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Thursday. September 22. 197*7
Portland
to tho ZAfa
W e see the world
-
through Black eyes
*>
" « •“
Bert Lance is a go o d e x a m p le o f a m an w h o live d
the "A m e ric a n W ay o f L ife " a nd lost. Lance d id a ll
the things that a re expected o f a b ig businessm an
caught up in the c a p ita list system. He w h e e le d and
d e a le d a n d took ad va n ta g e o f the lo o p holes and the
nuances o f the law .
A n A m e rica n is expected to m ake m oney —
c o n tin u o u sly increase his ca p ita l. He is expected to
use the systems and patterns set up a n d to stay on the
ed g e o f the law .
Lance d id these things and he w as a successful
business m an — though unaer the m icroscope some
o f his m ethods m ig h t look q u e stion able.
The one th in g Lance d id that most striving business
m en do not do, he h elped others. W h ile b u ild in g his
ow n k in g d o m he d e v e lo p e d a bank, h e lp e d a to w n
g ro w , h e lp e d the sm all businessm en a nd farm rs
through a lib e ra l loan policy, and used the bank fo r
the b e n e fit o f the com m unity. That aspect o f his life
m ig h t be unusual.
Lance is a h ig h ly respected m an, o ne w h o is
hon o re d by those w h o kn o w h im . He just got caught
up in the system w e are a ll supposed to e m u la te .
He served well
As the O bserver goes to press w e have le arned o f
the death o f Dr. D e N o rv ille U nthank. Dr. U nthank
w h o cam e to P ortland as a y o u n g doctor in 1929,
served his p e o p le w e ll. U nthank not o n ly looked
a fte r the h e a lth needs o f the c o m m u n ity -- Black and
w h ite — but he w o rke d to im p ro v e the social and
econom ic life th ro u g h a c tiv ity in the c iv il rights
m ovem ent.
Dr. U nthank w ill be long re m e m b e re d fo r his
d e d ic a tio n and fo r the doors he opened.
* diffarMM la «lor?
N o w the Port o f Portland has its p ro b le m s —
e m b e zzle m e n t by its em ployees. The FBI is lo o k im j
into a schem e that m ig h t in v o lv e a la rg e n u m b e r o f
Port em ployees.
N o one is accusing Lloyd A nderson, d ire c to r o f the
Port o f Portland, o f crim e or e ven n e g le ct o f duty.
This is just one o f those things that happens in a large
o p e ra tio n h a n d lin g m illio n s o f dollars. The FBI w ill
get to the bottom o f it but th e leaders w ill be
untarnished. You w ill not read in your d a ily papers
that A nderson should be h e ld responsible fo r his
e m p lo y e e s ' conduct m uch less that he is a com m on
crook.
In the last tw o or three years w e have seen the
C ounty a n d the City com e up short — com putor
errors. The Secretary o f State's o ffic e w as fo u n d to be
so m e w h a t d e fic ie n t in its a ccountin g practices and
the books o f one la rg e state agency w e re in such a
mess th a t they c o u ld n 't be a u d ite d . The list goes on
and on.
O ne th in g is m issing — nobody accused the M a yo r,
the C ounty C hairm an or the G overnor o f crim e.
O n ly in the case o f a Black d ire cto r d id the
p o ssib ility o f crim e com e to m ind. W hen PMSC was
fo u n d to have accountin g errors a nd sloppy b o o k
k e e p in g practices, these w e re q u ic k ly tra n sla te d into
crim in a l a c tiv ity a nd m isa p p ro p ria tio n o f funds.
There is still ta lk o f $500,000 to $600,000 in m issing
m oney, lik e it w as so m e w h e re in som eone's pocket.
The fact that the "m is s in g " m oney w ill a ll be fo u n d
a nd accounted fo r w ill som ehow miss the a tte n tio n
o f the pu b lic.
D oesn't it seem strange that one m an is accused o f
crim e a nd th e ft, yet no one w o u ld cast a d o u b t on the
in te g rity o f the o th e r responsible o ffic ia ls w hose
program s also occassionally have "m is s in g " m oney.
Unity: The godfather of Black progress
by Herb L. Cawthorne
3 I -
i * x
No one in this community would likely
disagree with the statement, “Unity is
strength.*
Yet, when meshing the
private dreams and personal needs of
individuals into the practice of this ideal,
it becomes clear that the consensus does
not go too far beneath the surface
“U nity” - the calling card of progress
for Black people. The impact of a spirit of
oneness and a will to allow no small
matters to force wedges between our
locked arms is truly exemplified in the
magnificent achievements of the recent
stage of the Civil Rights Movement.
Those who in their blind bitterness scoff
at the recent gains of nonviolent direct
action somehow overlook the great wave
of commitment, determination, and to
getherness which made its achievements
possible.
The Civil Rights Movement helped
Black Americans learn the value of
unified action. Even to this day. the
thought of the nonviolent resisters in the
South is enough to send chills of pride up
the spine and back down again. Stop and
think a moment.
The image of rows and rows of Black
people, together with courageous white
supporters, all seated strategically on a
crowded Southern freeway, refusing to
allow traffic to proceed until the magni
tude of their grievances had been noted
in the national conscience; Martin Luther
King. Jr., standing with his brothers and
sisters, arms interlocked, singing and
chanting together, marching against the
hostile threats of billy clubs, vicious dogs,
imprisonment, and personal harassment;
and the outspoken leadership of numer
ous student activists each compelled to
lead hundreds to new horizons of dignity
- these are the images of unity. In this
unity is our strength.
The ability to weld together over
common needs has been the godfather of
Black progress and development in
America. Anyone hoping to maintain an
oppressive position or condition knows
this fact, and acts accordingly. The slave
society, for instance, went to drastic
measures to weaken the potential for
cohesiveness among the Black Africans in
this country.
It destroyed common
languages, restricted movement, and pro
moled “Nigger English,” all in the effort
to limit communication and undermind
the reality of togetherness.
In modern times, the FB I has made it a
consistent practice to disrupt organiza
tions in the Black community. Is there
anyone who seriously doubts that there
are certain aspects of the news media
which, like vultures looking for easy
prey, invite opportunities to unravel the
fabric of unity in Afro American com
munities?
Unity is critical, essential.
It is
something of the vitamin E in our
struggle to advance this race in America.
Certainly if others will go to great length
to undermind the spirit of brotherhood
among us. then in this alone we have
sufficient reason for each of us to go to
great length to maintain the unity so
critical and essential to our progress.
There is a mood creeping slowly over
the Black people in this community. This
mood may be the one that alters the
traditional “I am better than my broth
er’ attitude that seems to prevail among
some Black Portlanders. It is a mood o f
strength and unity, one that is tired of
Black leaders serving themselves more
often than anyone else. And Portland
may never be the same.
Even here in Portland, as we struggle
to change the Board of Education, as we
struggle for employment, as we struggle
for greater political recognition, the
grand vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
is appropriate:
“When the history books are written in
future generations, the historians will
have to pause and say. “There lived a
great people - a Black people - who
injected new meaning and dignity into
the veins of civilization.* This is our
challenge and our overwhelming respon
sibility.”
In Portland, will Black people come
forward to provide the loving, but persis
tent. criticism which can revive some of
our anemic organizations and leaders?
Why should we not have the highest of
expectations, and demand that we attain
them? In an atmosphere of unity, the
strength of critical analysis pushes us
forward, on to better conditions, and
never allows us the false comfort of a
forgotten past.
In this period, we could all fall asleep,
dreaming that our problems have been
solved and that we are but one genera
tion from the Promised Land.
There is no promised land except as
we create one through the struggle to
better our political, economic, social,
intellectual, and artistic position in this
world. And that struggle, to be success
ful. must be marked as the daily transla
tion of our belief in the truism: “Unity is
oOr strength."
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201
North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address:
P .0 . Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283 2486.
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The Portland Observer’s official position is expressed only in
its Publishers column (We See The World Through Black
yes). 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.
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To the Editor:
“The weak perish, and the strong
survive." That law holds true, through
out the beginning of time.
And it's
clearly visible inside the walla of Oregon
State Penitentiary. Within these walls
you can find people from all walks of life,
the best of the best and the worst of
degenerates alive.
I t ’s the strangest
conglomeration of the species called man
ever placed under one roof.
These walls confine the dreams, hopes,
tears, laughter, anger and pain of those
duly found guilty of crimes against the
State. And for their crimes, these men
must pay. suffer the most dehumanizing
experience in the history of mans inhu
manity to man. All compassion is lost,
love, a shameful word to be spoken.
Prison is the den of the guilty, the
foolhardy and impulsive ones. And it is
also the travesty of a criminal justice
system that condemns and confines the
innocent.
I write these lines with one such person
in mind. You can't call it flag waving
because I'm not patriotic, it is simply a
statement of fact. The public is constant
ly screaming for stiffer punishments for
law breakers, but what about those
unfortunate innocent men caught in the
net. Sure I've heard of appeal, but what
about the time lost, the pain, loneliness
and humiliation endured. “Who gives
that back, huh? Who gives back the lost
respect?"
James Babe Wilson, is one of those men
confined in this cesspool. It's tough doing
time, and it's a bitch if you're a “Babe
Wilson". I'm a prisoner myself and I've
never felt the need to speak in behalf of
any other inmate, but this brother’s
situation is so foul so funk filled that I too
must join the ranks of those dedicated to
obtaining his freedom.
March 2 1 ,1 9 7 7 ,1 watched Babe hit the
big yard. I heard the greetings pass, the
ritual dance was danced, since he isn't a
stranger to most of the Brothers, palms
were slapped, right -one were in abun
dance. Niggah's was highsiding and fat
dadding for the brother's benefit. But he
wasn't up to the occasion, he had a
bewildered look in his eyes that tempor
arily shadowed the defiance and anger
inside of him. I t was as if he hadn't fully
realized he was locked up. As though he
were dreaming and was just waiting to be
told, it was just another nightmare.
Around him the zombies waited to take
him into the fold, “the fraternity of the
dead".
Since that first day Babe, has main
tained his innocence. And it's common
knowledge around the yard that, “The
brother was framed." It's because of this
knowledge that I crusade for his freedom.
I knew him in the life of the scrambling
hustler. And I'm aware of the transition
he made from the plastic madness, to a
life of substance and meaning. Babe, is a
ir
living example that ws can
That a junkie and a eon can ba a
productive person. Being around him
instills in me the confidence that I too can
change. Babe beat the odds, he met the
challenge and came out a winner.
How ironic it is that he should now be
confined in the filth and death he fought
so hard to avoid.
James Babe Wilson, is a survivor, he
will return one day to a real world. I'm
sure that the chains that bind him now,
won't contain the spirit of his Blackness.
He has won the battle against drugs and
the big money dreams. He will also be
victorious against the system that has
wrongfully condemned him.
All 1 ask is that you the people extend a
helping hand. Babe, needs your help and
we the confined need to see that the
world we left is worth coming back to.
That good triumphs over evil, and that it
isn't a crime to be a Black junkie ex-con.
Right the wrong, that the might of your
silent voices be felt. Support the Babe
Wilson Defense Fund. Give a Hollar or a
dime because that's all the system recog
nises.
Thank you for reading these lines and
line up for the freedom of James Babe
Wilson. Send all donations to: James
Babe Wilson Defense Fund. P .0 . Box
10681, Portland. Oregon. 97210.
Sincerely.
Joe "West Wind i e s t
Questions Cawthorne’s motives
To the Editor:
This letter is written as my individual
response to M r. Herb Cawthorne's article
in the Portland Observer, September 15,
1977 entitled “Hartzog and Staff Motiva
tion Questioned." By no means should
this letter be construed as a defense
statement for D r. Hartzog or Gladys
McCoy, who was also recently criticized
publicly by M r. Cawthorne, These two
individuals in my opinion, are more than
capable of making their own defense,
should they feel it necessary to do so.
M y letter is one of inquiry regarding
M r. Cawthorne's motivations and style of
communication. Specifically:
1. Why is M r. Cawthorne using the
media to publicly criticise and raise
doubts about the integrity of other
Blacks? (A practice reminiscent of the
"Divide and Conquer” strategy histori-
cally and expertly used on minorities.)
2. Why did Mr. Cawthorne find it
necessary to use four paragraphs and two
sub-paragraphs (approximately one-third
of the article) before he began his attack
on D r. Hartzog and other School District
staff? Was it for anesthetic purposes
perhaps?
In his article why did M r. Cawthorne
question the presence of School District
staff at the Coalition meetings stating
“Have they come to participate” etc.
when he heard with his own ears the
Coalition membership emphatically state
that they did not want School District
staff actively participating?
The preceding questions deal with M r.
Cawthorne's style of public communica
tion and based upon my individual per
ception of his article. I find myself caught
in a dilemma, specifically. I cannot find
fault in the application of widsom if I
doubt its presence.
Again, as an individual, I feel that the
Desegregation Coalition should address
itself to and raise questions concerning:
why is it that with cities, school boards
and staffs all over the nation under fire
for their failure to implement desegrega
tion operations, that the Portland School
Board and staff are under fire for their
attempt to implement voluntary desegre
gation operations; why are the time,
efforts, and energies of the Coalition,
after only three meetings, being some
what hysterically turned from the impor
tant issues and focused upon the undigni
tied activity of personality castigation;
and finally, is there some particular force
of personality who might be grinding
the organ for M r. Cawthorne?
Clifford J. Campbell, Jr.
They’ll take us one by one
To the Editor:
Persecution ior Truth.
Back in June, after I was sentenced to
four months in S&I (the hole) the
Warden, Mr. H.C. Cupp, stood in front of
my cell and told me, quote: “I f you don't
learn to keep your mouth shut I am going
to bury you down here, just like I am
doing to Williams. I run this joint.”
unquote.
When I complained about the condi
tions, injustices and discriminatory prac
tices of this institution and its staff they
brought new charges against me. The
charges are: Disruptive Behavior. Con
spiracy, False Statement to Staff, and
Attempted False Statement to Staff. All
of which are unfounded! On the charge of
Disruptive Behavior, the Disciplinary
Committee gave me four days isolation (I
had already spent five days in isolation)
but when the committee took their
decision before M r. Cupp to be amended
he gave me ninety days more running
consecutive with the time I am now
serving in the hole. He has yet to amend
the Conspiracy and its surrounding
charges. On the Conspiracy, the commit
tee gave me a loss of 30 days good time,
suspended for 30 days.
I t appeared to me that M r. Cupp is now
going to make good his threat! I had
made up my mind to stop bumping heads
with them (the administration) but in
view of their most recent attack on me, I
feel that if I must go down I I I go down
fighting!! I am guilty of being a “Black
M an '...
Brothers and sisters in the free world -
and brothers and sisters in prisons all
over this country, if they do it to me they
will do it to you!!
I f you don't know where you come
from; if you are unaware of who or where
you are:“How in the hell can you possibly
know where you are going?!?
George Jackson said, “There are no
healthy brothers, none at all." Brother
Malcom X preached separatism and after
his trip to the Holy Land of Mecca he
spoke of the brotherhood of “Man” and
mankind.
There is always of course, more to any
picture than can speedily be perceived
and in all of this - groaning and moaning,
watching, calculating, clowning, surviv
ing and outwitting, some tremendous
strength was nevertheless being forged,
which is part of our legacy today. But,
that particular aspect of our journey now
begins to be behind us. The secret is out:
we are “Men"!!
But the blunt, open articulation of this
secret has frightened the nation to death.
I wish I could say “to life" but that is too
much to demand of a desperate collection
of displaced people still cowering in their
wagon trains and singing, “Onward
Christian Soldiers."
We know that a baby does not come
into the world merely to be the instru
ment of someone elses profit. We know
that democracy does not mean the coer
cion of all into a deadly - and finally,
wicked-mediocrity but the liberty for all,
to aspire to the best that is in him. or that
has ever been.
We know that, we, the Blacks, and not
only the Blacks have been, and are. the
victims of a system whose only fuel is
greed, whose only God is profit. We
know that the fruits of this system have
been ignorance, despair and death, and
we know that the system is doomed
because the world can no longer afford it
- if indeed it ever could have. And we
know that for the perpetuation of this
system, we have all been mercilessly
brutalized and have been told nothing but
lies, lies about ourselves and our kins
men. our pals, about love, life and death
so that both soul and body have been
bound in hell.
Some of us. Black and White, know
how great a price has already been paid
to bring into existence a new conscious
ness, a new people, an unprecedented
nation. If we know and do nothing we are
worse than the murderers hired in our
name! I f we know then we must fight, for
your life as though it were our own -
which it is - and render impassable with
our bodies the corridor to the gas
chamber. For if they take you in the
morning, they will be coming for us that
night!
And believe me brothers and sisters if
we don't make a stand we will all be
taken!!
Johnny Lamar Polite
Box 38555 S &I, O.S.P.
1st Place
Best Ad Results
ONPA 1973
5th Place
Best Editorial
N N P A 1973
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorini Award
N N A 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1975
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Name
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' oast'wen
MEMBER
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1st Place
Community Service
ONPA 1973
P ortland O b server
A L F R E D L. HENDERSON
Editor/Publisher
Ha doesn't belong here
ER
AMOCItlion • FountM 799S
Portland Observer
2201 N. Killingsworth
Portland, Oregon 97217
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