The Police Bureau w ill m ee t w ith the leaders o f
the Black co m m u n ity a nd advise them o f w h a t
they must d o to stop p o lice v io le n c e . W e must
respond that w e d id not create the v io le n c e a nd
d em an d th a t the Police Bureau b e g in to c le a n its
o w n house
Need fast action
H a vin g w a ite d fo r a D em ocratic g o v e rn o r fo r
sixteen years w e had hop ed fo r d ecisive a nd
ra p id a ction in the fie ld o f a ffirm a tiv e a ction —
both
in
the
h irin g
o f person ne l a nd
in
a p p o in tm e n ts to com m issions.
G o ve rn o r Straub has a p p o in te d one Black,
G ladys M cCoy, to the p osition o f Om sbudsm an.
He has m ad e no a p p o in tm e n ts to boards and
com m issions a lth o u g h he has assured us th a t this
is his in te n tio n .
W e m ig h t seem to be im p a tie n t but w e have
been w a itin g since the 1840's to have the
o p p o rtu n ity
to
p a rtic ip a te
fu lly
in
O reg on
g o ve rn m e n t. The "E m p ire B u ild e rs " d e te rm in e d
that Blacks w o u ld not be a part o f the social,
p o litic a l and e con om ic life o f O regon, and w e
are still stru g g lin g to becom e a real part o f this
g re a t state.
W e can have a m e a n in g fu l p la ce in O regon
o n ly if th e head o f state m akes a ffirm a tiv e action
a top p rio rity .
Food policy w ro n g
A p ril 17th is Food Day, a d ay set aside to
co n te m p la te the v a lu e o f fo o d and the serious
p ro b le m s o f fe e d in g the w o rld p o p u la tio n .
The U nited States g o ve rn m e n t protests the use
o f o il as a p o litic a l a nd econ om ic w e a po n by the
A ra b n a tio n , w h ile it continues to use the
shortage o f fo o d fo r p o litic a l gains.
Since 1954 the U nited States has p ro v id e d
d ire ct fo o d shipm ents and loarA fo r purchasing
food. This fo o d has not been a llo te d accordin g to
need, but to buy p o litic a l fa vor.
In 1974 m ore
than h a lf o f the fo o d w e n t to In do chin a to the
p o litic a l re g im e the U.S. was supporting. Less
than fifte e n percent w e n t to the fa m in e starved
areas o f the sub-Sahara.
The State D epartm ent has co ntin ue d to support
the p o lic y o f using fo o d fo r b la c k m a il and has
refu sed to support a rea listic p la n to assist
u n d e rd e v e lo p e d n ations to d e v e lo p th e ir a g ri
cu ltu ra l resources.
The te ch n o lo g y exists to
re m o ve h un ge r fro m the w o rld o f h u m a n ita riu m
rather th an p o litic a l notions.
B e tw ee n tw e n ty a nd fo rty m illio n A m e rican s
are sta rvin g or are m a ln o u rish e d . This p ro b le m
also c o u ld be solved if shortages w ere not
essential to increase the protects o f agribusiness.
The U nite d
States g o v e rn m e n t needs to
seriously c o n te m p la te the fo o d shortage in this
co un try a nd th ro u g h o u t the w o rld , and the
im b a la n ce in d istrib u tio n o f fo o d supplies, a nd
m ove to set aside selfish m otives in the interest
o f su rviva l.
NATIONAL
U n ib ed W a y
o f the Columbia W illamette
Mrs. Toote was recently fired by Secretary Hills.
A new name for a Northwest Tradition
mm
ras sw
ä
w .
by Harold C. Williams
Brothers and sisters of
the community, a voice that
cries out in the wilderness
is seldom heard and the
light that's flickering at the
end of the tunnel, is seldom
seen. But we are fortunate
to have a person that hears
the cries in the wilderness
and sees the flickering light
at the end of ’he tunnel.
This man has been on the
battle field in the State of
Oregon for six years. He
has caused many doors to
open for many people and
opportunities to flow their
way. The face of Ebony,
the smile of faith, the
ability of King Solomon and
the will of God.
All of
these traits make up this
great man,
Some of ua have disa
greed with this man vio
lently and some of us have
stood by his side as faithful
soldiers.
But too many
have not yet noticed his
presence.
In a way he is a maker of
ladies and men. he takes all
creeds and colors, all races
anil makes them interwoven
into one in the struggle of
the human race. We have
known Whitney Young, we
have known Malcom X, and
applauded Martin Luther
King, all of these men were
great.
Their dreams and ideas
live on, but we need
someone to hear our cries
in the wilderness and to
lead us to the small light at
the end of the tunnel. Eor
we know that the economy
and social struggle that we
are fared with today is one
of great difficulty and a few
of us are still too blind to
see and unwilling to hear.
But despite it all. there is
one that we should take
note of and hear what he
has to say and take heed
from his drertions.
The chosen one that will
carry our message from the
wilderness and point our
way to that flickering light,
is none other than the
Pastor of Bethel A M E.
Church, editor and pub
llsher of the Portland Ob
server, the chosen one
Reverend A Lee Render
The racist a ttitu d e o f the p o w e r structure w ill
insure that if a n y grounds fo r c o n v ic tio n can be
fo u n d , G ilcrease w ill soon fin d h im s e lf in ,ail.
N o o ne should have any fe a r that this m an could
h ave e ith e r m isused fe d e ra l fu nd s or m ade
serious errors and get a w a y w ith it. The system
insures that th e c rim in a l justice system acts
d e c is iv e ly ond u n s y m p a th e tic a lly to w a rd a Black
m an w h o has risen a b o ve his accustom ed place
m society.
If the C ity o f P ortland or M u ltn o m a h C ounty
w a n t a nd need the PMSC funds, th ey can le g a lly
take them by in v o k in g the G reen a m m e n d m e n t.
This w o u ld be b etter than sm ea rin g a m an's
character
Look, then leap!
C ounty C om m ission C ha irm an Don C lark has
w ith d ra w n his re c o m m e n d a tio n to close E d ge fie ld
M an or, the co un ty's nursing hom e a nd h om e for
the e ld e rly .
The d ecision to close E d ge fie ld M a n o r was
m ade w ith o u t a d q u a te p la n n in g a nd p re p a ra tio n
fo r the im m e d ia te care o f the p atie nts a nd fo r the
lo n g -te rm in v o lv e m e n t o f the co un ty in m e d ica l
program s.
N o w , a fte r m uch tim e , m on ey a nd e ne rg y
b e in g used up by both p ro po ne nts a nd o pponents
o f the m ove, it has been c a lle d o ff. N o one can
m easure the d a m a g in g e ffe cts o f the co nfu sion
and tension on the patients. It w o u ld have been
b etter to do the research first, b e fo re th e decision
was m ade.
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company,
2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing
address: P.O. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone:
283 2486.
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ONPA 1973
The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only
in its Publisher's column (We See The World Through
Black Eyes!. Any other material throughout the paper is the
opinion of the individual writer or submitter and does not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
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N am e
Address
O
MEMBER
NEW W AHR
HUD Secretary Carla A Hills signs the HUD statement
of redediration to the principle and policy of equal housing
opportunity, launching HDD's observance of the seventh
anniversary of the Eair Housing Law (Title VIII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1968).
Dr. Gloria E.A. Toote (right), HUD Assistant Secretary
for Eair Housing and Equal Opportunity, and hundreds of
HUD employees participating in the ceremony also signed
the redediration statement.
If this m an is g u ilty , then let the la w fa ke its
course.
If he is not, then let the character
assassination a nd the petty inn ue nd o s cease
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon
ALFRED L HENDERSON
E ditor/P ub lish er
The federal lax rebate of
$100 to $200 for the
American taxpayer was
granted for the sole pur
pose of stimulating the
economy.
The Congress
passed the bill in the hopes
these funds would help get
America moving again.
To assume that all those
funds are available to the
taxpayer, I have introduced
SB 619 to exempt Oregon
ians from paying state
income tax on the rebate.
Under present law, the
rebate is counted as taxable
income,
It is estimated that un Sincerely,
less SR 619 is passed, Blaine Whipple
Senator
Harassment continues
H ow m uch harassm ent must a m an suffer?
C le v e la n d G ilcre ase has had e n o u g h to fe ll a
lesser m an M any w o n d e r w h y he w o u ld stay to
s trug gle and fig h t w h e n p o litic a l o pp on en ts have
been " o u t to g et h im " fo r so long.
W e w o n d e r too, w h y the constant attack on
C le v e la n d G ilcrease
H a v e n 't th ere been sloppy
a c c o u n tin g procedures in both city a nd the
co u n ty g o v e rn m e n t that have p ro du ced d e fic its of
m illio n s o f d ollars?
No o ne is c a llin g fo r the
re m o v a l a nd c o n victio n o f the C om m issioners
W e w o n d e r w hy. C ould the city the co un ty or the
state u n d e rg o the num erous a ud its that PMSC has
had a nd com e o ut unscathed?
Is G ilcrease g e ttin g special tre a tm e n t because
he is Black? A re the p e o p le o f P ortland u n a b le
to a llo w a Black m an to co n tro l these large
a m o un ts o f m oney? Or is it because G ilcre ase is
an e g o tistica l m an, a nd Black m en are not
supposed to be e go tistica l in O regon
Perhaps a
m ild e r, q u ie te r m an, one w h o w o u ld be co nte nt
to sit in the b a ckg ro un d, c o u ld be m ore
a cce p ta b le .
The O reg on
Jo urna l
b eg an
its
expo se'
a c c o rd in g to e d ito r Don S terling, to m ake sure
th a t justice p re v a ile d ...n o th in g p erson al.
A
n u m b e r o f a ud its a nd an in v e s tig a tio n by the
U n ite d States A tto rn e y fo llo w e d , a nd are s till in
process.
W h ile
these
in ve stig a tio n s
co n tin u e ,
the
character assasination continues The latest is an
expo se' a b o u t an e m p lo y e e o f th e C on cen trated
E m ploym ent Program w h o e m b e zzle d funds. This
m atte r was re p o rte d to a nd in v e s tig a te d by the
FBI tw o years ago.
If G ilcre ase had been
in v o lv e d su re ly th e FBI w o u ld
have
said
so m e thin g by n ow . If directors w e re resp on sible
fo r the c rim in a l a c tiv itie s o f a ll the e m p lo ye es,
w e w o u ld fin d a fe w p ro m in e n t bankers and
c o rp o ra tio n p residents c o o lin g th e ir heels in ja il.
The in v e s tig a tio n o f PMSC is m the hands o f Sid
Lezak, U.S A tto rn e y , a nd that is w h e re it b elongs
W e a re sure if any e v id e n c e o f c rim in a l a c tiv ity is
fo u n d , in d ic tm e n t a nd pro secu tion w ill com e
q u ic k ly .
In th e m e a n tim e , if th ere is serious questions
a b o u t G ilcre ase 's in te g rity or his a b ility , it seems
th a t he w o u ld have been q u ie tly pushed aside
a nd co n tro l o f those m illio n s o f d o lla rs taken
fro m his hands.
890. (MX) Oregon taxpayers
will pay the State of
Oregon $9,000.000 in addit
tonal taxes.
I believe the slate will
benefit more by letting
Oregonians have the full
amount of the rebate to
generate new business
which in turn will generate
additional legitimate taxes.
If you agree, I ask for
letters of support to he
written to Senator Vern
Cook, Chairman of the
Senate Revenue Committee,
to your own legislator and
to me, urging passage of SB
lil 9
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