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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1978)
I Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday, June 8, 1978 We see the world through Black eyes Get out of Africa The U nited States is becom ing m ore actively involved in the civil w ar in Zaire, o m ove that is both unwise and unjustified. It is easy to use the ratio n a liza tio n that the Cubans and the Soviet Union are assisting or encouraging the rebels w ho are attem pting to regain Shaba province. But to understand the co n flict w e must look back and see the CIA invo lve m e n t not only in the form ation of Zaire from the B elgian Congo, but in Zaire's involvem ent in A ngola's w ar of liberation. W hen the Belgians left the Congo, Zaire was set up as a puppet governm ent still under the econom i cal control o f the Europeans. It also fo rm e d a convenient base o f operations fo r the CIA in its involvem ents in A frica. During A n gola's w ar of liberation, the CIA used Zaire as a staging area fo r U.S. provided supplies and fo r troops w h o fought against the Neto forces w ho first attem pted to gain freedom from Belgian control and then to set up a governm ent — fo r tw o reasons. First the U.S. governm ent still has great pa ra n o ia about socialism or com m unism and sees the efforts o f Africans to be free o f tyranny as Soviet intrusion. Second, there are m any m in e ra l resources that are needed by this country and by Europe and the U.S. cannot b e lie v e that an A frican nation that is free — that is not com pletely do m in a te d econom ically and p o litic a lly by Europe or the U.S. — w o u ld deal fa irly and e ffe c tiv e ly in the w o rld market. Perhaps it is best that the U.S. is becom ing m ore openly in volved in the A frican c iv il war. CIA activity con be hidden but w hen Am ericans begin to d ie in A frica the president and the p e ople w ill see our long involvem ent in the internal a ffa irs o f A frican natives fo r w h a t it is — a racist e ffo rt to d om inate the continent o f A frica in our ow n econom ic interests — and w ith d ra w before another im m oral and ille g a l w ar tears this nation apart. new gover nm ent. O nly recently it was revealed that the m illions o f dollars given to M obuto by the CIA to pass on to South A frican and m ercenary troops w ere stolen by him and used for his personal gain. If there is evidence o f Soviet involvem ent, w e must ask if U.S. actions on b e h a lf o f the colonial powers and o f A frican's that w ere w illin g to be controlled has a lienate d the A frican liberators and caused them to turn to the Soviet U nion fo r help. In this endeavor the U.S. joined w ith South A frica and the Peoples Republic o f China. Direct U.S. involvem ent in this internal struggle brought in the Cubans on b e h a lf of Neto, w ho fin a lly w on and now is the leader o f Angola. According to U.S. news reports it is N eto, w ith possible assistance from Cuba and the Soviet Union, w ho is sending troops into Zaire (the nation that assisted his opponents) to liberate Shaba Province from Z airian control. N ow the Am erican governm ent still finds itself supporting Z airian leader M obuto Sese Seko w ho came to po w e r fo llo w in g the m urder o f Patrice Lamumba. M obuto has been a notoriously e vil leader, practicing terror against his p o litic a l opposi tion as w e ll as using the nation's m ineral resources to fatten his ow n pockets w h ile the people suffer in poverty. Yei the U.S. continues to support M obuto. The European troops sent to Zaire in response to the highly publicized m urder o f European residents o f Zaire w ere really there to protect the M obuto before you sign The p e o p le o f C a lifo rn ia have o v e rw h e lm in g ly passed the Jarvis-G ann b ill w hich restricts the property tax, cutting the funds a v a ila b le to local governm ents by about 60 percent — or 87 percent o f budgets other than p o lice and fire services. This restriction w ill devastate local governm ents but those most e ffe cte d w ill be those w ho need city and county service - the poor, the e ld e rly, school children, youth, etc. The m assive lay-offs w ill include large num bers of m inorities w ho lack seniority. Since m any services such as education, e m e r gency health care, sanitary services are required and their absence can lead only to havoc — the only answer w ill be to e ve n tu a lly fin d fu n d in g fo r these and other services through other taxes -- incom e and sales taxes. Then, instead o f the corporations w ith large landholdings — u tilitie s, tim b e r interests, a g rib u si ness, etc. — the tax burden w ill lie dire ctly on the back o f the lo w and m id d le incom e w orker. C urrently a p e titio n that w o u ld place a sim ilar measure on the O regon b a llo t is being c irc u la te d .. Think beyond your ow n property tax b ill be fo re you sign that p e titio n ) i don ' t trust you H I S t i l l remember " ANGOLA 11 L E T BYGONES BE BYGONES RE, HAVE A / < s ^ D R lH K 0 H E PAL 11 I T 'L L BE YOU PEOPLE H 4V £A «=- SEEN HERE. F O R / ^ t y ^ Y ears too '/ V a T in IFFEREWT On Africa: We mast stand together I believe thia, that if we migrated bark to Africa ru ltu ra lh . pkiloaophirally and psychologically, while remaining here physically, the spiritual bond that would develop between us and Africa through this cultural, philosophical and psyrhohr gical migration, so-called migration, would enhance our position here, because we would have our contacts with them I can remember when the American educational system had ingrained deeply into my thought the idea that Africa was a terrible place, full of wild and vicious human animals, cannibals, and savages. I learned, as a young child, and in the most subtle of ways, that the Motherland from which my ancestors came was primitive in the worse sense of the word. Blit that was back in those days. The thinking is different today. Thanks to Malcolm X and others, the image today of Africa is not one of shame, but of pride and hope and strength. And from the imprisonment of self-hatred. Black people have emerged. W e are proud of ourselves and of Africa. W e have learned her achievements. We have studied her wealth. And we know our roots. Today, perhaps more than at any other time in American history, the darker race in this land must maintain an uncompro mising interest in Africa. The battle ground of the next century is on her soil. The American Black man is automatically thrust into the forefront of that battle; and it is leadership we should welcome. Otherwise, w hite Americans will de fine the struggle in Africa for us. They have no hesitation in doing so. One need only read, almost daily, the narrow mind ed editorials in the Oregonian. One need only taxe note of President Carter's near hysterical pronouncements on Africa: after centuries of colonialism, robbery and plunder now the President of the United States worries about the future of Africa! In the struggle for Africa. Black Am eri ca must stand together as one voice. W .E.B. DuBois noted that, if Western influence brought any advantage of A fri can society, it was the advantage of modern education. The meaning of modern education as it might be applied to Africa can be best understood by Black Americans. We have lived with a Western shell and an African soul. We can help the African learn the benefits of modern technology, while the African teaches us the century-old tradition of living in harmony with our brothers and sisters. Here and now, we can act positively to support Africa in the long journey out of exploitation and imperialistic influence. Like the powerful influence of the Jewish community on Israli affairs, the Black community in America can provide much to assist in the transformation of Africa. African History. Insist that children in school learn their African history; and where schools are not capable of teaching it, look for other ways for them to learn it. I t is sad to hear Black Americans say, "M y child is American. I want him to do well in the American system; I don’t want to teach him about Africa, I want to teach him about America." Our history has shown our remarkable ability to do both. Insist on it. African Liberation. True, we are struggling for better jobs, better hous ing, better education, better health, and better opportunity here. But that should not make us uninterested in joining forces to express our support, and devolg our energies to the liberation of Africa The reluctance to do so is an attitude held over from the divisive slave system and its divisive aftermath. African liberation is spelled the same as the liberation of black Americans. Seli-Developaieut. Every chance you get, buy a book or a map or a sculpture from Africa. Take time to attend lectures on African issues. There a’ e frequent discussions held from time to time throughout the city. I f none fit your schedule, coordinate your civic club or social group or church organization and schedule your own session. Take your children to movies, plays, and dances which depict the African spirit and culture. Letters and Ixxbbying Remember when Charles Jordan introduced a resolu tion discouraging the sale of the notorious South African Krugerrand? Remember the reaction (or shall I say. overreaction) in the local press? During the entire controversy, few Black people took time to send letters to the paper or to M r. Jordan. W e can have a direct influence on who thinks what in this society, if we will exert pressure through our letters, through our discussions, and through our personal contacts. Again the words of Malcolm X: “And this is what I mean by a migration or going back to Africa - going back in the sense that we reach out to them and they reach out to us. Our mutual understand ing and our mutual effort toward a mutual objective will bring mutual bene fits to the African as well as to the A fro American." Through the Eyes o f Mr. W. W hat is the reason for the small population of Blacks in the State of Oregon? Calvin Henry gave his views as to the reasons he thought the population of Blacks was small in a position paper in April, 1973. In search for better understanding of Black history in the State of Oregon, I think it is important that Calvin Henry's views be stated again for 1978 - for your information. Historically, Oregon has been a state that has had a low population with respect to ethnic minority groups, be cause it was legal to keep the population low. This dates back to the early statehood of Oregon, whereby Oregon Constitution limited the number of Blacks in Oregon. "No free Negro or mulatto, not residing in this state at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall come, reside, or be within this State, or hold any real estate, or make any contracts, or maintain any suit therein; and the Legislative Assembly shall pro vide by penal laws, for the removal, by public officers, of all such Negroes, and mulattoes, and for their effectual exclu sion from the State, and for the punish ment of persons who shall bring them into the State, or employ, or harbor them .” Although this was repealed by the people November 2, 1926, a legal footing had been thoroughly ingrained in the white people of Oregon to accept economic and political discrimination against Black people. Sundown laws and city codes which barred Blacks from living within the corporate lim it became quite prevalent, some even exist today. W ithin our area of concern, it's apparent that many businesses or industries failed to hire Blacks based upon these legal deprivations of the past. The influx of Blacks into Oregon during W orld W ar I I was limited to Portland where they were able to find work. Not being successful in finding employment and suitable accommodations in other parts of Oregon, that Blacks remained lived in Portland, leaving sprinkles or pockets of Blacks elsewhere. I t is true here in the W illam ette Valley that there are very few Blacks and other minorities but conditions of the past have made this so. Reviewing the 1970 U.S. Census, we can see how true this has been and still is. ZAIRE! h -S K -t Portland O bserver Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201 North Killingsworth. Portland. Oregon 97217 Mailing address: P .0. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208 Telephone: 283 2486. Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the T ri County area. $8.00 pei year outside Portland 1st Place Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 Second Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon The Portland Observer s official position irexpressed only in its Publisher's column (We See The W orld 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. A L F R E D L H EN DERSO N Editor/Publisher Nattooal Advertising Re.ireseaUtive Amalgamated Pubbshers Inc New York 1 Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association 1 I Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award N N A 1973 In reading your non-endorsement of my candidacy for the U.S. Senate I was reminded of Ibsen's p la y /“The Enemy of the People.” The main character was a public health physician who devoted his life to improving the quality of life for his fellow men and women. He was highly honored in his community until he com m itted the unforgivable sin. He discover ed and publicized the fact that the local health springs, the principal industry of his town, were polluted by a mill up stream. For this service he was ostra cized and declared to be "the enemy of the people.” Since childhood I have believed in and espoused equal rights and equal opportu nity for all, without respect to race, color, creed, sex or national origin. I sat at the knee of my grandmother and father and heard proudly the stories of my great grandfathers, Cook and Giles serving in the Union A rm y which freed the slaves. I remember spirited discussions on the subject in high school and college in which I defended equal rights. I prac ticed my beliefs in my personal life. In the legislature, while one or two civil rights measures had been passed, before my election in 1956, most of Oregon's civil rights legislation was passed after my election and with my strong support. As a result of thin activity I was labeled as an ultra liberal or radical. Since that tim e I have supported legislation to allow the eighteen year old vote, E R A , and legislation to prohibit discrimination based upon age. 1 do now and I always have opposed discrimination against the poor and the unfortunate. I support equal opportunity for all regard less of a person's race, color, creed, sex, parents or national origin. So where does that leave us? I support affirm ative action as it affects individuals who have been unfairly discriminated against. If a person has been denied employment, promotion, schooling or bu siness opportunities because of his or her sex, age or inherited physical characteris tics then I believe that wrong should be immediately and effectively remedied by all available means. On the other hand I believe it is wrong to favor a person because of race, color, sex, age, creed or national origin, ever if that person in a 65 year old, Black Jewish woman from Mexico. I t is wrong to favor the admission of a Black woman to medical school while denying admission to a more qualified white man and just as wrong as it would be to prefer a white man over a more qualified Black woman. While some religious sects adhere to the doctrine of original sin, in America we rejected the doctrine that "the sins of our fathers should be visited upon their children.” The “taint of blood” was sp ecifically re je c te d in th e U .S . Constitution. No person should be favored because of the physical or sexual category he or she was born to, even though in years gone by, persons of that category may have been disfavored be cause of being members of that category. Such discrimination is wrong both logical ly and morally. The fact that I am a white protestant male anglo saxon does not mean that any of my ancestors had anything to do with the degradation of Blacks, women or Indians in the past. Even if I had such ancestors, to punish me for their sins would be both un-Chris tian and immoral. I believe that programs described as "Affirm ative Action" programs which favor persons of one category over another are wrong - even if the one favored is a member of a minority. To believe otherwise is a contradiction to both our democratic heritage and our equalitarian ideals. So, like the physician in Ibsen’s play, I am criticized because I refuse to favor a group or an individual because of race. So, is discrimination O.K. if it favors Blacks and Indians but immoral if it favors whites and non-Indians? Lets stop discrimination based upon accidents of birth. One's success or failure should be the result of one's individual qualities. If one is disfavored because of economic circumstances, lets help all who are similarly circumstanced, regardless of birth category. W e should have one nation with one standard for freedom and opportunity. Sincerity, Vern Caok State Senator O b s e rv e r Box 3137 97208
