Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1979)
* Portland Obaarvar Thursday. Juna 7, 11TB A m erican S tate Bank Behind the W all bv Larry Baker »35021 O.S.P. Correspondent Ladies M eet Gentlemen by Daniel » Howe »41331 On May 30th and June 1st the Class o f Legal Processes, o f which I am a member, was honored by the presence o f a delegation from the League o f Women Voters. T h irty -fiv e women from al! parts o f the state set aside their preconceived ideas and sat in on our group for a common purpose: to bet ter understand the class and what we're trying to do as a group for children who may or may not one day be in trouble with the law. The key to the dicussion was under standing. One lady told me that we (convicts) “ are people ju s t like everyone else” ; while another admitted that before she came she wasn't so sure. Almost all. if not all, left with the feeling of sincerity which may one day soon help us to achieve our goal — to help youngsters find an alternative to the preseni “ Scared Straight“ men ta lity , and to curb ju ve n ile d e lin quency. No rational man who has been through the ‘system’ wants to see his or his fellow mans' child become another statistic in the Corrections Division file. As a group we stress that “ we do not have the answers,” but neither does anyone else or there w ould be no problem. We feel that as human beings we have a duty and must try. We also feel, and must believe, that as long as people express their interest and are willing to keep trying, our hopes and goals for today's youth w ill one day become reality! We must thank the League o f Women Voters and all others in terested in understanding and willing to communicate with convicts. After all. many o f us are a direct result o f the juvenile justice system and its inade quacies. We feel that we do have M ock trial performed at O.S.P. Judge Robert E. Jones, C irc u it C ourt, M ultnom ah County is the Northern Oregon Coordinator for the O.S.P. Class of Legal Processes since development in March 1977. Judge Jones has provided the class of 30 inmates with material o f a 'court case' that will allow them to demon strate their legal skills to the Oregon public. On June 6th the O.S.P. Education Department will be the actual setting o f the court room . Charles Keaton, O.S.P. staff member and his inmate staff w ill put some hard work into the project. Gary Babcock. State Public Defen der will train three inmates o f the class to handle the defense. Scott McAllister, Assistant Attorney General will groom three inmates for the prosecutors. John P. D uffy, Portland attorney will be presiding judge. Karli Olson, Portland attorney, will act as clerk o f the court. Slate Representatives, aides, law students. Judges, community people and inmates w ill be selected for the jury. On June 13th, the actual trial w ill be held. The trial w ill be taped by Channel 2 Newscast for future viewing; also a wide selection o f news media w ill cover the event. Why? Because to our knowledge, nothing like this has ever taken place inside a prison before. something positive to contribute: in valuable experience and the willingness to help. The League o f Women Voters im pressed us w ith their purpose and ideals One o f their new projects is a two year study on the juvenile justice system and alternatives. We expressly wish to thank Mrs. Sharon Rader, President of the Salem chapter, fo r m aking this meeting possible and hope that we can continue this kind o f open-m inded com munication between interested parties. I know those who visited were im pressed by the tour o f the prison, our guest speakers and the group o f in mates. I f we had not been so limited by time many more questions could have C la y to n K ee n e ( in m a te /a tu been answered and resolved. We will dent) bids farew ell to O.S.P. after always look forward to this kind o f tw o years w ith the 'Class of Legal public interest and involvement. Processes Bad discharge hearings planned The Discharge Review Boards o f the Navy and Arm y w ill conduct hearings in Portland the weeks o f June 11th to 23rd for veterans who are appealing their bad character dis charges. There are about 8,000 veterans w ith “ bad p a p e r" discharges in Oregon. The DRBs come to Portland about once a year with 39 veterans on the docket for the hearings this year. Portland M ilita ry and Veterans Counseling Center has been working with veterans with "bad paper" for over four years. For the hearings this year, PMVCC will be representing 30 clients. O nly a small number o f the Black Bechtel Employees Committee in an attem pt to set aside the proposed settlement and get the class action suit back in gear. Under terms o f the settlement, Bechtel w ould adm it to no discrim ination, and would not be required to improve its employment practices. Each o f the four original plaintiffs was to be paid $3,000 while $120,000 was to be divided among the rest o f the class action plaintiffs, and a futher $160,000 paid in legal fees. The settlement would also shut the door to further discrimination Tired of paying too much fo r too little health care? Hear Max Fine, Executive Director o f the Committee fo r National Health Insurance, W ashington, D .C ., talk about Senator Ted K e n n e d y 's "H e a lth Care fo r A ll Americans A c t." WHEN: Friday, June 15th, 7 p.m. WHERE: Westminister Presbyterian Church, 1624 N.E. Hancock, Portland Public Welcome — Free Talk There is also dinner available at church, 6 p.m. before the talk. Cost is $5 a person and call 233-6868 for reservations. Max Fine will also speak on Friday, June 15th, Noon in the meeting room at Mannings Cafeteria, 949 Lloyd Center, Port land. No host Luncheon, Public welcome. McGowan (Continued from Page 1 Column 6) McGowan received a four day social pass a year ago and, with his wife, escaped to Oregon Although McGowan was fitted with artificial legs, he has been unable to find em ploym ent. The social security he received in prison was held when he escaped. McGowan is a veteran, wounded in Vietnam, but because of a less than honorable discharge he receives no benefits. The State o f Oregon has not received extradition papers from the State of Alabama so the McGowan’s do not know what to expect. They plan to fight extradition if it comes because they believe McGowan’s two escapes and his suits against the state will place his life in danger. DENTAL IN S U R A N C E is a valuable asset. . . appearance COMPLETE COOPERATION ON A LL DENTAL INSURANCE CLAIMS WE HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF COMPLETING YOUR CLAIM FORMS no appointm ent needed Come in at your convenience PARK FREE — Any Park n Shop Lot HOURS: Weekdays 8:30a.m. to5p.m . S W 3RD b YAMHILL ST., PORTLAND, OREGON TAKE ELEVATOR TO 2ND FLOOR 3RD ST. ENTRANCE 1518 NE KILLINGSWORTH PORTLAND. OREGON 9721 1 EXO D US ON S U M M E R T IM E . S u m m ertim e is the peak of nature's g row th respect it soberly. ON THE D IM E N S IO N S O F T H E W O RLD: There are tw o w o rlds; the w o rld th a t w e can m easure w ith line and rule, and the w orld th a t w e feel w ith our hearts and im aginations. Leigh H unt ON R EPU TA TIO N : To disregard w h a t the w orld thinks of us is not only arrogant but utterly sham eful. Cicero She’s pregnant. She’s deserted. She needs help. She should call 221-0598 B irthright fres confidential counseling for pregnant girls Mayer Building at 1130S.W Mdrnson Baked just right for you! . . . U N IO N OR C O M P A N Y Dr. Jeffrey B RA D Y, D entist claims by an individual plaintiff. “ I am not aware o f any other Title V II settlement as weak as this one,” noted Scott, present attorney for the Black employees. He pointed to recent settlements o f $33 million with General Electric, and $3.5 m illion other. “ The recurring theme of many o f the employees we've talked to is that Blacks are being passed over for promotion in favor of less experienced white women," noted Scott. He also pointed to the fact that Bechtel’s two highest women execu tives, both in personnel and both named as defendants in the Black employees suit, received their positions after women became organized and started filing suits in the early '70s. bread MADE WITH PURE LKFJC VEGETABLE SHORTENING estimated 8,000 “ bad p a p e r" veterans in Oregon have sought relief tor their discharges by appealing for a personal hearing in front o f the DRBs for each service branch. The administrative process for upgrading bad character discharges is long and complicated. Many veterans who received bad discharges are severely stigm atized by those discharges although the reasons for those discharges are many times dubious (e.g discharges given because of im plicit racial reasons or because of an arbitrary adm inistrative decisions etc.). For further inform ation, please contact Bill West at 224-9307. SHOP Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bechtel faces civil rights suit (Continued from Page I Column 6) Federal Judge W illiam Orrick has deferred ruling on the settlement un til June 1st to enable the attorneys to gather new evidence. One interesting sidelight raised by the women’ s discrimination suit is some indication that the company is improving the lot o f one group o f employees at the expense o f the with the Bank o f America, the terms of which included extensive a ffir mative action programs. Scott and his law partner have been retained by the NAACP and the The Bank that integration built ON R EPU TA TIO N : A person has a re p u ta tio n , and is no lo n g e r FREE, but m ust respect it. Ralph Waldo Emerson ON R EPU TA TIO N : T h e solar system has no a n x ie ty a b o u t its reputation. Ralph Waldo Emerson
