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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1980)
p « fle 2 P o rtla n d O b servar O c to b e r 16,1980 ED IITORIA<L /0 P IN IO N When it rains, it pours Watch those appointments! Tho m o f i n n zU M : — « — ___ — __________ - The m question of appointments to public commissions and committees is a puzzle to many citizens who see the same few people appointed over and over, going from commit tee to committee. The problem is more acute to minorities since they are fewer in number and usually less visible. The appointing of ficials usually know few, if any, minority people first-hand to learn to depend on a few advisors or "power brokers" to recommend appointees to them. This "power broker" system has limited the access of most minority people to the decision making process and expanded the influence of a few. This has prevented the minority per spective from being adequately represented. The result is a few people serving on many committees - sometimes ten and twelve at a tim e, some of them either worn out or inadequate to deal with the assignment. Let a person once become the leader of a minority organization and, if he behaves, he will be on numerous committees for life. In the mean time, there are thousands eager but never selected to serve. This is not a new issue; we have brought it up again and again to our public officials and to candidates, yet the practice of repeatedly appointing the same people continues. The worst offender is the Portland School District, which not only repeatedly selects the same people - but once it selects them it leaves them on the committee forever. There seems to be m l By Fungai Kumbula i no appointment, period on some school district committees; they are for life. The School Board made a step toward changing the practice by opening the desegregation monitoring committee to all who would like to participate. Now if thev would announce that fact to the public and reveal th e time and place of the meetings more people might like to participate. W e recommend that the district open all of its ad visory committeess to those who are in terested, rather than seeking those who will not disagree. The failure to provide the non-English speaking students with bilingual education amounts to deliberate compounding of the dif ficulties that impede and prohibit their access to decent and responsible places in the American social order. This causes language difference to become a liability that con sciously and inadventently holds up students' ethnic identities to ridicule. The views and at titudes the external society will express more freely toward them are markedly different from what they think of themselves. The expec tations and ambitions they may share as an outgrowth of their own past and culture can be conveniently misunderstood and misinter preted by those who may capriciously and ar bitrarily categorize any non-dominant peoples' ethnic attributes, behavior and aspirations as debased and non-conforming. The process of these students defending and maintaining their self-identity with dignity and security in a multi-ethnic nation will be seriously jeopar dized. Any goals the new Asian students may at tempt to achieve in accordance with American prescribed formulas for success could be disastrously frustrating. The pattern of Not since early 1968 had anything remotely resembling this had been seen. D r. A p o llo M ilto n Obote, Uganda’ s only elected Prime M inister, was ousted in 1969 by Field Marshall Amin. At the time o f the coup, Obote was in Singapore attending a Commonwealth Prime M inisters’ Conference. It is in teresting to note that Amin had the backing and support o f Britain and Israel. The then U.S. President, Richard M. Nixon, concurred with the ouster o f Obote because they all felt he was getting “ too radical.” What followed this tragic event and naked intrusion on Uganda’ s internal a ffa irs is now public knowledge. Am in’ s excesses and his eventual fa ll from grace are well documented. It was w ith this in mind that Kampalans had thronged into the streets, remembering the There are two exceptions to this "power- broker" rule. Governor Atiyeh, though not making enough minority appointments in our opinion, has reached out and brought in some new faces. This week, for example, he appoin ted Art Alexander to the new commission of Foregin Language and International Studies and Bill Nickelberry and Marc Hannibal to thé Governor's Council for Health, Fitness and Sports. County Executive Don Clark occassionally announces openings in the press and en courages application. This week he asked for applications for appointment to the Mult- nomah County Juvenile Services Commission We hope in coming months to see appoint- ments less restricted to certain people and organizations and more representative of the community as a whole. Help! don't hinder "Troubles are like chickens; they come home to ro o s t.” No one knows that better than the current leaders o f Uganda. Its ’ been eighteen months since the fall o f Idi Amin Dada. When the victorious jo in t Tanzanian-U nited N ational Liberation Forces rolled into the .capital Kam pala, in late ’ 78, thousands o f Kampalans paraded in the streets. There was dancing in the streets; women kissed the soldiers and decorated their weapons with flowers. Letters to the Editor relationships that emerge when language communication is one way and balanced to serve the wishes of the school authorities and personnel will be of real disadvantage to the To ihe Editor: powerless students. Bilingual education can not solve all of the problems for non-English Much thanks fo r the Portland speaking student. However, it is the most ef Black United Front photo, which we fective educational program for equipping used in our September 24th issue. As a former Portland resident, I them to: define clearly their goals and wish Black United Front and the aspirations; respond to the serious questions Observer all possible luck in the that arise as to how the educational process struggle. can implement better their achievement; ex Sincerely Yours, plain with greater clarity the multiple con Julia Adams fusions and dilemmas they need help with in a the Guardian Newspaper different cultural environment; interact with 33 West 17th Street more substantive meaning to problems that New York, N.Y. 10011 are directly related to their refugee status. Good luck By Floyd McKay In the long run, other decisions the Portland Board makes this year may prove to be more important than racial policy. Children of all races will be affected by school closures and finance. But the racial debate dominates because it is really a struggle over who runs the city's schools. The issue is in doubt. In the past, paid administrators ran the schools in partnership with what might be called the progressive wing of Portland's white business and professional community. They went so far as to screen candidates for the Board. White or Black, nearly every member of the Board until recently was blessed by this establishment support. The present Board chairman, Herb Cawthorne, is the first Black member who doesn't owe his position to the white leadership. Therein lies the roots of the recall. In the pure fact that a majority of the pres ent Board was not selected by the same establishment that selected prior Boards. The Candidates (Continued from page I col. 3) hold a candidates' fair on October 26th at 7:30 p.m. at 232 S.E. 80th. Many national, state and local can didates will be present. Coffe hour will follow. A special presentation on the Portland C om m unity College and the Novem ber tax base w ill be presented to members o f the given reasons for recall are drivel...the real reason is control. And until control is decided, the school system cannot move forward. If thé recall group really cared about performance, the recall petitions would be stopped. It is a fact that the new middle school opened with enrollment above expected and with a 50-50 racial balance. Because the Board and its new administrators worked in the neighborhoods to make it happen. It is a fact that a potentially destructive boycott has been sidetracked...because the Board and its new staff were willing to talk to their critics. There is at last a policy to involve the com munity in school closures, a no-win issue. And despite the problems of the summer and the recall, some semblance of order is emerging from an inexperienced Board. The Board did name as superintendent a man with impressive professional qualifications and the respect of his peers. If this is the record of an irrespon sible and immature Board -- as the recall people charge - then the same charge could be leveled against any recent Board. But per formance is not the issue here. The issue is control, and it has nothing to do w ith education. (broadcast on KGW TV on 9 2 801 National Council o f Negro Women on October 30- th. 7:30 p.m. at King Neighborhood Center. A VR EC w ill hold com m unity forums to address ballot issues on October 26th at City Hall and on October 27th at PCC Cascade, Por table No. 2. Both meetings are at 7:30 p.m. (234-1416) KPTV will air League o f Women Voters sponsored candidate debates. October 19th, 10:00 p.m. - Candidates for Secretary o f State and Candidates for State Treasure; November 2nd, 8:00 p.m. - " I t ’s Your Choice” and at 10:30 p.m. - Candidates for U.S. Senate. For registration inform ation call Operation Big Vote, 231-0770, or the Multnomah County Registrar 248-3720. Farmer supports Paulus To the Editor: Farmers o f Oregon have a friend in the Office o f Secretary o f State. Looking back on the legislative record o f Norm a Paulus, we remember her as a leader in the passage o f the farm labor b ill in 1971 (w hich G overnor M cCall vetoed for political reasons), and the bill to provide tax credits for construction o f migrant housing. In 1975 Norma successfully led the cause o f the farmers against the proposal o f G overnor Straub to NOTICE Public education should provide all non- English speaking students with the services appropriate to their particular categorical needs in this society. Two way com munication is of primary impprtance. Bilingual education is the correct method for removing harmful am biguity from the institutional setting in which student-teacher relations should be a two-way learning process. I he cost ol the Observer has been increased to 25« per copy. The sub scription rate will increase to $10.00 per year beginning November 1 1980. condemn the farm land along the Williamette River. W ith farmers now a small minority, it is more important than ever to have a friend in key positions. Let’ s recognize superior performance in public office and reelect Norma Paulus as Secretary o f State. Yours truly, Grant Henderson Summerville, Oregon CORRECTION The Portland Police Bureau extends its apologies to the Black United Front lor using their name in its personnel advertisement of October 9, 1980 and to the Albina Ministerial Alliance for omitting its name. The Bureau is sorry for any embarassment we have caused either o f these organizations. 1st Place Community Service ONPA 1973 Portland Observer Portland Observer (USPS 959 6801 is published every Thurs P o r t i o n Pub,,#* " 8 Company, Inc.. 2201 North Killin^sworth Another point o f view This commentary represents the level of social thought the Portland Observer believes is in the best interest of the total com munity...(Ed., "good old days.” The fall o f Amin would be chosen. That had to be was supposed to usher in a new era; scrapped when the logistics o f con a return to normalcy. It was sup ducting free and fa ir elections posed to signal the end o f proved to be impossible. Election lawlessness, insecurity, fear, Day has been re-set for December 10 wholesale looting and massacres, but Uganda watchers say even that hunger and the scourge o f disease, may be too optimistic. spira llin g unem ploym ent and A recent com munique from runaway inflation an attack on the Uganda reports that forces "loyal to n a tio n ’ s educated, "m angendo” Am in” have captured two border (smuggling) and all those other ills towns. The towns are on the border associated w ith the “ ad with Zaire; Am in’s last stronghold ministration” o f Idi Amin. and the one area that has remained Such has not been the case, most volatile throughout the last however, much to the dismay o f all year and a half. I f true, this would Ugandans. Uganda’ s outside sup be what our elders used to describe porters, too, have been sorely as: "p o u rin g o il on troubled disappointed at the c o u n try ’ s waters.” Uganda has enough inability to cope with rehabilitation. problems without having another The past eighteen months have seen full-scale war to fight. Tanzania had the ouster o f the man first chosen pulled out h a lf o f her o riginal to succeed Amin, Professor Ysusfu 10,000 man force and is anxious to K Lule and the removal and sub pull out the rest. Whether or not she sequent arrest o f his successor, would be w illin g to send more Godfrey Binaisa. There has been troops back into Uganda should the wholesale starvation and a complete situation deteriorate any further is breakdown o f law and order in the questionable. Econom ically, she outlying areas like Karamojong. cannot afford to; she is still trying to So bad has the situation been that recover from the financial setback even trucks sent to these areas with the war against Amin caused her. relief supplies have been ambushed From the average Ugandan, the and some o f the workers killed. reported Amin invasion is another C attle ru stling is endemic. The major setback and cause for great governing N ational Consultative concern. Any other protracted Council which was formed shortly m ilita ry co nflict could well spell after the ouster o f A m in had doom for the country once called scheduled elections for the end of "The Jewel of A frica.” September so a new government When it rains, it pours... 1st Place Best Ad Result ONPA 1973 97208 S e r o n T ? ' PO8' ° " ÍC9 Bo,< 3137‘ Portl«"d Oregon 9/ZO8 Second class postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Subscriptions: »7 50 per year in Tri County area, »8 00 per year ootside Tri County area P ostm aster: Send address changes to the Portland Observer. P.O. Box 3137. Portland, Oregon 97208 The Portland Observer was founded in October of 1970 bv Alfred Lee Henderson. The Portland Observer is a champion of justice, equality and liberation; an alert guard against social evils; a thorough analyst and critic of discriminatory practices and policies; a seminal to warn of impending and existing racist trends and practices; and a defender against persecution and oppression The real problems of the Black population will be viewed and Bruce Broussard Editor/Publisher ■ presented from the perspective of their causality: unrestrained and chronoically en trenched racism . N ational and in ternation al Mt MBfK arrangements that prolong and increase the oppression of Third World peoples shall be considered in the context of their ex ploitation and manipulation by the colonial nations, including the United States, and the relationship to the this nation s historical treatment of its Black population. Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association 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 ¿i.»««-» LTIU/ ä 9 / h .. r ae Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award NNA 1973 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership ONPA 1975 3rd Place Community Leadership ONPA 1978 3rd Place In depth coverage ONPA 1979 e- W H n H o irs iM N s a i - — — — — t bd.íHtl J F... *HiU, & fc. Aa., Y m 6th Place Best Editorial ONPA 1973 »A.4U,— n « t A mw . a . , a ,a t Sx. |UfU.lM ft>«Brft»ee« s» c . t,,.» s^===a=.-=..-=-— •’ Last chance at this low price! $7.50 Tri-County $8.00 Other Nam«: Addresa:. 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