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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 1977)
. July 14. 1977 From behind the wall by Larry O.8.F. DOCS A N Y O N E K N O W I ’M Two men forced to live under the tame conditions, behind the wails of the Ore gon State Penitentiary, - in a prison cell. Although both have much in common, same age, convicted unrelated of the same crime, eat the same food, wear the same type of clothes, there is a great deal of difference in their lives. One is Black, the other white, each from a different area in Oregon, different background and Hfostylaa. This Reporter has asked each man to express in writing their emotional feel ings and thoughts while in prison- -to accept or reject this time spent in prison is important only to the individual. 1 also hope that a few of our faithful readers would take time after reading what each nun feels - and w rite him a letter. A letter to the most important part of a person's life in prison-because it qpe,«» up a path of communication of sharing lives and thoughts - and it also answers a very important question in these nun's minds. Does any on Tm here? The large steel doors stemmed shut behind me as I walked to the Receiving and Discharge Room. February 28,1977 I began my fifteen year sentence for attempted murder, in the Oregon State Prison: an end to 18 years of criminal life. This tune prison life is any I’ve ever experience time. I came to prison with the Lord, Christ Jesus in my heart, and a new outUke on life. In November of 19701 was waiting trial far six fokr / eases; a lost soul ir. the true sense of U u word. Sitting in my lonely coll, God began speaking to me in my heart and convicting n u of my doomed self. For the first time in my life I really realised if I continued la live as Tv« always lived I would see hell i most. I had tried many times to live a good clean life but I ’d never honestly met the lo rd Jesus as my personal savior. And soon Td be back to drinking, taking drugs, then inevitably, crime and Jail. God knew what it would take for n u to ever get my Ufa straightened out and that jail cell became a very enlightening room. I mean to say that when the presence of Jesus enters a place things begin to take M A new DersMctive On November 9, 1970 the Lord led a spirit filled Christian nun to my eel] to visit me. I had decided to really give my life to Christ but didn't know how, and M r. Don Clause, the founder of the Full Gospel Businessmen's Association for the Lake County Chapter, stepped into my life. He had so many answers I'd been looking for. and for some reason I knew God was speaking to me through him. That day I pled with the Lord Jesus to forgive me of my terrible life of sin and cleanse me from it, to come into my heart and change me into the person I really am. I did more than just accept Jesus as my savior. I gave my life to him. and since that day I sse life as God intended it to be. I ’ve been in prison almost three i now and I have never been as full of Joy as I am now. Is e e i human beings that are no different than anyone else. Convict or guard, they are all the same in God's eyes. I thank the Lord Jesus for the reality I experience living for Him. A Born Again Christian doesn't have a life “full of song and roses” every day. We the aame trials, the aame nd discouragements say- does. The big difference to that in all these trials we have a Lord who victory over every single M y constant prayer is that each and every man. woman or child come to know the Lord Christ Jesus as t heir pw*"«**! savior. Life without Him to death in itself, I know. OSP wardei gm t speaker inee 1904. I t was incor porated in 1975 and since then has I a eounaeling center at 8946 N . For information on the pro ject, eall 282-4706. Coordinator of the Tea id Mrs. George (Odesssa) Hendrix, who has prepared an extensive and varied display. Refresh ments will be served and entertainment includes music by “Brothers. Sisters and Friends” from Seism. The Tea w ill be held from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. Prison Ministries, Inc. wili bold its Second Annula Prison Ministries Tes at the King Neighborhood FaeOity. 4815 N X 7th Avenue, on July 84th. Among the spécial speakers *01 be Hoyt C. Gupp, Superintendant of the Oregon State P*nitentiary. roctor of l. Vivian. criminal or Judge are the same Both are doomed to hell If they haven’t met Jesus as their Savior. A fter one week in prison I found that many other men have accepted Christ and are living for him here. A prison i t step the Lord from giving a i the good life only Christ can give. A prison dossal stop the Lord from rebuilding a broken m arriage into a solid relationship. Each day men come and go to work in here and settle down to th e “prison life” form of living. But it doesn't have to be a cold, hard experience anymore for me. I meet man daily that are warm, loving individuals. Men who really ears about other's lives. Men who help a person cry or share problems with each other. Only the Lord Christ Jesus can turn a prison into a home, and fill it with love. Prison. I know now, is not Just concrete walls and iron bars. Prison is that hard shell around an individual's heart that elosss him off from reality and drains his being into pure death. Prison lays within ana's self. But assay men have escaped this spiritual prison and have let Christ Jaras sot them free. I thank God daily that he loves tbs people in the world enough to give Christ Jesus up unto death so that we can have this life in Him. May God bless you much. Love In Christ by T. An I a powerless broken individual so in need of direction that my emptiness has become conspicuous? Believe me, my intentions have been just the opposite. My trying to hibernate those elements that attribute such an attitude has evidently proved futile. If by chance your initiative to reform that attitude does not prove sufficient- do not feel hurt if I blatantly reject your proposition. When you recognise the need for autonomy there should not be any misunderstanding: Keeping in mind that Fm not dead nor in a state of suspended animation. So it goes; “Any thing forced isn’t what it's supposed to be;” Otherwise it will be stolen, you would not have to force it. Excepting your philosophy with the speed I feel necessary for my comfort, does not mean I do not understand your purpose and meaning. For me to adhere to all your philosophies and ideologies would mean I have no self-respect. I am just as much a part of the noise and anguish prevalent in this world as anyone •toe. Your long lived indoctrination to slowly falling apart. You forgot to contemplate the actions of your Chattel Carter has named 14. O. D aria, retired, to a nine-member commission to propose changes in the system of military pay, pensions and benefits that now make up > than half of defense spending and to system to The National Center for Health Stat istics recently announced that “the most startling, most important" rise in cancer deaths in the last quarter century occur red among Black and other non-white adult males. I t reported that between 1960 and 1975 the cancer death rate per 100,000 popukuon was more than twice as high for non-white adult males than it was for white England's heroin policy (Continued from page 1 col. 0) "Unless wo try it w e ll never know." In the end, the debate over legalisation of heroin "must ultimately be a debate about social values,” say Prof. Mark Moore, former D E A consultant, now at Harvard's Kennedy School of Govern moot. Legalisation would result only in one additional form of treatment, he contends. “I t doesn't relieve us of the problems of finding jobs for heroin users, preventing new use among ghetto populations or enforcing against the unauthorised r________ and sale of heroin,” Moore charges. “To the extent that we do these things badly now, we are likely to do these things equally badly in the future.” for several years a Bay AUTO INSURANCE Age 25-04 With Letts Than 1. Accident A 1 M inor Violation 2. M inor Violation Compare Your Present Auto Rates 16-80 10 *76 ASPIN *72 CHIV IMPALA U.M . I ’J.P. Age Grp 2 symbol 5 Com p $50 ded. Coll »100 (ioti. $104? so Age Grp 0-8ymbel 5 Semi-annual Kates for Portland Kurburhan Rates Ixtwer S ER V IC IN G N O R TH E A S T A REA A UTO HOME UFE INSURANCE $077° Semi annual SKmer L. Davis OBtoe 282-5672 will seeks have been empirically sought h r the “tabs” society places on its inhabitants. Under the present keeps its true identity - it divided into separate categories. The true meaning of exist, now it has a “nurture”. What happened to the . hrity we shared? I f it's not it’s institutionalised. Who's the and who’s the “snae"? H O M I BUYIRS AND SO.URS Hear loan experts Gary Wolfe of Lornas & Nettleton and Linda AAoore of Far West Federal Savings & Loan. Learn how to obtain loons and how much it really costs per month to own a home at a FREE SEMINAR Phone 243-1216 for reservations 7 p.m., Monday, July 18 North Lombard Branch, 3332 N. Lombard ... 1 Definitely not. Conservation by Pacific Power customers, if anything, should and must increase. In fact, it Is a permanent level of conservation that is the key to slowing future rate increases. The major reason Pacific Power’s rates are now rising is that new electric plants being built to meet growth in electric load are much more expensive than existing plants. Thus, load growth causes PP&L’s average costs, and thus, rates to rise. Permanent conservation will allow Pacific to meet some of this load growth with existing plants, thereby lessening the pressure for future rate increases. This filing, in fact, includes a new rate schedule which is specifically designed to pro mote conservation and repre sents a means whereby the impact of the rate increase may be lessened by residential electric heat customers who choose to bring their dwellings up to current insulation standards. W hat doos this rats increase svsan in doUara and cents? If this general rate applica tion of 18.7% is approved, the result would be an increase in the average residential cus tomer’s monthly electric bill (1,131 kwh) of approximately $4.71. or an additional 16< per day. This application proposes to increase Oregon annual revenues by approximately $36.000.000. Why is it necessary to continue to ash fo r rats increases? Some of the reasons have already been mentioned. But here are three factors, in addi tion to normal inflation in which we all share, that have pushed costs up in recent years. G rowth. New power plants, new power lines, all the equipment necessary to produce and de liver energy to you starts with continued growth in demand for electricity. That demand, in the past few years, has been alarming. For example, in Oregon, first quarter 1977... new cus tomer requests for electric service were up 58% over the same period last year. Last year broke all records. In 1970 the average annual residential kilowatt hour con sumption was 11,539 kilowatt hours. In 1976 that figure was 12,876 kilowatt hours. Hydro Power: Nice w hile it lasted. Until the late 1960’s prac tically all the power we used in the Northwest was made at dams, and it was cheap. About then we started to outgrow the capacity of dams to supply enough electricity... and Northwest utilities started to build coal and nuclear plants to supply growth. These new plants are much more expensive to build and operate. We're paying for this transition in our electric bills. OREGON MONTHLY FAMILY BUDGET 1976 1970 Average Family Income: Expenses Food Housing Medical Fed Taxes P P & L Electricity $865 (1) $179 $124 3 66 $121 $ 15 (2) (2) (3) (2) (4) verdee Family Income $ 1 2 3 6 up $371 Expenses Food $258 up $79 Housing $191 up $67 Medical $118 up $52 Fed. Taxes $167 up $46 PP&L Electricity $ 21 up $ 6 1. Current Population I Consumer Income. West I Median Family Income estimated by regression with U S total personal income 3. 1975 Statistical Abstract. 2. Business Statistics. Survey of Current Business Feb 1977. Total U S 4. Average C/kwh at 1000 Kwh O u r new Hom e Energy Analysis Service. The hast >c have to help you For some months now. Pacific Power has been testing a new customer service called the Home Energy Analysis program. Customers have told us that this new service is proving to be of genuine benefit in Environm ental Protection. understanding and then doing something about lowering Power plants and other ac tivities of Pacific Power involv electric bills. Basically, the service Is a ing power generation and comprehensive inspection of transmission of electricity re quire compliance with a multi your home by a trained Pacific Power representative. Your tude of various state, federal home's total energy saving and local environmental potential is looked at. Existing regulations. insulation, weatherstripping, Although necessary, the heating systems ...a ll are cost of this compliance is very examined and a detailed report expensive. Retrofitting of and conservation plan is Pacific's Dave Johnston plant prepared. with pollution control devices Besides the report and ad costing $60 million... at Jim vice on how Io get the job Bridger, air quality equipment done, on request Pacific will there will total about $140 provide assistance in locating million. financing to accomplish home How high Is up? conservation programs. Since the early 1970’s the The Home Energy Analysis price of electricity for Oregon program is conducted at no customers has increased extra charge to any PP&L cus steadily. tomer. IVc strongly urge you Io But have those increases, dollar for dollar, outstripped all enntacl your local office early to arrange an appointment. The other categories of necessary demand for the Home Energy family expense? The accom panying chart depicts increases Analysis service has been high. M r hope you 71 bear with us in the Oregon monthly family budget over the past six years. as some customers in certain Oregon locations must neces sarily be placed on a short waiting list. Rss. 2545184 3120 N. William After exploited a outlet. On July1,1977, Pacific Power filed for an Oregon electric rate increase. After you say,“Ohjio7 w we hope you’ll say “yes” to a way we can help you pay us less. have r General Benjamin F. Bailer a Black Heritage USA tamps to start next year with H arriet Tubman as the first and D r. M artin I ntbor King, Jr. to be recognised on January 15. 1979, marking the 50th aaniveraary of his birth. Almost overlooked by the fact that the Lutheran World Federation ehoee Tan tania's Bishop Jeofab M . KJbtoa to head the 58-miliion member orrsnixstion war the fact that the delegates turned aside proposals to condemn human rights vi olations in Chile and other non-African countries while calling for an end to racial segregation in South Africa and Rhod esia. They condemned “boundless atroci ties" ia Us neither one has thought of the other. Our Uvss were totally i The many factors constituting this perception to based primarily on your in m a f ic Nation laws and rules. Some of them are being manifested thru "involuntary servitude” and “court slavery". There seems to be a need for you to prescribe a one-track solution for my problem. The way you initiate your practices and implement insensitive authority makes me reject your archaic human domination. I feel as though you try to adjust my behavior without realising the premises for my abberant behavior. I can not find any self gratification emptying my mind to have it “infiltrated" bv unwelcomed rhetoric. The sources you so proudly interpret consequently gives you self gratification. Don't expect me to have the same feelings and effect as you. Through the diverse situations we've encountered. Portland • 700 N.E. Multnomah • 238-2811 1975 7 6 estimate based on pie vious years trend. Total U S applied to Form 1 average monthly consumption This current request for a rate increase in Pacific's Oregon electric rates is ad mittedly a far more complex matter than has been described. For further information, copies of Pacific's testimony and exhibits are available for inspection in our local offices statewide. The address and telephone number of the PP&L office serving you is listed below. If you wish to receive infor mation on the time and place of any public hearing on the PP&L rale increase a special toll-free number has been established by the Oregon Public Utility Commissioner. That number is 1-800-452-9105 or. you may write: Oregon Public Utility Commissioner. Labor and Industries Building. Salem. Oregon 97310. The purpose of this notice is to provide Pacific P»>wer’s Oregon customers with general information as to the proposals made by the Company and their effect. The calculations and statements contained in this notice will not be binding on the Commissioner. The People at Pacific ra w e r
