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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 1978)
Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday, December 28 1978 • * A C ourageous Gesture w? see the world An Open Letter to Charles Jordan through Black eyes Why not Mel? k season to give by Herb L. Cawtborne Your letter to the Board o f Education last Monday evening was extremely well received. It will assist us in keeping perspective, always re membering that this is not a personal battle between individuals but a widespread concern which influences many aspects o f the city. Your timely letter helps to maintain a positive tone. The tone must be one o f cooperative venture; in this there must be the understanding that, though we have been sharply critical, we do not intend to embarrass or malign the integrity o f the Board of Education or any o f its members. For helping us to remember the spirit that has molded us together, we thank you. It s happened again! Blacks have been fo rg o t The Christmas season is a tim e of giving - or is ten and Oregon will be depicted as an "all w h ite " it? Friends exchange gifts - children find their state. presents under the tree. But is there too much The Portland Rose Festival Association float to hustle and bustle to remember the others? be sent to the Pasadena is a salute to sports — yet How many give to those outside the circle of all of the six Oregon athletes pictured are white. their family and closest friends? How many give The float has beautiful pictures of six Oregonians to strangers or those w ith special needs? who made their marks in the world of sports. There are many in need - in need of money for Then there is a copy of the Trailblazers' logo. groceries, for ciothing, for utility bills and other Why are all the athletes pictured white? We household needs. Many do not have a decent realize that although Blacks helped discover and place to live. Others are w ith out jobs and need a build O regon, they have been erased fro m helping hand. Oregon's history. Our schools hardly teach about There are people in jails, in nursing homes and Black contribu tions to the United States, let hospitals who need the g ift of a friendly visit - a alone to Oregon. Your courageous letter provides few dollars to meet some personal need. Some additional thrust to the aspirations Usually they do remember Blacks in sports. It is need a little understanding and compassion . o f the Black community. We have about the only place Blacks are thought to excell. Most of us are where we are because someone been patient. We have studied for Yet the Rose Festival Association has chosen else helped. How many have good jobs w ith the ntteen months. For one, we have been definitive about that which will only white athletes. city and state because someone in a poverty serve us best. We have remained ac- program had the patience to teach? How many Surely Mel Renfro was “ great" enough to have hold good positions because someone else was been included. An outstanding athlete at Jeffer brave enough to pave the way? son High School and the University of Oregon And how much is returned to those w ho still he played with the Dallas Cowboys for twelve are in need? years. He repeatedly was chosen for the pro All Star team and played in the Super Bowl. He sur passed the highly touted Terry Baker (who does appear on the float,, a team mate at Jefferson The one thing that the Arab oil who did not make it in the pros. boycott o f 1974 demonstrated was Once again. Blacks have been “ fo rg otten" as the interdependence o f our modern Oregon shows its finest to the world. day nations. One o f the more impor 'W I live participants in a m ulti-racial, city-wide Coalition, and our voices have been heard. So often Black people dismiss the political process before it has begun. As you have so often pointed o ut. Black people many times come with sharp com plaints but with no plan o f action. The Coalition is a prime example o f how we can proceed toward orderly change. Y our well-expressed thoughts encourage us to go fo r ward. Moreover, your letter and the commitment it represents w ill be in strumental in rekindling hope among us. After Dr. Blanchard’s apparent rejection o f the pairing concept, many Black people considered that to be the end o f the political process. Dr. Blanchard said, “ no,” so there’s no use in continuing to fight. The legal alternative is now the best road, some people believed. Yet the political fight has just begun. A legal challenge, which I firm ly believe Black people will win, is not the best means by which to solve this problem. Your strong and positive voice helps to rekindle the faith in our own efforts. This we need in or der to communicate, to believe that change is possible, and to grasp positive opportunities when they come before us. The desegregation issue is a city wide concern. A court-ordered ap proach will divide the city and bring to it the d is to rtio n o f negative publicity. No effective program of desegregation has ever been achieved without strong leadership from city elected officials. Your decisive action at this time not only reflects your sensitivity to the Black future, but also your understanding that a positive and speedy resolution to the Coalition’s concern is healthy for the City o f Portland. Thank you for your aggressive and wise leadership. I promise you 1 will do my best to hold the spirit o f your words close to my heart as the discussions on desegregation in Port land continue. Rhodesia: The politics of oil by N. Fungai Kumbula It wasn’t just gasoline that con payers money was worthwhile. tinued to flow but also the rest o f The revelations about all these de those imported goods that were sup ceptions have only just now come to posed to be cut o ff after the imposi light as result o f the recent scandal tant aspects o f this abject lesson was tion o f UN sanctions. Oil, however, that the B ritish government is just how easy it is for some countries provided a stark insight into some o f currently involved in. Jorge Jardim, to economically strangle others. At the workings and p rio ritie s o f who used to be the governor o f the moment no one would doubt the capitalism . Evidence recently Mozambique until the Portuguese tact that if the Arab nations o f Saudi brought out at “ Oilgate" hearings were booted out three years ago, has Arabia, Libya, Natar so wish, they (Continued from page I col. 6) (B rita in ’ s very own scandal a la A great difference in the value of just published a book in which he de could bring Western civilization to a between $5,000 and $10,000. Twelve Watergate) shows that, the British Recipients varied somewhat by homes on which loans were made tails these and a whole host of the dirty virtual standstill. per cent of whites and 14 per cent o f government, while publicly condem geographic area. Most St. Johns was found. In Northeast homes were tricks that foreign companies and A few years before the Arab oil Blacks received over $10,000. Ring Smith and calling for his down recipients received DPL loans. clustered at lower values, indicating some government engaged in in cir embargo, the UN had had pretty In assets. 84 per cent o f the Blacks fall. was actually turning a blind eye Amounts ranged from J 1.006 to that loans were largely restricted to cum venting sanctions. Though much the same idea: impose sanc had less than $500 as compared to 60 Io all the British companies that were $18,391 with tw o-thirds between low-value homes. In Southeast H arold W ilson who was prim e tions against Rhodesia and force Ian per cent o f the whites. Although 13 trading with the Rhodesian regime. $2,000 and $9,000. Monthly income owners with much higher valued minister at the time insists he had no Smith and his reactionaries to extend per cent o f the whites had assets o f W hile in M arch 1968, George ran from $130 to $1,921 per month, homes were able to obtain loans. In knowledge o f any o f this until after voting rights to all the people o f over $3,000, only 2 per cent o f the Thompson, the Commonwealth Sec with an average of $724. Thirty-nine Northeast 22 per cent o f the homes he left o ffice , Jardim says the Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was a small Blacks did. percent made less than $500. per retary, was credited w ith these were valued at under $10,000 as government knew from the word go. country, about the size o f California The homes o f 31 per cent o f the famous last words: “ No other coun month. Over 50 per cent had assets compared to 5 per cent in St. Johns It knew and even tacitly approved but with only one fourth as many Blacks receiving loans were valued at o f less than $1,500. try does more in the field o f sanc and Southeast. In St. Johnsthe the use o f dummy companies in people (5 m illio n as opposed to under $10,000 and 65 per cent under tions. I do not claim any special vir In Northeast loans ran from $162 largest number, 40 per cent, were South Africa that were used to tran C a lifo rn ia ’ s 20m.) It was to ta lly $15,000. W hite owned homes tue. It is British duty,” the British to $16,006 with an average o f $5,738. valued between $15,000 and $20,000 ship British oil to the “ rebels” . The dependent on the outside world for averaged $20,000 in value. Only 2 Monthly incomes were from $140 to company, British Petroleum con with 39 per cent between $10,000 and current inquiry will hopefully estab all its oil, automobiles, light and tinued to supply oil. The British $2,096, with an average o f $822. per cent o f the Black owned homes $15,000. In Southeast, homes were at lish who was guilty o f what decep heavy machinery, rubber, books, were valued at over $25,000 whereas government owned 51% of BP and Half of the people had assets of less a higher value, with 31 per cent bet tion and show the people involved etc. etc. 11 per cent o f the white homes were. 40% o f the other m ajor c u lp rit, than $500. Average values of homes ween $ 15,000 and $20,000 and 31 per for what they are, cutthroat capita It, therefore needed the world Royal Dutch Shell was B ritish was $15,133. Sixty percent o f the Blacks receiving loans tend to have cent between $20,000 and $25,000. lists who will stop at nothing to get more than the w orld needed it. recipients were Black. owned. American companies were in slightly higher income and less assets At the highest range, ten per cent o f that alm ighty d o lla r. They have B rita in , the form er colonial ex on this devious scheme too. The than whites. They are less likely to In Southeast recipients received the Southeast homes were valued at already stepped over the bodies o f ploiter, had actually suggested sanc shady representatives were M obil more DPL loans than any other receive no interest deferred payment above $25,000 and only 4 per cent of thousands o f Zimbabweans. tions as an alternative to sending in and ( altex (a subsidiary o f Standard loans than whites. Loans are loan. Amounts ranged from $917 to the Northeast homes. In this country, even though Mobil troops after Ian Smith and Co. had Oil o f California and Texaco). Never $18,444 with an average o f $6,207. somewhat larger, but the value o f the In monthly income, people in the and Caltcx violated U.S. law by con severed all links with Britain in 1965 ones to be left out, the French sent in M onthly incomes were $172 to homes on which the rehabilitation is Northeast fared somewhat better. tinuing to trade with the Rhodesian when they signed the UDI document. their own oil company too. Total. $1,573 with an average o f $720. done is less. Blacks are less apt to Thirty six per cent of the recipients regime when the U.S. had pledged to To the outside world, and to a lot of This very ’ kind’ gesture on the part Average assets were $3,319. Houses receive DPL loans and HCD loans had incomes under $500. and 67 per honor sanctions, as o f now, no legal us inside Rhodesia at the time, this o f these ‘gentlemen’ assured Smith were assessed at $18,454. but receive a slightly higher number cent under $1,000, as compared to 39 action had been taken against them. seemed a surefire way to bring the o f all the oil he would ever need. o f 312 loans. They seldom receive per cent under $500 and 72 per cent Far as we have been able to tell, none G eographic differences rebel government to its knees. Some They were actually falling over each PIL loans, those with the highest in under $1,000 in St. Johns. In the up was even being contemplated. Also, of us were naive enough to believe in trying to grab all o f the Rhodesian Amounts o f loans varied by terest and the shortest pay o ff time. o f course, the oil scandal is only the per range, 14 per cent in Northeast that the British and the rest o f the trade. location. In St. Johns very few (7 per tip o f the iceberg. A lot that went on had incomes over $1,500 and only 7 UN members would abide by the Sex differences cent) received loans o f less than And, can you believe that, while per cent in St. Johns and 4 per cent in never made it into print because sanctions and enforce the edicts as $2,500. In Northeast, twelve per all this was going on, the British were Differences are greater between Southeast. there was no “ Oilgate” to force it strongly as the letter o f the law cent received less than $2,500. North m aintaining a blockade o f the men and women. Over one third o f out into the open. stipulated. So, we considered it much Black recipients east led in the higher range, with 15 Mozambique port o f Beira through the men received loans o f from With all these underhanded deals, more than just a moral victory when per cent over $10,000. St. Johns had which Rhodesia’s oil used to pass? T w enty-four per cent o f the $2,500 and $5,000, and almost 20 per it is small wonder that the Africans in 1968, the United Nations adopted twelve per cent and Southeast had They were spending $200 million a recipients were Black. Blacks and are now very skeptical o f any British. cent received over $10,000. Over half the British proposal calling for sanc 14 perr cent over $10,000. year blockading Beira when they whites had the same percentages in American or other Western efforts to o f the loans to women were between tions against Rhodesia and thus Loan amounts were set by deter knew that the oil no longer passed marital categories — 51 per cent o f fin d a solution to the Rhodesia $2,500 and $5,000 and one fourth making it illegal for any member mining the lesser of: the maximum through Beira, but through Maputo, the whites were married and 52 per ‘ problem.’ Having been sold down received loans of under $2,500. nation to continue trading with her. allowable according to the loan type, then called Lourenco Marques. So, cent o f the Blacks. Twenty per cent the river that many times, they are The higher the loan amount, the There were three countries that the cost o f rehabilitation, or the to the outside world, Britain was of the Blacks received loans under now relying more and more on the refused to honor these sanctions — more apt the recipient was to be value of the equity. In other words, really serious about enforcing sanc $2,500 while 13 per cent o f the one sure way to liberation, the armed married. Fifty Five per cent o f the South Africa, Portugal and the tiny tions. As a public relations stunt, I only the actual cost o f rehabilitation Blacks did. Forty six per cent of struggle. Sad to say, but there is loans under $2,500 per made to per African country o f Malawi and its guess that $200m. annually o f tax- and related fees would be loaned, whites and 52 per cent o f Blacks more bloodshed down the road sons divorced or widowed, but only self proclaim ed L ife President, and only up to the amount o f equity received $2,500 to $5,000. About eleven loans of over $10,000 were to Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Needless held by the owner-resident. twenty per cent o f each race received divorced or widowed persons to say, we were very disappointed by this gesture of defiance and made our views known in no uncertain terms. But, little did we realize that y rr» ai r ,. , Bank lhal lnlpKrarion built ’ 1st Place the very people who had dreamed up ¿ F i / N.E. Union Community Service the whole concept o f sanctions 282 2216 ONPA 1573 would be there to undermine them. The British gave the impression 1st Place Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201 North that they were as anxious as we were Best Ad Results City identifies home rehab loan recipients American State Bank PORTLAND OBSERVER Killmgsworth, Ponland. Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P.O. Box 3137. Portland. Oregon 9720« Telephone 283 2486 ONPA 1573 Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 per year outside Portland 5th Place Best Editorial NNPA 1573 Second Class Postags Paid at Portland Oregon ALFRED L HENDERSON Editor/Publishor Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award NNA 1573 The Portland Observer's ofrK,t> position is expressed only in its Publisher s column (W e See The World Through Black Eyes) Any other material throughoul the paper is the opinion of the individual 2nd Place Beet Editorial 3rd Placa Community Leadership ONPA 1575 writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc. New York WHM Aaioc/g/fon - 3rd Plage Community Leadership ONPA 1578 Ml MBf y lets l i Oregon I Newspaper ‘ Publishers Association to get rid o f Smith. He had just twisted the tail o f the “ mighty British, the very people who had “ built” the largest empire the world had ever seen. This little boy had to be taught a lesson. So the British made some very strong speeches in the UN calling for strict observance o f sanctions. The Africans in Rhodesia waited for the Smith regime to fall. The then British prim e m inister H arold Wilson, had predicted that Rhodesia would fa ll w ith in three months. What was strange and a little suspicious to the Africans was the fact that oil, which was supposed to dry up in a few months continued to pour in. Except for a brief period when rationing was introduced in the early part o f 1966, it was business as usual. 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