Portland observer., May 25, 1978, Page 2, Image 2

Page 2
Portland Observer
Thursday. May 25. 1978
We see the world
through Block eyes
Support labor reform
The U S. Senate is cu rren tly d e b a tin g SB 2467, a
labor re fo rm m easure.
In fa ct, o pponents are
filib u s te rin g now to d e la y or p re v e n t a vote on the
b ill. S upported by the Carter A d m in is tra tio n , th e b ill
passed the House last year
A g re a t d ea l o f fa lse p ro p a g a n d a and scare tactics
have been dispursed a b o u t the b ill — m a in ly saying
that it w o u ld to ke a w a y the h u m a n rights o f w orkers
not to organize, m o k in g th em helpless p a w n s o f
labor unions, and w o u ld destroy th e in d e p e n d e n c e
o f business and industry.
W hat the la w does d o is u pd ate the n a tio n 's
42 year o ld lab or law s. The b ill expands th e N a tio n a l
Labor R elations B oard to n in e m em bers a nd calls fo r
procedures th a t w o u ld e x p e d ite its business The
Board had a case lo a d o f o ve r 200,000 cases last year
w ith delays that p re v e n t co m p la in a n ts fro m re c e iv ­
ing th e ir rights in a tim e ly fa sh io n .
The b ill w o u ld establish an e le c tio n tim e ta b le so
that groups o f e m p lo ye e s w h o w a n t to fo rm a u nion
w o u ld be a b le to d e te rm in e th a t rig h t by a vote
C urrently e ven th o u g h e m p lo ye e s request u nion
representation, o rg a n iz a tio n o f the u n io n can be
d e la ye d fo r years.
O ne im p o rta n t fe o tu re o f the b ill is stronger
p enalties fo r e m p lo ye rs w h o consistently abuse
w orker's rights.
The n u m b e r o f v io la tio n s —
especially on th e p a rt o f a sm a ll n u m b e r o f
em ployers — has risen d ra stica lly.
N o th in g in the b ill a llo w s a ny a gency to fix w ages,
lim it w o rk hours or a ffe c t w o rk in g conditions. There
is noth ing to p re v e n t e m p lo ye es fro m choosing a
shop co m m itte e or u n io n that is in d e p e n d e n t a n d not
a ffilia te d w ith a n a tio n a l u nion. There is n o th in g in
the b ill to fo rce an e m p lo y e r to m ake a u n io n shop
agreem ent.
These m atters are le ft to c o lle c tiv e
b a rg a in in g b e tw e e n th e e m p lo y e r and his e m ­
ployees or th e ir u nion.
The b ill does p ro v id e som e m easure o f p ro te ctio n
of w orkers a ga in st fir in g and harassm ent fo r u n io n
a ctivity.
Senator Packw ood has criticize d the b ill a nd has
refused to vote fo r clo tu re so the b ill can go to a vote
in the Senate. He needs to m ore c a re fu lly consider
the rights o f his constituents.
7omt o[ V md :
Stop the k illin g
(This e d ito ria l a p p e a re d in th e Los A n ge les
Sentinel a nd because o f the recent series o f m urders
here, it is a p p ro p ria te fo r re p rin tin g in the O b server.)
The trag ed y co ntinues. Blacks k illin g Blacks has
rea che d a n ew h ig h . Or, is th a t a n e w low ? The most
recent tra g e d y in v o lv in g a p u b lic fig u re took place
just a fe w days ago, w h e n C harles H a ll, loca l book
m erchant, w as m u rd e re d as he a tte m p te d to c o m p ly
w ith the w ishes o f his assailant.
The results w ere seen in a life le s s body.
The o b vio u s q ue stion is, W hy? But, th en , that
question m ust be asked each tim e a Black m an or
w o m a n fa lls v ictim to a n o th e r Black person's g un or
knife.
Black-on-B lack crim e has a lw a y s been re p re h e n ­
sible
But, o f late, it takes on a m ore sinister
a pp earance. It com es m asked in b lu e leans a n d corn
rows. It com es in fa ll a fro s or c u rle d locks.
B lack-on-B lack crim e comes d isg uise d in th re e -
piece vested suits fro m Ita lia n ta ilo rs or it m ay com e
in levis a nd sw ea t shirts. But it com es just th e sam e
a nd , no m atter w h a t appears to be, it is s till
Black-on-B lock crim e.
It is hig h tim e th a t w e p ut aside a ll the rh e to ric a n d
m ade som e re a l p o s itiv e a pp ro ach to e n d B la ck-o n-
Black crim e. S o n g w rite r John Cassandra h ad a h it
record several years a g o w h ic h a llu d e d to th e fa c t
that w e are co nsta ntly p a ttin g each o th e r on the back
and c o llin g each o th e r " b r o th e r ," a ll the w h ile
stabbing each o the r in the back. A n d th a t a p p e a rs to
tie the case.
It is in te re stin g to note that w h e n a g ro u p o f Blacks
began to re a liz e th at, in c e rta in cities, Blacks w e re
being rip p e d o ff by w h ite p o lic e o ffic e rs , th ey
banded to g e th e r to p a tro l th e streets to m a ke sure
that w h ite o ffic e rs d id not ta ke a d v a n ta g e o f Black
citizens.
W hy, th en , c o u ld th ey n ot d o th e sam e th in g in the
Black co m m u n ity ?
W hat p re ven ts Blacks fro m try in g to p ro tect each
other? Is it the fe a r th a t one Black m ig h t g e t a little
fa rth e r th an a n o th e r Black? Is it th e fe a r o f b e in g
in vo lve d ?
For decades w e h ave ta lk e d a b o u t u n ity . But th e re
are a p itifu l fe w Black p e o p le in this c o m m u n ity w h o
are w illin g to d o so m e th in g to m a ke th a t u n ity a
re a lity .
But the u n ity th a t is n e e d e d in this c o m m u n ity m ust
com e a b o u t th ro u g h th e e ffo rts o f a ll the m en and
w o m e n w h o consider them selves leaders. A n d if
they e xpe ct to a ffe c t a n y ch an ge , it w ill have to
com e th ro u g h th e ir c o lle c tiv e e ffo rts, as opposed to
the e ffo rts o f som e itm e ro n t o rg a n iz e r.
B lack-on-B lack c rim e w ill not go a w a y . It m ust be
rem ove d. It ca nn ot be re m o v e d by som e p o lic e
o ffic e r w ith a b a d g e a nd gun. It m ust be e lim in a te d
a t the source. A nd, since w e are th e source, it is up
to us to m a ke som e m e a n in g fu l steps to rid this
c o m m u n ity o f crim e p e rp e tra te d by its o w n m e m ­
bers.
O ne th in g is c e rta in . Unless w e a re w illin g to take
a step in the d ire c tio n o f g e ttin g rid o f Black-on-B lack
crim e, w e can rest assured that the p o w e r structure
w ill not take a step.
O nce a g a in , a house d iv id e d a m o n g its e lf cannot
stand. The Black c o m m u n ity is no d iffe re n t.
. the brutal and
U N M E R C IF U L KILLING
OF FIVE WHITTS HERE
/N KOtW fzl F
T H A T P IL E O F
BLACK BO O IEÓ OFF C A M E R A '
DON'r le t the people see
H < * I W W O F TH EM tiE V E
K iL L E ö i
/
P o rtlan d O b se rv e r
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201
North Killingsworth, Portland. Oregon 97217 Mailing address:
P.O. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208 Telephone: 283 2486
Subscriptions: 17.50 per year in the Tri-County area, $8.00 pel
year outside Portland.
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
Edilor/Publiwher
National Advertising Representative
Amalgamated Publishers, Inc.
New Y ork
MEMBER
Oregon
Newspaper
■
Publishers
Association
1st Place
Best Ad Results
O NPA 1873
gUIAJUfN/EL
iPER
Aaaociition ■ Founded 1U 6
Black people throughout history have
supported the interest of other people
and have said many words of praise about
the accomplishments of others. We talk
about what they wish they could do and
never looking at the record of achieve­
ments that Black people as a race have
accomplished. This year 1978, there will
be many young people coming to the
front line of the battle field of life,
graduating from high school and college.
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorial Award
N N A 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
< ommunitv Leadership
O NPA 1975
Some young people will have a plan in
their hand; a guide to direct their lives,
others will not.
It ia important that Black people as a
race come out with smiles on their faces
singing praise for these young Black
people who are about to adventure on
this new and uncertain frontier of life. It
is tin e that the old wise man of the Black
race bring the young men into council and
give them direction as to how to make it
through this journey of life. It is impor­
tant that mothers have the real deep
loving conversations with their daught
ers as to their roles and responsibilities
on this new frontier.
Without the council of the old, the
young will have no direction and will be
lost in the universe of uncertainty, our
dreams for tomorrow are in the hearts
and minds of the young of today. We
must applaud the young and beautiful
Black men and women for they have done
a beautiful job thus far.
To them and to their parents, friends
alike, congratulations on your graduation
and good luck on your journey of life.
Twenty-four years later
by Viraa M.
Regional Director, NAACP
On the 24th anniversary of the decision
of the United States Supreme Court to
outlaw segregated education in the public
schools of this land there hangs a deadly
threat over the heads of Black Am eri­
cans.
When the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People won the
monumental decision. Brown vs. Board of
Education little did we suspect that
twenty or more years later some of our
allies would join another cause which is
dramatically opposed to the letter and
spirit of that decision and strikes at the
heart of the yield of that decision. Bakke
is the deadly threat. Reverse discrimina
tion and quotas are the hate words his
champions are fostering upon a confused
public.
Nathaniel Jones, General Counsel of
the National Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People said in a recent
address to the N A A C P Summit meeting
in Chicago.
“The continuing dilemma facing Ameri
ca can be summed up in three words that
begin with the letter “B”. They are
“Brown," "Busing," and “Bakke." Brown
represents a promise. Busing its hypo­
crisy and Bakke its threat. The challenge
thus confronting the N A A C P is to work
to translate the promise of Brown into
meaningful reality for Blacks and other
minorities. For this to be done, we must
poor, the Black, the brown, let's abandon
effectively deal with remedies for the
public education.
Public schools like
county hospitals are for the poor, they
pervasive and systematic discrimination
that infects our society. What we have
seem to be saying.
learned from hard and bitter experience
The mission of this historic civil rights
is that resistance strategiea of the ma
organization, N A A C P , is more difficult
jority group come into play in a Fierce and
today for we must fight racism which is
engrained in institutions, public and
tenacious degree when efforts are mount
ed to translate the promise of Brown into
private.
We must fight despite the
things tangible and substantial in educa
confusion and fraudulent representations
tion, in employment, in housing and in the
of those who pose as friends. Our fight to
way we are treated by governing institu
end segregation in education shifts to the
tions. This explains the busing furor and
North and the West. It is close to home
the Bakke claims of "reverse discrimina
for many who willingly battled with us
tion." Recognizing that educational depri
against Southern type segregation and
vation accompanies the racial segregation
this makes a difference. Today, N A A C P
in our schools and that Bakke would deny
is in the forefront of school desegregation
the adaption of admission policies which
cases in at least seven Western Cities:
take that past deprivation into account,
Tucson, Arizona; San Bernardino, Los
we have no choice but to press forward to
Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento,
both desegregate schools and protect
East Palo Alto and Palo Alto. California;
college admission policies that lake so
Seattle, Washington and Portland, Ore
ciety's treatment of race into account.
gon. Our battles are in the courts, the
In addition to Bakke we see the
legislature and with State Departments
insidious campaign to destroy public
of Education which drag their feet and
education by schemes to transfer moat of
turn away from positive leadership. Al
the resources to private education. The
ties such as the California Task Force for
Jarvis-Gann initiative would have that
Integrated Education, the Mid Peninsula
effect. Patrick Moniyham, the advocate
Task Force on Integration, The American
of benign neglect, along with Bob Pack-
Civil Liberties Union, the Loa Angeles
wood of Oregon have introduced legists
Black Leadership Forum. Coalitions in
tion to give tuition tax credits for private
Seattle. Washington and Portland, Ore
education. It appears they are saying
gon and the school boards associations
since the children of the rich and the
give us reason to be hopeful. They have
powerful are being educated elsewhere
not abandoned the fight and together we
and public schools are occupied by the
shall win and overcome.
JatíM to tk¿ Editoi
Deal
the causes of crime
To the Editor:
There is a cry all over the country to do
something about the rapidly growing rate
of crime. You hear a cry for stiffer laws,
longer prison sentences and more time as
a deterrent to crime. What you fail to
hear or read through the news media,
which is instrumental in the communicat­
ing of facts to the public, is the mere fact
that none of these factors has proven to
be a deterrent to crime.
Oregon, in it's 1976 legislative session
took what appears to be a broad progres
sive and major step in dealing with it's
growing crime rate. A t least that is what
your politicians would like the public to
believe.
However I wonder if the
politicians who pushed for these laws
really had the public welfare in mind . . .
or was it a step to pacify the public . . .
saying. "W ith these new laws inacted we
are making it harder on those who choose
to commit crimes." Making it harder . . .
Yes, but is it dealing with the cause of
crime itself???
I want you, the public, and the concern
ed citizens to just stop and think about
the crime situation with an open inind as
you go through this article. T ry to deal
with what is being said objectively and
without dwelling on any preconceived
ideas. There are pros and cons about any
situation . . . 8 0 YOU W IL L H A V E TO
BE T H E JU DG E. It will be you who
decides which facts are real. First of all,
it is, and has been the opinion of noted
criminologists that the whole penal struc
ture is a failure. That the judicial system
does not serve every man or woman in a
just way. which is, or is supposed to be
guaranteed by law and by the United
States Constitution. However we'll come
back to that, let's deal with crime.
Have you. the public, ever stopped and
seriously thought about what causes
crime and why so many people are drawn
Aid Africans
(Continued from page 1 col. 1)
5th Place
N N PA 1973
The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in
its Publisher's column (We 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 necessarily
reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
by Harold C. «
1st Place
(om m unitv Service
ONPA 1973
B est E d ito ria l
Second (la s s Postage Paid at Portland Oregon
Through the eyes o f Mr. W . . .
mg especially jeans, jackets, sweaters
and shirts (from about age 12)
• blankets, bedding, sleeping bags,
tarps, and towels
• new or nearly new sneakers, boots,
sandles or walking shoes
• sewing supplies, tampons, educa
tional materials.
Take to: King Neighborhood Facility,
4815 N E 7th Avenue; Music Millenium;
Arbuckle F“lat, 1532 8.W . Morrison; Wo
men's Place, 1915 N .E. Everett; United
Front Bookstore, 2701 S.E. Belmont;
Centenary W ilbur Methodist Church, 215
S.E. 9th Avenue.
Shipping space is expensive so give
only material in good condition. Portland
Citizens Aganist Racism meet every
Monday night at 7:00 p.m. at 4312 S.E.
Stark.
into crime? 1 say drawn because it hasn't
lieen proven that people commit crimes
just to have something to do with their
leisure time.
There are reasons for
crime!!! Let's look at the unemployment
rate which is as high as 25-45 percent
amongst Blacks, and even higher among
young Blacks between the ages of 16-21
years of age. Now look at the economy,
the high coat of living, look at the social
and economic conditions and tell me if
these factors are related to crime??? Now
here is something even more important
to look at. It is sad that Blacks are
responsible for the majority of the crime
in America and this fact is backed up by
statistics because where Blacks make up
only twelve percent of the population in
the country - they make up over forty
percent in these penal institutions all
over the country.
In Oregon Blacks made up 1.3 percent
of the population, yet Blacks make up
about twenty percent of the population in
the penal institution. It is important to
note that the majority of crimes commit
ted by Blacks are crimes against property
not against people. Also note that the
majority of crimes committed overall are
crimes against property. There is a low
rate of crimes against people. Like about
7.5 percent of the crimes committed in
Oregon are crimes against people. This
includes crimes such as rape, murder and
assaults. Also note that there are over
150,000 crimes reported in Oregon each
year. So compare this figure with the
number of men in prison, taking into
account the percentage breakdown on
Black crime and the percentage break
down on overall crime.
Now let's go hack to the social and
economic situation. There are over 283
million Americans and close to eight
percent of them are out of jobs. There
are over 2,093,000 people in Oregon and
close to eight percent of them are out of
jobs. This means that roughly 160,000
people in Oregon are jobless and without
any means of support . . . so how do they
live? On welfare? Do they beg? Or do
you expect the less fortunate ones to just
starve to death and let their families
starve also??? This is a very serious
question that needs to be answered by all
of us.
Now let's stop for a minute and deal
with something else. Let's deal with our .
. . nation. I hear ail the time that foreign
policy is the nations number one priority,
along with air pollution
Note that
billions and billions of our tax dollars
annually are spent on some foreign
country and few Americans really know
why. A good question, why is loreign
policy so important and our domestic
affairs so unimportant?
We are supposed to be living in a
democratic society where all men are
equal, have the same equality, enjoy the
same freedom, and liberty is guaranteed
by law. I f that is the case then why is
racism, unequal opportunities, unemploy
ment, the high coat of living, social and
economic inequities so low on the list of
priorities. These are conditions that exist
in our own backyard, that touches all of
our lives at one time or another, and if we
are to be the proud nation that we claim
to be to the whole world, these situations
must be dealt with. We can no lunger
sweep these conditions under the rug.
Because they are having adverse effects
on too many lives; and believe it or not
America is slowly being eaten up by
these same conditions.
Now let me ask you. the public, are
stiffer laws and sentences the answer to
our growing crime rate, or is dealing with
the situation that forces people into
committing crimes the answer? And if
after reading this article you find that the
latter is the best remedy for preventing
crimes, then stiffer sentences and laws
are not the answer.
The answer is
preventing crimes before they happen:
before people are forced into committing
crimes. My figures may be a little off on
my statistics up or down but through the
research and materials I have gathered
from the different agencies they are as
close as you. the public, will get on the
matters discussed in the article.
$7.50
in Tri—County Area
$8.00
o»her
City
______________________
W Ulie B. Barrett #34648
Observer
Box 3137
97208
1