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I
Portland Observer
Thursday. February 16. 1978
We see the world
Through the eyes o f Mr. W
by Harold C. H i
through Black eyes
A backward glance
and a forward step
Board ignores chance
for citizen input
The Per» land School Boord once ogam reiected on
opportunity to include the public in its deliberations.
The Board must now appoint a person to replace
Robert Ridgley who is resigning from the Board
June 30th.
The position or School Board member is, of course
elective and hod the Portland district not hove asked
the legislature to change its election date, this
position would have been filled ot the May 1778
Primary Election The last session of the legislature,
at the reques’ of the PPS Board changed the election
date from May to April — then rather than shorten
existing terms by one year they were extended one
year.
The Committee *or Quality Education for A ll
Children asked the Board to include citizens in the
election process by inviting community organizations
to nome members to a selection committee. This
committee would screen applicants and refer a
limited number to the Board The Boord, as carefully
expio nea by Board member Jonathan Newman and
others, has the responsibility of naming the new
member No one would question that - they merely
would like to hove participated in the first steps of
the process. Bu’ as Prank McNamara explained no
one else could be trusted to share this important
responsibility.
So the Boord appointed three of its members -
predictably .-ataman Newman, Frank McNamora
and Gladys McCoy — to bring three nominees to the
full board.
The year 1978 » an election year lor
Oregon, the Governor's race, city and
county race*, school boards, etc In this
election year it is important that people
t i color re examine the »sues that affect
their hves Jobs, housing, and education
are the primary areas that affect people
of color What must be asked in this
election year is. who ha* given the moat
in the past and present in support of your
needs and interests'’
Have politicians knocked on your door
This is Block History Week and although little has
happened in Portland to remind us of this annual
event, it is a time that we should use to look bock on
our history in order to gam courage for difficult
decisions ahead.
Oregon's record is not good.
Although Block
people played important roles in the discovery and
by Bayard Rustin
settlement of O eg o n , the framers of the Oregon
The Republican party is showing a new
Constitution were careful to legolly bar Blacks from
interest in Black voters, until now the
economic, political and social participation. Our
most solidly Democratic group in Am en
early history is not only a blot in the reputation
can politics. The most dramatic indica
of this great state, but it established an atmosphere
tian af this is that the Reverend Jesse
of racism that still pervades our society.
Jackson was invited to address a recent
meeting of the Republican National Com
It is in looking backward at the hardships and
mittee,
In addition, party chairman Bill
indignities forced upon Oregon's Block citizens and
Brock has announced a well financed
the long struggle to overcome this history, that we
program to recruit Black candidates and
can not only gain insight on the present but a vision
convert Black voters.
of the future.
It is my conviction that Blacks should
1978 will be a crucial year to Black Oregonians. It
always be ready to re-examine our
■s election time again. We will see a stream of
political behavior, to explore new alter
political candidates tracking into our community,
natives, and to entertain novel ideas. We
asking for our votes. Some of these people will
can only benefit from a senous discussion
of every conceivable political strategy. I f
never be seen again; some will appear in another
this Republican initiative helps to spark
two or four years when it is election time ogain.
such a discussion, it could make an
Black citizens are becoming more sophisticated
important contribution to the develop
and more demanding
The political process has
ment of an effective Black political
been learned through broken promises. This year
strategy even if. as I suspect, the
initiative is rejected as offering very little
those votes will be much harder to get. This year's
to Blacks.
cana-dates will be judged not only on the record but
on firm, hard public proposals and the power to
There is as yet no rush of Blacks to the
deliver those proposals. Nebulous platitudes about
Republican party. But that there is a
equal opportunity and serving the poor will not be
willingness to consider the ides says
enough this time around — we will want to know the
something important about the present
political situation. Blacks are disappoint -
specifics of the offer and will set the price high
only during election ume. or have they
kept your concerns in mind after they are
in office? Has the rate of employment
decreased in your community? Have the
elected officials helped to improve the
housing environment tn your community?
Have they addressed the basics in educa
tion for your children, not just the arts?
These areas are important, but they are
not enough. Have the basics, reading,
w riting and arithmetic been addressed
fairly m the schools m your community?
Don’t let your attention be attracted by
the politician's pretty words and fancy
promises, hut look at the bottom line; ran
they produce, will they produce, have
they produced? If these things tally up in
the Black, you know who to support If
they tally up in the red. which is the Inst
column, then you know who not to
support.
The bottom line is the issue for people
of color in the election year of 1978.
Republican Party beckons Blacks
Black History Week 1978
they can find them W ith the passage ol
the Voting Rights Act and growing
political participation. Black votes have
become decisive in more and more elec
twns. most dramatically in the last
Presidential election.
The possibility that Republicans might
be able to win more Black voles is not
inconceivable There have always been
*ome Republicans, such as New York
Senator Jacob Javits, who have won -
and deservinglv so
large numbers of
Black votes.
And like other voters.
Blacks are increasingly willing to split
their tickets.
The road from deciding not to concede
the Black vote to the Democrats to
actually winning significant numbers of
Blacxs to the Republican ranks is likely to
be a long and difficult one. I t will take
more than an attractive candidate here
and there. It will require more than the
tokenism and public relations gimmickry
of inviting a civil rights leader to speak to
Republican meetings. The decisive factor
will be the program, policies, and three
tion of the Republican party, i t is only a
slight exaggeration to say that the
Republicans will be able to attract Blacks
only by moving closer to Democratic
positions. The prospects of this happen
mg are not great. The Republicans have,
if anything, become more, not less ronser
ed with the performance of the Carter vative in recent year* and there is no
administration.
Many feel that the solid indication that this course is about
Democratic party is beginning to take to be reversed. Even Republican N a
Blacks for granted. Consequently, there tional Chairman Bill Brock, who is spear
is interest in discovering some means to heading the drive for Black support.
regain political leverage.
rarely voted correctly on any civil rights
Although it is a break with their recent issues as a Senator from Tennessee.
past, the Republicans have reason to be There is no sign that the Republicans
interested in Blacfc voles. If they hope to have recognized the fundamental incom
compete on even terms, with the Demo patibilily between their traditional pro
crata. they need to seek votes wherever grams and the interests of their const!
tuency. on the one hand, and the needs of
the Black community on the other
It might even be speculated that the
Republican* do not really hope to win a
m ajority of Black vote* and that their
goal is actually much more modest; to
increase their share of the Black vote
from less than ten perceni to perhaps
twenty or twenty five percent. W ith the
declining importance of traditional civil
rights issue*, those Blacks whose class
interests largely coincide with the Repub
bean philosophy may well he attracted to
that party. It would not be surprising, if
for instance. Black businessmen join
white businessmen in finding the Repub
bean party a more congenial home than
the IYemocrats.
For the overwhelming majority of
Blacks however, there are serious limits
tions to the Republican option. It would
seem both counterproductive and foolish
to attem pt to punish Jimmy C arter for
being too conservative, too much like a
Republican, by embracing real Republi
cans who are likely to be even more
conservative, even more unwilling to
undertake the ambitious, activist pro
grams necessary to overcome the prob
lems afflicting Black Americans While
we should welcome the newly-discovered
Republican interest in Black voters and
help them to understand our problems,
our main hope for salvation is likely to be
in other directions.
As of now. the Republican party,
'though not all Republicans) is rightly
considered the enemy of Blacks in the
working class and Blacks who are econo
mic outcasts If and when the Republican
party stands for progressive measures
that will alleviate poverty and social
injustice, then we can Lake their wooing
seriously.
JLcÜMl tú
Editto
Defends Priestley record
To the Editor:
sen la live Priestley were passed and. or
adopted by the House. This compares
1 just read Herb Cawthorne s column
with 25 for Representative Howard
supposedly about E rie Crowell. While I
Cherry. and 24 for Representative Vera
usually find his ideas to have value and to * Kata. In the Senate it compares with 21
show insight. I was amazed by the lack of
for Senator Bill McCoy and 34 for Senator
information he presented about Ms. Cro
Steven Kafoury The charge that Repre
well and by the unsubstantiated "pereep
sentative Pnestley is unable “to intro
tions" of Representative W’ally Priestley
duce legislation and get it through"
from District #16.
appears to be refuted by these figure*,
1 am not Black and I do not know Ms
unless other Portland legislators are
Crowell, though I have heard her track
equally ineffective.
record and qualifications discussed by
Priestley's legislative philosophy is
Black people I have come to know- and
based on the belief that it is preferable to
respect Representative Priestley. The
vole for and initiate that which over the
perceptions of him presented in Caw
long term has relevance in accomplishing
tborne's column are in error in several
the social change necessary in a society
respects
with an economic system valuing profits
Representative W ally Priestley, if one
over people
Many legislators have
bothers to check, has a consistent record
neither his insight nor his courage, so
of putting forth socially meaningful pro
some of the things he advocates will not
posals In the last legislative session 28
come to pass in the short run.
House measures introduced by Repre
jaw
r< i
Open Letter
Woodlawn
It <
H
i
>
«Continued from Page 1 Column 3)
«
/ r twcm months a ytA *
Portland O bserver
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201
North Kilbngsworth. Portland. Oregon 97217. Mailing address:
P.O. Box 3137. Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone 283-2486
Subscriptions: 17SO per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 per
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The Portland Observer '• official position is expressed only in
(U Publishers column 'W e See The World Through Black
Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion
of the individual w riter or submitter and does not necesaarily
reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
New Y ork
=
MfMSiS
Herrick Editorial A <
N N A 1973
Se
the »A
m i nui
. ___ b
SOS»" '«MK»
a wrea.AN'S #ne number
should 6€ recorded
in a c o n v e n ie n t
PLAC E
Sincerely.
Ms. Lillie W alker.
Chairperson
Committee for Quality
Education for all Children
$7.50
in Tri—County Area
$8.00
Othor
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*? I
O NPA 1975
A L F R E D L HEN DERSON
Edñor Publisher
W e are expressing our appreciation for
your interest and concern about the
issues in the community that affect
parents and their children
Your conti
nued support and representation under
often difficult circumstances helps us to
keep going
We are appalled at the insulting way in
which you are addressed by other mem
bera of the School Board and Admimstra
tion. W e consider these insult* directed
to you. our elected representative, a* a
direct affront to us the electorate.
.Although the board meetings are un
doubtedly painful for you. you are being
heard and appreciated
1st Place
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5tk Place
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O NPA 1973
do the job Rather, in designing cumcu
lum. well-conceived, systematic, organi
zaUona: plans must be employed that
allow for ethnically specific content to
become integral parts of all aspects of the
schools education program."
The plan is a response to declining
enrollment and increasing minority con
eentration at Woodlawn Currently there
are 228 students enrolled in the first five
grades
Minority enrollment has risen
from 40.7 in 1973 to 58.3 in 1977 78.
When renovation of the school for an
Early Childhood Center is completed
there will be five empty classrooms.
Dear Representative Pnestley.
But if there is value in raising issue*
and in making us consider alternatives to
w hat is presented by many public officials
and much of the media in our daily diet of
mediocre pablum. then Representative
Pnestley is most valuable to us all And,
he ia willing to engage in the unglamo
rous tasks and grass roots work required
to raise social consciences and make
hopes into realities.
Priestley is by choice a busy man.
Unlike many legislators he. at an econo
mic loss to himself, chooses not to be
employed outside of the legislature. In
stead he spends his non legislative hours
concentrating on the issues that concern
him. Certainly, as Cawthorne contends,
his board of education duties are demand
ing. but so are the money making jobs
and outside activities of many other
legislators which no one questions
Ms. Crowell is a question mark. She
has a small community track record She
and others have been encouraged by the
powers that be to run against Represen
U tiv e Pnestley because of the headache*
he causes them and because of the values
be represents Often attempts are made
to discredit Priestley, and thus to avoid
the necessity of refuting his ideas. I am a
woman who likes to support women and
minority candidates. But. Represents
tive Priestley is too valuable to be
sacrificed for someone who has not
proven herself just because of her sex
and ethnicity.
Priestley has for years proven himself
to be quite able and pure in motive. He
has a forthright manner and a friendly,
non vindictive personality. He keeps a*
alert with his constant monitoring of
happenings, keeps us entertained with
his wit and humor, and keeps us inspired
with his courage to do battle for us at risk
to himself A spark brings forth a flame.
W ally is our spark
|c » s M k
gO w r p
O Kacpi V f r p r a
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