I
Pag,1 2
Portland Observar
Tl
'day. August 19th. 1976
s Olympic Games analyzed
We see the world
through Black eyes
GOP turns to right
Federal law supreme
The defeat of super-conservative Ronald Reagan
gives the false impression of a defeat of conserva
tism in the Republican Party. This could not be further
from the truth. Although.no» as popular with the
extreme right wing as Reagan, Ford is still a conser
vative.
It would have been amusing if it hod not been so
pathetic, to listen to the seconding speeches to Ford's
nomination. One could never believe the compas
sionate, understanding man who is concerned about
the underprivileged of the nation described by so
many of the speakers -- and especially the Blacks —
could possibly be the same president who has veto
ed so many measures that would have brought relief
to the poor and to minorities.
A look at the Republican Party platform brings
home to us the conservatism of that party — even the
so-called moderate wing that President Ford leads.
The Republican platform would rewrite the Consti
tution with three amendments.
These amend
ments — school prayer, anti-busing, anti-abortion —
strike at the most fundamental personal rights: the
family, religion and equal educational opportunities.
The tax plank brings tax breaks to business, investors
and parents of college students — the upper and
middle class.
The choice will be clear in November: the Repub
lican Party and its candidate, Gerald Ford, protecting
the advantage and power of money, and the Demo
cratic Party, with Jimmy Carter, seeking to bring the
benefits of a free society to all the people.
Judge Robert C. Belloni of the U.S. District Court in
Portland declared orders by the courts of Oregon and
Washington that attempted to supercede his injunc
tion as null and void. Judge Belloni had ordered an
end to the commercial Salmon fishing season in
order to protect the Indian's share of the catch. The
state courts attempted to restrain his injunction.
Although the state orders were clearly invalid, this
was an important decision upholding the power of
the federal government in cases that come under its
jurisdiction.
We have seen states attempt to avoid federal court
rulings in cases of school desegregation. If the states
are ever allowed to supercede federal orders, the
Black people in this country are in big trouble.
There are many reasons for the current shortage of
Columbia River Salmon — over fishing, pollution,
the dams, changes in environment — but mostly
neglect. The states have been neglegent in protect
ing the resource. The Indians are not at fault — they
have practiced conservation for centuries and have
urged the states to do the same.
We are fortunate to have a judge with the integrity
and the tenacity of Judge Belloni on the bench.
Mound Bayou hospital needs Black support
In this Bicentennial year, the Census Bureau re
torts the Black population of the United States as 23
ind a half million. Many of us ore unemployed and
inderemployed, but we have the potential for great
trength. Twenty-three and a half million mean at
east six million family units.
If each family would odopt each year some one
tpecific target of opportunity, and all contribute
whatever we were able — whether it is $1, $5, $10,
125, (or $100 and more for those of us who are in the
higher brackets) - we could greatly strengthen insti
tutions which have importance to the Black commun
ity - whether at the local or national level. We
suggest that this Bicentennial year is a time to start.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association —
the Black Press of America — at its meeting in
February made the Mound Bayou Community Hospi
tal its target of opportunity for this year.
That small 34-bed hospital, founded and built by
the Knights and Daughters of Tabor, as the result of a
demonstration health project carried out for several
years previously by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority,
is struggling to survive. It is very important.
It was there during our dark days when a Black in
Mississippi could not be sure of a hospital bed; it was
there during our glory days when the combined will
of Blacks and whites marching together throughout
the South changed how Blacks are looked at and
treated; it is there today serving the medically indi
gent - those who cannot pay for health care and
have no third party to pay their bills.
Mound Bayou Community Hospital does not turn
anyone away. The editors of this newspaper urge
you to send whatever amount of money (check or
money order) you can spare to the Mound Bayou
Community Hospital, Drawer R, Mound Bayou,
Mississippi 38762.
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O N P A 1973
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The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in
its Publisher's column (W e See The W orld Through Black Eyes).
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individual w rite r or subm itter and does not necessarily reflect
the opinion of the Portland Observer.
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Thank you. whoever you ara. Mrs.
Spinks of St. Louis thanks you. and I
thank you. You made it possible for many
of us to pause momentarily and gain
strength from the w arm th of your spon
taneous response to a vary human situa
tion.
W hile embroiled in political disputes,
the Olympics claimed our attention over
the toot weeks, from the withdraw al of
the African nations to the final days of
the Russian threat of withdraw al. Rut
somehow, the world completed another
international Olympics. T here ware
memorable moments that stick in our
minds.
From the view of someone whose only
athletic endeavor has been undistin
guished participation in celebrity tennis
matches, there w ere some particularly
sentimental high points.
W e mothers winced when Princess
Anne fell from her horse in cross country
riding competition, probably more for a
distressed Queen Elizabeth than for her
daughter, who recovered adimrably.
W e bit our lip to keep back the tears as
lightweight fighter Howard Davis dedi
catad his gold medal to his mother who
had died sixteen days before. Who could
not sympathise with his agony while be
ing torn between a gold medal and re
turning home from Montreal to pay re
spect to his mother's memory?
There was certainly a different light
shed on the entire issue of the African
countries refusing to attend the Olympics
when New Zealand gold medal winner
John W alker explained that in his opinion
the New Zealand rugby team should nev
er have gone to South Africa and that the
African nations were quite justified in
their reproach of the Olympic Committee.
T here was probably no better display*
of the tru e spirit of the Olympics than
when American discus throw er Mac
W ilkins embraced his opponent from
East Germany. W hen criticised by the
press, he simply replied. "He is my
Friend; I like him.“
Families everywhere identified with
American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard's
family and coach who pooled their money
and rented a camper to drive from Wash
ington. D.C. to M ontreal to watch him
win a gold medal.
And the television picture brought us
the smiles ol Irena Kirsenstein Szewin
ska's 6-year old son watching his Polish
mother on television. A t the age of 30.
Irena won a gold medal running the 400
meter in better shape than ever.
Grandmothers shared in the noetalgia
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Portland Observer
P.O. Box 3137
Portland, Oregon 97208
when Itieuilsc Ix-hmunn, 66, from Kansas
was reunited with her gold medal swim
mcr granddaughu r. Kornelia Knder ol
East Germany. Rosalse had not seen
Kornelia since leaving her homeland in
1969. Through the tears Itosalae Maid she
would he a great grandmother in August
when Kornelia's sister's (why is »torn.
Hut (M-rhaps the high point for us
mothers was when boxers Mike and Ixion
Spinks won gold models as middleweight
and lightweight contenders. I hey
Is-
came the first brother team to he gold
medal winners in th history of the Olym
pics.
The real th rill came when Ksy Spinks,
their mother, was sitting there in the
arena as they blew a kiss to her.
Mrs. Spinks, the mother of 11 who had
watched the preliminaries in her small
apartm ent in a St. Ixiuis housing project
on a borrowed television, had received an
airline ticket to the Olympics from an
anonymous doner. She was able to go to
Montreal to see her sons win their med
ala.
Just as we will remember the 1972
Olympics for its terro r and tragedy. I will
remember the 1976 Olympics for the
kindness of one anonymous person who
understood. M rs. Spinks snd many of us
from all over the world are gratelull.
Black political activism in perspective
by D r. Gloria E . A. T ests
Numerous articles have recently oc
curred in the w hite press as to why
Blacks do not vote. The white press is
again guilty of quantifying the defining
black problems from their perspective,
which in my view is fallacious and at least
latently deceptive.
Blacks do not need justification for
not voting. Simply said. Blacks must act
ively and consistently become involved in
politics, if our economic and civil needs
are to be addressed. Tolerance of Black
voter apathy subtly encourages Black vo
ter non participation.
B LA C K P O L IT IC A L
P O T E N T IA L G R E A T :
The potential of Black political power
in our nation is th a t of a sleeping g iin t. A
power the establishment prefers xA to
reckon w ith if a t all possible.
I t is easy to capeulize the obvious as to
why Blacks do not register or vote:
I t is frustration w ith the ineptness of
government to quickly respond to our
precise needs. The political insensitivity
to the Black experience and the failure to
address issues of Black concern.
I t is the exclusion or lim itation of
Blacks from federally funded programs
by state and local government. I t is the
■ lack of awareness of registration eligibil
ity or ill conceived notions of ineligibility
such as residency requirements.
I t is the fear of loss of welfare and
other government benefits as the result
of supplying information required far
registration, such as m arital status, num
ber of dependents, and place of employ
ment.
I t is the verification of information on
registration applications in some cities by
the Police Departm ent. I t is harassment,
intimidation, or actual acts of violence;
or the hostile attitudes of employees in
the voting register's office.
I t is the lack of employment opportun
ity and resources essential for individual
development; and the resu lU nt attitude
of hopelessness in being poor and a min
ority. I t is the improper moral conduct of
elected officials. I t is the belief that the
political system and all involved are cor
rupt; all these are contributing factors.
VOTING ft SURVIVAL:
Blacks must realize that our only real
means of translating our individual or
collective throughta into action is to vote.
The old addege is still true: Register
and vote and the choice is yours. Register
and don't vote and the choice is theirs.
Don't register and you have no choice.
A recent black newspaper editorial
read:
“W e must force our concerns, our is
sues, our assessments onto the national
agenda. W e must persuade politicians
and others th a t we are not political
weaklings snd th a t we, too, configure,
that we can not only count our votes, but
Oregon
Newspaper
I
by Yvesme Irs tk w s ite Burka
can apply them in such a way to calculate
the political life span of those who seek
and hold public office."
This is not simply counsel to Black
Americans, but to Americans in general
who are disenchanted w ith our political
leaders snd politics. The Bureau of Cen
sus reported in 1974 th a t 40 million
Americans w ere not registered. This
meant th a t only 62 per cent of the popuia
tion was eligible to vote.
The decline of the voting population
continues. W ith 80 percent of the nation s
minorities living in cities, Black voting
participation declined from 61 percent of
those registered in the 1970 Congression
al elections of 56 per cent in 1974.
In the 1968 presidential elections only
66 percent of registered Blacks voted. In
the 1972 presidential elections Black vo
ting declined to 66 percent.
A comparison of white voting during
the congressional and presidential elect
ions cited indicates a 5 percent decline in
the 1972 presidential race. O f the 5.2
million Blacks eligible to vote. 66 percent
(or less than half) of the Black population
was registered in 1974, and 2.6 million of
them failed to vote.
S T R A T E G Y O F BLOCK
V O T IN G :
The Black voting age population rep
resents 10 percent of the nation's total
potential voters, and is strategically lo
cated in critical industrial states snd ms
jor urban centers, w ith large electoral
votes for presidential elections. The
Black collective voting strength repre
sents s balance of power, that can. if
voted in a block, influence election out
comes.
Of the 435 national Congressional Dist
ricts, the Black voter can determ ine the
outcome in 120 elections, 27 percent of
those elected to Congress.
The following statistics indicate the
Black political potential: 28 percent of
major City populations are Black, 5 per
cent of suburban populations are Black,
and 1 out of every 3 persons residing in
m etropolitan areas is Black.
In 250 municipalities w ith populations
25.000 or more. Blacks comprise a t least
10 percent of the total population, yet
more thsn 10 percent of these cities have
no Black elected officials. Seventeen me
tropolitan areas have Black populations
in excess of a q uarter of a million. The
largest cities in Am erica have Black pop
ulations of more than 100,000. Blacks
comprise 32.8 percent o f th e ir to ta l pop
ulation. The 50 largest cities in America
have Black populations equalling 22.7 per
cent.
M U S T M A K E W H IT E
C 0NG RESSPERS0N8
ACCOUNTABLE:
Last year the Congressional Black
Caucus lost a pivotal floor fight on an
African issue by 22 votes. A survey after
the vote to impose sanctions against
Rhodesian chrome, indicated th a t of the
fo rty -fiv e lawmakers who represented
districts w ith more than 25 percent Black
voting strength, only ten supported the
Caucus. In fact. Congressman P eter Rod
ino (D -N .J .I. Chairman of the House Ju
diciary Committee, whose district to more
than 50 percent Black did not vote in
favor of sanctions against Rhodesia and
its practice of apartheid.
B L A C K S N E E D H E L P TO
U N D E R S T A N D P O L IT IC S
The opportunity to comprehend the
political process, snd the vital role that
each citizen should play, has in many
respects been denied to the Black citizen.
U n til the responsibility of involvement ol
citizens responsibility to clearly defined,
and its benefits made apparent, political
action w ill remain the province of middle
class Am erica and those who seek to use
the system for self gain.
Blacks must realize th a t “politics to the
science of who gets what, why and
when", and that polities to a struggle not
so much of men but of forces. I t to the
conduit for special interest advantage.
John M . Brown has w ritten . “Nowhere
are prejudices more mistaken for truth,
passion for reason, and inventive for doc
umentation than in politics."
Black political power can be a decisive
factor and potent force tor change. No
one knows better than we that "s hungry
man to not a free man" (Adlai E. Steven
son).
Black political influence has not grown
in proportion to the potential number of
Black voters. Black political leadership
has not been an effective force for social
change. The sense of urgency of Black
concern to frequently lost when echoed by
elected representatives. Black Americans
find themselves in the innocuous situs
tion of being scolded by government snd
industry for failure to have accomplished,
while the very tools for accomplishment
are subtly denied.
G ranted there are limitations on poli
tical influence th a t are a product of the
political system, and constraints imposed
by organizational structure. These fac
tors can not convincingly be cited to
justify our difference to a legal rig ht hard
won.
Genuine self government to more easily
perceived in theory than in practice, par
ticularly on the national level, where spe
cial interest factors, usually representa
tive of the interest of a limited number of
citizens, seek power to influence govern
ment policy.
Robert M . Hutchins has said. "Faith
rests on the proposition that man to a
political animal, that participation in poli
tical decisions to necessary to his fulfill
ment and happiness. A ll men can and
must be sufficiently informed and ed
ucated to U k e part in making (political)
decisions.
Protection against arb itrary power,
though indispenaible. to insufficient to
make either free individuals or a free
society. Such a society must make posi
live provisions for ita development into a
community learning together; for this to
what political participation, government
by consent, and the civilization of the
dialogue all add up to."
T he proposition th a t a major concern of
• free society is the limitation of govern
mental authority, and that government to
best when it governs least to archaic. Our
nation's poor can not condone the lessen
ing of governmental activity to contra
vene the influence of power by the p ri
vate sector. The role of government as an,
agency reap m etoll for the common good-
must be e M M M e d . Per a . H u te h la -
■aid. “T h a t government to beet, which
governs best."
A M E R IC A B ELO N G S TO
T H E PEOPLE
An obligation facing America today to
to SMure that government belongs to the
people. Recent conduct by government
officials such ss J. Edgar Hoover have in
practice endangered this philosophy, to a
results th a t infers that the people belong
to the government. Most assuredly the
proposed policy of the issuance of a social
security number to infants a t birth, to a
facet of the "big brother" syndrome of
ultim ate government power over the in
dividual.
Another p riority concern for America
is that economic equality be included
within the perimeters of democracy.
M inority concerns must become the sub
ject, ra th e r than the object of political
action. Black elected officials must as
sume the function of initiating social
issues, rather than responding to them,
and selecting from competing issues, p ri
oritizing them conditioned upon ultimate
success. Black elected officials must be
come statesmen.
V . I. Lenin has said, "there are no
morals in politics, there to only expedi
ence." A preferable correlative to the
rem ark of James Russell Lowell, "Com
promise makes a good umbrella, but a
poor roof, it to a tem porary expedient,
often wise in party polities almost sure to
be unwise in statesmanship."
B L A C K 8 A R E A W A K E N IN G
A t present, there to a climate for politi
cal awareness in the Black community, of
a magnitude heretofore unknown. There
to a growing perception of the disadvan
tages of s one party stranglehold on the
Black vote, and the realization th a t power
polities to reactive to the demands of
capricious voters.
A p arty label to meaningless unleM It
purports the ability to influence. Too
many Blacks, including civil rights lead
ers, give preeminence to general party
identification, and traditional party al
legiances over specific candidates. In par-
ttosn elections Blacks have failed to dis
crim inate against hostile white candi
dates in voting a straight Democratic
party slate, thus causing candidates and
indeed the Republican party to doubt the
efficacy and wisdom of championing
Black concerns.
Black voters are not even prone to vote
strictly along racial lines in a Black, white
contest, where a competent Black to a
candidate for a post on the Republican
party slate.
W ith a national tw o party system of
government, it to political ineptneM, not
to have parity w ith both parties. In no
other aspect of the Black behavioral pat
tern does such disjunction exist, which
(Please turn to p. 3 col. 4)