Paige 2 Portland Lioaarver i nursuay. u t w u r •*.
Youth Loodorthip Conf «ronco
We see the world
through Black eyes
death peoalty
It should be an embarrassment to the people of
Oregon that they would even consider the death
penalty. However, in this time of increasing social
and economic pressures crime is increasing and
people are afraid. They have been ted to believe
that killing the criminal will prevent the crime.
There is no evidence that the death penalty
deters crime. Most murders are crimes of
passion, involving members of a family or
acquaintances, and w ill never be repeated. The
death penalty w ill not deter this kind of murder.
There is evidence that the murders increase just
before and after an execution, which apparently
triggers a sick mind.
For those who are interested in saving money
by killing criminals, it actually costs more to
execute a man than to keep him in prison fo r a
lifetime.
Perhaps a more compelling reason to reject the
death penalty is that mistakes have been made —
the wrong man has been executed Right now a
man sits in Oregon State Penitentiary - sen
tenced to life in prison for murder — while
another man has recently confessed to that m ur
der. If the confession holds up, the man w ill go
free. But what if he had been executed?
And there is the fact that the vast m ajority of
those executed in this country have been Black.
The death penalty is used on those who are too
poor to
buy
competent attorneys;
are
uneducated and unable to express themselves; or
who are minorities. There still is no justice fo r
Blacks. Indians and Chicanos in the courts of
by H tr b L. C avth om e
This measure deserves a no vote from both those
w ho believe abortion to bo the right of ovory
woman, and from those who oppose abortion on
moral or religious grounds but w ho oppose
discrimination against the poor.
Support
Many years ago the federal dams were built on
the Columbia and Bonneville Power A d
ministration was established to provide low cost
electrictiy to homes and farms in the Northwest.
In Oregon, stringent laws and powerful private
utility lobbies brought most of the customers into
the hands of private power companies. Across
the river in W ashington, more lenient laws
allowed the form ation of publically owned utility
districts.
Today a m ajority of the homes in W ashington
use low-cost public power, while most of Oregon
pays double the amount or more fo r private
power.
Measure 4 changes the procedure to allow
citizens to decide in a single election if they w ant
to form a public utility district, to issue bonds and
to elect directors. It does not force public power
on anyone: it does not put privat utilities out of
business.
Measure 4 merely sets forth a sim ple and
logical method to simplify the voting procedure.
W e recommend a YES vote on Measure 4.
Oregon.
The most compelling reason to vote against
Measure 8 is that it is as morally w rong for
citizens as a group to com m it murder as it is fo r
an individual to com m it murder. The death
penalty is a barbarous act which cannot be com
m itted by civilized people.
Measure 9 - Yes
Measure 9 - "Lim itations on Public Utility Rate
Base" - prohibits utility companies from charging
customers rates based on the cost of construc
tion or acquisition of property.
Oregon law permits private utility companies to
charge their customers - in their electric bills -
for future construction of power plants and other
facilities. These facilities can be unnecessary or a
poor economic investment since the company
cannot lose - the costomers are paying the bill.
Measure 7 is an effo rt by some persons who
Current electric users are paying fo r plants that
for their own religious or moral reasons are o p w ill not be producing electricity for years,
posed to abortions to prevent the U.S. from
perhaps after the customer is dead or has left the
providing abortions.
The U.S. Supreme Court has determined that state.
Isn't it more fair to make the owners - the
abortion is legal in this country and every woman decision makers and the profit takers - to pay the
has the right to decide if it is the best solution for
bill. If a plant is needed and if it is economically
sound, private money can be found to build. The
This right is only deterred by inability to pay.
stockholder would take some element of risk, but
The woman w ith financial means is able to pur
they are the ones to reap the profits.
chase an abortion if she wishes, but if this
Note YES on Measure 9.
measure is passed a poor woman will have no
Measure 7 * No
choice.
Measure 7 does not and cannot prevent abor
tions. It merely says that the state cannot provide
abortions for the poor. Therefore, rather than ad
dress the moral and religious issues of abortion, it
advocates discrimination against the poor.
A Good Idea
1
VOTE NOVEMBER 7
Lucious Hicks should be com
mended.
He deserves our thanks and our
appreciation.
The active director o f the PSU
Educational Center, housed in the
M artin Luiher King, Jr., Facility,
has proven that a persistent ap
proach to the education o f Black
youth produces results.
Last Spring, Hicks conducted the
First Black Youth Leadership Con
ference. It was held at Camp Adams,
about an hours drive east of Portland.
The Conference aimed to motivate
Black youth to think more deeply as
to their roles in the Black com
munity. The three day conference at
tracted only fourteen youngsters. It
was a disappointment.
As the various speakers came to
participate, Hicks apologized. He
anticipated their disappointment.
His expectations had been high, but
the turnout was low. The frustration
showed.
Hicks could have hung his head
and. seeking to save his own pride af
ter having overestimated the impact
of his first conference, he could have
let it end right there. But he did no
such thing.
He listened to those who en
couraged him onward. When some
of the speakers assured him that they
did not mind the numbers and that
progress and learning cannot be
measured by a head count, Hicks
listened. H e made up his mind to try
it again in the Fall.
A t Cam p Collins, near Oxbow
Park, the second Black Youth
Leadership Conference was held this
last weekend. M ore than sixty (60)
young high school students attended.
They came from schools throughout
the city. They all came for a purpose
— to learn about themselves, to
reflect on the meaning o f leadership,
and to better discover their place in
the affairs o f the future.
The conference was a success. I
made an opening presentation, in
which students assisted me in
defining the meaning o f leadership.
Darrell M ilner, a PSU professor,
completed the First evening with a
workshop on Black history. The next
day, Carolyn M urray o f PSU taught
students about values, while Lewis
Merrick discussed the myth and
reality o f education. Joyce Marshall,
the new director o f BOOST Talent
Search,
worked
to
encourage
youngsters toward higher education.
And Nick Barnett o f the Hum an
Relations Commission talked about
community organization and action.
The conference was a success.
Those parents and teachers who sup
ported it by encouraging Black youth
to attend should be commended.
A nd, o f course, Lucious Hicks and
his staff deserve a world o f credit in
acknowledgement o f a difficult job
done well.
One
thing
the
Community
Coalition for School Integration has
taught us is that Black children are
mercilessly scattered and isolated.
They attend schools in small num
bers. They are misunderstood. They
seldom interface with people o f their
own kind. Therefore, their visions o f
leadership are narrow. The narrow
vision stifles their motivation to
work hard and achieve. A Black
Youth Leadership Conference is one
positive means to get Black children
in touch with Black people so they
may be exposed to the Black past and
the Black future.
Like the Urban League’s Career
Awareness
Day
scheduled
for
November 4th, the Black Youth
Leadership Conference renders a
fine service to our youth. Both
should be supported as a means to
help our children develop the vision
to help themselves.
Lucious Hicks deserves a good
round o f applause. His staff deserves
a
standing
ovation.
And
the
youngsters who devoted three days
out o f their lives to think together
about the meaning o f Black leader
ship deserve our respect and ad
miration.
Through the Eyes of Mr. W.
by H a ro ld C. Williams
There are few people in today’s
society who have the field or the
special touch needed to get at the
deep feelings of the people. M ary
Roberts.
Oregon’s
next
Com
missioner of Labor, has the feeling
and understanding o f the people. She
has been a student o f politics for
many years and has been in elective
office since 1972. I f there is anyone
who can bridge the gap on improving
understanding towards all people,
she is the one who has that potential.
In these times. Black people must
oupport and help elect persons to o f
fice that will speak to needs o f Black
people. Mary Roberts is that kind of
person and is deserving o f the Black
community’s support. Below is a lit
tle background on M ary Roberts to
introduce her to those o f you who
might not know o f her work and to
re-acquaint those who have known
her through the years.
M ary Roberts first held elective
office in 1972 when her East M u lt
nomah County district elected her
State Representative. A t that time
she was the youngest woman ever
elected to the Oregon Legislature.
Tw o years later she ran for State
Senator. District 11. and won. In
that race she received both parties’
nomination. M ary has served in the
Senate for nearly four years, holding
positions on the Labor, Consumer
and Business A ffairs Committee,
Local Government and Elections
Committee, and Hum an Resources
Committee. She served four years on
the State Emergency Board. Roberts
was a member o f the Legislative
Task Force on Apprenticeship and
the
A ffirm ative
Action
Sub
com m ittee. Both o f these commit
tees deal in areas which fall under the
Bureau of Labor’s jurisdiction.
In her legislative career, Roberts’
work on the Ways and Means C om
mittee established her reputation as a
mover and doer. Roberts achieved as
much through amending budgets and
initiating inquiries into agency policy
and procedure as others achieve
through expensive legislation. For
example,
Roberts
directed
the
establishment o f the Secure Treat
ment U n it for Emotionally Disturb
ed Children and Adolescents at the
Oregon State Hospital in Salem. This
program has substantially improved
the lot o f such children in Oregon
and saved the state money by
avoiding inappropriate (and more
costly) placement o f children in
already crowded correctional facili
ties.
M ary Roberts’ legislation includes
the Department of Human Resources
reorganization bill SB 95, (1975),
a version o f which (SB 8) was passed
in 1977. Under this bill, the various
divisions o f Hum an Resources are
pulled together under firm ad
ministrative control, making possible
a common accounting system and
reducing program overlap and costly
duplication.
Other
pieces
of
legislation include: the Dual Driving
Records for Professional Drivers bill
(1973), the Natural Death Act
(1977), Property Tax Relief and
Homestead Property Tax Deferral at
62 (1975). repeal o f the Relative
Responsibility law, and passage of
numerous
bills
on
day
care,
discrimination in housing and em
ployment and labor. Her legislative
record earned her high marks from
the Oregon A F L -C IO , environmen
tal
groups
and
civil
rights
organizations.
On October 23, 1978, at 7:00 p.m.
to 9:00 p .m ., M r. and Mrs. Terry
Williamson are inviting the public to
meet M ary Roberts at their home at
6420 N .E . 41 st Street, Portland.
io d ll
le t Piece
C o m m u n ity Service
O N P A 1973
PORTLAND OBSERVER
1 et Piece
Bast Ad Results
O N P A 1973
Minority business gains exaggerated
T o the Editor:
Published every Thursday by E x k Publuhin« Companv. 2201 North
kiUingjworth. Portland. Orejon 97217. Mailing addrew P.O. Boa
6th Place
Bast Editorisi
N N P A 1973
3137. Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283-2486
Subacriptiom $7.JO per year in the Tri-County area. M OO per year
H onorable M e n tio n
H errick Editorial A w ard
N N A 1973
outside Portland
Second Claaa P o i t . f l . Paid at Portland Oregon
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
Editor/Publisher
The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in itx
Publisher’s column (W e See The World Through Black Eyes) Any
other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the individual
writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion o f the
2nd Place
Beat Editorial
3rd Place
C o m m u n ity Leadership
O N P A 1976
Pnrtlond Observer
N ational A dvartiaing R epresentative
A m a lg a m ated Publisher». Inc
N aw York
3rd Place
C o m m u nity Leadership
O N P A 1979
Mt Met*
Oregon
I
ER
Newspaper
Publishers
Association
$7.50
in Tri —C o u n ty A r e a
$8.00
Other
PORTLAND OBSERVER
A d d re s s
C ity
_____ I __________
P.O. Box 3137
Portland. OR. «7208
I am writing this letter to provide
an equal-time viewpoint on the ar
ticle in The Skanner dated October 5,
1978, with the caption — ‘ ’ Sea-Port
Surpasses Goals.”
As a concerned minority business
man with about three years exper
ience in wholesale/supply. I am
aware o f the multi-faceted problems
that minorities face in trying to lift
our heads above the rough sea o f the
business environment.
Consequently, 1 welcome any
programs that offer results-oriented
technical assistance to minority
business enterprise leading to the
creation of more viable and suc
cessful enterpreneurs. It is in this
regard that this letter is addressed to.
A t least five other MBEs’ and
myself were very disheartened by the
fantastic claims made by Sea-Port
Business Development Center. As a
sub-contractor o f the Economic
Development Administration, Sea-
Port’s role is to provide lists o f
MBEs’ , plans and specifications and
which had a congressionally-man-
dated ten percent M B E requirement
imposed on the grantees and contrac
tors. In most instances, the MBEs’
did their independent marketing or
utilized the services o f other private
community business intermediaries
or government agencies to obtain
these contracts.
It seems to me that many o f the
successes of these independent MBEs
are being subverted by the statistical
game-playing that Sea-Port is rend
ering on the unsuspecting public.
Myself and at least five other MBEs
who have worked hard to obtain
contracts under the E D A -L P W and
other government projects without
an iota o f help from Sea-Port,
therefore, we are completely refuting
their claims. We challenge Sea-Port
to use taxpayers monies to go out to
private industries, corporations and
government agencies and show that
they can obtain the goal o f $5 million
o f contracts before we can truly ap
plaud their success in catering to the
needs o f MBEs. Thank you.
Sincerely Yours,
Mathew Akom
Smith, Si thole visit
(Continued from page 1 col. 4)
known fact that Sithole was most
unhappy with the secret Nkom o-
Smith meeting in Lusaka, Zambia
and that as a result, he had leaked
the news to the press. Monday night,
he denied he had ever voiced any
displeasure at the meeting and in
sisted that Smith had informed him
beforehand. As for the news leak, he
blamed that on an “ overzealous
assistant.”
He
seemed
overly
anxious not to annoy Smith. Asked
what he would do if Smith was
removed as prime minister and
replaced by a more reactionary
white, he had the nerve to say then he
would continue with the guerrilla
warfare. He had claimed control
over thousands o f guerrillas but,
when asked why then was there still
so much Fighting, he could not come
up with a logical answer. For that
blunder, I wondered what Smith said
to him after they got o ff the air.
The U .N . has just voiced its
displeasure with the U .S. for issuing
visas to members o f the rebel govern
ment o f Rhodesia. As usual, the U.S.
along with Britain, France and West
Germany abstained. New statistics
coming in show that 1,000 people
were killed in the month o f Septem
ber alone, 1,000. Somehow, I wish I
could draw the curtain on this
tragicomedy: the blood is beginning
to soak even the audience.