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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
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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
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to p q u a li ty
Whirlpool
2-Speed, 3-Cyde
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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Portland Observer
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