Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 1978)
Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday. July 13. 1978 We see the world through Black eyes Convention successes, failures call for action The NAACP came to town last week and left again without really addressing some of the serious issues facing Black Americans. Although there were rousing speeches, workshops with a variety of expertise, and hard working commit tees — the main work of the Convention, that of setting policy for the organization, did not hap pen. In a late afternoon session, the last day of the Convention, the remaining delegates voted to refer the resolutions to the National Board. Although resolutions had been offered by Branch es and State Conventions, only a few were con sidered by the body. The energy policy, which has consumed much interest over the last six months, was brought to the floor by demand of delegates from New York and California, but failed to receive open and frank discussion. The resolution committee had failed to accept tw o resolutions aimed at changing the energy policy and would not accept an amendment to add a rejection of deregulization of natural gas to the policy. Thus the policy was not changed but was not endorsed either. As one resolution committee member said, "Let's leave that to the board." Other important business was left undone in cluded a resolution calling tor withdrawal of American corporate investment and of U.S. of ficial presence in South Africa. Among the resolutions passed were: • Urged that the NAACP act to ensure that the educational experience of Black children be of such nature that they can compete favorably and on all tests from elementary to graduate school. • Oppose movement of medical care facilities away from urban areas. • Support redevelopment and revitalization of central cities. • Resolve to monitor media treatment and law enforcement treatment of Black officials and leaders and mobilize legal defense funds. • Initiate strengthening of NAACP legal force to insure affirmative action and fight allegations of "reverse discrimination." • That the NAACP serve notice that it will support all leaders who are under personal attack and that, both locally and nationally our branches national office will not tolerate invidious attacks on any responsible and productive Black leader ship. Too much was left undone. This great historical organization — so much needed in this time of racial crisis — has once again allowed the power and the decision making responsibility that belongs to the people to be vested in the Board. That Board will not meet until Septem ber, and in the meantime the great issues of the world will not wait. But back to the Branch. The NAACP allows its Branches much flexibility in its program to deal with local issues. The neglect of the national convention to finish its business cannot be con strued as an excuse for apathy on the local scene. Rather, the accomplishments of some other Branches should serve as an inspiration. The next fe w weeks should bring a reorganization and rebuilding of the Branch, and most of all a mending of strained relationships that occurred during the hectic efforts to host the Convention. The energy and enthusiasm that was so frequently displayed in the weeks leading up to the Convention can now be used to further justice and equality in Oregon. But it must be tapped quickly — enthusiasm soon turns to apathy if it is not used. I MR AMBASSADOR ( S . AFRICA} I S E E YOU TOO HAVE ASSURE ÏO U T H IS C ITY YOUR blacks HAS H O IM T E N T iO H O F UNDER , COHTROL! 6 R E A M H G T I E S W ITH YOUR H A T to H 11 A Question of Challenge by H erb L. Cawthorne To The Portland N A A C P Prior to its arrival, the N A A C P 1 C o n v e n tio n sparked exciting thoughts o f a renewed thrust in the Portland Black com m unity. P ort land, many thought, would never be the same. The local chapter o f the N A A C P would be transformed — from the puzzlement o f those on the left and the laughing stock of those on the right. Many thought the local unit of A m e ric a 's forem ost c iv il rights organization would explode wide open w ith a new id e n tity , new program s, new members, and a positive new influence on our com munity. This was the expectation. Now that the convention has gone, leaving us enriched with a powerful firs t-h a n d perspective o f Black wealth and potential, it is time for a sober assessment. W ill the coming of the National N A A C P Convention create a renewed thrust in the local chapter and toward what direction? It must first be acknowledged that we have graciously entertained. Like a fam ily, which has its differences, but nevertheless put on its best c lo th in g , covered its house w ith sweet smells, and locked hands in harmony — we graciously put on the airs o f a unified existence to impress the outside visitors for the moment. O f this we should be proud. But we cannot rest. As soon as the friends have packed th e ir bags and gone, before the smiles o f h o s p ita lity have faded away, we must be quick to assess our situation. W ith a inspired spirit, the d iffic u lt questions must now be asked. W ill we quickly fall back into the doldrums o f living together or will we rise unrelentingly to lift every voice and sing, “ T il V ic to ry Is W on?” W ill we slide q u ic k ly , uncon- tro la b ly , in to the dissension, the pretention, the lipservice, the stifling co ntentm en t, and the refusal to cooperate and sacrifice that marked our home before the convention? W ill we treat ourselves as graciously as we have treated our guests? T o adequately address the hopeful questions raised by the inspirational presence o f the 69th annual N A A C P Convention, we have to pause briefly and look at the past. Pride — that's the way the history o f our local N A A C P is spelled. It took strides for freedom e a rly , w alkin g in areas where others fear to tread. It has been the only organization consistent ly willing to challenge a segregated school system. It fought for fair public accommodations. It m ain tained a viligent watch on housing discrimination. Looking way back, few can argue with the achievements o f the local branch o f the N A A C P . Against this praiseworthy history, however, it is discouraging to note that the performance o f the chapter here in recent times cannot be praised in such glowing terms. M a n y in d iv id u a ls w ith in the o rganization and w ith o ut pinned their hopes on the expectation that a renewed m om entum would come from the convention. In its June 29th issue, the editors o f the Portland Ob server w rote, “ W hen all the ex citement is over and the dust clears away, we would hope that the Port land Branch would begin to address some o f the serious problems found by the Black community in Oregon.” This is the challenge. And in order to meet it, to make certain that the momentum o f an inspiring conven tion carries forward into a renewed spirit o f the struggle fo r change, progressive "forces w ith in the organization will have to come to the forefront o f the battle. The progressive forces — those who will fight to keep the spirit of the convention alive — are crucial because there are many in the local organization who reflect the "let me belong to something, anything, at titude.” They stifle the organization because they really don’t want to work. Being rather warm in their middle income Americanism, they want merely to belong, to have a name on a register, a card in their pocket, and a line on a resume. They render a p o te n tia lly p o w e rfu l organization mere mush; it lacks spirit and seems afraid o f a good fight for its own future. Those who demand more, who know that this is a chance never to be gotten again, cannot let the opportunity slip away. The local N A A C P can have a pur poseful program, a thrust, a dynamic personality. This is a charge to the entire community, not simply a few hired advocates. The N A A C P is a voice for everyone. And we all must share in the burden. The question still echos: W ill the local chapter o f the N A A C P , and this growing Black community, sieze the spirit o f the 69th annual conven tion and charge forward with new programs and a new positive influence on Black a ffa irs in this city and state? Through the Eyes of Mr. W. by H aro ld Williams The 69th annual N A A C P National Convention was a great success for the people o f Portland and the State o f Oregon. For once in a positive sense Blacks were shown in a respect ful manner by the media. It also gave Oregon an opportunity to sec many Blacks from all over the coun try with many diverse backgrounds and the highest o f professional stan dards. It was also an opportunity for Black children to see, to know and to hear role models that they could pat tern themselves after in the future. B enjam in H o o k s , head o f the N A A C P gave positive and new light to the hopes o f a struggling people with his leadership, that can truly be a re b irth o f the e ffo rts o f the N A A C P toward the enemy o f in justice. bigotry, hatred and unem ployment. It was a heart warming week to be in the company of so many beautiful Black people sharing ideas, hopes and dreams, taking a moment to teach and to counsel where they saw the void o f uncertainty. It was nice to hear the lau g h ter o f so m any beautiful Black voices; it was enough to ignite the hopes o f the universe. The 69th annual N A A C P Conven tion is over, but it has left its mark, one that will be lasting for many years to come. Now it is up to us, the brothers and sisters o f Portland to unite and pull together to keep the flame burning and to make the hopes and dreams that were highlighted last week become a reality. JLcUMt to Burden falls on Black children T o the Editor: HUMAN ____ . . -■--I r ig h t s vs MONEY lst Place (ommunitv Service ONPA 1973 P ortland O bserver Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217 Mailing address P.O. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 9720«. Telephone: 283 2486 lst Place Best Ad Resulu ONPA 1973 Subscriptions. $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area, $8.00 pel year outside Portland. 5th Place Best Editoria! NNPA 1973 Second Claaa Peatage Paid at Portland. Oregon The Portland Observer s official position laexpressed only in its Publishers 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 HENDERSON Editor/Fublidier National Advertising Re.ireesntalive * — ij--—- • —< Publishers, lac. New Yarfc Newspaper Publishers Association $7.50 2nd Place Best Editoria! 3rd Place (ommunitv Leadorshi.i ONPA 1975 MtMMR ME M a t F Oregon Honorable Mention Herriek Editoria) Award NN A 1973 1 B NÊWAt™ Association - Faundad IMS $8.00 in T ri—C o u n ty A r e a A d d re s s __ . __ other Observer Box 3137 C ity _______ _______________________ The article o f 6 /2 2 /7 8 by Claudia Fisher on the S a b in , A la m e d a , B eaum ont vote was a most in teresting patchwork o f good ideas; good recommendations; well con structed sentences and outlines; cliches; condescending civics lessons; fuzzy logic; blanket stereotyping; and jumped conclusions. By the aforem entioned charac teristics and implications the article manages to lay at Sabin, Alameda, and Beaumont's doorstep just about all the past Area Advisory Com m it tee and Individual School Advisory C o m m itte e s ’ problem s real or imaged since 1970. T he A re a I I I C o m m u n ity A d visory C o m m itte e ’ s a p p ro v a l o f Beaumont as a Middle school in spite o f a seventy percent Beaum ont c o m m u n ity vote in opp o sitio n prompted Ms. Fisher’s article and the concern and recommendations for change for the School District's citizen participation structure. Well and good! Most of the points are good ones which I would support (the jumped conclusion that three areas are the only way to go and the rigid, exclusionary effect electing all individual school advisory commit tees, would be the only issues o f the nine I would question.) H o w e v e r, those are not the policies at this tim e and even amongst her nine points I see no recommendation for a complete vote o f the community on every, or any issue. One has to ask why all the “ heat” regarding just Beaumont. I f all other areas and issues are decided by the ongoing policies and draw relatively little comment or demand for a community vote then one has to wonder why?. The rules are different apparently. W here was the com munity vote for: the beginning of administrative transfer program for Black students; the recruiting o f Black children to transfer out o f the school district; the summarily trans ferred Black teachers two years ago fro m p re d o m in a n tly Black schools; the creation o f Fernwood as a middle school; the creation o f the Early Childhood Centers; etc., etc., etc. I am not necessarily saying that all these decisions were bad ones . . . I am saying that if school advisory, area advisory and school district recommendations were accepted for the above listed decisions why is it when one comes to an all-w hite neighborhood and considers change, the rules suddenly change. It seems Ms. Fisher either w it tingly or unwittingly subscribes to the sometimes stated School Board belief that Black children must do all the m o vin g and to pressure or recommend change or movement of white children is impossible and un thinkable. It will be interesting to see how the Sabin, Alameda, Beaumont plan is resolved. Betty Walker (Editor's Note: To comment on deficiencies in the current system o f citizens' participation does not imply that past decisions reached by the same system were eq u itab le. Beaumont was used as an example o f the school district ignoring the will o f the people. The lack o f citizen in volvement in past decisions — in cluding those tra n s fe rrin g Black children — should not mean that a more ju s t system should not be in stituted now.) American State Bank 2737 N.E. Union 282-2216 The Royal Esquire Club which donated its facilities to the NAACP National Convention announces that its club rooms at 1708 N .E . Alberta are available for your parties and meetings.