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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1980)
Page 2 P ortlan d O bserver M a rc h 13. 1980 EDITORIAL/OPINION Southern Africa: balance of power shifts by N. Fungai Kumbula Set asides face court challenge The age of Black capitalism is being unemployment which plagues minority com challenged by Fullilove vs Kreps, now before munities throughout the country." the U.S. Supreme Court. The case is one of a The lower courts agreed with Mitchell and series that challenges legislative mandates to Brooke that a negative effect of the set asides "set aside" portions of federally funded con cannot be said to be concentrated on a tracts for minority owned business. "relatively small, ascertainable group of non- Amendments to the 1976 Local Public mmority persons" because the set asides ac Works Act by Representative Parren Mitchell count for only 0.025 per cent of funds spent on and then Senator Edward Brooke created set- construction annually. asides. That year, federal procurement had Before the Supreme Court the government totaled $68 billion with minority procurement argued that the minorities who benefit were less than 0.4 per cent. victims of past discrimination and set asides The net effect of the 10 per cent set aside are a proper remedy. gave minority business $560 million (nearly 14 The decision - expected by June of 1980 - per cent of the total appropriation). will be a landmark. It will not only review the Fullilove, a New York heating firm, con set aside issue, but if successful will set a tends that the set aside provision violates the precedent tor review of the Small Business equal protection aspect of the Fifth Amend Act and the Small Business Investors Act ment and the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and which assist small businesses. 1964. The potential for growth of viable minority Senator Brooke argued in the Senate: "It is business is clearly threatened by this suit. an appropriate concept, because minority businesses' work forces are principally drawn from residents of communities with severe and chronic unemployment. With more business, The 1980 Census begins April 1st. The distri these firms can hire even more m inority bution of legislative power as well as federal citizens. Only with a healthy, vital minority and state funds is determined by this count. business sector can we hope to make dramatic strides in our fight against massive and chronic Don't be short changed - be counted! Be counted Everybody loves a »inner. When you are rolling downhill, everybody goes you a push but, »hen you are going uphill, they all look the other way. In the past week alone, more positive things have been said and w ritten about Comrade Robert Mugabe than in all the seven years that Zimbabwe's war ot liberation raged. Where once he was an •'avowed M a rx is t,” “ terrorist leader,” "extermist” etc. etc., now he is being hailed as a “ p ragm atist,” a “ responsible leader," a "reasonable m an" and so torth and so on. Understandably, his landslide vic tory in Zimbabwe's first ever real elections is the most exciting news to come out of that part o f the world in a long, long tim e. Caught com pletely ott balance, maybe Western jo u rn a list can be forgiven fo r, belatedly, trying to jum p on the bandwagon. Very few o f them, however, have zeroed in on the most important part ot Mugabe’ s coming to power in Zimbabwe. When he takes office at the end of this m onth as Zim babw e’ s tirst Black Prime Minister, it will mark an historic event in more ways than one. It will mark the tirst time since the whites first set foot in Zimbabwe that they will be taking orders trom the Africans. I he Africans will be running the show tor the first time. A mosi amusing but very significant event took place this past week also. Ian Smith, sell-proclaimed "white supremacist fo re v e r,” requested and wax granted a meeting with Prim e Monster designate Robert Mugabe, ilie same Mugabe that Smith h.nt declared "R hodesia's Notes from City Hall By Charles Jordan, Commissioner of Public Safety WHO ARE I HE VICTIMS OF S O - C A L I. E D V IC T I M I. E S S CRIMES? You and I are! But, unless we are, or have been vic timized, we usually tail to recognize it. So call "v ic tim le s s " crimes (prostitution, gambling, drug abuse) allect all ol us whether we know it or not. Although referred to as “ victimless crimes,” in my opinion, there is always a victim. I find it d if ficult not to agree that any action which diminishes any man or woman, reduces us all. If any per son is lost to us because he or she is involved in prostitution, addicted to alcohol or drug use, shouldn’ t I be concerned because that person is lost to mankind? It you don’ t teel that the loss of one person attects you, then consider the millions of people throughout the world who are not only non-productive but dependent on us fo r their very existance while they serve as "ped dlers of pleasure,” beg or steal tor their next drink or dose. lake tor instance, one crime that is highly visible, prostitution. It creates visual pollution and residen tial-business inconvenience. As prostitutes monopolize certain street locations to make customer con tracts, they further invade residen tial neighborhoods where you and I live. Many embrace the position that prostitution is victimless in that "Consenting" parties are involved. ARE THERE VICTIMS? Certainly there are! Most engaged in this do not have a choice! They are forced to work against their will and the result has led to death, thef ts, robberies and assults. Many "johns” in the market for pleasure have often received more than what posed selection criteria and lavored assignment of students. Steve Buel said admission requirements would tell children who are not quite as bright, as strong or as talented, “ You had bet ter go somewhere else, out of your community.” Instead of putting in a middle school in the community to provide tor Black children, "the in tent has been to do something for whites — a nice school whites would like. But not to get down to brass tacks to help children having trouble in school - because of the color of their skin have had certain things foisted on them by the city and the school district.” Saying the board just sits and argues, Buie said it would be silly to argue about whether children in any white neighborhood should be assigned to a school. "Maybe we are not ready in Portland — maybe we spent eight months to say we are not ready yet." Frank McNamara voted to delete selection crite ria , saying it is possible to build a program that will attract whites w ithout selective enrollment. He aligned himself in no way w ith “ whatever the statement was that Steve Buel made.” Scott called selective criteria an interesting concept that would provide an excellent example of a ideal tirst rate integrated program, they bargained tor. I he complaints echo again and again. " I'v e been rolled!” in an attempt to buy a tew moments ot pleasure. We are really talking about basic human rights In this country we are champions ol freedom tor the in dividual to do as that person wishes. Law makers are trying to be sensitive to what the m a jo rity o f citizens want and it that means imposing legislation to protect all citizens, then it should be done. Legislation alone will not toally eliminate this crime; however, it w ill serve to minimize the opportunities o f those victimized by it. Over a hundred years ago, philosopher John Stuart M ill wrote that...the only purpose tor which power can be right fully exercised over any member o f a civilized community, against his w ill, is to prevent harm to others.” (Continued from page 1 col. 3) basis that once again individuals an d /o r institutions are spending considerable amounts o f time creating turm oil in the A trik a n - American community. However, it is now and always has been necessary that upon realizing racist subversion on the part o f in dividuals a n d /in s titu tio n s , the Black community must maintain its unity at all cost. Atrikan-American unity must be m aintained, even aside from the B.U.F. position due to the follow ing reasons and in Portland’ s case cloaked in the con cept o f integration: 1. When integration is vigorously pursued, one negates the Black co m m u n ity’ s right to self- determination - to do as we please in our own best interest, a matter of survival in its simplest form. 2. For Black people and the way in which integration is presently practiced, such practice teaches us how to adjust/accom odate/ assimilate as opposed to learning how to liberate. 3. The Black com m unity can never be assured o f fa ir and just treatment over extended/consistent periods ot tim e, when decisions about us rests with a collective and majority body of whites. Time and tim e again, our history and the present Black experience dictates to all of us such a fact. The fact being inherent racism among Europeans and white Americans, a very serious mental illness (perhaps the No. 1 mental health problem in the U.S.) treatable only over extended periods o f time. 4. When Black folk accurately ar- but voted to delete. Sarah Newhall also opposed selction standards. Superintendent Blanchard said selection standards were met with some enthusiasm among his con tacts in the Black community. Cawthorne replied that anyone who disagreed totally with Buel "is tar o il base and doesn't understand what the issue is.” "Is this board color conscious or color blind,” he asked. “ Just assign Blacks. Why don't you just assign them?” Although the board decided not to use selection crite ria , it w ill discuss again Thursday night the lt■l■l■t■■fltt■li■■l■■ts■lttllll■l issues of whether the school should A PERSONAL M O M EN T be a "magnet" and where it will be FOR TH O SE W H O CARE located. PORTLAND OBSERVER 1st Place Community Service The Portland Observer IUSPS 969 680i ,s published every Thurs day by E«,e Publish,ng Company, Inc 2201 North Killmgsworth P o la n d Oregon 97217. Post Office Bos 3137. Portland. Oregon 9/ZU8 Second class postage paid at Portland. Oregon ONPA 1973 1st Place Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 Subscriptions »7 50 per year in Tn County area 58 00 per year outside Tri County area Postm aster Send address changes to the Portland Observer, P 0 Bos 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208 5th Place Best Editorial ONPA 1973 The Portland Observer s official position is expressed only in its Editorial column Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the individual writer or submitter and does not neces sanly reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award NNA 1973 283 2486 N ational A dvertising R ep resentative A m a lg a m ated Publishers, Inc. N ew York v ím dental repairs * PRICKS QUOTKD IM ADVAMCK ★ Liberal CREDIT Terms No Interest or Carrying Charges O /ftrr H o u r, - A ttO C rfh O rt PER 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership ONPA 1975 »ound^f 'M4 —- H I Oregon J ► • ■ Or Into each life some rain must fall. Some will be unprepared and get soaked to the skin Others will have anticipated the rain and their umbrella will keep them dry. For some long dry spell will have made the rain a very welcome sight A heart filled with love will make every storm a welcome sight. Love makes one project beyond ones self, to enable them to see life from a better vantage point. 8:30 4 M S PH - Clo.rd Saturday, BROKEN « CRACKED for Better Fit e Denfuret Mended MISSING TEETH Replaced In Dentures Bridget 4 Ptrllalt Repaired E mergency C ases Given Immediate A ttention. . . Work Completed While You Wait in Most Cases We Operate Our Own Laboratory * Ask Ab°ut Our LOW COST 227-2427 Quality DENTURES P h o n .- ■ ■ 1979 Ä in A Kummer BER W O The hum iliation of Abel Muzorewa in Zimbabwe served notice to them that the propping up ot puppets will no longer quiet the demands o f the A fricans. They demand the real thing, not mere cosmetic changes. This rude awakening throws a humongous monkey wrench into their whole B.mtustan policy. Hopefully, Zim babwe’s elections have served notice to South Africa's western backers that the “ winds o f change” are blowing again and they’d better not be caught on the wrong side this time. I his new African wind could turn in a Black gale that could blow them all the way out into the Indian Ocean. ticulate their desire fo r what we they Black or white), view or reduce believe is quality living that is d if us to a pack ot dogs who are sup ferent from white folk, we can be plied with weekly/monthly/annual certain that the best white minds supplies ol m ilk bone who look available will attempt to distort our forward to a pat on the head. The reality. author is unknown, but the quote is 5. We should never allow, as it is food tor thought: " A poor freedom practiced now, anyone to ram in is better than a rich slavery.” tegration down our throats although The Portland Public Schools and it could be done in a city like Port a slip o f the tongue by a school land because obviously both Black Board member is only used as an in and white tolk have bought the con stitutional backdrop, but it is essen cept hook, line, and sinker lor all tia l that the A frika n -A m e rica n the wrong reasons. But we must community stay together because know or should know how insidious racism is indeed alive and well, lurks integration really is. just around the corner at all times, 6 Even i f integration was the and maintains itself in all Portland epitome o f morality, it has always institutional settings in various for been practiced from the depths ol ms. The need fo r A frik a n - im m o ra lity, because social, Americans to stand tall and proud economic, and political systems are (like the people we really are) is not based on equality due to necessary to illustrate that no force peculiarities o f racism in the U.S. can effectively “ s p lit” our com- 7. Atrikan-Americans must never munty. For Afrikan-Amerikans, the put themselves in a position struggle has never been an inte- whereby the rich and pow erful gratiomst or segregationist one, but (usually done by their lackeys be rather a humanistic non-racist one. t t it iiiiiit iiiiit iiiiit t iiiiiiiii ALFRED L. HENDERSON Editor/Publisher Guinea, Ethiopia, Algeria, Lib Somalia (?) and Uganda. Zimbal also inherits the mantle ot the k trom line state in the upcoming ba tie for liberation of both Namib and South A frica . An equal! onerous burden now tails on the shoulders of Sam Nujoma, leader ol SWAPTO to wrestle control o f his country Namibia trom South A fric a 's clutches. I he O A U ’ s Africa Liberation Committee’s kitty should be a little bit taller now that the proceeds only have to be split two ways instead ot three. The momentum is theie. South Africa also must he thinking ol ways o f ex tricating hersell from Nam ibia before the Africans kick her out ot La Zimbabwe. I he question Alrikaneidom is asking itself now is: H ow long can we hold on to South A lrica ? Notice: it's no longer: "can we hold on? but rather "how king?" Racism Revisted: Portland, 1980 Board rejects select middle school (Continued from page I col. 6) Public Enemy Number One.” The purpose of the meeting was to ask tor a cabinet position. Can you beat that? Smith actually asking Mugabe to include him in his cabinet! Ot course, Mugabe said " N O !” My, my, the times they are changing! In the first parliament Mugabe indicated he may include one white cabinet member. One out o f 20 would work out to 5,ro repre sentation tor the whites who com prise 4*F# of the population. I hat's down trom about 95(,’o represen tation in the outgoing government. Changes just as protound and just as immediate will be tell beyond Zim babw e’ s borders. For one, Zambia w ill now have a friendly border to the south tor the first nine since independence in 1964 Southern neighbor Botswana finally has access to Free Africa. No longer w ill she be sandwiched between South A fric a to the south anc. Rhodesia to the north. Mozambique no longer has to worry about her western border. Since independence in 1975, Mozambique had never known real peace. Angola, though sotn«. •■hat removed, benefits also trom the I) ack takeover in / in i babwe. there w ill now b, more cooperation among Southern African states, much to the dcliglu ol one Mwalimu Julius Nyererc ot Tanzania. When Zimbabwe joins the O A l (Organization ot African Unity) the ranks ol the so-called radicals or, more correctly, the progressives, will swell by one. She will be ,oming the O A U 's progressive club now made up ol Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, Congo (B razzaville), ¡B i|»*i Publishers Association 3rd Place Community Leadership ■ IV ONPA 1978 M PRESENTED BY AMERICAN STATE BANK ¿SS3& Accepted form» D a . Law«« BeiftoAd Street Level 51 5 s w Ave. Between Alder 4 Washington (O FFICES ALSO IN SALIM dentist PathriEE C AHTOI 10! S, E ugene ) " M t ta MoeetsoN
