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
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N N P A 1973
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its Publishers column (We See The World Through Black
E yesl. Any other material throughout the paper is the opiniun
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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*
/