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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1977)
Thursday, April 14. 1977 We see the world through Black eyes CitizeR partidpotioR? Citizen participation is a difficult thing to produce. Although citizens will easily grumble and fret and will express their opinions in the neighborhood bars h n r rf So and beauty shops, it it •« is hard to aet get them involved in the long hours of research and discussion, the late night meetings, the hours off work that are necesssary to form aad express an opinion. It becomes even herder to elicit citizen involve ment when citizens do spend the time and the effort and the money to become knowledgable and involved and then they ore ignored. The issue of the Fremont Bridge ramps is a good example. The people of the Albina community have spent a great deal of time studying this issue. Several years have passed since the state began tearing down homes in the Boise nieghborhood to build the bridge ramps. The people didn't want the bridge or the ramps but they were built anyway. There have been three years of discussions, study and hearings on how the ramps should be used. The people of the Boise neighborhood now accept the fact that the ramps are there — whether they like it or not — and have decided to support their best use, a use that would bring economic development to the broader community. They will be hurt no matter what happens, but perhaps someone will benefit. So Boise residents supported the Fremont option that would put traffic onto Union Avenue. Adjacent neighborhoods and those to the north joined them, as did Albina businessmen. Neighborhoods to the east — Sabin, Alameda and Irvington — fearing added traffic on Fremont and Knott Streets, opposed the Fremont option. Whose advise was accepted? Not the neighbor hoods that are most affected, but their more affluent neighbors to the east, the neighbors who earlier refused to join Boise's opposition to the bridge. So the ghetto has lost again. Black people have watched and suffered while their homes and businesses have been gobbled up by the freeway, Emanuel Hospital, the School District, and the Fremont Bridge and can see no benefits to them selves. No wonder we are frustrated and angry. Stop Krugerrand "Every time a South African product is bought, it is another brick in the wall of our continued exist ence." These words of the Prime Minister of South Africa are as true today as they were when he spoke them nearly five years ago. The Krugerrand, which gets its name from a former Prime Minister of South Africa, is as surely a weapon as the bombs and tanks in the South African arsenal. Funds received from the coins' sale are used to suppress the Black and colored population and to ' prepare for outside attack by those who promote Black liberation. The Krugerrand is a one-ounce gold coin which is sold in the United States and Western Europe to raise funds to stop the deteriorating balance of payments situation in South Africa. The economic crisis has developed from falling gold sales, inflation, unem ployment, a slow-down in foreign investment, and a 42 per cent increase in defense spending. South Africa is deteriorating because it is attempting to continue a way of life that benefits the small privilodged white class and perpetuates Blacks in virtual slavery. Former Prime Minister Krugger, for whom the coin was named, described the govern ment's goal: "The chief principal that must be born in mind is that savages must be kept within bounds." Sales of the Krugerrand h thi country,and h ths cty, are designed to promote that goal. The reaction of Portland's citizens and its government should be to ban their sale as has been done in other cities. I truly believe that it’s about time you people know the truth about vour court system, and how they breed (pro-liars). Our courts now breed pro-liars With the help of the police department. What I'm saying is, they don’t care about you when you are arrested, they believe you are guilty way before you even appear in court. You live in a jail that is as near to hell as it can be. Now my point is, they breed pro liars, now this comes about when you have to face the court. (Step l...In your case there will always appear a person who saw the whole crime, or just a little bit. but the courts feel that this is enough to convict you. Or they pay a person to go as far as to lie on their best friend The way so many people are trapped, is the fact that the otticer believes that you are involved, so they call you up and either come over to your home or they invite you down to the department. Once you are there, they ask you questions, they listen to your story and then they take your story to their grand jury and they are then able to arrest you. You people are the public, but 1 wonder ■iM H ii The announcement last week that the Veterans Department has decided to build the new VA hospital on Marquam Hill is disappointing and we believe it is a mistake. Fiist consideration must be given to the care provided the patients, of course. If being adjacent to the U of O Medical School would enhance that care, then the decision to build next to it would be proper. The site selected by the VA is not adjacent to the medical school - transportation for students who travel between the school and the hospital will be required. It is hard to see why a ten minute ride between the two centers would be far superior to a twenty-minute ride between the school and the Emanuel site. In adding to the conjestion and inconvenience at Marquam Hill, the new hospital will continue an error that was made years ago. It is unfortunate that the Medical School was built there to begin with and adding more facilities in the vacinity will not make it right. On the other hand, the Emanuel site has the transportation, utilities, and space to make it the better site. The difference in time between the two sites and the medical school rs not sufficient to be the deciding factor. Which leaves the obvious question. Is the VA selecting the Marquam site because it is in an upper-middle class white neighborhood and re jecting the Emanuel site because it is in a Black neighborhood? if you are aware of the fact that you are being used. Yes, that’s right, when you the public allow a lawyer to convict a person on guess-work and speculation, then you're being used to do their dirty work. Or on the other hand, the D.A. can talk his side of the story to the judge way before you even appear in court. With the court system we now have, any person can be convicted on guess work and or speculation. No evidence is needed in some cases but the courts use a word called tprima-Facea) meaning if a victim says you used a weapon in the act of a crime, but no weapon is recovered then the courts use the above word as their clean up. This one-sided law system is killing black men here in Oregon, mainly if you are telling the truth to begin with, the police say you're a liar. I ’ve been here at OSP, tor some time now, and I ’ll have to stay for some time, but at the same time I'm here at OSP working very hard on my own court case. And yes. I've been convicted before, but what is more important, is the fact that I ’m no good for either crime. Some of the cases that bring young black men here to OSP are Rape, Bobbery these are the hardest crimes. In a rape case, if the woman is white-the black man is always convicted. A judge could not face the town club if he let one go free, because he is Innocent. All I ’m saying is, a bitter man is not a happy man, and as he has to do his tune, weird things go through his mind. The thing I hope you really notice is. don’t make yourself a victim. Sure you have the right to walk, talk, play, etc., but let’s just face facts. People involved in crime don’t care about who or what you stand for. So don't make yourself a victim. Be aware of who, what, and where you are at all thus«. Sure I know alot of you people don't give a darn, but I understand because some of you were or still are victims of crime. But we people that have been convicted and the ones that are coming here only ask that you pick the right person. Never be influenced by a police officer. Tell the truth. I ’m not saying disrespect the police, but everything they say is not GOD......... W IS D O M & A W A R EN E SS Deone E. Washington 1st Place Community Service ONPA 1973 Portland O b se rv e r Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 220: North Killing»worth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing add res: P.O. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone 283 2486. Subscriptions: $7.60 per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 pei year outside Portland. Second Claas Postage Paid at Portland, Oregea - y A LF R E D L. HENDERSON Editor/Publisher The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in its Publisher's column IWe 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. National Advertising Representative I Publishers, Inc. MEMBER Publishers Association MEMBER N e IT p A 1st Place Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 5th Place Best Editorial N N P A 1973 k Editorial Award N N A 1973 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place ONPA 1976 New York O re g o n New spaper 4 .« Wrong decision, wrong reason to tkt, ZdilM Dear Editor, I p ER K IIM M B i MAIN STREAM $ :8 :: B lA C M . AAOOtA teAC. B'/BRVBOOY IÑTTO THE POOL. tfo ¿qalaiuM by Rep Massive Taxpayer Relief Last week, the Oregon House of Representatives passed House Bill 2040, the Homeowner and Renter Relief Pro gram (HARRP). Because of inflation, program eligibility was extended to those with adjusted gross incomes of up to $20,000. The size of the payments was boosted also. In addition, the Elderly Rental Assistance program was com bined with H A R R P under specific in structions to the Department of Revenue that the elderly applicant receive the highest refund available from either program. The minimum age for Elderly Rental Assistance participation was lowered from 66 to 58 years. The direct relief provided through the H AR RP bill, along with the indirect relief from the state's Basic School Support program, provides the most massive taxpayer relief program in the history of Oregon. HB 2040 now is in the Senate Revenue and School Finance Committee for consid eration. Budget Cato Democrats arc holding to a promise to keep government in check. The Demo cratic Caucus recently considered a pro posal from the House leadership to slash $118 million from the Governor's budget. About $30 million would come from proposed increases in existing programs. The remainder would result from not funding or only partially funding new programs. The feeling is that this is just not the time to get the state involved in a bunch of new programs or to greatly increase the size of state agencies. Faculty Evaluations Students at colleges and universities sometimes have problems in deciding what professor would best meet their academic course needs. The Oregon House of Representatives recently sought to help students by passing HB 2702 which would allow the publication of evaluations of faculty for student inform ation. The bill was referred to by some as a student consumer bill. Heavy Hearing Schedule This week continues the rigorous com mittee schedule on the House side. From Monday through Friday of this week more than 100 bills will undergo public hearings or work sessions in the different House committees. Many of the hearings begin at 8 a.m„ while others are run in the evenings beginning at 7:00 p.m. It makes a long day, but the heavy scheduling should help us finish up the more than 2,600 measures which already have been introduced in the Senate and House and adjourn within the next 10 to 12 weeks. Remember if you need information about the status of House or Senate bills, you can call Legislative Information on the direct dial, toll free number. It is: 1-800-462-0290. W ishing... doesn't m a ke it so! Birth defects ore forever. Unless yo u help. March of Dimes ▼ H IS SFA C C C O M T W Ig U t t P « V VMC U U B IIB M C W Panther Party (Continued from p .l col.6) operative, the Watts Summer Festival and even a credit union. A church next door has given the Panthers a key and carte blanche use of their facilities whenever they are avail able. Spokesmen for the Los Angeles Police Department and the local FBI claim not to have been aware that the Panthers have returned, despite allegations by Panthers that the office has been under close surveillance. Elaine Brown confidently predicts that thia time around the Panthers will take hold wherever they set up chapters and come to represent “a concrete alterna tive" to the problems of the crime-and poverty-infested ghettos. She views the community self helf programs as the key to entrenchment. “W e don't get the ear of our people by walking down the street with our gun operation and scaring half of them to death,’* she says. “The party believes in mass participa tion, not dead heroes." “The Vanguard Party," she proclaimed recently in the Black Panther newspaper, “still lives to fight another day. It's building a base in Oakland, by any means necessary, a base for revolution. The Black Panther Party is alive and well and living all over America.” *Jeff Gottlieb is a freelance journalist who has written on social and political issues for the Nation and Mother Jones. He is currently completing a book on the Martin Luther King assassination. Jon Stewart is a PNS editor. Subscribe to The Portland Observer Tri-County area $ 7 .6 0 Nama /Address -A . City other $ 6 .0 0
