Page 2 Portland Observer October 9, 1980
EDITORIAL/OPINION
New International Information Order
It should be of no surprise
Disturbing reports about the new middle
school are reaching the Black community.
Some of the complaints coming from Black
parents demand investigation and, if verified,
immediate correction.
Ä.v Fungai Kumbula
The evasion and issue dodging continues then
at a lower level.
There are serious concerns that Ms. Wait
may be openly presiding over a school
operation that is demeaning to Black children.
Unsubstantiated charges are: white children
are treated as natural achievers; Blacks are
dealt with as trespassers and interlopers. The
general feeling in the Black community is that
this school is operated as a mechanism for in­
timidating Black children. There are many
other charges of even higher sensitivity. It
seems proper to suggest now that the school
administration not permit this school to serve
as an obstetrical ward for the rebirth of Blan­
chard-type policies and programs.
This school is alleged to lack an equitable
discipline policy and there are no reliable
guidance programs in place to assist Black
students to make constructive use of the
facilities and curriculums which have been so
widely publicized.
In the area of communications there is much
to be desired. Mildred Wait, principal, dis­
regards questions or complaints coming from
Black parents and refers them to her assistant.
They do it everytime...
Present at the Northeast Police Precinct
Council meeting September 30, 1980 were
Commissioner Charles Jordan, Deputy Chief
James Brouillette, several members of the
juvenile corrections police team. Black
business persons, organizational represen­
tatives, parents and students. This assembly's
concerns centered upon the issue of police
being in public schools as teachers of Black
children. Blacks voiced unanimous objections
to this.
After much vacillating and reassessment of
an obviously erroneous prior decision, Jordan
and Brouillette promised to reevaluate the
program and to solicit Black community input.
They promised to invite Blacks to visit training
sessions for the officers who are to work in the
program. They offered to hold a mock training
presentation in the Black community in order
that interested parents could have a preview of
the program in operation. They admitted that
the failure to consult with Black professionals
and laypersons before the program was
initiated was an outright mistake, but insisted
the program would include them now.
Not one of the officers present, involved in
the program and assigned to schools in the
Black community, have residence there.
None of the aforementioned promises were
kept. Nevertheless, Jordan and Brouillette
joined by school superintendent Fenwick
launched the program anyway. Is there any
difficulty in understanding the abundance of
disgust and distrust at large in the Black com­
munity?
Letters to the Editor
Liberty Cable explains its attributes
To the Editor:
The selection o f a cable company
for a 15 year franchise with the City
o f Portland can have as you
suggested a ‘ ‘ most progressive im­
pact upon our social fabric.”
You have listed three criteria to
evaluate the cable applicants from
the Black perspective:
1. financial strength and possible
rate increases.
2. MBE policy and employment.
3. Access fo r the Black com­
munity to a city-wide programming
participation.
How
does
Liberty
Cable
Television compare?
I. Liberty, an Oregon cor­
poration fo r 20 years owns five
television stations and has cable in
over 80 U.S. communities. We are
strong financially as indicated by
both consultants to the City Coun­
cil.
One consultant did say we would
be most likely to feel pressure to in­
crease rates. That’s because we offer
the lowest rates for the most ser­
vices. Liberty’s bid o f $7.00 for 74
channels is considerably less than
Cablesystems Pacific $10.45 for 57
channels. Predictions that both
companies prepared fo r rates in
1990 still show Liberty •/) less than
Cablesystems.
2. Liberty has a demonstrated
history here in Portland regarding
employment o f M B E ’ s. We are
currently using MBE’ s in our West
Portland system including one com­
pany we trained and financed. We
have been applauded by the City for
our employment policies - 17%
minorities evenly spread throughout
the work force. We were just
awarded the state-wide Employer of
the Year Award by the Governor’ s
Committee on the Handicapped.
We have pledged to continue and
expand our commitments fo r the
East side franchise including 15%
MBE to build the system. Liberty’ s
230 personnel compares more
favorably than Cablesystems 127 to
provide complete services to Port­
land.
3. Only Liberty can o ffe r City-
Wide compatible services. Not only
did Liberty pledge an elaborate
Eastside public access studio, we
also pledged 5 sto re fro n t access
studios, a mobile van and mini-van.
Only Liberty has offered all the
same services and programming to
East and West Portland. The impact
o f Black programming conceived,
created and produced in the Black
community using Liberty facilities
and funding donated to the City by
Liberty will be available on a coor­
dinated C ity-W ide basis or on a
discrete network just to NE RE-
sidents - as the community desires.
L iberty's local access and local
origination budget for committed
dollars to this important community
programming is considerably higher
than any other applicant.
In summary, L iberty Cable
Television is a proven local com­
pany w ith almost 200 Oregon
stockholders. We have offered more
services at lower rates to all Port­
landers. Our proven commitment in
employment policies combines with
the highest dollar commitment to
local program m ing to guarantee
Portland the best and most respon­
sive cable system to local needs.
Dusline Davidson
Director o f Corporate
Development
Liberty Cable Television
The Sudanese are righteously
four giants: AP, UPI. Reuters and
the prom otion o f understanding
angry and, with good reason. A UPI
Agence France Presse. Among them
among the world's various peoples.
news team has just passed through
they decide what is “ news” and
Unlike other UN bodies, UNESCO
Khartoum , the capital, and their
what the rest o f humanity should
decisions are usually carried by a
mission was to do a story about the
know. It is rather frightening that
simple majority. Over the past two
flood o f refugees and their plight.
such a small group o f people, and
decades, T h ird W orld countries
Nothing wrong w ith that; it is a
all four corporations are western
have become the majority and are
good story that should be told to the
owned and operated, should have
beginning to change the direction
world. The problem though is that
that much power. That is the reason
that this hitherto obscure body has
this same news team passed right by
that it really doesn’t matter what TV
been taking.
the Iringa sugar-to-gasohol conver­
station you watch or newspaper you
In 1974, M onsieur Amadou
sion complex without so much as a
read (community papers and public
Mahtar M ’ Bow, former Minister ol
second glance.
TV and radio are exceptions) the
Education in Senegal, was elected
Over in Zimbabwe, they too, are
news is virtually the same.
U N ESC O ’ s D irector General.
railing at the Associated Press news
Take a look as o f today and you
W orking closely w ith Mustapha
team that was sent expressly to
w ill notice that news from the Third
Masmoudi, Tunisian delegate and
cover the Edgar Tckere case. Like
W o rld generally consists o f
leader
of
the
non-aligned
their UPI counterparts, this team
disasters, wars, political upheavals,
movement, he im m ediately set
saw nothing “ newsworthy” about
corruptions, government ineptitude,
about
challenging
western
the young Zimbabwean govern­
starvation, disease outbreaks and
dom ination o f the news and
ment’ s remarkable achievement in
the like. The stories all have one
proposing far-reaching changes that
settling more than a m illio n war
bent; to h ig h lig h t the negative
w ould make sure that the non­
refugees in the less than four mon­
associated with the Third World and
western world at least got fairer and
ths that it has been operational.
contrasting them with the efficien­
more equal treatment in terms o f
This, despite the million odd other
news coverage.
cy, good life and other positives o f
headaches that have beset the young the capitalist world.
N a tu ra lly , their proposals are
nation in recent months.
being strongly resisted by the
In Managua, Nicaragua, the
When Jimmy Carter goes to visit
western countries which are hiding
Reuters team concentrates on the his mother, he makes the evening
under the shield o f “ freedom o f the
level o f street crime since the San- news. Gerald Ford playing golf in
press.” The proposals, still in the
dinistas took over from the now Newport Beach or John Anderson
planning stages, call fo r a more
very dead Anastasio Somoza. talking to the farmers in Iowa alL
equitable sharing o f news gathering
O verlooked and ignored is the have space in the daily news. Do you
resources and materials as well as
almost total elimination o f illiteracy ever hear about it when Robert
technology and equipm ent. The
in a nation that, until as recently as Mugabe goes fishing? He does go
Third World delegates feel that sin­
a year ago, had an illiteracy rate ap­ fishing once in a while by the way.
ce they are not being accurately por­
proaching 60%.
That is not considered news. When
trayed through the current news
In India, Agence France Presse he has a spat with Joshua Nkomo,
outlets, they should get in to a
chooses to focus on the flood and however, then he earns a spot
position where they have a say in
the resultant loss o f life and, because that is another example o f
what is said o f and about them.
curiously ignores the government’s African “ bickering.”
The proposed New International
efforts at averting such disasters in
News from the non-western world
Information Order would be almost
the future.
is gauged by its level o f sen­
sim ilar to the New International
The above are just four examples sationalism, ostensibly, to satisfy
Economic Order in its scope and
o f the new wave o f protest sweeping the insatiable western appcitite for
aims. Should the idea come to
the Third World over what is a very human
disasters
and
other
fruition, it would be possible for the
sensitive and very important issue to castastrophes. Ever seen how
average Am erican to know, fo r
all humanity. At the core o f the popular disaster and horror movies
example, that A fric a consists o f
argument is the rising irritation o f are? It’s no coincidence. The Third
f if t y separate and independent
the Third World over the way it is World is just about fed up now with
nations. R ight now, to most »
projected not only in the Western all this negative reporting and is
Am ericans m ention o f Rwanda ‘
world but throughout the rest o f the doing something through the offices
draws a complete blank. When this
world and, sometimes, even in that o f UNESCO.
new in fo rm a tio n order comes
very same country.
UNESCO which stands fo r
about, this sort o f ignorance would
As much as ninety percent o f the United Nations Educational, Scien­
be wiped out.
news that the whole world watches tific and C ultural Organization is
For a progress report, stay with
and reads comes from one o f these the agency o f the UN charged with
us...
Defeat Ballot Measure 6
To the Editor:
Ballot Measure 6 would cripple
the operation o f our public schools
if passed. Going back to 1977 levels
o f true cash value, with only two
percent allowed annually fo r in ­
flation doesn't make sense in times
o f double digit inflation. There is no
way to justify this kind o f restriction
on the vital programs provided by
public education in Oregon.
With all its faults, and despite all
its critics, American education is
still the best the world has to offer.
W’e'provide more services for more
years to more kids than any other
nation. And we are doing it with a
great amount o f local control. This
is the American system and it should
be cherished.
MHRC finds discrimination in discipline
To the Editor:
When representatives o f the
M etropolitan Human Relations
Commission met with the Portland
Public School Board Discipline
Subcommittee and Key District ad­
m inistrative s ta ff to discuss the
Com m ission’ s findings regarding
disproportionate Black student
suspensions in Portland Public
Schools during
the
1978-79
academic year, the discussions had a
tone which was entirely different
from the tone o f such meetings in
previous years.
It surprised no one that evidence
o f discrimination was found, since
numerous groups have alluded to
the
potential
existence
of
discrim ination in Portland Public
A I f red Lee Henderson
Founder
Schools since 1977. But, rather than
displaying a reluctant acceptance
and toleration o f our efforts as was
done in the past, District represen­
tatives exhibited a genuine concern
w ith the issue, coupled w ith a
willingness and commitment to ef­
fect change.
A key to this attitudinal shift has
to be the change in personnel. The
1st Place
Community Service
ONPA 1973
The Portland Observer IUSPS 969 6801 is published every Thurs
day by Exie Publishing Company, Inc . 2201 North Klllingsworth
Portland. Oregon 97217, Post Office Box 3137, Portland, Oregon
97208 Second class postage paid at Portland, Oregon
1st Place
Best Ad Result
ONPA 1973
Subscriptions $7 50 per year in Tri County area, $8 00 per year
outside Tri County area P ostm aster Send address changes to
the Portland Observer, P O. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208
5th Place
Best Editorial
ONPA 1973
The Portland Observer is a defender against racist snsaults, per
secutions insults, harassments. discriminations snd related evito,
a vtgilant champion for .ustics, equality and liberation; an alert
guard against social atrocities; a thorough analyst snd severe critic
of discriminatory practices; a sentinel to warn of all existing snd
impending detrimental racist trends and practices
The real problems of the Black population will be viewed and
presented from the perspective df their causality unrestrained and
chronically entrenched white racism National snd international
arrangements that prolong and increase the oppression of Third
World peoples shall be considered in relation to the continued
abuse exploitation, political manipulation and contrivances Im ­
plicit In the relationships th at have c h aracta riied A m erica’s
historical treatment of its Black population
283 2486
N ational A dvertisin g R ep resentative
A m a lg a m a te d Publishers. Inc
N e w York
Roy Seeborg, Superintendent
School District #15
Forest GrOve
Health clinic
(Continued from Page 1 Col 6)
serving on the board should submit
th e ir name, address, and phone
num ber by October 15, 1980 to
North/Northeast Community Men­
tal Health Center, Post Office Box
5243, Portland, Oregon 97208. The
nominating committee w ill contact
all persons whose names have been
submitted in order to select a board
o f eighteen persons.
"He who looks for a mule
w ithout a fault goes on
foot.
Spanish Proverb
Right, responsibility to vote
Portland Observer
Bruce Broussard
Editor/Publisher
I f Ballot Measure 6 had been in
effect last year (79-80) the district I
represent would have had about 2.2.
m illion dollars less fo r operation
purposes. This would have meant
about 100 fewer teaching jobs (out
o f 220) and about 20 fewer (out o f
150) non-teaching jobs. There is no
way we could continue our quality
program o f education w ith those
kinds o f cuts..
Ballot Measure 6 is not the answer
we are looking for. I urge a resoun­
ding NO vote on November 4.
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorial Award
N N A 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1975
3rd Place
Community Leadership
ONPA 1978
AFUMA*.
EH
Aaeeciafien - PovndW IMS
involvem ent o f Herb Cawthorne
and Sarah Newhall from the Board
level has been crucial to the positive
direction recent discussions have
taken. The participation o f acting
Superintendent James Fenwick and
others recently appointed ad­
ministrations has resulted in a shift
in emphasis from the combative to
the colla b o ra tive -- a s trik in g
difference.
The Commission w ill not
unqualifiably assume that all is well
and there is no longer the need for
concern simply because the names
o f the players have changed and the
dialogue has been more responsive
at the top level o f the D istrict.
D iscrim ination
does
not
automatically vanish in the face o f
the dialogue, but it is an appropriate
prerequisite to change.
MHRC is encouraged, however,
by the dialogue and the com m it­
ments, and is optimistic about the
future outcome o f the D is tric t’ s
direction and efforts to establish an
equitable and sound educational en­
vironment for our children, with the
assistance o f students, parents and
agencies like MHRC.
Indeed, the domain is not solely
the District’s; it belongs to us all.
Sho G. Dozono, Chairperson
Education Committee
Metropolitan Human Relations
Commission
To the Editor:
To have a right and not execute
that right is a self denial o f your
right to complain about a wrong.
The right to vote and the freedom
o f choice are two basic rights given
to every citizen o f these United
States o f America, by the Creed of
the land, the constitution o f the
United States. Some have always
had the right to choose their leaders
with clear mind and aim and pur­
pose. We African Americans have
earned our right to do likewise,
through the blood, sweat, pain and
agony o f many African Americans
fighting to see that justice be done.
We, who are able to vote should
stand and make an intelligent choice
and be counted for our quality as
well as our quantity. I f we do not
take up this moral responsibility we
deal ourselves a blow one hundred
times more devastating than any
robe clad cross burner could levy on
us in one hundred years.
And we w ill be and should be seen
as traitors who denied the struggle
o f oppressed people fru ita tio n
through the generations.
Iman M ikal H. Shabazz
Masjid Muhammad #62
I
Last chance
at this
low price!
$7.50 Tri-County
$8.00 Other
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