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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1979)
EDITORIAL/OPINION Portland Boxer goes to South Africa by N. Puntai Kumbuhi M n a a ha* haen tn the i The year of the child Tan years ago a greet deal of planning and money want into child care. The llaadatart con cept, beginning in the early 'flOa, demonstrated that early attention to the educational needs of young children would bring positive results in later years. A great now emphasis on young cniiaren asveiopea. Training programs such as the Concentrated Employment Program (CEP) provided child care to trainees with the realization that only with proper child care could parents concentrate on training and employment. It was even felt, for a while, that maybe every child has a right to quality child care - and that right should be provided by government along with free education. One step in that direction was the Model Cities child care plan which provided tree child care tor all residents of the model neighborhood who required it because of training, school, employment or special needs There was a great proliferation of child care centers in Oregon, with special attention to quality. Supportive services were recognized as essential — nutrition services, transportation, health and dental care, staff training, counselling. etc. Persons who care tor children in their homes - family day care homes - were recognized as an integral part of the system, were certified, super vised and offered the same support services. Then the times changed and federal asaiatanoe waned. The State got into the act and soon became the chief tunoer and regulator of child care. The child care system was steadily destroyed until, if the new Childrens Services Division child care plan is adopted, it will limit subsidized child care to families on welfare and force those children from child care centers to un- supervised family dav care homes. The work of twenty years will have been loot and child care in Oregon will be back where it was in 1960. The Governor anti many Legislators say there is no money, that the State must adopt an austerity budget. Of course it is an established tact that the loss of child care will mean the loas of jobs - more welfare - children without their basic needs — and greater future costs for education, health care, corrections, etc. Oregon has neglectea its children and now is prepared to abandon them. LUTHE« a lot lately. The last time was whan th e Reverend Jeaae Jackson o f Operation P U S H (People United to Save H um anity) got the State De partment to revoke a visa issued to one Kallie knoetze As Jackson put It: knoetze represented the worst in the S outh A fr ic a n syatem (con sidenng just how bad that system is, th a t’ s q u ite a d is tin c tio n !) H e , (k n o e tx e ) is a fo rm e r policem an who. during the Soweto riots o f June 1976, shot and crippled a fifteen year-old Black p u p il, one o f the thousands w ho were p ro testing South A frica’s apartheid laws. knoetze was subsequently ’tried’ and cleared o f any wrong doing in the shooting- H e was. how ever, found quilty o f intimidating Black witnesses who were scheduled to testify against two o f his friends. For this, he was fined about $100.00. Because o f these two incidents, he quit the police force and started to concentrate on boxing. A M ia m i promoter arranged for him to fight a local heavyweight contender by the name o f Bill Sharkey as part o f a series o f elimination bouts to decide the successor o f M uham m ad A li’s W B C heavyweight crown when the •Greatest finally retires (for good?). Because same judge issued a tem porary restraining order, knoetze was able to stay in the country until after the fight took place CBS paid S 100,000 to televise the fight. One o f the positive things about this whole epuode was the attention that was focused on South A frica as result o f this furore. A lot o f people were educated about apartheid tor the very first time m their lives. It also brought to lig ht one other sneaky way that the South African regime has been using and continues to use to gain acceptance and respee lability in the rest o f the world. Despite all protestations to the contrary — such arguments as “ po litics and sport do not mix” — the reverse is true. I f you disapprove o f a country’s politics and still meet on the sports field, that can correctly be construed as tacit approval. When you disapprove o f somebody, you ostracize him /her completely W ith this rather lengthy back ground, we can now turn to the peculiar case o f Portland's own M ike Colbert. Colbert is a local brother who is gunning fo r the American middleweight title. Leas than a year ago, he was ranked No. I by R IN G magazine, boasting, a 20-0 record. B u t, then he ran in to a M a rv in Hagler in Boston who fractured both sides o f his jaw . H e ‘ retired’ but returned after a four month hiatus to defeat Edgar “ Bad News" Wallace and Roy Dale. Last October, in Las Vegas, he was d efeated fo r the second time in his career, this time by a Rudy Robles whom he says he had taken tot) lightly. A fter these two setbacks. Colben feels he needs to make a comeback. A t 29, he has to stake a claim to that crown before it slips away forever. 1 might also add the fact that he is an engineering student at Portland State University so he is by no means a dummy. Matter o f fact, he wants to make enough money from boxing so he can go to school without having to ’scrounge’ around like some o f us poor mortals do. So far so good. T o hasten his return to the top. Colbert has decided to go to South A fric a to fig h t some obscure A frik a n e r called C harles W e ir. T h a t’s right. The brother is leaving for Johannesburg on Saturday! He has. no doubt, heard all about South A frica. H e has. I am sure, heard our fervent appeals to boycott South A fric a , but, obviously, the dollar won again. The lure o f the dollar was just too great. Let’s briefly look at the implications o f this trip. Gne thing is already patently clear: M ike Colbert is going to make ex cellent propaganda material for the South African regime. The fact that he is Black is going to make him even more valuable. Either way it goes, hi ts going to p ro p el an u nkn o w n Afrikaner into the spotlight. A lot o f athletes refuse to compete against South A fric a n s as a w ay o f pressuring the regime to abandon apartheid. Colbert’s trip is going to weaken that resolve: now others will be pressured into fighting or com peting in South Africa. Those who had been undecided bui leaning to wards ignoring the Africans’ plight will be able to use him as a rationale: • If Colben goes, why shouldn’t we?’ W hen he gets there, the South African media will have a field day. He will be a star’ alright, to be dis played before the whole world. I f he wins, the fact will be downplayed — "after all. Colbert has access to the best boxers in the world so it’s fan tastic that Weir, obstracized as he is. was able to last that many rounds." I f he loses, on the other hand, they will never let him forget the fact. The whole world will hear one more story about the •superiority’ ot the white man — or is il the ‘ inferiority' o f the Black? The dice is L O A D E D . The Africans will be sorely dis appointed. Some o f us who have had the chance to conic over here and see our long lost cousins have painstak ingly written home to refute all the propaganda about Black America we have been force fed since childhood. I like to think we were making head- wav but. when Colbert steps o ff the plane in Johannesburg, our efforts will be dealt a mortal blow. Those Africans watching him will be won dering i f the 400 -y e a r forced separation has irrevocably broken up the African Family. I have nothing against C olbert striving for a shot at the world title and I definitely rejoice when one of us gets over but I do have a lot against him standing in the way of African emancipation. I am quite sure he would not have stood silently on the sidelines if. during the Civil Rights demonstrations, I had come in waltz ing with the enemy. I am sorry, brother. 1 am very sorry ite not cause fo r rejection Letters to the Editor T o the Editor: Jim Daniels parole violation questioned T o the Editor: Recently an attempt was made to publicly discredit Multnomah County Commissioner, Dan Mosee. in a tet ter to the Oregon Journal Editor by the President o f the M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty D e p u ty S h e r iff’ s Asso ciation. Peiter Van Dyke. The Journal, dated February 16, 1979 misquoted Dan Mosee concern ing James Daniel's, Jr. tooth being b ro ken and knocked out w ith a flashlight by one o f the guards. Mosee had received thorough infor mation from concerned individuals concerning James D a n ie l's case history. Mosee has repeatedly re quested a retraction ot the Journal's misquote This request has not been honored to date. A fter Multnomah County S heriffs officers refused to show Daniels some form o f police identification upon several requests, fo u r o f the o ffic e rs th o ro u g h ly “ brutalized’ ' Daniels He was then placet) under arrest on the Hooper Detoxification parking lot. Reterence was made by Van Dyke that since undercover officers weTt placed a trie detox center, that the thefts o f money ceased w ith the arrest of Daniels The fact is that tttere have been Irequent thefts long b e fo re D aniels was hired as a paramedic. Thefts have taken place after Daniels arrest, one situation in volving a theft o f S200 by two white male detoxification workers in which no police action was taken. Naturally if there have been police surveillance of possible thefts, such as the arrest of James Daniels, taking a chance with thefts will drop o ff for fear of being caught. Because the Oregon Parole Board continued to hold Daniels at Rocky Butte Jail (fo r over six months) after a mistrial and hung jury, concerned people requested ol Mosee to look into the James Daniels case, for it appeared mere had been a miscar riage o f justice. Oregon P arole B o a rd ’s reco m mendation of revocation o f James Daniels life parole was made with questionable “ valid paroie hearing procedures ’ Daniels was denied de fense witnesses in his b ehalf, yet hearing’s o fficer. Robert W allace, allowed M u ltno m ah County three prosecution witnesses to te s tify without being sworn in. Daniels had refused to participate in an unjust hearing, yet the hearings o ffic e r made the recommendation to New York to revoke his parole. Since the petty theft charges were dropped, the New York Parole Board had no re course but to release Daniels from custody There was no tegai reason to hold D an ie ls , fo r New Y o rk ahided by its paroie rules, “ Where there Is no conviction, there is no violation of paroie.’ ’ Also the influx o f tellers of community suppon to New 5 oTk Paroie was the final deter m inin g fa c to r o f James D aniels release from pnson without a final paroie hearing. As it was pointed out by Ruth Spencer of the P ortland Observer. “ Multnomah County is again prac ticing the Black Exclusion Law o f 1858,” by forcing James Daniels to sign a waiver ot extradition to stay in ja il in d efinitely. C alvin H enry, a Sunday columnist for the Statesman J o u rn a l in S alem , observed on February 11th that . . . “ the Daniels’ affair points out a historical assump tion. the inability o f Blacks to get fair and equal justice in Oregon.’ ’ As a conscientious public servant, Dan Mosee was only uoing his job to see that James Daniels’ individual rights were upheld and that he as many others receive fair and equal justice in Oregon. L . Laura Somlyo )« t Place C o m m u n ity S a m a a O N P A 1973 PORTLAND OBSERVER ALFREDL HENDERSON Fdltor/Publtahm Ä The Portland O ta rrv rr (USPS 9K rfl80 a putwwwn «vwv Thur» day tw Baw PuWatvno Companv Inc.. 2201 Norte K#<ng»wortt “ ortanc Orvoon 97217 Poet Offiea Box 3137 Pontana Oraqoi 97206 Sacona etaaa ooMaoo oa«l at Pontana. Oragor ta t M ace B o t i A d RasuN» O N P A 1973 Sutaacnpaora *7.K ) p>v vaar n Tr,C ounty araa «6.01 par yaar «iMKtn Tn-County Araa P aatm aatar Sana aooraax cnanpa» to Itta Portland Ir t u m r r P O Box 3137 Portland Oregon 87206 6th Place Baer Editorial N N P A 1973 The P o ru an i (M u m e r t ofhetai poeiaon a ma reeee n onty m ne Uhona« ctxum Anv Ottar metenä, tnrouphoat h a pagar a me optnaon ot the indendual wrMar o- su om i tia r and d o m no, racaaaantv rahac• the opm nn ot the Portland O ttn rvr 1 « im j. ■ »li 1 » ■ iR « riiio -- r ni/nurgnw Herriot« E d ,t o r a l A w a rd N N A 1973 2nd M tl 3rd u n it O N P A 1976 N a u o n tl A d v a rta m p R apraaantetive A m a lg a m a te d PuBSataee Inc N e w Vota 3rd Piar.« C o m m u n ity CaaPotatap ONPA 1976 mimmo •r, Me, - 1 agree with Herb Cawthomc that it's time that everyone m Portland (n o t ju st the B la c k c o m m u n ity ) grows up when it comes to local poli tics. O u r d efin itio n s o f m a tu rity , however, are obviously dissimilar. His idea d f m atu rity is foT the Black com m unity to dessert Evie Crowell, a Black woman, and vote for a white man because she didn't vote the way he wanted her to on one issue. This is as grown up as any little boy who lakes his marbles and leaves the game when things don’t go his way. 11, too. am a member o f the Com munity Coalition for School Integra tion. Although 1 am not a leader in the Coalition as Cawthomc is, I am every bit as Firm in my support and probably as emotionally involved in it os he is. I am white, but have m inority children who have suffered inequities because of the current inte gration programs o f the Portland Public Schools. I could have wrung Evie C row ell’s ' neck when she voted against the Coalition. It was one o f the disap pointments of my life. Unlike Caw- thorne, however, 1 had talked to heT at great length about the Coalition and tried to persuade her to vote tor it. Unlike Cawthom c, 1 know that her vote, although I don’t like it, was made with integrity and much soul searching. It was also a very brave vote, because she knew beforehand what the reactions o f many o f her own people would be and that it would cost her some o f their sup port. 1 also know that Evie Crowell was the one person who went out on her own, got the names (randomly) of administration transfer families that she didn’t know, and talked to them to get their opinions and feelings on the issue. She didn’t just talk to her friends and supporters W h y does C a w th o m c support Steve Buel — a white man — against two Black women? Why does he at tack Evie Crowell when everyone else on the Board except W ally Priestley voted against the Coalition? Cawthomc was a leader of a gToup o f people who attacked C ro w ell when she was first nam ed as a possible successor to Gladys McCoy. In all the noise and thunder at that tim e, no one raised any concrete criticism o f her, but attacked her visciouslv because she didn’t “ repre sent the Black c o m m u n ity /' I couldn't figure this out. because her credentials included a long list of work and recognition w ith in the neighborhood and within Black or ganizations. 1 couldn't, and believe me. 1 tried, find out at that time what they had against Evie Crowell. At that time I was not her friend or her supporter, and 1 tried very hard to find out wnat the " d irt" was against her. I could find nothing except that she wasn't their buddy and she didn't say exactly what they wanted to hear all the time. Other people arc always willing to do so to get votes and to hear the applause. In politics, this is very dungeruus, as history tells us. It is not very grown up ai all to be that simplistic about politics. Sincerely Yours. Joan Harvey Inmate supports conjugal visits T o the Editor: I t ’s tim e to support a b ill on private visits in the penal system here in Oregon. The pros and cons o f such a bill shouldn’ t be so questionable, but seen in its true light. Already in the hard core joints, like C d lifo m ia . M e x ic o and o th ers, the ad ministration understands this natural need to express, for the act ol expres sion. It tru ly m atters to me th a t a private visit unit be set up for the husband and w ife . T his request should be honored. People in society should understand, crime is easy to obtain and crime does not remove the vows set down by law between a husband and wife Anyone can be a convict under the law system in the State of Oregon You can become a convict by way o f driving, drinking, drugs, or many different ways. Now-a-day crime can find you as fast as you can find crime. W e ’re not asking for your total in volvement because we're sure that some o f you will pick this letter out; set yourself up to judge convicts, as If you were God himself A ll we’re asking » that you write your opinion to us. your newspaper, radio, etc. and let people know if you’re for this right. Let your Governor know Crime does not mean that every man, woman and child are truly bad. I f you truly believed we were so bad I ’m sure the people o f Oregon would have found a way to terminate us. But still you have hope that this penal system w ill work I ’m sure there is someone inside O .S .P ., O W C C , OSC1 you can relate to for one reason or another. P enal systems do not co n tro l sexual activity. Sex can not he con trolled or used as a controller while a person is incarcerated, please believe me. You are wrong if you believe that. The fact that a person has lost his/her freedom and placed in an ab norm al setting is where you have some control — but then only the body is locked away you can never kill the mind We have a problem to deal with and society is geared on many dif ferent complex problems. The wife and husband question will be around until there’s a good answer. Other wise, the fight goes on. W e understand that we are locked up behind these walls. Bui yet we still w ant to com plete our roles as husbands and wives. Surely you wouldn't want your husband or son or lover doing that o f us (roles as husbands). You know that they seek only one fulfillment. We only want by law, what has been taken away without a hearing. And if the above statement effects any man. well I must have said the truth. W rite to us and ask how you can help. This won't cost you taxpayers a dime. Opinions are o f my own, and not the total penal system, but shared by the group who are concerned about the aging wile, and her loneliness. Deone Washington #37528 (Editor's Note: A bill supporting con/ugat visits in state correctional institutions has been introduced bv Kepresentative Wallv Priestley J NAACP (Continued from page I col 4) Betty White. By-laws Com m ittee Chairm an - Lorna Marple; Office Management C o m m itte e - C levo nn e Jackson. The Youth Council meeting will be held on March 25th at 3:00 p.m . at Moore Community Center, 5430 N. M o o re . B enita Payne is Y o u th Council President. T h e N A A C P is o ffe rin g free assistance with income taxes each Saturday until A pril 14th. Help can be obtained at the office, 2752 N. Williams Avenue, between noon and 2:00 p.m.
