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