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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1977)
I - : Portland Observer From behind the wall by Gary Chip picturesque ways of putting things. I'm sure you can do an excellent job of writing without the use of profanity. You don't use it often. Please don't use it at all. We need God on our side, Larry, let's not use language unbefitting to His child, OK? Lovingly with prayers." It -is only fitting that I, the O.S.P. Correspondent take the full responsibi lity and priviledge to personally answer Ms. Collin's beautiful letter. No, I have never met the woman, but yet, I hold the knowledge of her superior contribution to the youth within our socalled Black ghetto of Portland, and to the under pri viledged young people throughout the whole city - regardless el color. Ms. Collin's center has a child care - "infants through kindergarten," a before and after school, “Latch Key Program," “Teen Recreational Center" - plus more. by Larry M. Baker *85021 Dear Ms. Collins: “A L L W O R T H W H IL E " Usually, this correspondent never brings to publication “Behind the Walls," any of the many letters received from the general public, expressing their opinions and viewpoints on different topics or subjects printed in previous issues. Gen erally, this task is left to a small, but dedicated volunteer staff, who assist in writing and compiling each weeks w rit ten material from prisoners throughout this prison at Oregon State Penitentiary. That they may answer each letter in a more personal vein, or the letter is referred to the prisoner who submitted the material. Also, we encourage many to direct their comments to the "Letter to the Editor" of the Portland Observer, so that more readers may grasp an insight on articles written. Communicating is the purpose for the birth of "Behind the Walls” - people meeting people in print. But this week "Behind the Walls" will make aa oxtsptl— , because we believe it's worthwhile sharing. The letter comes from Ms. Evelyn Collins, director, Grace Collins Memorial Community Center, Portland, Oregon: August 2. 1977. Dear Mr. Baker. "Always enjoyed (7 1 ha) your “input" in the Oboerver, July 28, edition was especially meaningful. I'm glad your efforts to bring Black people together and awaken them to the needs of "our" youth. "Times are changing” was well «lone - with the triumph there remains the sorrow! "We have come this far by faith." Surely God will help us in our current fight if we seek his guidance. Larry, may I, in love, make a suggestion? You write well. You use good grammar. You have Such letters like yours make whatever path we, who contribute our time and gut-level feelings through the eyes of our ball point pens in the confinement of our 6x9 cement, barred, dusty cells, each week, for publication in "Behind the Walls” truly all worthwhile. Thank you. for your welcoming comment and whole some criticism, for it's only through communication that we may know, who might be reading what is written in our column. Please try , with understanding, this being my first experience of trying to write a column, as such, neither having any training or courses of journalism, as many of the other inmates who submit their articles. Although this is not a valid excuse, because from time to time our educational program does provide such. Noted, the profanity in the column is never done in an intentional manner to insult God or his faithful followers, but only to relate from a natural state of mind (meaning: as gut-level and with truth as I can possibly offer). But once again, you are right, because it is time I realize our readers come from all walks of life. No, I am not a Christian, but I would like to be - even though I have a Bible within my cell, which is seMom open. Our O.S.P. Chaplain Rever end R.W. Helseth, last Sunday morning related to me who attended his sermon, "By our words shall we be justified and by our words shall we be condemned," while guards sat patiently monitoring our conduct inside the Chapel, just as I also watched the prisoners stroll up to the altar from their racially chosen sections to receive “Holy Communion." Or to listen why chit Catholic priest, Father Stephen Bartory. last week, submitted his resignation to the Archbishop, or why he no longer wants to work here, or for the reasons, the visiting weekly Presby terian Reverend Dobson comes? Let us not forget it was only last year that the first Black minister’s church (Church of God in Christ) tried - to establish its congregation here in our state capitol, home of prisons and mental institutions - only to be burned out. No, Ms. Collins. I am not a Christian, but I would like to be. Yet I have faith, but not the answers. Faith that our prisons and jails in the State of Oregon will improve, faith that our NAACP, under the leadership of Reverend John H. Jackson, will hear every Black child cry for hunger, every Black youth plea for an equal education, every Black fathers loud voice, who is denied a decent job he's qualifed for, every Black mothers prayer. Faith in Barnard Richardson, Salem N AA CP Branch, to see that every Black prisoner behind these walls has received a fair trial, and every Black m»ntal patient receives tl e best psychiatric treatment, and see that Black old folks never leave this earth without the knowledge that they have been properly cared for. Faith in Calvin Henry, Corvallis NAA CP, with Oregon Assembly For Black Affairs will organize all organizations who service Black people, so we might know our Roots in Oregon, present and future. The same faith my Black mama had in donating one fourth of her weekly earn ings to the N A A CP, when scrubbing floors on her hands and knees, during the depression. Or my Black pappy donating part of his earnings after fourteen hours in the fields, with a sack on his back. Faith that the N A A C P will give their Black babies a better Tomorrow. I have faith that Reverend Alfred Henderson will always keep the Black press free, faith in Reverend Strayhond, Reverend Griffin, Reverend Dever and Reverend Peterson, along with Reverend Sam Jackson to restore the ‘faith of God* into the conscious of, we few Blacks in Oregon, so I can try to become a Christian. In closing, I have faith in you, Ms. Collins, to guide our Black children in their early ages away from the know ledge of prejudice, racism, and greed, for that child might be mine. Faith may be all any prisoner has to comfort his sanity in a dingy cell, but it's beautiful and rare. Thank you for your letter, it only makes our effort with the development of “Behind the Walls” all worthwhile. Respectfully, Larry M. Baker Commission vacancies announced Multnomah County is seeking appli cants for two vacancies on its nine-mem ber Planning Commission, County Chair m an Don Clark announced. The Planning Commission reviews County land use policies and makes recommendations to the Board of Com missioners on land use questions. In addition. Clark explained, it coordinates planning efforts with local, regional, and state agencies and will prepare and supervise the citizen involvement pro gram necessary to comply with the State and Conservation and Development Com mission's goals and guidelines. Planning Commissioners serve four year terms without pay. They meet at least bimonthly and are also required to attend public hearings, accept committee assignments, and view sites under oonsi- deration for development. Clark invited any County resident interested in serving on the Commission to w rite him at the County Courthouse, 1021 S.W. 4th Avenue. Portland. 97204 before September 15th. Letters should explain the applicant’s interest in the appointment and detail any previous experience or demonstrated interest in the areas of land use planning, urbaniza tion. and environmental quality. The County Charter requires that Planning Commissioners be represents tive of the County geographically and that not more than two have the same occupation. Current members include: Gerald Brewster, Sauvie Island, Architect: W il liam Cooley, Parkrose, Builder; Gussie McRobert, Gresham, Registered Nurse; Louise Miller, S.E. Portland, Teacher; Charles Sax, S.W. Portland, Architect; Sister Mary Gregory Hanson, Bridal Veil, Hospital Service Administrator; and Bar bara Wiggin, Wilkes area. Office Service. For additional information about the role and function of the Commission, Clark asked citizens to call County Planning Director, M artin Cramton at 248-5259. *89187 Empathy - The Healer Of AU Wounds i Opinion | Contrary to the old adage, time has been discovered to be a concealer of psychic wounds; like a three stooges dresser drawer scene, the pain is pushed deep into the psyche only to pop out again in an almost unrecognizable form. It is this phenomenon of neuroses, psychoses,, and character disorders. However, if the pain associated with a psychic wound is shared with a friend, parent, or therapist who truly understands and empathizes, often the wound will heal naturally, leaving no scar; hence, a lack ot empathy lies at the root of most mental illness. Each of us must experience the feelings of those around us in order to understand how we ourselves feel. When we become isolated unto ourselves, we not only lose the agility to relate to others, but we fall out of touch with our own feelings as well. Unless the empathy of others intercedes, we become less humane and less human. Recently I was locked in a Multnomah County jail cell with a seventeen-year-old boy. He was an affable fellow, and before long we got around to discussing how and why we both found ourselves in jail. He admitted to thievery, and when I asked him why he stole, his response was, “I don't know.” His perplexed expression told me that he genuinely didn’t under stand his problem. I told him that I wouldn't accept that answer and neither should he. By asking a few inviting questions, I got him to tell me the story of his life. Many times I stopped him and asked for tnore detail. The whole process took eight consecutive hours. The pivotal period in the boy's life began when he was seven. His mother drank, couldn't cope with children, and finally had a nervous break-«iown. Be cause his father, a long haul truck driver, couldn't care for the children on a daily basis, the kids were made wards of the court and put in foster homes. The boy was lucky in that he drew a family that cared for him and accepted him as one of their own. For three years all went well and then, when the boy was ten, his father reap peared. The boy spent a few weekends with his father; the father began making overtures about getting together again. The foster family understandibly felt threatened by the father. They put pressure on the boy to stop seeing his father and to stay with them - “we want you!" they said. It was at this point that the boy began his long history of thievery. He started by stealing from his foster parents and he kept it up until they rejected him. From then on the cycle was always the same - whoever befriended him or tried to help him he would burglarise. Finally, even the father was not immune. From juvenile detention hall, the boy grad uated to MaClaren School for Boys and then to the County Jail. Out of all eight hours worth of listening, this brief sum mary captures the gist of his problem. Though it was obvious to me what had happened, it obviously was net to the boy. Instead of telling him my thoughts, I asked him a series of pointed questions, getting him with his answers to put all the important pieces together in his mind. When I finally asked him, “when was it you started stealing and from whom?” His face lit up with recognition. Again I asked the big question, “Why do you steal?” His response whs , “to get people to reject me!" Bravo!" I said. Then, and only then, did I tell him the terrible news, “now that you've figured it out, you no longer have any excuse to go on stealing." We talked about substitut ing some sort of positive behavior for stealing - the kind that would gain him the acceptance he so desperately needed.. The boy was not miraculously healed, but for the first time in his life he had a conscious grip on his own destiny. He was no longer a complete slave to his childhood traumas. Everyone has ambi valent emotional feelings but, as in the case of this boy, at ten years of age these can be overwhelming. To uniock his feelings so he could understand them, all I had to do was listen, understand, and actually feel what he must have felt when being pulled in two emotional directions at once. I don’t wish to condemn the state correctional system, for its people are doing a seemingly impossible job rather well; however, it is also true that the state is making only a half-hearted by Lee Beyd Our greatest problem that we're facing is the System. I mean the ways and means of the institution. From what I can see the whole thing is geared for the white man himself. You see, upon entering this institution, he first dehu manizes us. By taking away all of our human rights, and any other rights we might have. Such as being able to stand up for our manhood. Then he expects us to abide or govern ourselves to his way of life and living, in and out of the institu tion. See, he fails to realize that our life aspects are entirely different than the life aspects of his own. There’s no way possible we could ever leave here with the pretense of devouring our life style and expect to make it. These are some of the rules laid down for us, and he expects us to abide by them. I could name more but I want to get into that, placing emphasis on the inside of the institution and on getting out. You see I truly believe that the man is afraid of us, or having some kind of inferiority complex to.Yard us or some thing. I think, he doesn’t want to let us enter his so-called law abiding society. He might use the word rehabilitation for an excuse - its meanings - to bring or restore to a state of health or construe Thursday, September 1, 1977 Page 8 attempt to understand and empathise with its incarcereee. Empathy and understanding must come from the whals heart. Perhaps if we, the people, allocate more funds for correctional psychological programs, the correctional system will prove to be more correctional. We have renounced punitive action and not yet truly shouldered the correctional respon sibility; this is what makes the job of correction seem impossible. Each of us has a well of experience, a wall built of frustrations, a mine of desires, a forest of sorrows, a sea of joy, a mountain of pain within himself - a virtual empathic bank account upon which to draw for understanding of the emotions of people around us. Shared pain is lessened; shared job is heighten ed. Sharing is the key to empathy - share yourself with others and they will share themselves with you. Daily exer cise of your empathy fill your cup with compassion. If we can purge ourselves of our cynicism, future historians may yet write that this century marked the beginning of man's humanity to man. tive activity, to put back in good condi tion. I t seems like he’s got it all by the tail end. There is no rehabilitation here. If any, the only one would be self-rehabi litation. I strongly believe in that, because I am the only one who knows my mind, and its capabilities. This goes for each and every one of us Tm sure. But they haven't awakened to this fact. I guess you’re wondering where does that leave us. Like in a game when you're check mated, only the object of the one he’s playing is to divide and conquer. From the way things look if we don’t wake up to this fact we’ll all be running around like a chicken with his head cut off. Wait a moment, let me say this, we do have a faithful few left who can help. And I mean a very few. The ones who haven't are sure to turn into snitches, then used to conspire on, or against us to save their own souls. Maybe I should say, to get some of that time cut off, if not all. Anyway let's get back to the few, what we call hope to die ones. It's a fact that we can’t change the System. But - I do believe if we could somehow make a «mall sacrifice, like all the fun and games. Direct our minds to a little more positive thinking, on one aspect in general, mainly on getting out. I believe even that would enlighten our burdens in this frustrating situation. _________ Youth law kit* available The Oregon Council on Crime and Delinquency has announced the publics tioo of a revised Yen sad the Law topic kit. The topic kit is a curriculum package for sixth graders which has received national attention. It is designed to help students understand their relationship to the law, their rights and responsibilities and the juvenile justice system. First published by OCCD in 1965 as a small pamphlet. Yea and the Law was expanded to a 23-topic “k it” in 1973. A fter the 1973 edition was published, copies were requested from 42 states and three foreign countries. The new edition has undergone substantial revision to acco modate several law changes, new topics and changes of emphasis. The topic kit acts as a platform for discussion of specific topics (such as “vandalism”, “theft”, "alcohol and drugs”, etc.) and more general topics (such as "what is law?" and “why are laws necessary?”.) Each topic provides a teaching goal, vocabulary guide, suggest ed discussion items and learning activi ties. A glossary and annotated resource list will also be included. You and the Law is being distributed statewide to every elementary school and local criminal justice agency. As a United Way agency, OCCD will be making a limited number of copies available to other interested organizations. For further information contact the Oregon Council on Crime and Delin quency office. 718 W . Burnside, Portland 97209 (228 5397). Notice M r. and Mrs. James L. Brown are the parents of a son, James, Jr., born August 29th. The nine pound, six ounce boy is the Brown's seventh child - the first boy. 1. Accident A 1 M inor Violation 2. M inor Violation Compare Your Present Auto Rates ’76 ASPKN Age Grp 2 symbol 5 50 $104; 15 30 10 U.M . P.I.P. Comp ISO ded. Coll $100 ded. ’72 CHKV IMPALA Age Grp 6-Symbol 5 Semi-annual Rates for Portland-Surburban Rates Ixjwer S ER V IC IN G N O R TH E A S T A R E A AUTO - H O M E - L IF E INSURANCE $87. 20 Semi annual lim er L. D avit Office 282-5572 «Us- 254-0184 3120 N. William* S h o p p in g C e n te rs NEW! 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