P»B« 2 P o rtla n d O bserver July 17. I960
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EDITORIAL/OPINION
INKULULEKO
Human services and the Black com m unity
With proposed cuts coming to Oregon's
Department of Human Resources, possible
discontinuance of funds for the Albina Action
Center, and a surprising .8 percent Black con­
fidence in the Urban League nationally as
demonstrated by a poll published recently
in "Black Enterprise", questions must be
raised: Who will serve the Black poor?
The needs of the community are greater
now than ever before, and as it has been
stated over and over: the country is in a
recession and the Black community is in a
depression.
It is a fact that public and private monies to
finance human service programs are growing
scarce. It is also known that United Way has
an annual campaign to obtain funds to help
sustain human services programs. Another
question comes to mind. Is the local United
Way channeling a fair share of its funds, con­
tributed by the public, into the Black com­
munity?
There are a few agencies located in our
community receiving United Way funds, but
more programs should apply for the United
Way funding that is desperately needed to
serve a seriously depressed Black community.
Of even greater importance, United Way
should encourage, accept, and approve the
application for funding.
Why? Locally the Urban League, the Center
for Community Mental Health, Highland
Community Center, and a few other programs
received United Way funds to serve Black
people. But it is questionable whether the
Black poor benefit from the programs and
N. Pungai Kumbula
agencies that are large recipients of United
Way monies.
Do the Black poor benefit from the top local
recipients of United Way funds? They are:
American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America,
Metropolitan Family Service, Salvation Army'
Volunteers of America, YMCA and YWCA.
Can the Black poor seek em ployment,
housing, educational assistance, medical/den-
tal care, emergency financial assistance, legal
assistance, food or child care from any of
those agencies to any large extent? For the
black community more of these agencies are
weil known names - nothing more, nothing
less.
The United Way should pose hard questions
to its largest recipients before automatically
funding them the next time around, for exam­
ple, what is the agency's commitment to ser­
ving the Black poor and is the commitment
supported by time, money, staff and location
of services offered?
A powerful board of directors and special in­
terest groups no longer mean a hill of beans to
Portland's Black community. A good name
and history mean nothing if today's service is
deficient. We suggest that United Way begin
to shift its funds away from the established
agencies that provide recreation to the middle
classes, to fund those that directly serve the
needs of the poor.
It is believed that if the Black poor continue
to be denied needed services, the resultant
cost to the community will be much greater
than now contemplated.
Letters to the Editor
D on't register fo r the draft
Dear Editor:
I have been actively opposing the
registration of young men for the
draft (which is really for war) for
many months. I have carried a large
sign ¿.2 X 28 on a long standard.
One side reads: “ Don’t Register for
the Draft, Don’t Kill for O il” ; and
the other side: “ To K ill is wrong,
unpatriotic, wasteful, inflationary,
Don’ t register.’ ’ This was during the
school year, for about two hours on
each o f five college campuses and at
Benson High School.
I he
response
was
most
enlightening to me. Alm ost all
students said “ Right O n,” “ We’ re
W ith You,
‘ I W on’ t Register,”
etc A tew said “ I intend to
register,
but not many. Most
faculty members were quiet.
1 have held my pacifist beliefs
for many years. I hough a champion
wrestler for four years at Ohio State
in my weight class, I never wanted
to kill anyone. I was a conscientious
objector in World War II, but had
no difficulty with selective service.
I have long been a member o f the
Fellowship o f Reconciliation, the
War Registers I eague, and am now
an active member o f Portland
Parents Against the Draft. I have
made many speeches against war
over the years. I was born Septem­
fla tio n . War doesn’ t produce
anything but fear, destruction and
death, the m ilitary is fascist, un­
democratic, un-Am erican, un­
patriotic, and heading us all into
bankruptcy.
If we threw out all o f the military
there could be many more jobs o f
value to people, such as houses,
roads, better medical treatment,
schools, etc. We could have general
prosperity.
The next war could easily be the
very last war because it would soon
become nuclear. Almost everyone
would die. the U.S.A. has put the
Soviet Union at the top o f our
present “ enemy” list, along with the
Indians,
B ritish,
Mexicans,
Southerners, Germans, Japanese,
Vietnamese, etc. We must have
“ enemies” to keep our munitions
plants and war makers busy.
We must disarm or die. We
should be an example to other
nations; step out ahead. I believe
other nations will follow our leader­
ship.
I urge all o f draft age to refuse to
register.
I firm ly believe I am very loyal to
this, my native country, very
patriotic, truly American, Christian
and working in the best interest o f
the U.S.A.
Howard D. Willits
Thanks from Salvation Arm y
Dear Publisher Alfred Henderson:
manager, Mr. A I Williams, whose
work, time, and efforts has been
quite remarkable and rewarding.
Regarding our publications, we
hope that this spirit and cooperation
plus efforts will continue upward to
greater possibilities as we work
together in a cooperative manner to
serve the A lb in a C om m unity by
giving it our very best service
I he Salvation Army Moore Street
Community Center Advisory Coun­
cil members wish to express their
appreciation to the Portland Obser­
ver for it ’s excellence and efficient
coverage you hase given us here in
the community.
V our expert service and genuine
willingness to help us in the way of
publication regarding donated
space. Your paper has tru ly en­
To the Editor:
hanced the prom otion o f our
Just a few lines to commend the
programs here at the Moore Street
staff o f the Portland Observer on
Center.
the supplement to the June 28, 1980
We can witness truly the increase
issue entitled “ Careers fo r the
o f community-support and patron
1980’s.”
participation. W'e thank you for t he
This was extremely well written
service you have rendered here at
and
I especially enjoyed the ap­
Moore Street Center.
proach
taken w ith interviews o f
We extend a special thanks to
m inorities in
n o n -tra d itio n a l
your outstanding advertising
positions. The role-models presen-
through our work and programs
here at Moore Street Com m unity
service through our w ork and
programs here at M oore Street
Community Center.
Sincerely Yours,
HoamiC. Wrighten
Secretary of Moore Street
C ommunity Center Advisory
Council
Likes Career issue
LUTHER
By Charles Jordan
Commissioner o f Public Safety
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR
GET INVOLVED
Neighborhood Watch is designed
io get citizens involved in crime
prevention and to make a commit­
ment to another. Crime prevention
information that you need to know
about your neighborhood is
organized and presented in a prac­
tical way to enable YOU to have an
active block watch program.
WHY SHOULD
TERESTED?
I
BE
IN ­
You would probably be interested
because you are a concerned citizen.
You would probably be interested
because you care about your loved
ones and you also have personal in­
vestments to protect such as your
home, your car and other personal
property. W ith N eighborhood
W atch, you learn practical steps
that can be taken to reduce the
possibility o f becoming a victim .
You have the advantage. You live
there. You have the conscious, in­
tuitive knowledge o f what is, and
what isn’ t “ N O R M A L ” on your
block that police personnel need to
know to effectively fieht crime.
NEIG HBO RHO O D W ATC H is
an investment in your home and
personal security when you KNOW
your neighbors and help make your
neighborhood a safer place in which
to live by looking out fo r one
another, altering one another o f
suspicious a c tiv ity , discussing
neighborhood needs or concerns,
making it known that your neigh­
borhood is watching fo r, and re­
porting crime, and, that you will call
the police when necessary.
N E IG H B O R H O O D W A T C H
w ill have a crime prevention
specialist determine your home’ s
security needs at no cost. Included
w ill be an inspection o f locks,
windows, doors, lights and land­
scaping.
W H Y S H O U LD . I GET IN-
VOLVED? ISN’T T H A T THE JOB
OF THE POLICE?
YOU are the key. The police can’t
do the jo b alone, they need your
help. It is impossible for police per­
sonnel to be everywhere at the same
time, thereby, making citizen crime
reporting an absolute necessity to
effective crim e co n tro l. Neigh­
borhood Watch is primarily a com­
m unity surveilance and crime re­
porting program. Your business or
your neighborhood could help the
police prevent and control crime by
becoming involved in this activity.
IS IT COST EFFECTIVE?
Yes! It only requires your com­
mitment. Irained staff are provided
for you and as volunteers, such as
yourself, are trained, your com­
m unity becomes self-reliable and
se lf-su fficie n t in building safe,
c r im e - fr e e , n e ig h b o r h o o d s .
Working together is the key.
I f you are interested, call the
Crime Prevention O ffice at 248-
4126 to learn more about this
program . They w ill provide you
with the telephone number, address
and name o f the crime prevention
specialist nearest you.
N E IG H B O R H O O D W A T C H
will engrave your valuable property
in a manner that discourages theft.
Engravers can be provided free of
charge on loan to engrave your TV,
stereo, tools, appliances, as well as
photographs those items that you do
not want engraved, such as an­
tiques, jewelry, rare coins and paint­
ings.
Minorities left out o f loan fund
(Continued from Page 1 Col 6)
mends allowing its use for working
capital - which is the greatest need
for most minority businesses.
Since the o rig in a l $12 m illio n
grant was to address jobs,
Broussard recommends that non­
minority businesses accepting loans
be required to hire a specified
number of persons o ff o f the C ity’ s
CETA list for a period o f two years.
ted were ones minority children (yet
to establish a career goal) could
relate to and this I like.
Again, may I say thanks for a
piece o f work well written and wish
all o f you continued success.
I remain,
Although there is suppose to be a
requirement o f one job fo r every
$10,000 of the loan there is currently
no mandate on the recipient to
comply. There is also some con­
fusion over the type o f jobs to be
created and the populations these
jobs should address.
John W hite o f the Bureau o f
Economic Development presented
two options for reorganization - one
which would sim plify the present
plan with PDC still authorizing the
loans, and the other which would
establish a non profit corporation
which would act as the loan commit­
tee.
Gregg Batista suggests a fourth
o p tio n ; asking whether the loan
fund should be considered as not
w orth the e ffo rt and the money
diverted to other CEDS projects.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
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The Portland Observer i oMical position is e,pressed only ,n its
Editorial column Any other material throughout the paper is the
opinion ot the individual writer or submitter and does no, neces
sarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer
By Brumsic Brandon Ji
f
teaching o f and the promotion o f its
own culture and language, it is im­
possible for a Ghanaian student to
speak to a Zimbabwe except in a
language foreign to both o f them:
English. An Ivorian student cannot
even converse with his counterpart
from Zam bia because while the
former speaks French (in addition
to his own native tongue), the latter
speaks English.
The colonialists split up Africa in­
to fifty , separate countries. It is
pure coincidence that A frica was
split into fifty countries, the exact
number o f states in the United
States of America. Consequently, a
lot o f non-A fricans, particularly
Americans, tend to think o f such
countries as Zambia, Zaire, Zan­
zibar, and Zimbabwe as mere states
like Ohio, Oregon or Oklahoma. In
some cases, because o f the afore­
mentioned forced isolation o f their
peoples, M ali could be more d if­
ferent from M alawi than, say,
Majorca, an island administered by
Spain.
A ll the efforts at reunification of
the continent that have appeared in
this column over the years such as
the OAU, ECOWAS, African Cup,
A fric a n Games, T rans-A frica
H ighw ay, com m unications net­
works, easing of travel restrictions
and others along the same vein are
all designed to undo the harm that
colonialism has done and to make
o f Africa the paradise that it used to
be.
Notes from City Hall
X .'
ber 29, 1902. I worked and spoke
against the Vietnam War even when
I was a member o f the Oregon State
Legislature, in which I served twelve
years in the House, 1963-1975.
My convictions have come mostly
from the Christian religion. I have
been a methodist all o f my life. I
could be called a modern Methodist,
not “ fundam entalist,”
“ pen-
tacostal,” “ born again.” I don’ t
believe that every word o f the Bible
is meant to be taken lite ra lly. I
believe very much in Jesus, looking
through what the various writers
over the centuries have said about
him. I believe he said, “ Thou shall
not k ill, love thy neighbor as
thyself, bless them that persecute
you, help the poor, etc.” I read
Thomas Jefferson’s New Testament.
I attend the Lincoln St. United
Methodist Church, 5145 S.E. Lin­
coln Street very regularly, even sing
in the choir and participate in most
church functions. I go to Lincoln
Street because of the radical pastor,
Rev. John Schqiebert and his wife,
Patricia. If they ever leave Lincoln
Street, I w ill follow them, within
geographical limits, they are very in­
spirational to me.
War is un-Christian, primarily for
the financial benefit o f munitions
makers and the chief cause o f in-
In the Oldurvai Gorge in southern
vast continent: 11 ■/, million square
Tanzania, a white man by the name miles, second in size only to Asia. It
o f Leakey “ discovered” some is more than three times the size o f
human bone that proved, beyond
the entire United States o f America.
any shadow of doubt, that Africa is
It would be incorrect to talk of
the birthplace o f the human race,
A fric a as one country though,
what the Leakeys did was dig in this
because o f European interference in
gorge which was known to have
A frican affairs. From the begin­
been an African settlement almost
ning, Africans have, unfortunately,
from time immemorial, what they
been a peace-loving and hospitable
discovered, therefore, is something
people, throughout the time they
that had gotten buried in the
were building the great empires o f
African backyard.
M a li, ghana, Songayi, Egypt,
The
significance
of
this
Sudan, Zimbabwe, Timbuctoo and
“ discovery” is that it answered the others, their prim ary aim was to
question that had plagued the consolidate all the little settlements
Western w orld fo r thousands o f
that sprung up all over the continent
years: Where did the human race
over the years.
originate? The solving o f this riddle
The Europeans, coverting the
brought out another very interesting continent’ s riches, took advantage
but little discussed fact: everybody of African hospitality and stole the
in this whole wide world can trace whole continent. M ore than 200
their orgins to Africa! Just look at m illio n o f her people perished
the people around you: they are during the slave trade. The con­
African descendants! A little note in tinent s riches, stolen over the years
passing: just about everybody extracted with forced African labor’
knows o f the Leakeys and their made most European countries the
“ discovery” but how many people economic giants they are today. On
know the number, better yet, the the co n tra ry, much o f A fric a
names o f the African assistants who remains very much underdeveloped
did the actual digging?
because o f colo n ia l
m alad­
I he Atricans had a fierce love o f ministration and all its wealth being
and a great respect for freedom, used to line the treasuries o f
hence the title o f this piece: Europe.
“ Inkululeko,” freedom in Ndebele,
Today, a political map o f Africa
one o f the two main languages o f
looks
like a jigsaw puzzle, the
Zimbabwe, they traveled all over the
people
speak more than five
continent setting up settlements,
hundred
d iffe re n t languages: a
they knew no restraints, they knew
no boundaries. Africa was just one result o f forced isolation from one
huge country. It was and still is a another. In addition , since each
colonial “ pow er” mandated the
YOUR T E A C H E R '
283 2486
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
Editor/P ublisher
N ational A dvertisin g R epresentative
A m a lg a m a te d Publishers. Inc
N e w York
Ml MS,
W9WA
b»soci»hon
K
Oregon
Newspaper
Publishers
A ssociation
5th Place
Best Editorial
ONPA 1973
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorial Award
NNA 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1975
1
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1978
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