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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1978)
Portland Observer Behind the wall Larry Baker »35031. O.S.P. Correa,« “I want the Albina community to r» t involved, so that is why I am here.'* Those are the words from a youthful looking Black Methodist minister, Austin Ray, as he and a trustee of tie Hughes Memorial Methodist Church cf) Portland. Bill McCurley. toured the /acilities of O.S.P. last month. Reverend Ray. married, with seven children, ranging from six months to twelve years, had just become the new pastor of Hughes Memorial and had come to O.S.P. to see what avenues could be opened to help men about to be released from O.S.P. establish themselves once returned to society. Ray, who graduated from East Wash ington State College in 1974. then went to Seminary United Theology in Dayton. Ohm, and worked under Social Mental Health Division with youth and also did his associated ministry at Philip Temple CM E in 1975. It was refreshing to the Black inmates to see Reverend Ray taking an interest in their future and he had the chance to speak with a great many of them. by Michael Jacob Stanton 1 would like to share with you some thoughts of mine concerning the present penal and correctional system that the State of Oregon has evolved to handle its criminal offenders. I will not w rite you a life history. I will only give you a glimpse of the misery and hypocrisy my eyes have seen in the ten years of my social exile in various state institutiona. My first exile began when I was sixteen, where 1 was snagged up from the community as a deranged youth and bundled off to a state hospital after a brief appearance in juvenile court. I was due to be released that day, only I chose to speak up and voice my discontent and discord for a society that feels it must lock up its citizens for speaking openly and freely. Once there. I was thrown in among withdrawing addicts, hardened criminals, and severely deranged mental patients. Scared to death. Doses of brain numbing drugs, padded cells, barbed wire, chain- linked fence and th irty days later shipped back to the commiting court. Judged to be a sociopath, I was committed to a “youth work ranch" for close to a year, K To the Editor: This is m response to an article in your "Letters to the Editor" column which appeared in the first week of April edition of your newspaper. The article in question was concerning your "Behind The W all" column Editor. There is a consensus of thought among the majority of the inmates here that the praise given Larry Baker was undue. The inmates, myself included, are very concerned about the type of material that your correspondent is presenting to the public. The fact is that you are getting only one side of a grave and serious situation. Your correspondent is painting roses on the Administrative staff here, and pro claiming that the programs they have to offer here for inmates to take advantage of are working. Also that they are here just for the asking. It's not like that. Your correspondent is a very selfish man. Interested only in self gain, he is a puppet of the institution/for the institution be cause he is doing slot of time and feels that if he scratches the backs of the Administration they will in return scratch his back. Perhaps by way of an Phil Laae »39520 Correa; Thursday. April 13, 1978 Page 3 C R E A T IO N The artisan, seeking inspiration. Kneads wet clay, moves toward a potters wheel. Begins to express an image from within. Julius D . Snowden «38013, Poetry Editor “Flourish now and multiply, My blessings shall be with you. Remember now from whence you come. That life is yours, on lease, in love.” In a kiln the creation waits As waves of heat play upon its Hidden vales and newformed mountains. Ageless truths were all bestowed. Warnings too were given to heed. Then, all final touches ‘pplied He proudly displayed his work. Deserts form their silent threats. Oceans dance their restless song - As islands rest upon their waves. Today can still be seen his craft. Though a tarnish hides its beauty. Word is out 'round the universe; The potter's growing ev’r more tired Of baking clay that cracks anon. Fertile pastures, thriving forests, Rushing rivers, still, silent lakes Enhance the beauty of the orb. Life erupts upon the face As primal breath moves throughout; The silent wraith of promise. Take heed, haughty world above; The kiln is warming up ‘gain. Unless the faults deep within The seething mass you all call life Have changed, in deed, soon disappeared. Your form will meet the potter’s hand And neath the pressure of his grip. You’ll once again return to naught... To form the dust of potters clay. A cosmic gong sends forth a peal... Creators hands are eased within. Gently withdraw the fresh new world. Thought waves pierce all consciousness Upon this steaming virgin world. Leaving memories deep within. Shanti Singh Reeves Reverend Austin Ray, Paster ol Hughes Memorial United Methodist Church, and trustee Bill McCurley, visit with inmates. where I was to begin my second e *il“ . Incidently, this work ranch was owned by the "ex-director” of that same juvenile court. I was compensated well for my labor, being paid 95 per month for eight hours a day of hard physical labor. Rehabilitation consists of digging post holes in hard rocky ground by hand! The dead end of society, the state prison, is the last stop for the criminal misfits and social derelects, save for execution. I t is here where families are broken up. It is here where men are robbed of what little self worth they might have left. I t is here where men hone their anger and bitterness to perfec tion, to be ultimately vented back on society when released. This institution wants to make men hate. It wants a man to lose his family and property. I t knows that a family finds it hard to stay together when it loses its breadwinner. And the prison authorities openly discourage any at tempt the inmate might have to keep the line of communication open. Visiting is restricted and limited. Medical and per sonal care is negligible. The only honest and sincere communication this institu tion lays on the public is the desire to early release date or approval for a transitional program. M y concern, and the concern of others who are serving time is that the truth is being denied to the public. Also the issues that should be brought to the public and the citizens of your local community are not being printed. I have been a reader of your paper for years, however at this time I have to question the intention of your paper. Is the news media an avenue of communi cating true facts to the people as they happen, or are you just trying to sell more papers. That is irregardless of the lack of validity to the material printed. A t this time with your present corre spondent the "Behind The W all” column is...doing more harm then good to the inmates behind these walls. This past legislative session officials passed a num ber of bills that are having adverse affects on prisoners lives. There is a parole board chairman who continues to state that he doesn't care what a person does to rehabilitate ones self while he is incarcerated, all he’s interested in is retribution...which is in violation of the Oregon Constitution. (According to Arti- IRS offers assistance punish and degrade. In and out. in and out, and now I'm 26 years old. judged to be dangerous and maladjusted - getting my due punish ment. No longer will the State of Oregon, the United States of America or the community use me for a whipping boy. No longer will I keep a low profile and hide my head. It is my duty and right to tell the community about the misery and defeat it has dealt on itself to create monsters of hate out of misled men. I f you rob and kill on paper, commit heinous acts against the people in the name of “national security" or interest of the state, then your success is assured. At worse, you may be forced to make restitution, resign from office, or be sentenced to a country club prison. One such person is known to reside at San Clemente with full government support and protection. M y, how the taxpayers are gullible! The moral fiber of the American State is reaching its lowest point. I t is doomed! The second American revolution is in the making! The fate of the American people is sealed. America is asking for, and getting, the terrorists and criminals it deserves. W ill we survive till 1984? P O R T LA N D , O REG ON - Internal Re venue Service offices and telephone ser vices throughout Oregon will be open extra hours as the filing deadline ap proaches to provide assistance to taxpay ers preparing their Federal income tax returns. All IRS offices and telephone services throughout Oregon will be open until 6:45 p.m. on A pril 17th. Since the A pril 15th deadline day for filing federal income tax returns falls on a weekend this year, taxpayers have until midnight of the following Monday, April 17th, to timely file their 1977 returns. Statewide toll-free telephone assis tance will be available on Saturday, April 15th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The telephone lines are normally operated from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. They will be open until 6:45 p.m. ofr Monday, April 17th. The toll-free telephone numbers are: Portland dialing area: 221-3960; Salem dialing area: 581-8720; Eugene dialing area: 485-8285; all other areas in Oregon: 1-800-452-1980. Offices located in Portland, Salem, Eugene and Medford will be open on de 1) of the Constitution: laws are to be Saturday, A pril 15th, from 10:00 a.m. based upon the concept of reformation, until 2:00 p.m. Both Federal and State not punishment. - . tax assistance will be available in Port This state of affairs is serving to turn a land, Salem and Eugene. prison that was once one of the safest in the nation into a hell hole-jungle where human life is worth less then the cost of a pack of cigarettes. These are the issues, and situations that the people should be made aware of. Not the praise of the staff Voter registration forms will be avail that has been coming out in your “Behind able at Albina Human Resources Center, The W alls” column. 5022 N. Vancouver Avenue, from A pril They say that the truth is the light, and 10th through May 2nd. According to Ben will set you free. I believe this, so let’s Talley, Center Manager, tables will be seek the truth. Your correspondent is established in the lobbies of the Eastwing speaking for himself, not the inmate and the Westwing. In order to vote in the population. May Primaries, all interested persons Thank you for your time, and I hope eighteen and over and residing in Oregon that you print my letter, in fact I are urged to register, if they have not challenge you to; just to see what type of already done so. real responses you will get. Service Unit personnel will be avail able at the Center to answer any ques W illie B. Barrett *34648 tions. King revealed death plot fear N E W Y O R K - M artin Luther King, Sr. revealed that days before the assassina tion of his son, he and his wife were told by M artin Luther King, Jr. to expect the “sudden” murder. In an exclusive article in McCall’s magazine, published recently, Reverend King wrote that his son had told him, “I want you...to know this. There is a very good chance th a t...I might be murdered. Any day this could happen, any night. And I w ant to tell you about it because it will be sudden...The reports are that they are out to get me.” The father of the famous Black civil rights leader wrote in McCall’s that King, Jr. had “hinted” at the subject of assassi nation “a number of times" in the months preceding his death. “I knew...that he wanted to prepare us for the possibility that an attem pt might be made on his life. When he called and said he was going to stop by the house, I wasn't surprised...I was clear to me what we were going to talk about.” Burdened by the belief that his life would soon end. M artin Luther King, Jr. confessed to his parents that he had thoughts of leaving his work. “Some times I want to stop. Just go away someplace and forget that I ’m M artin Luther King, Jr...just have some quiet days, maybe finally a quiet life with Coretta and the children,” he said, ac cording to his father. King, Sr. asserted that despite wide spread rumors of a plot against his son’s life, the younger King insisted it was “too late” to back out. “I have to go on with my work. I ’m too deeply involved now to get out, it’s all too important," he reportedly told his parents. “I have my path before me. I know what I have to do.” M artin Luther King, Sr. claimed that “the tension” and “the changes in M artin Luther over a period of months” were signs that foretold the tragedy. 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