k
U n!v
ty o f c ■
j-
For the children o f Atlanta
and fo r all children who are
hungry, suffer and live in
fear.
Ten percent of children born in 1979 are dead
Ten percent o f the 122 m illio n
children born in 1979 are now dead,
according to the W orld Report on
children published by the Latin
Am erican regional o ffic e o f
UNESCO. Most o f these children
come fro m fam ilies in abject
poverty.
T h irty percent o f the children
born in 1979 will be dead before age
five: only ten percent w ill ever see a
health w orker or be vaccinated
against disease; and half will remain
iliterate.
According to projections made on
current economic trends and
p o litic a l policies, the number o f
people in abject poverty w ill in
crease by the year 2000. The world's
economic inequa lity w ill be even
greater 20 years from now. I hose
living in the poorer areas o f South
east Asia and A frica w ill be worse
off.
U N IC E F pointed out that the
growing number o f children be
tween ages 6 and 11 makes it nearly
impossible for developing countries
to provide education even to the
fo u rth grade. Yet literacy is a
necessary investment since persons
w ith even four years o f education
are far more productive than those
who are iliterate.
The amount o f money U N IC EF
estimates to be necessary to do away
w ith the worse effects o f abject
poverty between now and the year
2000 is approxim ately $12 to $20
b illio n annually. Changes in
distribution are also necessary since
only half o f the current aid is going
to the poorest countries.
As the report points o u t, this
equals what the w o rld ’ s nations
spend every three weeks on ara-
ments.
In its general conclusion U N IC L '
expresses its desire to work with all
governments to prove that the
present trends can be changed, to
foster progress in the poorest coun
tries, and to eradicate the worse ef
fects o f mass poverty by 2000.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
U S PS 9?9-680-855
==
Black journalists explore issues
By Gregory L. Gudger
“ W ith Blacks facing bleak
economic prospects under the
austere policies proposed by the
Reagan A d m in is tra tio n , Black
journalists must play a pivotal role
in helping Black America maintain
its equilibrium and keep its hopes
alive,” said Bob Reid, President o f
the National Association o f Black
Journalists (NABS) in the opening
session of the NABJ Region X Con
ference held in Seattle, Washington,
March 6-7, 1981.
Reid implored Black newspeople
to keep Black issues in the forefront
o f the nation’ s consciousness and on
the front pages o f the nation’s news
outlet. “ We must be in c ite fu l,
probing and a n a ly tic a l,” the
second-year NABJ President said,
adding “ ...W e must be advocates
for our rights, for our cause and for
our people.”
Citing parallels between the status
o f Black America in the early 60s
and today, the 34-year-old senior
producer fo r K N X T -T V in Los
Angeles said that in both periods,
there were “ ...not many protections
for Black neople...not many
programs, and not many hopes for
B lacks,” including those seeking
careers in journalism.
U nder
“ R e a g a n o m ic s ”
diminishing federal support for, and
active dism antling o f, equal
education mandates and strategies,
equal employment policies and
programs, fair housing policies and
programs, reflects a retrogression to
the period when they d id n ’ t exist.
“ For example, the things which
made it possible tq get jobs...helped
(us) move up in jobs is under
assault...and may disappear under
’ Reagonomics;’ ” Reid continued.
In conjunction with the impend
ing deregulation o f the Federal
Com m unications Commission - a
disincentive to media for “ seeking
out and reporting responsively” on
Black issues — Reid said the
diminishing priority o f EEO inhibits
the growth o f the Black journalist
com m unity, which has been a
stagnant 6 ff/o o f the n a tio n ’ s total
news force. The percent o f the
editors is even smaller, said Reid,
noting, “ Where we need the most
p a rtic ip a tio n is where we are
making the least progress.
“ W ithout the ability to hire and
fire, we are at the mercy o f others,”
he said.
The role o f Black professional
organizations like the 5-year-old
NABJ is crucial in p roviding a
forum fo r Black newspeople to
discuss the issues and promote ex
cellence in coverage o f issues, em
phasized.
In ad d itio n to the opening
session’ s topic, the Region X Con
ference featured presentations on
the demise o f a ffirm a tiv e action,
and the nation’ s tightening economy
by S p ru ill W hite o f the Seattle
Urban League; a historical view o f
Black upward m o b ility in the
newsroom by W illia m H illia rd ,
Assistant Managing E d ito r o f the
Portland Oregonian, and a spirited
dialogue with veteran actor Yaphet
Koto on the p light o f Blacks and
other m inorities in Hollyw ood not
getting enough leading roles, but
usually ending up “ just happening
to be there.”
In an effort to provide incentives
for both aspiring and working jour
nalist, the NABJ will militate a new
scholarship program and award for
outstanding coverage o f Black
issues. The NABJ also w ill continue
its “ Journalist o f The Yea/
Award,” for overall contributions.
The $ 1,000 scholarship award will
be given annually to a student, at
least one year into a collegiate jour
nalism program, for writing a com
petitively superior piece, o f 1,000
words o f less, on a Black journalist.
Nominations must be submitted by
the students’ advisor or dean. A n
nouncements regarding the program
are forthcoming.
The NABJ awards fo r w orking
jo u rn a lists w ill be given in five
categories: TV, TV camera w ork,
radio, print and print photo work.
Entries may be either in d ivid u a l
pieces or a series on a related sub
ject. Entries fo r the 1981 awards,
accompanied by a $20 entry fee,
must be received by the appropriate
NABJ judges by June 15. Only
work that o rig in a lly appeared
between May 15, 1980 and May 15,
1981, inclusive, is eligible fo r this
year’s awards.
More inform ation on the NABJ
awards can be obtained by w riting
Ben Johnson, D etroit Free Press,
321
W.
Lafayette,
D e tro it,
M ichigan
48231
(and
this
newspaper.)
School election draws lines
By John Blank
I f the issues in the coming school
board election have yet to emerge
clearly, the sides stand out more
sharply than usual in elections. On
one side, we have the downtown
business establishment, represented
by Beeman and G isvold; and the
other, we have candidates - incum
bents Sarah Newhall and Herb
Caw thorne, and legislator Rick
Bauman - who represent a trend of
independence from and even op-
position to the big business which
dominate Oregon’s political life.
W hile coroprate figures on the
school board over the past decade -
men like Robert Ridgley and
Jonathan Newman, lawyers from
whose law firm s represent such
clients as PGE, P P & L, Exxon,
Safeway, Fred Meyer, U.S. Ban
corp, Equitable Savings & Loan,
Tektronix, Standard Insurance and
many others - may legitim ately
profess in d ivid u a l concern over
many different issues in education,
and may disagree on any number of
them, yet the business community as
a whole has three, more general, in
terest in the school board which it
needs spokesmen to look out for.
A nalysis
No it s not an illu s io n ...it’s truel This home on Broadway Drive
received an extra lawn sign - smack dab in front of the one they had
accepted from Newhali volunteers. Complaints have been received
that Beeman signs are springing up in the northeast com m unity
w ithout permission of residents, and mysteriously usually appear
next to a Cawthorne or Newhall sign. Ms. Beeman is opposing Sarah
Newhall for a seat on the Portland School Board.
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
First o f all, the board is an impor
tant political base for business in
terest. It is a place where political
careerists can prove their worth to
the establishment, get experience in
public affairs, and gain corporate
backing for careers in other areas of
City, County and State government.
Secondly, it must not be
overlooked that the school system is
a powerful propaganda apparatus,
and that the business com m unity
has a strong interest in slanting that
propaganda in its favor. This is not
the place to detail the pro-business
bias in standard curricula. Suffice it
so say that the dark side o f business,
its violently, hostile attitude towards
the working people o f this country,
towards our national minorities and
towards the peoples o f other lands,
is generally hidden. Nor is this the
place to discuss the destructively
negative self-image promulgated o f
(Please turn to Page 9 Col 3)
Dead possums - not a prank by high school students; but harassment by Portland's men in Blue
From coons to 'possums
Last Thursday night at ap
proximately 10:00 p.m ., five Port
land Police Bureau cars, containing
ten Portland police officers, con
verged on a small Black owned
restaurant on Northeast U nion
Avenue.
“ It just happened that my son
was in the backyard and some five
police cars drove up and backed into
the wall in a row, facing outward.
He wondered what they were up to -
i f they were going to make a raid -
so he stayed in the dark and watch
ed,” George Powe, owner o f Burger
Barn told the Observer.
Four dead possums were removed
from the trunks o f three cars and
seven o fficers took them to the
sidewalk and placed them in front
o f the restaurant, he said. Three of
the officers remained in their cars.
This is only the last episode in a
long chain o f harassment by a group
o f police officers who work the four
to twelve PM shift, he said.
Powe recounts that in 1970 a
police officer pulled an illegal raid
on a business he owned at the time,
charging him with illegal gambling.
The case was subsequently thrown
out o f court and the officer warned
not to harass him.
A pproxim ately a year ago the
same officer made a habit o f going
in to the Burger Barn restaurant,
asking customers for I.D ., throwing
open the restroom door to look in,
etc. “ One night he came in, went
over to a customer and demanded
I.D ., threw open the restroom
door, then came back and started to
go behind the counter. I stopped
him and asked what he was doing.
He said he was looking fo r cups -
that he heard I was selling liq u o r
and was going to smell the cups. I
told him to get out. He turned and
said, *1 do what I want td do.’ ”
Powe saw Commissioner Jordan
a few days later and told him about
the harassment. “ Jordan said he
would come by the place and he did.
He came and had dinner, and when
I explained what had been hap
pening he said it would stop.”
The officer did not reappear for
several m onths, but about fo u r
months ago he walked in, looked
around, and shoved open the john
door. Powe asked what he was
looking fo r, and as he was leaving
he turned and said, “ I ’ m going to
get you yet.”
Since then there has been con
tinuous harassment by the a fte r
noon shift. According to Powe they
come in several times a night, ask
customers fo r I.D ., and look
around.
A customer was handcuffed by
this officer, and taken out, charged
w ith d rivin g w ith a suspended
license. The customer claim ed he
had permission to drive during the
day and that he was not driving (hat
day.
Another time a woman was using
the phone and an officer came in,
took her purse and dumped its con
tents on a table. Then he discovered
she was not who he thought she was
and apologized.
A w hite customer said he was
follow ed as he left the restaurant
and was stopped several blocks
away. The officers asked him where
he had been, and when he said they
knew because they had follow ed
him , he was advised to stay awhy
from the restaurant. He was given a
ticket because he didn’t have an in
surance card in his car, but it was
thrown out o f court.
Another customer told Powe he
was stopped for a driving violation.
He sells small bottles o f liquor and
claims that he was told by the police
officer who stopped him that i f he
would say they belonged to Powe,
he would let him go. He refused.
Powe considers the possum in
cident ju st part o f the same
problem . “ They d id n ’ t th in k
anyone would know,” he explained.
“ They thought I w ould just pick
them up and throw them away.”
However, Powe called K A T U .
When the TV crew arrived, the
public gathered. There were people
standing on both sides o f the street,
cars d riv in g by and cars double
parked. “ But no police came. For
over an hour no police came near.
Usually they are up and down the
street, but none came by. Then after
midnight, a partol car drove by but
did not stop.
“ U sually they are in and out
several times between 4 and 10, but
no police have been in since that
n ig h t," he said. Powe added that
the harassment has been only from
the 4-10 shift, the one worked by the
o ffic e r believed perpetuated the
series o f incidents. “ The officers on
the shift beginning at midnight drop
in usually once every night or so,
but they are p o lite and frie n d ly.
They have an entirely different at
titude.”
On Saturday fo llo w in g the
possum incident, Powe met Com
missioner Jordan and advised him
that he had witnesses, names o f the
o fficers involved and pictures.
“ That night on the news, they said
two officers had just admitted they
were involved.” The Police Bureau
reports that two officers said they
had run over the possums in an
alley, had put them in their car, and
then called other police officers and
asked them to come to the Burger
Barn where they placed the possums
near the restaurant.
Powe challenges the story, saying
that the anim als were brought in
three cars and ten officers were in
volved.
Commissioner Jordan inform ed
the Observer that the Police Bureau
is investigating the possum incident
and when their recommendations
(Please turn to Page6 Col I)
Harmleaa craatura killad by
on duty police officara to place
in reataurant doorway.