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!
Air conditioned
4th floor Club Skyview
Buffet dining on
3rd floor
________ Fairview Terrace
Post time 7 30 p m
Monday thru Saturday
For information
and reservations
__________ call 665-2191 -
Sorry, no Sunday racing
and no children
______________ under 12
At Fairview Park
NE 223rd and Halsey St
east out Freeway Banfield
(I-80N)
f
Super Shopping Centers
GREYHOUND
RACING
ENDS
THURSDAY
5EPT8TH
AUTO INSURANCE
Age 25-64 With Less Than
Fred Heyer
Help Lower your
Cost of Living . . .
Your nearby Fred Meyer
Super Shopping Center
is filled
with
"People-Pleasing" services to make your shopping more pleasant.
Wide,
spacious aisles, friendly helpful clerks and undercover parcel loading ore |ust
some of the "People-Pleasing" services for you. Plus...everyday low prices on
thousands of items you use and need everyday help lower your cost of living.
Because we're open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, including Sunday, you can shop
when you WANT to, not when you HAVE to. Come in anytime and "funshop" in
a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere.
.
J V a ln a t P a r k
. In te r s ta te
Peninsula
N.E. Killingsworth ot Union
N. Lombard at Interstate
«sso
N. Lombard
Plenty of Free and Easy Parking
Open 9 am to 10 pm daily, including Sunday.