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,°?..
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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.
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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
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