Portland Observer Thursday, October 19, 1978 Page
Will Blacks vote?
1974, over 500 corporations have
established w ell-financed, and
smoothly-operating PACs. Armed
w ith com puterized lists o f em
ployees, and seemingly unlim ited
funds, PACs have already demon
strated their clout, at the ballot box,
as well as in Congress.
ARCO’ s Civic Action Program is
a prim e example o f corporate
political muscle. According to the
Wall Street Journal, ARCO spends
approximately $750,000 per year on
its amazingly effective political ac
tion program. ARCO uses its PAC
to m obilize thousands o f em-
ployee/voters. A d d itio n a lly , the
political action committee actively
lobbies
fo r
com pany-backed
legislation, and showers “ friendly”
candidates w ith generous con
tributions.
Some corporations and profes
sional organizations shy away
from the more innovative political
techniques, such as A R C O ’ s
program . Instead, they sim ply
provide candidates w ith lavish
political contributions. For example,
during 1977-78, the Am erican
Medical Association’s PAC, the Real
Estate lobby, and the Auto Dealer’s
PAC each raised over a m illio n
dollars. So far, the fourteen largest
business committees and New Right
groups have amassed nearly $14
m illion for political activities.
Aside from formidable financial
resources, business ar.d conservative
interests have another strategic ad
vantage — mass apathy, especially
among minorities and workers. Un
fortunately, the conservative forces
— who hope to make a real killing in
November — are far from apathetic
and moribund. On the contrary, they
have once again discovered that
political action pays o ff handsomely.
A prominent conservative lobbyist
summarized the current p o litic a l
situation with a brilliant one-liner:
"Congressmen firs t learn how to
count and then to th in k .” A nd
developments during the last session
o f Congress certainly confirm that
sim ple though hig h ly in s ig h tfu l
analysis.
To remain in office, politicians
must count votes as well as dollar
bills. While money is highly impor
tant, even the richest and most
heavily financed candidate comes to
the electorate as a pleading sup
plicant. Regardless o f slick adver
tisements, plus cocktail parties, and
$500-a-plate dinners, we — the Black
electorate — can make a “ life or
death” decision fo r a p o litic ia n
whether he be friend or foe. Our
political power is there; we need only
use it.
by Bayard Rustin
Over ten years ago, M artin Luther
King boldly speculated about the
great potential o f a united, well-
organized, and militant Black elec
torate. "T he Negro vote,” he said,
" i s only a p a rtia lly realized
strength." W ith massive registration
and mobilization efforts, Dr. King
predicted th a t Black electoral
"pressure can achieve measurable
results, the Negro citizen w ill make
his influence felt.”
Analysis
R M * \> W *
w
* •
Felicia Robertson practices her new clarinet. Felicia, ten, is a fifth grader at
Multnomah Elementary School. She is the daughter of Mrs. Edna Robertson.
Portland NAACP seeks candidates
The Portland Branch o f the
National Association for the Advance
ment o f Colored People (N AAC P)
has chosen a five person nominating
committee for the purpose o f
nominating a slate o f six officers and
thirteen board members for the 1979
elections.
Members
of
the
nominating committee are: Mr.
James Lee (Chair), M r. C .A. White,
Ms. Brenda Knapper, Ms. Florice
Walker, and Ms. Pina Williams.
Offices to be filled are (1)
President, (2) 1st Vice President, (3)
2nd Vice President, (4) Secretary, (5)
Treasurer and (6) Parlimentarian/
Sargeant at Arms. The thirteen
positions on the board w ill be filled
by persons who are willing and/or
capable of chairing the thirteen stand
ing committees as outlined by the
constitution.
A ll communications o f intent or
desire to serve in any o f these
positions must be received in the
NAACP Branch office no later than
3:00 p.m., November 1, 1978.
Please forward all correspondence
to: NAACP — Nominating Commit
tee, 2752 N. Williams Avenue, Port
land, Oregon 97227, Phone 284-
7722. Branch hours are 1:00 p.m. to
5:00 p.m. — Monday through
Friday.
Domestic violence workshop sot
A Portland Conference on Violence
Against Women and Children w ill be
presented by the Women’ s Night
Watch, October 27th-29th, at Port
land State University. The conference
is designed to illuminate the
problems o f violence and w ill serve
as the ground-breaker for creating a
Portland Commission on Violence
Against Women.
The conference w ill be preceded by
a benefit concert Friday evening, Oc
tober 27th, for Yvonne Wanrow and
Mary McGuire, two Northwest
women fighting for their right to
defend themselves and their children
against violence. The concert,
featuring Niobeh, Izquierada, and
Melanie Kaye, w ill begin at 8:00 p.m.
Friday, at PSU’s Smith Memorial
Center Ballroom ($3 donation).
The conference will begin Satur
day morning, October 28th, with a
special panel on “ Government,
Women, and Violence.” Panelists
include Charles Jordan, Portland
Commissioner for Public Safety;
Dan Mosee, Multnomah County
Commissioner for Public Safety;
Gretchen Kafoury, State Represen-
tative; Kathleen Nachtigal, candidate
for Domestic Relations Judge; and
Pina Williams, Vice President o f the
Oregon Women’ s Political Caucus,
who w ill moderate the panel. Satur
day and Sunday workshops will
focus on domestic violence, rape, in
cest, child abuse, working in-
terracially, tactics, working with
men, women in prisons and mental
institutions, forced sterilization, and
anti-violence legislation.
A women’ s art show o f poster and
leaflet art from anti-violence pro
grams w ill be on display at the con
ference.
Anyone who has ever been effect
ed by or concerned with violence
against women and children is in
vited to attend — including groups
serving the community, and in
dividuals who want to help them
selves, their friends and family, or
the
community
in
general.
Registration fee is $5. Childcare and
housing for out-of-town participants
w ill be provided. For further infor
mation, childcare, or housing, call
Women’ s Night Watch, 236-9738.
T h ro u g h o u t the last decade,
many o f us have followed Dr. King’s
sensible advice. Yet, a fte r in
numerable registration drives, voter
education conferences, and “ get out
the v o te " campaigns, the Black
com m unity continues to s h o rt
change itself politically. Indeed, with
each passing year, the enormous
political potential o f the Black elec
torate dwindles even further. For
many politicians, the Black com
munity is now viewed as a political
paper tig e r, unable to m obilize
voters, and unable to organize inten
sive lobbying efforts.
C onsider fo r a m om ent some
d is tu rb in g statistics about Black
political participation. Since 1968,
the Black vote has steadily declined
at an alarming rate. Ten years ago,
587t o f all eligible Blacks voted in
the N ixon-H um phrey election. In
1972, only 527« voted in the
presidential election. And in 1976,
barely 507» cast their ballots in the
Ford-Carter contest. The figures for
state and local races are even lower.
As our political strength continues
to d im in ish , the power o f our
traditional adversaries continues to
grow. Business and conservative
groups — never friends o f the civil
rights movement — have successfully
capitalized on the generally conser
vative mood t j f A m erica. T heir
political aggressiveness is reminiscent
o f the wheeling and dealing o f the
old Robber Barons. While their tac
tics and ideas m ight seem o u t
moded, they won numerous
legislative victories during the last
year. Sensing a conservative
resurgence in the November elec
tions, the New Right and its business
allies anticipate even sweeter vic
tories when Congress reconvenes.
To a large extent, these expected
victories w ill be engineered by
business-dominated P A C ’ s, short
for political action committees. Since
Ron Brower
(Continued from Page 1 Column 6)
What skills do you have that w ill
make your adjustment smoother?
“ I ’ m quick and very poised,” he said
softly. “ When matters get tight some
people crack up, not me. I ’ ve been
tough to endure dark moments and
to stay strong in all o f life ’ s
situations — or get lost in your own
emotions, the same principles apply
to basketball.”
Ron’s mother Helen is rumored to
have been quicker than he was when
she starred at Fort Smith H :gh
School years before him.
On Jack Ramsay’s system Ron
says, “ I t ’ s similar to the one in
college, because both coaches stress
tight defense and a structured o f
fense. Now that I know the plays I ’ m
becoming more assertive in my
game,” he said. “ Every day is a new
learning experience.”
The man who has been tabbed by
coaches as one o f the premiere big
guards in years to come was a
physical education major at Arkan
sas. He plans to establish a com
Studio of Hair Design for M an and Woman
munity center in his old neigh
borhood.
“ I ’d like to create new outlets and
give youngsters motivation to be
somebody. Pro athletes can be a
great help in uplifting community
spirit and development.”
Brewer’s advice to youngsters
caught in the “ Jock-trap” is to get
all the education that’ s possible.
“ Being talented doesn’t always get
you to the pros, I ’m not saying that
it’ s all political but only a chosen few
w ill ever make it. Look at all the fine
players cut during NBA pre-season.
I f an athlete has a marketable
degree, he's still a w inner. .
The
W OODLAW N HAIR DEN
1314 N.E. Oakum St. 285-1277
(Continued from Page 1 Column 6)
organizations,” and that none o f the
m inority organizations responded.
Spokesman for the group that has
filed suit maintain that community
organizations
representing
the
m inority communities should have
been a part o f the planning process
and should be represented on the
CEDS advisory committee.
z
b re a d
wiu DRAFT
you for o n iy i s <
D ays: S at., Sun., A M o n .
C a ll: 2 8 8 - 8 7 6 8
For m o w In fo r m a tio n
School Board
hears Coalition
The Community Coalition for
School Integration will aooear before
the School Board, Monday, October
23rd to discuss: November 27th date
for presentation of findings and
recommendations to the Board; a
time line for consideration by the
Board; opportunities for the Board to
raise questions about the findings
and data. The Board meeting begins
at 7:30 p.m. at 631 N.E. Clackamas.
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SPORTS HOUR
1801 N.E. A lberta
Organization signing the letter
were
Columbia
Environmental
Council, Coalition for Safe Power,
Consumer Power League, Forelaws
on Board, Gray Panthers Utilities
and Taxes Task Force, Mobilization
for Survival, New American Move
ment, Trojan Decommissioning A1
liance, Portland Citizens Aganist
Racism and Radical Women.
CAUTION;»
P/W , Jeri Curl, Hair Relaxing, Styla Hair Cutting for
Mon and Woman, Henna Tints and Highlighting.
JOE’S PLACE
Ten community groups have
demanded that Public U tility Com
missioner Charles Davis deny Port
land General Electric’ s request to
make automatic rate changes.
PGE had requested authority to
adjust electric rates quarterly accor
ding to varying costs production or
purchase
of
power.
The
organizations signing the letter to
Davit fear that this would allow the
utility companies to pass the costs o f
plant breadowns on to ratepayers.
“ It is absolutely unacceptable for
PGE to have in its hands a way
automatically
to
pass
mismanagement costs on to us” ,
they wrote.
Commissioner
Davis
recently
denied a request by PGE for a sur
charge to cover increased cost o f
purchasing power while Trojan is
shut down. The groups state that “ if
the power cost adjustment were in
place at this time, PGE would not
even have had to ask for a sur
charge.” Currently, the utility com
panies must ask the Public U tility
Commissioner for permission to in
crease rates.
City sued
OCTOBER SPECIAL
10% OFF ON
Groups oppose automatic
utility rate change
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