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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1977)
/ Thursday, September 8. 1977 E d ucatio n is w o rth a d a m n l W e see the world through Black eyes ' ‘ e — ^'fig>inr,>.WE?llWB><<B>W n n J~ wbot? ■ - - r r r A fte r th irte e n years o f p ro v id in g services to the poor PMSC, the o r.g in a l "W a r on P o ve rty" agency, no lo n g e r w ill re ce ive the governm en t's funds fo r the poor. Thre are m any reasons and m any regrets, but the m a in question n o w is w h o a nd w h a t w ill take its ploce? C om m unity Services A d m in istra tio n , Region X, the fu n d in g agency w ill m ake those decisions and its representatives in d ica te d that there w ill be some consideratio n g iv e n to the desires o f the existing program s a nd perhaps g o vernm en tal bodies. N o firm c o m m itm e n t was g iv e n as to h o w m uch in p u t the p e o p le o f Portland w ill have in these determ inatio ns. O ne o p tio n — the one used w h e n the Seattle CAP agency was closed -- was fo r Region X to do the job o f fu n d in g and overseeing agencies that receive poverty funds. That m ight w o rk in Seattle because the Region o ffic e is located there and should have some idea o f its problem s and resources, but it w o u ld hardly do fo r Portland. One o f the purposes PMSC has served is as a p la n n in g body — v ie w in g the needs o f the e n tire city and seeking funds to m eet those needs. PAASC p rovided a m ethod fo r citizens to select a nd oversee the projects they w a n te d and needed. The Region X o ffic e could not serve this fu n ctio n and, based on past perform ance, w o u ld not lobby fo r O regon. A nother a lte rn a tiv e Region X could choose is to select one o f the existing agencies to serve in that capacity, but w e d o u b t that any e xisting agency w ould have the k n o w le d g e o f, sensitivity to and interest in the e n tire city or re ceive the support o f the citizens o f the e n tire city. A lthough the city a nd the county are both suspect in the events that lead to the closing o f PAASC, it m ig h t be necessary fo r the city to ta ke over the ro le o f PAASC in p ro v id in g fo r c ity -w id e p la n n in g , citizen in v o lv e m e n t and fiscal m a n a g e m e n t o f poverty funds co m in g into Portland. W hatever happens, a u n ifie d co m m u n ity is the o n ly w a y to insure that the needs o f Portland's poor are served. Freedom of speech? A ju d g e has been re p la ce d by the voters fo llo w in g his courtroom rem arks that a you n g rapist m ig h t have been reacting n o rm a lly. His re m a rk upon le a rn in g o f his d e fe a t w as that "F re e speech is the real lo s e r." A ju dge's biased and d e fo rm ity rem arks fro m the bench can ha rd ly be protected under the guise o f " fr e e speech". The ju d g e is a m an w h o has a specific charge to be fa ir a nd im p a rtia l, yet his d e m e a n o r and the courtroom has a g re a t de a l to do w ith the jury's reaction to w itnesses an d th e ir u ltim a te decision. Too o fte n the ju d g e m akes his fe e lin g s kn o w n to the jurors th ro u g h his fa c ia l expressions, gestures o nd casual rem arks. In M u ltn o m a h C ounty, not lo n g a g o , Judge Robert Jones discussed his n e g a tive o p in io n s a b o u t the Black Panther Party w ith a ju ry th a t w as la te r to hear several cases against you n g Black m en - on e o f w h o m w as reported to be associated w ith the Panthers. Earlier th a t sam e ju ry had listened to Judge Roth's o p in io n s a b o u t hip p ie s and dru g users. These are the kin d o f rem arks -- co m in g fro m the respected ju d g e — that can bias juries and p re ve n t justice. The re ca ll action should be a clu e to a ll judges to search th e ir o w n m inds a nd consider th e ir ow n actions. The ju d g e is alm ost G od in his courtroom a nd must be a b o ve reproach. tO tU EdUot___ Wants fiscal responsibility To the Editor: In light of your editorial of August 25, 1977, I think it is appropriate to outline the mandate 1 have given to County appointees to the Portland Metropolitan Steering Committee. I have asked them to make certain that public funds are publicly accounted for and. to the maximum extent possible, that these funds be allocated to programs directly benefitting the community's poor. Each County appointee who pursues this agenda has my full support. Sincerely, Donald E. Clark Chairman manhood, his refusal to be swept away, grandfather has learned that the new has sustained him. And he is stiil a man. generation will make mother stride toward equality, and be is content with Education is your lovely sister, whose I overheard someone say, “Now that the manly strides his generation has backbone makes the whole family stand they have begun to let so many Black made. erect. She is the doctor Who could only people into college, the college degree Education is grandmother, whose find a way to get into nursing school She doesn't mean anything. You can go to heart smiles like sunshine, and whose is the politician who could get no encour college, get your degree, and still be as love will never admit that America's agement. She is the mother of the child unemployed as the next guy." The racism has left a blemish on her other some no-count individual fostered but had conclusion rings loud and clear: "Educa wise perfect soul. Listen to her words, no time to support. She reads, she keeps tion is not worth a damn.” recognise her life, and you will find a herself above the indignities of American This notion is widespread in our com strength and a beauty which shows the life, and hor smile is enough to make a munity. It's » simple form of anti-intollec- highest human development. And she bad day go away. tualism. as though anything dealing with only had a third grade education) Education is more than school, it's your the improvement tf the mind is not of Education is your mother, whose strug father, whose deep commitment is quiet much value, unless we can see the gto to maintain the dignity of Black ly reflected in the fact that you seldom benefits directly in the jobs we obtain. womanhood is a gift for you. More than see him. The two jobs he works are a This view serves to undercut the vision anything else, she wants you to know small price, If you will take the resources Black boys and girls must have if they are that whatever she has become, you he can provide and make them produce a to continue to struggle for freedom and should become more. She lives so you will better world for his people. dignity in America. live better. And the' last thing she wants Education is your attitude about your Education, whether on weekends in you to do is to throw away the chance for self and your life and your obligation to community schools or at the university, is improvement, for enlightenment, for a your people. Will you accept the vicious essential to the progress necessary to way to create a just society for her system of racism and injustice which make this American system deliver the grandchildren. poisons the potential of Black people in fruits of prosperity to our doors. If those Education is all around you. Education this country? Will you let the “system" who have been frustrated by the educa is your brother, whose relentless fight for grind you up, spit you out, leaving you tional system , who have been battered by hope and identity could have culminated with nothing but a foul taste for all it and made to feel inferior by its inherent in the easiest way out. His bitterness education? Will you stand by. doing inequities, denounce the system we have could have turned inward, upon his own nothing to fight back - or will you, in at present - well, that’s one thing. But to people and himself. But he refuses that spite of it all, struggle to be somebody? denounce education is sheer stupidity. route. He will not sell dope to children; Too many of our people take a passive Why, education is all around us. Educa he will not sell Black bodies to white approach to education. It is as though tion is your grandfather, whose pearls of businessmen from across town; and he someone should pour education down wisdom prove every day that living well will not sell his soul i to the FBI for a few their throats. And, of course, he who and living long is an achievement filled pennies a month. Granted, the “system ” demands nothing gets nothing. Educa with understanding, ups-and-downs, and has failed him, and his presence will tion is worth a damn. a will to make this life worthwhile. Your never let us forget it. However, his The question is, "Are you?" by Herb Cewtberae PMSC SMITHS Come Today (Continued from page 1 col. 6) If PACT is selected, what kind of service can Albina expect from an organ ization that has been hostile? If there is no planning agency, what assurance will there be that people in all areas will receive proper attention? Will the Head Start programs be placed directly in the hands of the Portland Public Schools, whose commun ity involvement and commitment to the poor is questionable? Now that the goal of the destruction of PMSC has been reached, will the hidden agendas surface? Will the warring fac tions fight on until all the programs are lost? home furniahingn fa m o u s^ to p q u a li ty Whirlpool 2-Speed, 3-Cyde Washer Community group inter codas far inmate To the Editor: In re to John W. Eliett's letter in the Portland Observer. Dated thus, Septem ber 1. 1977. In the section, “Letters to the Editor.” Volume 7 No. 36. A group of concerned citizens in the Albina community have read his letter and are concerned with his statement regarding his constitutional and Equal Rights not being adherred to. Be assured we know nothing of Eliett's case, neither his guilt or innocence. We at thia time have not involved ourselves with this aspect of the case. Our involvement to date is the concern of his rights to a fair trial, regarding his request for a change of attorney, in his search to secure a counselor that he felt was being fair, due to the apparent situation of possible monetary difficulties to hire one of his choice, should this be the case, and having his rights defended by a public defender. We will and are questing this point to the affect of being assured, that should there be any law saying the number of lawyers “or the exchange number" one should ask for during one's trial, when or if one feels his rights are not being upheld, at any given point in his trial, while it is actively being tried, should this not be granted. This we stand to question in his behalf and ask for a retrial, with adequate and sufficient representation and respect, in the name of the law, which we uphold. Since we read Eliett's letter in the paper, requesting any help one could offer, we have spoken with the District Attorney’s Office, Judge Davis' Office, •• - I was disappointed to read in your August 11th edition a series of charges by the Concordia Community Association against the Housing Authority of Port land. I hope you will not again print such items without first hearing both sides of the story. The story’s first paragraph mentions “a series of problems with HAP including poor maintenance of the grounds, street parking, and the efforts of HAP to develop their adjoining property.” In all such cases HAP commissioners and staff have met with residents and worked out solutions. Often the “problem” has been that HAP has not had the money to do what it and the Concordia residents wanted. HAP cannot spend money it does not have. When we get the money to do things, we must, by law, do it carefully and deliberately. The claim that the neighbors “learned through the press that HAP is planning to sell the property” is false and mislead ing. W e informed the Concordia Commu nity Association as early as April 1976, and repeatedly since in both written and oral communication, of HAP’s intention to sell the property. What they read in the press was a report of HAP’s decision to retain a real estate broker. That decision was just one of a series of steps toward ultimate sale and was arrived at in a regularly scheduled meeting open to the public. We were not trying to put anything over on anybody. CCA members were not “told b y .a HAP spokesman that a private developer could build as many as 200 units on the site.” They were told that, as presently zoned, up to 166 units could tbeorntirelly be built on the ten acres. That was just a matter of arithmetic. Actually, the Planning Bureau has said it would not approve that many units. In 1975, a joint task force of both Concordia and HAP officials met with school, police, traffic, fire and public works people. This coincided with a policy decision by HAP to limit future family housing to projects of 30 40 units on scattered sites. Your article does not mention that HAP offered to sell the vacant ten acres to the Concordia residents so that they can protect their neighborhood at then- own expense rather than at the expense of the 5,000 families on HAP's waiting list. Most of them are living in sub-stand dard housing, and cannot afford to own or rent decent shelter at present day mar ket prices. HAP's duty is to develop new low rent housing, and proceeds from the sale of the Dekum Court property will help us move forward in that direction. I would hope that the Observer would support HAP in this. Sincerely, James 0 . Brooks Executive Director 1st Place Portland O bserver ,, Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address- P.O. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283 2486. Subscriptions:|7.50 per year in the Tri-County area, 88.00 per year outside Portland. Second Class Postage Paid at Portland, Oregon The Portland Observer’s official position is expressed only in its Publisher's column (We 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 ,Inc. New York Naomi C. Wrighten (And Concerned Citizens) 287-7527 ID A -4 0 0 0 Disagrees with Concardia position To the Editor: Attorney Von-Berger's Office. Salem. Oregon's Public Defenders Office, the Portland Observer, and w e will be having communications with the NAACP, in the very short future. We can give our concern, our tune, our energy and efforts to meet those needs in which your letter expressed. Regarding Constitution Rights to a fair trial. Community Service ONPA 1973 1st Place Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 5th Place Best Editorial NNPA 1973 4H d sl» PERMANENT Press-Dryer (Continued from page 1 col. 1) A program in 4-H sports will continue, and Alexander plans to add a new dimen sion to the rally squad by recruiting boys as well as girls into the program. Alexander also has an art class at Boise School, and hopes to continue with a chess club and a new group interested in plants and soil. Eight staff members are working out of King Neighborhood Center, anxious to expand the program in the inner city, adds Alexander, “I will be working at Columbia Villa, adding new programs and continuing those that have been popular in the past.” 4-H presents an opportunity for pa rents, other adults and teachers to become involved as volunteers and in fluence the development of young people. “Our goal,” adds Alexander, “is to help youth to learn how to learn, to use knowledge, to relate to changes as they occur and to develop a positive self image.” The staff at 4-H Urban Center invites the community to call for further infor mation and to encourage the goals of the inner city program. The Center phone number is 287-1770. $7.50 $8.00 Cool down cars for Pw rognant Prats. Extra largo lint screen. Large 5.9 cu. ft. drying drum. Push-to- start button; automatic door shut off. Bak-Pak Laundry Information Center pulls up for easy ce. 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