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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1978)
I Pain' 2 Portland (thw rver Thursday. January 5. 197b Vernon Chatman: We see the world A hard man to replace by H e rb < «w lbatrar through Black eyes Why not Hollins? M any sports fans are om azed to see. d ay a fte r day, w hat they b e lie v e to be a boyco tt o f the B lazer’s Black players by the local press Those e xcited fans w ho e a g e rly purchased the W ednesday O regonion, hop in g at last to see Lionel H o llin s fe a tu re d on the Sports Page w ere not surprised to once o ga m fin d not H ollins — w ho was the outstan din g star o f Tuesday n ig h t’s g am e — but tw o photos o f B ill W a lto n And you guessed it, the Jo urna l a lso fe a tu re d W alton. H ollins was re p e a te d ly b o o e d by the fons last year and was ig n ore d by the sports w riters. This year he has fa re d better — fin a lly g e ttin g som e o f the ac cla im he deserves Bob Robinson of the O reg on ian says o f H o llin s ’ Tuesday n ig h t e ffo rt, "L io n e l H ollins has a heart a lm ost as b ig as a baske tba ll and that was a ll that saved »he P ortland Trailblazers Tuesday n ig h t at M e m o ria l C oliseum in a m ira culou s 92-90 victory over the C hicago B u lls.” In Tuesday n ig h t’s n a rro w w m o ver the C hicago Bulls, H o llin s saved the g am e w ith a steal and tw o baskets in the last ten seconds o f the g am e - after an outstan din g p e rfo rm a n ce th ro u g h o u t the gam e H ollins had also m ade an 18 fo o t |um p-shot w ith 29 seconds to go His to ta l fo r th e n ig h t was 27 points, 17 in the last q uarter. It w o u ld seem th a t H o llin s m ig h t have been h o n o re d by a p h o to g ra p h on the fro n t o f the Sports Sections. In th e o ld e n days. w h e n it was g e n e ra lly b e lie v e d that Blocks c o u ld not excel, the accom plishm ents of Black p e o p le w e re ig n ore d Then, w h e n a Black's p e rfo rm a n c e was so outstanding that he could not be ign ore d, so m ehow his Blockness d isa p p e a re d This is w hy some o f our A m e rican heroes — Jim B eckw ith, fo r e x a m p le -- do not app ea r in the history books as Black m en. It has re m a in e d to the latter day historians to search o ut and fin d these heroes and d e te rm in e that they w e re Black. O f course, n ow that photographs are so p re v a le n t, that w o u ld be m ore d iffic u lt to accom plish But by re a d in g the Sports Page o f the d a ily new spapers, one c o u ld fo rg e t that the Trailblazer team is m ade up o f Blacks a nd w hites. The T railblazers are o ne o f the best local e xam ple s o f Blacks a nd w h ite s w o rk in g to ge th er as a team to excel They have fu rth e re d the cause o f "B ro th e r h o o d " in the P ortland area as they have becom e heroes to m any p e o p le w h o co uld not accept the concept o f ra c ia l e q u a lity It is too bod th a t the local press has not taken a d v a n ta g e o f the consistent new s va lu e o f the Blazers' c h o m p io n s h ip a nd the cu rren t successful season to p ro m o te the concept o f u nity. X BLACK LEADERS HAVE J HE R E S P O N S IB L E Y TO Today, perhaps more than ever, Black youngsters an* helptsl by the efforts of some to encourage them to think about the future as early as possible They an- hclpis! hts-ausc they begin to realize that what one duaa today will bring n-wanfs and honor and victories in the days to come. »'or this reason «specially the I Irhan la-ague s Career Awuroness Itay is signi fieant It is an activity which asks young Black atudunts to begin now to set the course. Nonverbally, it says, "You an* worth something, you must believe in your heritage and keep the faith that tomorrow holds a belter day for yourself, your people, and the world we live in." Ixtsl November 5lh. at the University of Portland, the Urban ix-ague held its fifth annual Career Awareness hay. Then* wen* 170 students involved, an improssivc improvement over the pre vious year. Mon* than 20 companies wore reprrscnled. many limes by Black cm ployeea who wen* familiar with the cm*umstann*s of the students involved. The career day was the n*sult of a unique man's thought. Vernon Chatman, the dm*clor of education and youth incentives for the Urban Ix-ague of Portland. realized the need to bring young Macks together early in their high school careers. “In my visits to different high sc I nmi I s . talking with students about plans for the future, I found them to he thinking in very narrow terms, especially the Black students." the <*ducation diroclor told me. The I h«*laralion id Independence that revolutionary d<N*um«*nl of human principles which serves a.« om* of t he underpinnings of American -moiety stales: "...governments arc inslilul««) among men, deriving their just powers from the ronscnl of the governed." I hat is true for all American ritiarns. except thorn* of us who live in Washington D.C. the capital of the U..S„ and the "»'roc World." We are the only « tu r n s in our great country who ranmit elect our own voting Representatives to the United States House of R epresentatives or the United Stales Senate. It is simply a rase of Democracy denied! r.r. II is mil lime to complete the work of our h ounding » alhers amf provide lilaTly and justice for the three quarters of a million District of Columbia residents (70 '» P C IE T Y PREPARES THE CRIME THE CRIHIHAJ. C O N H tT S r r’ simply can't say enough giasl things ahiait the Career h ay. und especially Vernon Chatman He is a |s*rs.m whosi effis*livem*ss is understated At first, one might get the impression that he does mil know what he is doing Hut later il herumes obvious that hi* is extremely effective in his work." While many Blacks in Portland wonder about the leadership of the Urban lx*a guc. particularly in these days of re trem em onl. Vernon Chatman is singular ly appreciated for his contribution to the development of a new generation of Black youth. As Helton Hamilton put it, "He is an unsung hero. The youth program at the Portland Urban Ix-ague was cLiso Io nothing until Vernon came. lie will be hard to replace.” “It is essential that the older gem-ra lion communiraM* with the young." cm phusizes Mr Chatman At 64, he is a sparkling example of what can la* pro iluissl when om* believes that, I hough perhaps misguided, our youth are the good foundation of a gmsl future The burden is on us. according to Mr. ( hat man’s belief that "if you have something that is of value, they will listen ami respond." II«* continues; "The key is to convince young |Hs»plc that you have something o f value to say. ami that you arc sincere in a way which they can understand. Then they will appreciate what you an* say mg.” I agn«* with Helton Hamilton: Vernon Chatman will he hard to replace Vote in Congress n must for D.C. bt Re.i. Haller E. »auatrov SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE INCREASED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES O F D^ACK YOUTH ON THE ONE HAND, AND JOIN IN YAKING THE POSITIVE STEPS TO PRO MOTE PROGRAMS WHICH WILL H ELP REMEDY WHAT ISA N A S T Y SITUATION ON THE OTHER ■ Mr. ( hatnian, a nine year veteran of the educaliofi ilcparlmcnl of the Urban lx*ague. noticed after brief contact with local students that "there was a trcmcn dous mssl for them to he involved with p»sq»l>* who represent««! a wide range of interests. Their scope iMs*dcd to la* broadened. This was the motivating (orc* behind the Career Awareness hay. and it has proven very successful." Others agree, it has been successful An administrator at Pacific Northwest 11**11, lands Johnston says this about the effi*clivcness of the experience this year. “It was very well done, very productive. I was impress««! with the students ami their responses. The Career hay is important because it joins education with business It's more than classroom learning it's firsthand interaction with (Msqile who are doing significant jobs everyday She attributes the credit for the posi live influence the event has on both the business community anil stuilcnts to Vernon Chatman, lb«* soft spoken gentle man whose daily work br»s*ds confidence ill the next gem-ration. Ms. Johnston says of Vernon: "lie's fantasia*! What amazes mi* is thut he ran relate to every kind of student. His whole life is ilevolisl to young people. I think he is a remarkable man." »'or those involved in the function, then* sis-mis) to he only positive things to say Helton Hamilton, the administrative law judge and member of the Urban la*ague's Hoard of Directors, said “I percent of whom are Itlarkl who have m> voting voice in Congress. The 750.000 resident« <»f the Dislriel made il larger than ten of our states; Alaska. Delaware. Idaho. Montana. No vada, New Hampshire, North Dakota. S iu lh Dakota. Vermont, and Wyoming Hut these stales have 34 Congressmen; the I »istrirt, nom- And we pay more than a billion dollars annually in federal income taxes more than is paid by the residents of (ourt««*n slates. The issue of Federal I»istrirt represen lation is even more enlightening when considered in the context of the interna tional community. Of the sixteen »'ederal Dislrtrls in other countries, only Brazil and Nigeria deny the residents full representation. Iz im io n . Pans, ami Bonn resident« an* represented in their na tional legislatures Is the United Stales less democratic than England, »'rance, or West Germany? On Wednesday. September 21. 1977, Prrmdenl Carter made history. Ih became Ih«* first l*resnlcnl ever to sup port full ( ongrossional representation foi Ih** District of Columbia With the President's support ami Ih** k'adership of Members such as lt«*pn's«*n talive Don Edwards lD<!altf.l. we arc moving toward achieving full ih-ima-racv for the Distr«*l Excluding Dislrs-I residents from this pn a-ess ami p rivilege is simpH a cane of democracy deni«-d t hat must lw ro m v ted m»w if this Nat khi is to ever fullv implement that principles of our Itrrlara turn of Independence that "all mro are created equal, Lhat they are endowisl hy their Creator with certain unalH iiuhl* Hights..." (Certainly Hights foremost among ihos* is the ability to say who shall represent us in the Halls of Congress. As American citizens, we cannot accept anything less. Role for Black psychiatrists problems In most instances, a Black psychiatrist who has fared similar aortal and racial slress**s. is better able to help. One of the hidden issues faring Ameri At the same lim e, there has to be ran medicine is the death of Black greater efforts made in psychiatric train psychiatrists. This is an issim * that gnes mg to acquaint professionals with the beyond the narrow one of ensuring equal special problems faced by Blacks and access to all professions for Blacks and other minorities. The Black Psychiatrists other minorities; it has a hearing on the of America have helped develop a curri s*icial ami educational iaaues affecling the rulum on Black psychiatry lhat includes Black community studies of the Black family. Black culture With mental health occupying an in and other areas that impart on the Black creasingly larger role tn the puhlir psyche. ronsnousness Black underrepresentation This is a development that should not in the field becomes more crucial. Then* be limited M> centers of Black medical are only 450 Black psychiatrists in Amen education, but should be adopM-d by ca today a mere 1.7 percent of the more predominately white training cenM*rs, than 26.(NN). whose graduates will I n * dealing with The importance of increasing those minority patients in a variety of sel lings, numbers iH-comes apparent when we from office consultation M> institutional realiz** lhat the mental health m***ds of rare. minority communities are largely unmet. Developing more Black psychiatrists The stresses produced by racial discnmi and sensitizing whiM* professionals Mi lh<- nation, poverty, and deprivation result in special problems fared by Blacks will also many instances where individuals need imparl on the educational system . This professional help. wbs brought home by a recent court raae Psychiatrists play a major rob* in in San Francisco lhat seeks to bar the use determining the placement of rhildren of IQ tests Mi place children in classes for with special needs, in forensic programs, the mentally retarded. and direct psychiatric departments in The suit was brought on behalf of six community general hospitals. Such hos Black children who scored 75 or less on pitals control large budgets, jobs for new the standardized IQ tent. Such tests professionals, and often decide in a given purport to measure intelligence. In community who is "mad" and who is actuality they only measure rultural and "bad", and who will get what kind of help language experiences. That's why middle or treatment. class while children lend Mi score higher Help has to come from professionals on IQ Mists than do minority rhildren. with a sympathetic undera'.anding of the When the six were retested by Black social roots of personal mental health psychologists who reworded the tests M> by \ croon E . Jordan. J r. J jtiM to th¿ CdÜM Just a m atter of m oney? Tn lh<- »idilor I have just finished reading the O re gonian article about hurih-ning (otumhia l iHjnlv by the Trojan protesters. Mr. Sells very effectively us«sl misde trieaniir charges as a felony to «-nil me here. and as Mr Ed Jones stated. Mr. Sells could have marie other charges So Mr. SeMa crying to H epresenlalive Ma gruder lor I legislative help in drafting new laws is nothing more than another cry of wolf to the fl<a-ks Whatever his purposes. I also don't understand this $200 per day to empanel a jury for a single rase. Can’t be the fisid thal is expensive. stale cheese sandwiches and a bowl of ts-ans? Can't be the court appointed attorneys, mine projected about a dollar and thirty rent's worth of representation. I'm sun- they ran afford this. I l sure seem s funny to me that in the 62 days I was in jail in St. Helens. I saw hundreds of Mexican aliens brought in from all over tin- Slates of Oregon, Washington and two from Idaho. If they have money to hold and fessi these pr-ople, why an- they crying "poor mouth" about a few protester* Perhaps, as in the rase of Mr Ilari Haas, a little attention to the economics problems in Columbia County is mssh-d W hat did happen to monies from the alien situation'.’ Is this an em ulative action for future potential? Columbia County residents should per haps contact the Hoard of Cumniisstunem for explanatory purposes Is-lon- yet another reason is found to raise taxes. ( an this I n - a foot in the door (or requests for additional personnel anil higher bud g els for the D islriel Attorneys Office? Maybe the Ix-gislalors shiaild pass laws reverting back to the cal l» nine taib. It would sure save money, but I am afraid too many o f our public servants would grow rich with sore backs if justice was served, thal is Protesting, like hitchhiking, has simply I n - coow - I ihi big a money making actuality for public officials (or the State Io curtail. Portland O b server Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201 North Killingsworth. Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P.O. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97206. Telephone: 283 2466 Subscriptions: 17.50 per year in the Tri-County area, $8.00 per year outside Portland. Swond Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon ALEREI» I. HENDERSON »xiilor/Publisher I Jayton I, Keene 1st Place (o m m u n itv Service O N P A 1973 1st Place Best Ad Results O N P A 1973 5th Place Best Editorial N N P A 1973 The Portland Observer« official position is expressed only in its Publishers column (We See The World Through Black E yesl. Any other material throughout the paper is the opiniun of the individual writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland O b s e r v e r Honorable Mention Herrick »xlitorud A w ard NNA 1973 National Advertising Ke.ireaentative Amalgamated Pubhsher». I nr. New York 2nd Place Best »xlitorial 3rd Place • otnmuoitv le a d e rs h ip O N P A 1975 $ 7 .5 0 $ 8 .0 0 J NÊWA PER Aaaociat.on - Founded >SN People in our soriely are labelled anti raM-gortzx-d through IQ tests and similar culturally biased scH-ntifir means thal are really ways of legitimizing racial discnmi nation and supportive of the myths of whiM* supremacy. The San Francisco rase Mlustrates the need for a double effort Mt im-rt-as** the numbers of Black mental hygiene prof«** sionals and Mi reform mediral education so lhat all d«N*M»rs and psychiatrists are more sensitive Mi Black patu-nts and Mi ¡aauea affecting Ih«- m enUl health of minori I h * s . That also ruts arr«»ss the hoard Mt other professions ax well. Our soriety operates on the split level assumption lhat il is color blind while at the same Mm«- continuing M> discrtminaM- against Black* and other minorities. With so few Blacks in professions like psychiatry, minoritN-s are furred to de pend on white professionals who may not fully understand I heir needs. We see this principle operation in education, law and other fields as well as medfcine. So long as there is a crucial shortage of Black professionals the Black rommunity will be underserv«*d and subj«*cted Mi abuses in Tri—County A rea O th e r J MDAMR Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association reflect the children's cultural and Ian guage experien« **. they scored from 17 Mi 38 points higher. rhose kids should never have been stigmatized as retarded, and the work of committed Black professionals «-siahlish ed both the bankruptcy of the tests and the need for an expanded role for Black mental hygiene personnel. O b server State Box 3137 97208 s* /
