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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1979)
Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday. A prils. 1979 'Muldergate': The scandal that won't * qo awav * by N. f-'ungai Kumbula * EDITORIAL/OPINION Catch up w ith voters Two new membeis w ill join the Portland School Board July 1st. Steve Buel and Bill Scott were elected with wide majorities, both soundly defeating incumbants. Both men are identified with supporting the recommendations of the Community' Coalition for School Integration. Buel repeatedly endorsed the Coalition's pairing proposal which would pair majority Black and white schools and exchange students. Scott favors a more rigorious attempt to bring white students into Black schools on a voluntary basis but, that failing, would support the pairing proposal. Buel and Scott defeated Board members who rejected the pairing proposal. Ms. Crowell believes that although the current program has some deficiencies it is liked by most Black parents and should not be drastically changed. Mrs. York said little but her vote was against pairing. Joe Rieke, whose showing against an unknown first- tjme candidate who ran a late-starting and poorly financed campaign, Karen Masterson, was not spectacular also had rejected pairing. The School Board acted politically on the Coalition report, fearing political doom if they forced the issue openly and honestly. This election indicates that the Board is more conservative than its constituents and that it has little to fear from the citizens. The election results and the fact that desegre gation and citizen participation became the major issues of the campaign should put the remaining Board members — and the administration — on notice that the people expect a more honest and responsive School Board. The fact that only 8.3 percent of the registered voters voted in the election demonstrates the error of the Board's action to move the election from the May Primary election. Designed to keep radicals' off the Board, the move merely insured that the general public not participate. Immediate steps should be taken to place the School Board election on the Primary or General Election date. advised that he would consider a Trojan shut down if danger were demonstrated. Atiyeh's action should be to order the shut down of Trojan at least until the Three Mile Island accident is thoroughly investigated and until it can be demonstrated that Trojan poses no danger. The Governor should also retain all members of the Energy Facility Siting Council un til the final decision on the Pebble Springs plant is made — if that decision has to be made. The Legislature should immediately pass the nuclear safety bills now before it — including a moratorium on new plants until the federal government provides adequate long-term storage facilities. We call on Portland General Electric to show its good faith by closing Trojan during the investiga tion of the Three Mile Island accident and with drawing or suspending until a future date its Peb ble Springs application. Since Trojan has to be closed this summer for maintenance anyway, it might as well be done now and that would reassure the people of PGE's regard for their safety. The people of Oregon would then have to take the responsibility not only of conserving energy but of funding research and development of new sources of power. Solar, wind, bio-mass energy sources all are within reach if the necessary money is spent. In exchange for responsible actions by the government and the utilities — the people will have to spend a little tax money on new energy sources. The only alternative is the nationalization of the power industry. Reconsider computers In this country over the past several years, we have learned such new terms as ‘ Watergate,’ ‘ Korea gate,* ’ Oilgate* and now, the so- called ’ Peanutgatc’ . A ll these have been scandals o f one sort or another. To that list, we can now add another one: ‘ ‘ Muldergate” , an ever unfold ing scandal that has already forced one South A fric a n government minister to resign in disgrace and threatens to topple even John Vor- ster from his arrogant post o f presi dency. ‘ Muldergate’ is named after Con nie Mulder, the former Minister o f In fo rm a tio n in the last Vorster government. When Vorster resigned as prime minister to take on the mostly ceremonial post o f president, Mulder was one o f the leading con tenders to succeed him. He finally lost to a Pieter Botha who is now the prime minister. Mulder's loss was at trib u te d d ire ctly to his role in ‘ Muldergate*. This is the way it is supposed to have happened: For quite some time now. the South African regime has been trying to improve her. rather its image abroad. International pressure had mounted significantly against the apartheid regime due to the ef forts o f the anti-apartheid groups around the world. Such actions as the bank loan campaigns, the krugerrand campaign, the college di vestment issues and other like actions have taken th e ir to ll on South A frica . This has tended to bring South Africa under world scrutiny. It also has discouraged potential in vestors. To counter this, the regime em barked on a secret campaign to in fluence w orld o p inion so South Africa would be seen under more fa vorable light. To this end, a secret slush fund was set up through the Ministry o f Information, the m ini stry that Mulder headed. In charge o f this sinister plot was one Eschel Rhoodie who is now a fugitive some where in Europe. He is said to have had as much as $73 million at his disposal at one point, to influence world opinion “ by any means ne- The Portland Public Schools administration, and some members of the Board have rejected the request of Adams High School to develop a computer science program at their school. The idea of the Adams planners was to find a program that would retain Adams' attendance area stu dents as well as draw outside youngsters to halt Adams' declining enrollment. One problem that plagues Adams is the same that hurts Jefferson — the large number of its cessary.” white students that choose to attend Benson,' Onc o ' f the fruits o f this nefarious Washington/Monroe and other high schools. plot was the setting up of a paper The Three Mile Island crisis is not over yet and The district should limit the numbers of students called The Citizen which only carried the effects of the "low-level radiation" to which attending other high schools and the Adams' news that portrayed South Africa as a ‘ ‘ free, democratic, anti-commu the Pennsylvania citizens have been exposed will problem wouldn't be so severe. nist, pro-W est, stable, peaceful not be known for generations. The utility com The computer science project should be recon country and a boon for investors.” panies will say the fact that there was no melt sidered. As more and more industries turn to This Department o f In fo rm a tio n down and no one was killed on the spot are evi computers, the opportunities in this field are project went on to try and influence dence that nuclear power generation is safe. rapidly expanding. Computers are used in nearly newspapers, politicians and ‘ policy- Scientists will study the reasons for the ac every field — from law offices and school districts makers’ around the world. The U.S. was a particular target because o f the cident, the effects on the bodies of the citizens, to space exploration and heavy industry. country’s role as leader o f the ‘ Free and even the psychological effects on the The most frequently sought employees are W o rld .' Rhoodie and his accom children — and they will disagree in their find programmers and keypunch operators. If it is to plices at one point attempted to buy ings. The only thing that everyone can agree on prepare young people for vocations for the The Washington Star so it could be is that there is no proof that nuclear power plants future, the school district must become more ac used to manipulate American public opinion. are safe. The only real question is whether the tive in this field of education. He also readily admits that several value of the power produced equals the sacrifice Adams is the ideal spot for this program, which U.S. politicians received contribu of generations of human lives. would train these students who will go on to tions from this slush fund. Among That is the question that our Governor, our college or technical schools to learn more advanced the names mentioned are Iowa State legislature and the utilities must make. Governor technology and theory, and those students who Senator Roger Jepsen, the Republi Atiyeh said last week, "W e need to reassure will go immediately into the job market with sale can who went on to upset Senator the people of the safety of nuclear power," and able skills. Shut down Trojan LUTHER By Brumsic Brandon Letter------ Appreciation To the Editor: 1st Place Community Service ONPA 1973 PORTLAND OBSERVER The Portland Obterver (USPS 968-680) is published every Thur»- day by Exie Publishing Company, Inc . 2201 North Killmgeworth Portland. Oregon 97217, Poet Office Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208 Second class postage paid at Portland. Oregon ALFRED L. HENDERSON Editor/Publisher 1st Piece Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 Subscriptions »7 SO per year m Tri-County area. M OO per year outside Tn-County Area P o stm a ster Send address changes to the Portland Observer, P .0 Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208 5th Piece Beet Editorial NNPA 1973 The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in its Editorial column Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion o f the individual w riter or subm itter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award NNA 197T 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership ONPA 1976 N ational Advertising Representative Amelgemeted Publishers. Inc New York 3rd Piece Community Leadership ONPA 1978 A’ NHA Aasociahon - founded IM S hl • * M l WHIM O regon Newspaper Publishers Association We would like to thank the Black community and the Wiz Company for their support o f the reception given on Tuesday, March 20, 1979 to benefit the Black Educational Cen ter. A special expression o f thanks goes out to Dave Stuart o f Popeye’s Famous Fried Chicken Company, fo r donating the delicious chicken and cole slaw; to Paul Knauls for transporting the cast and for use o f his facilities; to Corno’s, Albertson’ s and the Bee Company for donating cheese, fruits and vegetables, and also the Portland Observer for publi city. A sincere thank you to my very special friends: Cheryl Oldham, Liz Mosely, Liz Taylor, Anna Cruse, M ild re d Davis, Joyce Geisert, Florice W alker, Debra Hicks, Flo Kelly, Clara Peoples, Danny M it chell and Joe Roose for their loyalty and commitment to make it a very special evening. As a result o f the above persons efforts, the Black Educational Cen ter was able to gain a sizeable finan cial contribution from the event. Again, thank you all for helping us to help someone else! Sincerely, Thomas & Gracye Kennedy, Jr. Dick in the last Iowa U.S. Senate race. Clark, a virulent critic o f the apartheid regime, had always been a target o f South African engineered efforts to get him out o f Congress. Daniel Moynihan, the Senator from New York who is also known to have leanings toward South Africa is also said to have been a recipient o f these clandestine South A frican co n tri butions. The South Africans even tried to funnel funds to Jimmy Car ter’ s campaign during the last Presi dential election. Whether they suc ceeded or not has never been estab lished. sists that Vorster not only knew but personally approved the projects of which he says there were as many as 130 around the world. O f course, Vorster denies any knowledge o f this but, there are indications that, as the pressure mounts, he may be forced to step down. His resignation, if it comes about w ill, however, not change anything as far as South A frica’ s policies are concerned. A ll it would mean is that one o f the founders o f this hated system would be forced to step down in disgrace. The one good thing that could possibly come o f this though is that it would definitely deal the apar theid regime a severe blow, damage what little credibility it had and slow down its influence peddling schemes. Hopefully, it w ill also make those politicians who arc "buyable” hesis- tate just a bit. Best o f all, we hope it will awaken the American public to the realization that South A frica m anipulates not only its Black citizens but Am erican politics as well. Somehow word o f this secret in fluence peddling scheme leaked out to the press. The Johannesburg Star and The Rand Daily Mail, o f which Donald Woods used to be the Editor, seized upon the story and played it up until Mulder was forced to resign and Rhoodie to flee the country. From his hideout in some unnamed European capital. Rhoodie has been spilling details o f the scandal. 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