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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 1976)
Pag, 2 Portland Observer 1 — raday. September 2. 1976 Gun control We see the world through Black eyes Savo the NAACP The NAACP is in serious trouble. Its leader, Roy Wilkins, who has served courogously and loyally for all of these years is old and tired ond has lost the confidence of many of the members. The NAACP is governed by a self-perpetuating small group of old men who have managed to retain tight control. The election and convention processes are such that it has been impossible to break this control. Younger, more militant people have been pushed aside or forced out. The organization has been in serious financial trouble for several years, portiolly due to lack of proper business management. Now it is faced with a judgement of $1.25 million in a Mississippi suit. In the branches, we see much of the same situa tion. The same few individuals have served os board members and officers for years and years. It is difficult to judge whether this is because they do not welcome new people or because new people do not offer to help. Whatever the cause, any organization needs r.ew members, new ideas and new leader ship. Sometimes teh existing members have to get out and encourage others to particate. Some branches are busy fighting serious prob lems, but others just exist. In Oregon, we have seen expansion. There are new branches in Salem, Eugene and Corvallis and as it is with new organizations, these branches are active. In Portland, there is, of course, some "behind the scenes" work, but we see no real effort at the basic problems: school segregation, discrimination in employment, housing, police brutality, etc. The Portland Branch must have a program, but it is silent. Do we need the NAACP? Yes, we do. For seventy years the NAACP has led the struggle for civil rights for all people. The NAACP brought an end to lynch ing; it did the legal work for Brown vs the Board of Education and the school desegregation suits that followed; it fought for equality in the military; it fought the Jim Crow accommodations; it fought for civil rights legislation; and it defended Blacks charg ed with criminal acts and those arrested because of civil rights demonstrations. If the NAACP hod not led the way we would not have the Civil Rights laws we have now; we would not have the Black elected officials; we would not have the opportunities that we do have. The NAACP has been a great force for justice in is nation. It still nerica. It must be'Sd’M d r * '***' How can we save the NAACP? This must be a two fold effort. The Black community must come forward and offer financial assistance and participation. We must be willing to give credit where it is due. On the other hand, the NAACP, both nationally and locally, must accept this effort. Roy Wilkins must resign as must every branch officer who is too tired or too busy to do the job. The rules must be changed to encourage growth and new ideas to meet the changing times. Young peop le must be encouraged to belong and they must see a purpose in their belonging. We are in an election year. We hope to have a new administration next Januory. This will be an administration that is willing to seek advice and to respond to the Black community. We cannot afford to begin this new era without strong leadership from the NAACP. t Yoath assd iwwile coart The Legislative Interim Committee on the Judiciary has decided not to consider lowering the oge ot which juvenile offenders should go to odult court. The proposal had been mode that the age should be lowered from eighteen to fourteen. We see this as unnecessary legislation -- and legislation that could harm many young people. The juvenile court is properly the place for young people. Many youngsters of this age become involved in criminal activity because of home or peer influences. Many, with proper guidance, can be redirected and can live happy and useful lives. Putting o young person before the adult court not only brands him as a criminal and gives him the accompanying publicity, but it increases the chance that his fate wiil be determined by incompetent legal advice. It denies to him the right to counselling and treatment that he should receive from the juvenile court. It puts all the blame squarely on the young person and does not consider the responsibility of parents or relatives. The public is already protected from the few juveniles who commit serious felonies. The juvenile court can remand an individual sixteen or older to adult court if it thinks this is advisable. It is best that this decision be made on an individual basis. Juvenile crime is reaching serious dimensions in this country and the rehabilitation of young criminals needs some close attention. There has never been enough money put into determining how to prevent criminal activity or how to treat the offender. One thing we do know - unless this nation can come to terms with the causes of crime -discrimina tion, poverty, neglect, corruption - we wdl see a great increase in crime among juveniles and among adults. Amther Point of Viow Carter’s debt to Young From The MICHIGAN CHRONICLE ’r» c x • V» Jimmy Carter has publicly acknowledged his pol itical indebtedness to Representative Andrew Young of Georgia. Indeed, he should. It was the word of Andy Young that most Blacks leaned on in support ing the former Georgia Governor in the primary battles. Andy said Carter could be trusted and was worthy of support and that gove the Blacks the assurance that they needed. As the deputy to Dr. Marlin Luther King, the Congregational minister who now represents Geor gia's Fifth District in the Congress, Andy Young won the hearts and minds of all of us during the turbulent '60s. A gentle warrior with malice toward no one, Black or white, Andy built a solid reputation for integrity and total commitment to social justice. In backing Jimmy Carter, Andy has put all of his goodwill on the line. We are pleased that Jimmy Carter seems to appreciate this fact. Let us hope that he never forgets it. by Yveeea Bratbwaite Copley New» Service There has been much debate recently on gun control. How ever, no substantial gun control measures have ever been instituted. There seem to be several har bingers of change which indicate the need for serious consideration of gun controls. Last July, s slaying took place in Bal timore. Maryland, that involved tw o in dividuals who had an argument. This may not sound so shocking until it is revealed that the “m urderer’’ in thia instance waa a S-year-old boy, and the "m urder weapon" waa a .357 magnum. Apparently, the child had taken the wea pon from the kitchen table at the home he was visiting. I t should be noted here that a .357 magnum is the second most deadliest handgun next to the .44 magnum. In fact, this weapon when use with the proper ammunition can be utilized for deer hunt ing. The availability of such a firearm haa not been limited by law. The existing Iqy forbids the ownership, possession and/or usage of such weapons as hand grenades, mortars, bombs, machine guns and autfr matic rifles. Clearly, the need for controls on more sophisticated weaponry is acute. Most murders are committed through impulse, and most are spontaneous acts. Nearly three fourths are committed while the slayers w ere engaged in an argument w ith family or friends. The mood of public opinion seems to be shifting toward the attitude that a gun "means trouble." The Los Argeles Times reported that in a 1975 survey. 82 per cent of the respondents who did not own guns w ant ed weapon registration as a method of control as opposed to 69 per cent in 1969. By the same taken, more gun owners themselves favored registration; in 1969. 55 per cent recent responded favorably as compared to 73 per cent in 1975. Not only has the general public become aware of the need for firearma control but also many law enforcement officials have become advocates for control. I t is no wonder for a firearm waa the leading cause of death in 1974 for 96 per cent of local, county, state and federal officers. Those supporting gun control include Patrick M urphy, former chief of police, The 1976 Democratic national conven tion waa a product of the civil rights m ovem ent T w enty years ago no one would have predicted that the Democra tic party would nominate a presidential candidate from the deep South, much leas that many Blacks would be enthusiastic about his nomination. Never more clearly has the political revolution worked by the civil rights movement been demonstrated than a t thia convention. Even without a quota system more than 10 per cent of the delegates were Black. But the political impact of Blacks was larger, even than their represents tion on the floor. Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan inspired the convention and the nation w ith her keynote address. A fte r her speech, there waa even talk of running her as a symbolic protest candidate for the vice-presidential nomination. Representative Jordan re jected the idea, saying that if she ever allowed her name to be placed in nomina tion for the national ticket, it wold be a serious effort. It would not surprise me in the least if a Black becomes the presiden tial or vice-presidential candidate of the Democratic party in the near future. A t this convention the most important Black leader may well have been Andrew Young. Indeed, he was C arter’s moat im portant supporter. Young symbolizes the changes that have taken place in the civil rights movement in the last two decades. He got his start as a minister active in D r. King's SCLC. Today, as Congressman from Atlanta, he has made the shift from protest to politics, from confrontation to compro miae. T h a t shift is not the result of selling out, but of finding new strategies for a new political period. The civil rights movement has not won all of its goals, but haa won enough to work a fundamental transformation in American politics. I t was the successes of the Civil Rights Movement which made possible the nomination of a Southerner as the Democratic presidential candidate. The more than doubling of the number of Black voters in the South in a few short years, as a result of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, stimulated the emergence of moderate and libera) Southerners, like Jimmy Carter, Dale Bumpers, and Raibem Askew. By challenging the legal ity and morality of segregation, the civil rights movement worked a profound eth ical and psychological change in the a tti tudes of white Southerners. As such, it contributed to the decline of racial poli tics. W e now have much more than ever before, a national politic which can only be of benefit to Black Americans. The political transformation was also seen the the selection of W alter Mondale as the Democratic vice-presidential can didate, in the Democratic platform, and in the acceptance speeches of C arter and Mondale. The selection of Mondaie. a leading liberal and a protege of Hubert Humphrey, waa filled with historical irony. For it waa Humphrey's 1948 con vention speech in support of integration that led to the bolt of the Dixiecrata. All of the people considered by Carter for the vice-presidential nomination had good civil rights recorda, but Mondale waa moot closely identified with the kind of civil rights activiam that waa once ana thema to the South. Carter's acceptance speech was clear, forthright, and encouraging. Carter in- dentified himself w ith the aspirations of Blacks and other Americans who suffer from unemployment and poverty in his s tu c k on *a political and economic elite who have ahaped decisions and never had the account for mistakes nor to suffer from injustice. When unemployment pre How you car suggest financial remun eration for draft evaders is beyond my comprehension. I t is my personal feeling that the men who have left this country rather than serve in the V ie t Nam W ar should be welcomed home. They should not, however, be treated aa returning heroes. They are not heroes. They are but they do not deserve our financial support for standing up to their own convictions. I do not personally identify w ith the d ra ft evaders, but I do respect them aa individuals for standing up for what they believed in. I do not wish to support them financially, however. I prefer to welcome them back home, accept their decisions and try to understand them - but do not Portland O bserver Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201 North Killingsworth. Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P .0 . Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97206. Telephone: 283-24,°?.. Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area. 98.00 per year outside Portland. Second Class Postage Paid at Portland, Oregon A LFR E D L. HENDERSON Editor/Publisher The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in its Publisher’s column (W e See The W orld Through Black Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the individual w riter or subm itter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer. individual Natieaal Advertising Repreeeatotive rily reflect the opini< Amalgamated PnbMsbera, Inc. Naw Y . b MtMStR Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association M C M B tt 1 íD NÊWA p ER AMOciflfJan - Founded 1 SSS 1st Place Community Service O N P A 1973 country. In spite of increasing public and official sentiment toward gun control meaaurea. the United States haa the highest concen tration of weapons of any county in the world. A W orld Health Organisation study indicated that the United States had the most handguns - 13,500 per 100,000 inha- bitanta. The next highest had only 3,000 handguns per 100,000 inhabitants. So it is no surprise that in 1974, 68 per cent of the homicides in this country were caused by a handgun, rifle or shotgun. A very strange situation exists in thia country. The need for firearm control is obvious. Yet nothing is on the books to prevent further loes of lives and increased proli feration of weapons. Gun control legisla tion must be quickly adopted. vails, they never stand in line looking for a job." C arter supported full employ ment, universal voter registration, a comprehensive national health program, U x reform, and welfare reform. The Democratic platform also reflected the input and needs of Black politicians. It commits the Democrats to guaranteeing jobs to all Americana who want to work and to reducing the adult unemployment rate to three per cent w ithin four years. The most significant innovation in the Democratic platform recommended com bining existing welfare programs into a single income maintenance program sub- sUntially financed by the federal govern ment. Even on foreign policy, the plat form reflected the aspirations of Black Americana aa it proposed stronger sane tiona against the racist regimes in South Africa and Rhodesia. The civil rights movement haa worked a fundamental transformation in A m eri can politics. To take full advanUge of the new political situation, our strategy must complete the transition from protest to politics, from symbolism to accomplish ment. from confronution to coalitions. The uncompleted portion of the civil rights agenda is economic and thus requires an approach which is not excl sively Black, but which appeals to the needs of all Americana who suffer from poverty, unemployment, poor housing, and inadequate health care. Workshop explores home sale/purchase The latest information regarding buy ing or selling homes through F H A , State ii l . and conventionaly bank financing will be the subject of a Real Estate Informs tion W ork Shop Tuesday evening, Sep tem ber 14th. a t the Portland Community College, Cascade Campus. The workshop is sponsored by E. G. Stassens, Inc., Realtors; the Portland Observer; and the U . S. National Bank. Union Avenue Branch. Stassens Sales Associates Bob Nelson Oe r nr un and Cal Toran are organizing the work ingaworth. Tim e is from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. thinking about selling their home or pur chasing a home to attend. The sessions will be held in Room B-47, Cascade Hall, Portland Community Collge. 706 N. Kill ingaworth. Tim e is from -7 0 0 to 900-p.m. Representatives from the F H A office, the State Veterans Administration and U.S. National Bank w ill discuss the vari ous programs and answer any questions from those attending. h ik i u s i ask me to financially reimburse them for their beliefs. I Our Dad CAN SAVE YOU MONEY ON REMODELING . . . Residential-Commercial HOW? . . . WHY . . . Yours very tru ly, Darla Kofner Swensen His business has grown, as we have, with the finest staff of C A R P E N T E R S , (Editors Note: W e advocate that those men who suffered imprisonment or who did alternative service at low rates of pay because they believed participation in the V ie t Nam war to be morally wrong, re ceive the same benefits aa those who did serve. Since there is nearly universal ac ceptance that the w ar was wrong, this is like paying the victima for criminal acts commited against them.) the trade. Disagrees w ith pay men who stood firm for w hat they believ ed in and left this country rather than take part in a w ar they could not condone. That is w ell and good. I t is th eir free choice to do so. How ever, it is not their rig h t to expect that they be offered financial benefits the same as those young men who did fight those battles. These d ra ft evaders deserve our sympathy and understanding County. Each haa made proposals which would limit the proliferation of weapona in thia The legacy of the Civil Rights Movement Letters to the Editor Dear editor: District of Columbia and New York City. Clarence Kelley, director of the FBI; and Peter Pitcheas, sheriff of Los Angeles DESIGNERS and ESTIMATORS in a A dditions o Offices * Kitchens • Stores Baths Spec. C a b in e t work NEIL KELLY COMPANY 735 N. A lberta. Portland, Oregon a a 97217 Call N ow 2 8 7 -4 1 7 6 1st Place Best Ad Results O N PA 1973 Subscribe to the Observer 5th Place Best Editorial N N P A 1973 Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Aw ard N N A 1973 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership O N P A 1975 Tri-County area $7.50 #**r ar*°* $8.00 fo r 52 isiues Name Address City Mail to: Portland Observer P.O. Box 3137 Portland, Oregon 97206
