« t Pige 2 Portland Observer Thursday. October 30. 1975 H p n ja m in THROUGH BLACK EYES J and white women and .Spanish Americans and other minorities, share a common bond all are victims of a racial, sexist society that must be changed if this nation is to live up to its glowing constitutional promises. It is a matter of historic truth that moat of the present day movements women's liberation, the struggle of the Spanish speaking, the American Indiana, etc., parallel or grew directly out of the great civil rights drive of the 1950's and l9«0's and before We have all suffered similar outrages we Blacks, we Spanish speaking, we American Indians, we Oriental Amen cans, and Yes. we women, We are victims of the same oppressors The privileged white American male stands presently supreme We come, you might say. out of the same oppressive bag We are the rutting edge of a new wave of social consciousness that ultimately will transform America It would, therefore, be disasteroua for us to permit oppressive forces to continue to divide us by purposely tossing out a bone of a job and watching with satisfaction as we fight like dogs over it. We must respect the aims of each minority group, and of women's organ) rations If we rannot join them fully, let us support those principles in keeping with our own As Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson says: "We must seek allies regardless of color (or sex). Our protracted struggle must be one of good people against bad ideas." L. WE SEE THE WORLD 1 H o o h fi FCC C o m m is s io n eh Straub comes through G o ve rn o r Bob Straub is to be co m m e n d e d fo r his e x e c u tiv e o rd e r re q u irin g m ore aggressive steps in a ffirm a tiv e a ctio n a nd fo r his in fo rm in g the heads o f state a g e n cie s that he m eans business. A ffirm a tiv e a ctio n begins a t th e to p and req uires a strong c o m m itm e n t a c co m p a n ie d by to ug h a ction , by the G o ve rn o r. F o llo w in g the passage o f le g is la tio n , requested by G o ve rn o r Straub, he h ire d an a ffirm a tiv e a c tio n o ffic e r resp on sible d ire c tly to him . The a ffirm a tiv e a ction o ffic e is no lo n g e r ca ug ht in the m id d le — accused by a ge ncy directors o f pushing too hard a n d by m in o titie s o f not try in g hard e nough. The a ffirm a tiv e a ction o ffic e r a nd his a c tiv itie s are n ow the d ire c t re s p o n s ib ility o f the G overnor. He gets th e c re d it a nd the re sp o n sib ility. G o ve rn o r Bob Straub has ta ken tn a f re s p o n s ib ility by in fo rm in g a g e n cy heads th a t a ffirm a tiv e a ction is no lo n g e r a v o lu n ta ry m atter. He has c le a rly stated his c o m m itm e n t and has asked them to |o in h im in this c o m m itm e n t, w e p re d ict th a t m any o f those w h o have fa ile d to c o m p ly w ill su dd en ly see the lig h t. G o ve rn o r Straub cla im s th a t his co m m itm e n t and a ction is u n m a tch e d by a n y g o ve rn o r in the natio n. This m ay be true. He c e rta in ly has o utstripp e d his predecessors in O reg on . A lth o u g h in o ffic e fo r less than a ye a r he has a lre a d y n am ed tw o Blacks to top positions on his personal s ta ff -- G ladys M cCoy and H arold W illia m s . His c o m m itm e n t is also re fle c te d in the recent h irin g o f Blacks in o the r areas in c lu d in g : James H ill in the A tto rn e y G e n e ra l's o ffic e ; M arsha Ryon, D e p a rtm e n t o f T ra n sp o rta tio n ; D orothy Jones, W o rkm e n 's C o m p e n sa tio n ; D onny A d a ir, Labor B ureau; Sarah M a rtin , E ducation; Sam Atkins, Executive D e p a rtm e n t; G ild a M o ffa tt, D ivision o f A ffirm a tiv e A c tio n ; Y Yacob, Executive D epartm ent. Prior to his e le c tio n the G o ve rn o r to ld us that a ffirm a tiv e a c tio n w o u ld be a top p rio rity a nd th a t he w o u ld select his a d m in is tra tio n assistant w ith th a t in m in d. K ieth Burns w as fo r m a n y years counsel to the NAACP a nd has d o n a te d m uch tim e to the le g a l d e fe n se o f Black a nd p oo r clients. W e con see his in flu e n c e in som e o f th e G o ve rn o r's w ork. W e co m m e n d the G o ve rn o r a nd e nco u ra g e h im to co n tin u e his e ffo rts, fo r th ere is m uch yet to be d on e. Redefine MHRC The M e tro p o lita n H um an R elations C om m ission ’w ill soon co m e b e fo re the C ity C ou ncil fo r a d e te rm in a tio n o f if a nd h o w it w ill c o n tin u e to fu n c tio n . The C om m issio n has co m e u n d e r fire fo r its a p p a re n t in a b ility to p re d ic t a n d p re v e n t h um an re la tio n s c o n flicts, a n d its a p p a re n t lack o f a p o s itiv e p ro g ra m o f a c tiv itie s to p re v e n t in te r-g ro u p strife It is accused o f re a c tin g to crisis — a n d then som etim es o n ly s lo w ly . There seem s to be m uch co n fu s io n o ve r w h a t the ro le o f the MHRC is or sh o u ld be, a n d q ue stio n as to a c o n tin u in g need fo r its services There is also q u e s tio n as to h o w m uch d ire c tio n a nd support it has re c e iv e d fro m the C ouncil. W e b e lie v e th ere is a n ee d fo r a p u b lic ly fu n d e d h u m a n re la tio n s o rg a n iz a tio n a n d th a t it has a c ritic a l d u ty to p e rfo rm . There is s till racism in P ortland a nd M u ltn o m a h C ounty a nd d is c rim in a tio n a g a in s t m a n y e th n ic a nd c u ltu ra l groups. These g ro up s o fte n n e e d on a d v o c a te to in te rce d e fo r them or c o n c ilia te , or to pre sen t th e ir p ro b le m s a n d interests in a succinct w a y to g o v e rn m e n ta l bod ie s a nd to the p u b lic . There are o fte n serious p ro b le m s that can be so lve d o u ts id e the co u rtro o m if th e re is p ro m p t a n d a b le intercession. There is no q u e s tio n th a t th e re is a need fo r a MHRC. The q ue stio n is w h e th e r th e e x is tin g b od y is fu n c tio n in g as re q u ire d . The m e m b e rs o f the C om m ission a n d s ta ff have v o lu n te e re d to resign so th a t the concept can be co n sid e re d w ith o u t th e p o s s ib ility o f p e rs o n a litie s p re v e n tin g an o b je c tiv e e v a lu a tio n . W e re c o m m e n d th a t the C ou ncil o ccep t these resign a tion s. A n y o f these in d iv id u a ls co u ld be re a p p o in te d a t th e p ro p e r tim e The C ou ncil sh ou ld then e v a u la te the n ee d fo r a h u m a n re la tio n s co m m issio n, d e fin e its fu n c tio n s a nd p rio ritie s , a n d d e te rm in e w h a t the b o a rd m a k e -u p sh o u ld be. This sh ou ld be a serious e ffo rt, o utsid e the re a lm o f e m o tio n s a n d p e rs o n a litie s. W e d o n 't b e lie v e this can be d o n e w ith the e x is tin g s ta ff a nd co m m issio n on b o a rd fo r fe a r o f h u rtin g those s ta ff a n d com m issio n m em be rs w h o h a v e d o n e a c re d ita b le job . It is d iffic u lt, a n d sh o u ld n ot be necessary, to c ritic iz e persons w h o v o lu n te e r m a n y hours to a thankless a nd co n tro v e rs ia l job. The MHRC is im p o rta n t enough, to the p e o p le o f P o rtlan d th a t the C ou ncil m ake th e c o m m itm e n t a nd ta ke the re s p o n s ib ility to see th a t it w orks. The national economy may be "hot tomming out" as some economists say, but the disasterously high unemployment (about fifteen percent, for Blacks, more than double that of whites; more than forty percent for the nation's Black teens) among Blacks and other minorities raises a profound question with uglier implies lions for the present and future: Will the apparently dwindling number of jobs in this country spur the inevitable scramble to secure them among fiercely competing groups at the bottom of the economic ladder, thus triggering explo sive racist and sexist conflicts in the United States? Already there are portentous signs that such an ultimate confrontation is brewing between two of America's most oppressed groups: Blacks and women, with other minorities American In dians, Orientals, and the Spanish speak ing set to be drawn into the fray. The question: How can we defuse this potentially explosive situation? Division between minorities and women must be bridged. Black men. understandably, live in a primary relationship with economic and Drugs in Portland (Continued from p. 1 col. 31 working within the organization respon sible for dispensing the drug While John Cuie of the Drug Treatm ent Center notes that methadone is much stronger, more debilitating than herion (discounting the impurities of street herion), and that you "can kirk a herion habit in about a week if you want to," Cuie yields to his colleague Jim Goodwin's fiat: "we don't really know anything about methadone." Odd for people working in an agency that has about 500 methadone addicted individuals in its program. What prevails in the drug enforcement community is an acute heteronomy. Particular institutions deal with their assignment level; little statistical data or coordination exists. According to the D E A . there are between three to ten thousand herion addicts in the Portland area; the major areas of use are the Southeast, Northeast, and Northwest sections of the city (in that order). Portland ranks about fifth on the west coast in herion traffic (discounting San Diego). D E A studies suggest that Support jobs for all The U n ite d States Suprem e C ourt has d e te rm in e d th a t sp a n kin g c h ild re n by school sta ff m em bers is not u n co n s titu tio n a l. W e b e lie v e this is a bad d ecision a n d hope it w ill n ot le a d to a p o lic y o f sp an kin g in O reg on schools. The q u e stio n o f th e rig h t o f the school to spank or o f the p a re n t to p re v e n t it, the possible p sych o lo g ica l a nd or so cial d a m a g e to be d on e, a nd the usual reasons fo r o p p o s itio n to sp an kin g are va lid , but o f m o re im p o rta n c e is the p ro b a b ility o f d is c rim in a tio n a g a in s t in d iv id u a l ch ild re n . It is to o easy fo r the " b u s e d " ch ild , th e one rese nte d by students and teachers a lik e to be the o b je c t o f physical p un ish m en t. It is too easy fo r the c h ild w h o is c u ltu ra lly d iffe re n t, w h e th e r th ro u g h m isu n d e rsta n d in g or th ro ug h p re ju d ic e . It is to o easy fo r the p oo r a nd sh a b b ily dressed ch ild , the n e g le cte d c h ild , the slow ch ild , the e m o tio n a lly d isturbe d c h ild to b ecom e the class sca ping go a t. O f course th e re are o th e r fo rm s o f p u n is h m e n t th a t can devastate a ch ild , but let's n ot a dd sp an kin g to the arsenal. W e b e lie v e yo u n g c h ild re n can be corrected and sh ou ld be corrected by th e ir teachers, a nd that teachers m ust co m m an d the respect o f th e ir students. W e do not b e lie v e , h o w e v e r, th a t the teacher w h o c a n n o t co n tro l her th ird g ra d e class w ill be a id e d in her task by th e rig h t to spank. D iscip lin e is an im p o rta n t aspect o f the e d u ca tio n a l process a nd deserves m o re research a nd a tte n tio n . Perhaps respect fo r th e c h ild , his fa m ily a nd his co m m u n ity, a n d a sincere e ffo rt to e du cate the ch ild to the fu lle s t e xte n t o f his a b ility w o u ld go a long w a y to w a rd s o lvin g the p ro b le m s o f classroom d iscip lin e . A u g u s tu s F. H a w k in s , R e p re s e n ta tiv e fr o m C a lifo rn ia , has in tro d u c e d H ouse R esolution 50, the Equal O p p o rtu n ity a n d Full E m p lo ym e n t Act, w h ic h , if passed by Congress, w o u ld g u a ra n te e the rig h t to u sefu l a n d m e a n in g fu l e m p lo y m e n t to e v e ry a d u lt A m e ric a n a b le a n d w illin g to w o rk a n d w oulej re q u ire the P resident to red uce u n e m p lo y m e n t to a te m p o ra ry le v e l o f th re e p e rce n t w ith in e ig h te e n m onths. The b ill re q u ire s the President to su b m it to Congress each y e a r a "F u ll E m ploym ent a n d N a tio n a l Purposes B u d g e t" as a g u id e to m e e tin g such n a tio n a l p rio ritie s a n d p ro gram s as co n se rva ­ tio n , d e v e lo p m e n t o f n a tu ra l resources, a d e q u a te h e a lth care, d e c e n t hou sin g fo r e v e ry fa m ily , mass tra n sit co nstructio n , p ro m o tio n o f sm a ll business a nd c o m p e titiv e p riv a te e n te rp rise , a n d th e e lim in a tio n o f p o ve rty. Job G u a ra n te e O ffic e s w o u ld be e stab lish ed to cre a te a n d a d m in is te r e m p lo y m e n t p rojects a nd d e v e lo p jobs. A ll fe d e ra ' a g e n cie s w o u ld be re q u ire d to act co n siste n tly w ith the p ro visio ns o f the act. The b ill e n vis io n s th e c re a tio n o f m e a n in g fu l, usefu l jobs, p a y in g a d e q u a te co m p e n s a tio n , so that e ve ry a b le c itiz e n w o u ld h ave the rig h t to be e m p lo y e d . This is a re v o lu tio n a ry id e a in an e co n o m y w h ic h is based on th e e xisten ce o f a la rg e re s e rv o ir o f u n e m p lo y e d or u n d e re m p lo y e d w orkers. It goes a step b e y o n d th e g u a ra n te e d a n n u a l in co m e , in th a t it gives the in d iv id u a l the rig h t to e arn his o w n w a y th ro u g h u sefu l a n d s a tisfyin g w ork. P o rtlan d O b s e rv e r Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P .0 . Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283 248«. Subscriptions: $5.25 per year in the T ri County area, $6.00 per year outside Portland. 1st Place Community Service O NPA 1973 1st Place Beat Ad Results O NPA 1973 A L F R E D L. H E N D E R S O N Editor/Publisher The Portland Observer'a 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 w riter or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer. MEMBER MEMBER ■ ■ Oregon |H E • ■ M Newspaper Publishers Association | NW A PER Attocialion - Founded 1895 The North Portland Citizen's Commit tee said ONA should not make rules governing NA and that any group should be recognized. Liz W elt, speaking for the North Community Action Council, exist ing in the same territory as NPCC, proposed that the exclusive recognition of one group in each area be deleted. She said her organization has been told that it cannot obtain city contracts at that as long as NPCC holds contracts. James Loving, Chairman of the Model Cities Citizens Planning Board, said all Model Cities NAs except Irvington voted to support ONA. Relating the concept of citizen's participation to Model Cities, Loving said. "The federal government realized there was an element of citizens who were not involved and wanted to pull in these people who were left out. They did not have the expertise, expectations, etc., and were depressed of some of their basic rights." Loving said the O NA ordinance assures citizens of the right to participate and if it is rejected, small interest groups will develop as they have in the past, depriving the common ritizen of the right to participate. Ixiving expressed the opinion that much of the satisfaction is with the ONA staff. Also speaking to this point were persons from Mt. Tabor, Montavilla, and Southwest Portland neighborhoods. Attorney Warren Deras questioned the constitutionality of the ordinance, Honorable Mention Herrick Fxiitorial Award N N A 1973 2nd Place Best Fxiitorial 3rd Place Community leadership O NPA 1975 4b drug traffic “chiefly from the kids' parents medicine chest, though w m r of it is through forged prescriptions and the like " Kitalin is also made available to students by family physicians with the rationale that a drugged docility will increase the 'h y p e ra c tiv e ' stu d en t'a ability to learn. Unlike California and many other states. Oregon's schools do not dispense drugs Somewhat typical of the parental response to the use of ritalin. parents of seventeen school children in Tafts, California have filed a suit against the local school district charging that their children are being forced to take the drug rita lin in o rd e r to atte n d school According loan editorial statement in the New 3 ork Times, between 500.000 and a million children are affected by such a practice of ritalin use on children The suit states that the side effects of ritalin include psychotic episodes, hallucina tions, weight loaa, headaches, nosebleeds, stomach aches, insomnia, nightmares, crying spells and sometimes permanent stunting of growth pointing out that if its benefits go only to selected NAs or their members, it discriminates against the remainder of the citizenry. He also cautioned that if the city enters into contracts and gives official recognition to these non profit ritizen groups, it becomes liable for certain of their activities. He questioned whether giving official recognition would make the NAs "arms of the state" and put them in a position of being legally liable to all types of civil rights obligations. threat that has been heard during this entire hearing " Commissioner Jordan expressed hia opinion that if benefits of the city were withheld from those whine organizations are not recognized. " It is clearly discrimination." Don Kell, speaking as an individual, said he and others had been threatened by being told by Ms Pedersen that NAs failing to be recognized could not receive city funds. "I do not see why the council should support a Bureau that is out intimidating people." Commissioner Mildred Schwab, who supervises O NA. replied angrily, "A re you saying Mary is intimidating." Bell said she had attempted to intimidate him and that he had overheard her attem pt to intimidate others. Amid angry protests by Ms. Schwab, Mayor Goldschmidt asked Bell for a written report. The Commissioners expressed some opinions, but set a continuation for Wednesday at 3:30, at which time they will make recommendations. Commis sioner Connie McCready will introduce a substitute ordinance. Commissioner Ivancie said, “I don't think it is the role of the city to control citizens... If you have a question of funding, it is political. Recognition is a (Continued from p 1 col. fi) wider perspectives, especially recogn ing its links to high unemployment ai poverty at home Thus, unless there new thinking about the total wor economy we will too easily attribute tl suffering of our own people to tl “irrationality" of OPEC and by extensii to the poor peoples of the developii world. In other words we will blame tl victims If only to protect ourselves, v must share our limited resources wil those people in the Sahel who are won off than we are. But more important. w must continue the educational rampai|i to alert the Congress and people of tl United Stales to the larger issue < dangers and immorality of econom underdevelopment. (Editor's Note: D r Elliot P. Skinner presently the National Co Chairman “Relief lor Africans in Need in the Sahr and ( hairman of the Anthropolof Department at Columbia Oniversit New 3 ork, and is the former Ambassad« to upper Volta. | SUBSCRIBE NOW $5.25 Tri-County area and Armed S $6.00 5th Place Best Fxiitorial N N P A 1973 Second Cteas Postage Paid at Portland, Oregon valium, herion. marijuana, and l«SD are the four top hospitalizing or death causing drugs. By themselves, these statistics mean virtually nothing, as the D E A notes. Methadone and ampheta mines are lower on the list. In the past few years. Portland based industry (heavy steel and pulp and pa|>er primarily) have railed in the S ID for investigations into drugs being used in industrial plants. This compares fa vorably to the mid west auto industry, where amphetamines and painkillers have been tactily condoned by industry and union alike According to Scott of the S ID . heavy industry was seeing an increase in accident rate due to the use of the drugs "grass, amphetamines, harbi turates, and even herion." The Portland school system notes an increase in I