,.._ 2 Portland Obeen,e, Juty Z. ,_,
A lonely sound
EDITORIAL/ OPINION
By F11flgt1i K11mb11/t1
Organize, for
Now that the reapportionment plan has
been aafely signed by Governor Atiyeh, pro-
viding a new inner northeast House district -
"District 18" - the community has the respon-
libility of choosing a representative who will
1erve the interests and concerns of the
residents of the district and be able to
positively impact the other 59 members of the
HouN.
It is also the responsibility of the residents of
this district to join with the people of St. Johns
to select a Senator who will serve the needs of
both areas - which have divergent histories
and political arenas - but share many of the
same problems and goals.
It is our philosophy that the people should
select the representative - not that the rep-
resentative should select the people. The
people should select their representative based
on that person's political philosophy, ad-
herence to a platform of issues developed by
the people, commitment to the people of the
district, and ability to serve.
Throughout the two years of service (four
for a Senator) this person should be available
regularly to his constituents - through regular
"office hours" in the district, participating in
community activities, receiving and giving in-
formation.
It is to assist the selection process that the
Observer invites all interested organizations to
join with us in presenting a series of
workshops to explore and explain elective
politics. How do political parties operate and
how can the public become involved? How do
you run a successful political campaign? What
laws are involved?
Can the community develop a platform and
expect all candidates to state their stand on
this program? Can the citizens judge a can-
didate by his/her performance during a series
of community conferences? Can the can-
didates be more than a familiar name on the
ballot? Can the citizens know their represen-
tative?
We believe that in a series of community
workshops, with citizens working together to
develop what they really want from their
representatives, the real representatives will
stand out. The real leadership and commit-
ment will be demonstrated in many ways.
This community can put "politics as usual"
behind us and enter into a new era of
representative government.
B lock grants destroy programs
1
Remember all the programs -- essential
programs -- that the people of this country
have fought for many to obtain: child care,
education for disabled kids, alcohol and drug
programs, migrant health, vocational
rehabilitation, child nutrician, etc.
Most of these programs were not just drop-
ped into the laps of the American people --
they only came after years of meeting, plan-
ning, organizing, lobbying and suffering.
Some of them came out of the War on Poverty
and the Model Cities programs. Many of the
child programs came from Head Start. They
were designed by the people who need their
services. One thing distinctive about many of
them is that they require citizens participation;
in many, citizens have the right to make policy
and set priorities.
They are desinged to meet the most basic
needs: health, education, housing, mental
health.
What to do? The first is to contact your
Senators and Representatives and demand
that they oppose and work against the block
grant plan . The second is to build local
coalitions among organizations concerned
with the plight of the poor to insure that if the
block grant system is adopted the State of
Oregon spends it's money in a proper manner.
If the federal government is no longer to be the
protector of the poor, the State will have to
assume that role.
Not fair
The withholding of welfare checks to 36,000
people who depend on them for a bare
existence was hardly worthy of our Governor.
The July welfare checks were not mailed
Tuesday because the legislature has not yet
adopted the 1981-1983 budget which begins
Dr. Manning Marable
July 1st.
Whether the action was taken for the reason
With the onset of summer,
the Governor gave, that it would be spending millions of Black and Brown youth
money not allocated or whether it was a have joined the steadily increasina
lines
across
political move to force the legislature to act - unemployment
it was uncalled for. As usual, the most needy America. Black adult unem-
are made to pay for the failures of our political ployment remains high, much
higher than the 1, percent rate as-
system.
When I act back to Zimbabwe, I
will be workina in the Ministry of
Health conductina medical re-
search, searchina for cures and
preventives for all those diseases
that have been ncalcctcd all these
years since they mostly affected the
Black population. Comina out of
the War of Independence, most of
my initital work will consist of
workina ~ith the rural population
to improve overall nutrition and
acncral hyaiene and sanitation
standards.
Consistent with the auidclincs
outlined 1n the Economic Com-
munity of Southern African States
Declaration of Unity, we ~ill be
workina very closely with scientists
and other health professionals from
the other ECOWAS partners:
An1ola, Botswana, Lesotho,
Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania,
Zambia and Zaire. We will be
sharing not only resources but also
the technololY, research data, per-
sonnel, equipment, the works.
This medical research, will be my
main bag, at least for the next forty
three years ( I will retire at 70 - in the
year 2024!). As with cverythina else,
we would like to become self-
sufficient in the provision of health
services to our peoples. Over the
years bitter experience has shown us
how danaerous it is to rely on the
very same people who have ex-
ploited us all these years - our in-
dependence is totally meaningless if
outsiders (expatriates, foreigners)
arc the experts we rely on for the
health of our nation. If I can play a
small part in this most important
revolution, I will be able to retire
with a smile on my face.
On the side there is a very good
possibility that I will continue to
write for the Observer, the BUF
Advocate and the Pan African
Forum - come to think of it, I would
become their "foreign correspon-
dent!.. Bureau Chief, maybe?
Marriage aside, there arc dozens of
other projects I have in mind such as
making real African movies (that's
why my ltnlc camera aocs
evcry~herc w11h me') and joinina
the swcllina rank of aenuine
African writers. We definitely need
more Afro-centric literature. Then
of course there 1s Namibia and
South Africa none of us can afford
to relax as Iona those two unhap,
py land arc 111! occupied by
racists.
Environmental protection is
another of my interests. Africa's
air, water and land have not yet
reached the level of contamination
and pollution of the industrializetl
and "civilized" western countries.
Most of our forests and wildlife arc
still very much ~,thin salvaaancc:
all Africans, therefore, must work
to sec what w c do not irreversibly
dcst roy •these non-renewable re-
sources. Who can foraet what an ex-
hilarating experience it is simply to
sit and breathe the cool, clean,
crisp, clear African air as the sun
goes down! Any of you Africans (or
fellow travellers) try doing that on
the Morrison Bridge! And the thrill
of watching African game - with
camera in hand, not a rifle.
I will probably be comina back to
Portland from lime to time now that
I have met so many wonderful
people. If you arc in Zimbabwe,
look me up in the telephone book
then drop in to see if I have
managed to stay out of trouble. I
will be returning to Portland
definitely on June 18, 2024, the day
when I will turn 70 and retire
because I need that social security
that I have been paying into your
system for the past half-decade.
Again, farewell, It's been fun and
educational knowing you. Remem-
ber, the struggle is far from over,
but, since we overcame slavery,
colonialism, Jim Crow, lynchina,
attempted aenocidc and the like, we
must be made of very tough fibre.
Let us never relax our auard: we are
all we have. Sec you in Zimbabwe
(on your next vacation!).
Economics need change
YE.S YOUR PlACE MAS B£f
CONFIRt1[0. STEP THIS WAY,
'PLEASE-
Portland Observer
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Send add,- change■ to me Portlflftd Ollwrwr, PO Box 3137,
Portend, Oregon 9720II
The Portl•"d Ob#,._-
Alfr■c:t LN H■ndef IOI I
w11
found■d in Octob■r of 1970 by
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llb■ratlon; ■n N1 guard ■garnet IOCi■I ewlle; •
anaty9t
and cntic of di■crl11••1ury !lfaclleel and poticie■; • _,,,,,.. to
- n of rrnperldit,g -"' ■xieting r■c•t lr■ndl and P,aclicN; and a
ct.fender ~ t p■,Nl;UIIOl'I Ind CIPl)rellion.
Th■ ,... problama of th■ mlnOrtty PoPUl■tlOn WIii b■ ....wect and
P'_,t■d from me 11■'9P■Ctrw of t'- C8Uallfy: unr•tr■oneo ana
cltrottolcelly ■ntr■nctl■d rec11m N1Uon11 and 1nternatlonal
■rranv■,n.nt■ ttlet prolong and mew me opp,_, of Thwd
World peopln "'811 II■ consid■red rn rti■ cont••t of t" ■w ■x
ploltatJOn and tnenlpul■tion by th■ cdonlll n■taa. indudlng rti■
Unrted St■-, end 1NW re1etioneNp to Ihle nanon·1 hi■torical
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CommunllyS■Mce
ONPA 1973
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Honortble Mention
The PrNtl■nd 01,.,_ 11 • champion of justice, ■quality ■nd
Bru~ Broll$Mlrrl
Editor/ Pllblulwr
Farewell is a lonely sound, an an-
cient African philosphcr once said,
but not nearly so lonely as aood-
byc. At least accordina to the
Africans, farewell simply means:
"Stay well (until we meet aaain) ...
Goodbye, on the other hand, has a
rina of finality about it. For that
reason and for our purposes, we
shall stick to "farewell."
The day of departure has now
been set for Thursday. July 2nd at
5:00 a.m. I am aoina to sneak out of
the City at this unholy hour because
I will be drivina to Los Angeles and
would like to beat the "Independ-
ence .. weekend rush. My church-
aomg brother tell me that there is no
rest for the weary. When 1 arrive in
Los Anaeles I will have all of four
hours to rest before hostina a
wclcomina party. Any of my readers
who may happen to be in the neiah-
borhood, feel free to come join us
at 203-8 W. Queen St., lnalcwood.
Monday mornina briaht and early
should sec me at the Charles Drew
Postaraduatc Medical School's
Department of International Health
and Development. This is where I
will spend the next three months in
the cancer research lab learning the
fine points of medical research. The
theoretical trainina now complete, I
need to learn the practical ap-
plications so when I gel back to
Zimbabwe I will not fall Oat on my
face. I may have to work up to six-
teen hours a day and six days a week
so I can learn as much as possible in
the three shon months I have left in
this country. No time at all to act in-
to trouble, what a shame!
Around September 19-20, I will
finally catch that all-important
flight out of this country and back
home; back to Africa! Back to Zim-
babwe! Back to civilization! In the
meantime, since I have had such a
faithful following, I will continue to
write for the Portland Observer as
well as The BUF Advocate and the
Pan Africt1n Forum. To most of my
readers, therefore, it will be as if I
am still very much around.
H■rric:11 Editort■I A-d
NNA1973
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,.
serted by the Reagan Ad-
ministration. Neither liberal or con-
servative politicians, Democrats or
Republicans, have admitted the root
cause of the job crisis of the major
Eastern and Midwestern cities - the
rise of plant closina and the flight of
capital from economically depressed
areas.
Strateaies for limitina the
mobility of capital have been affect-
ed wit'1 some success in Western
European nations, particularly West
Germany and Sweden. In the United
States, such a stratcn would have
to involve the incremental and
aradual transferal of political
preroaativc from the interests of
monopoly capital to those who
create capital at the point of produc-
tion - the majority of American
worltina people. A series of "non-
rcform reforms" designed to create
a more productive economic climate
for all consumers, small businesses
and low-to-middle income workers,
Black and white, miaht include
these leaislative initiatives:
I) Tani ff codes should
discouraae the expansion of U.S. -
based corporations, particularly in
the older, heavy industrial sector
(ltcel, auto, etc.) abroad.
2) Multinational corporations
should be required by federal
lqislation to pay capital aains taxes
immediately, and at a hither rate
than for U.S. - only based firms.
Currently, taxes due on earninas
from overseas production can be
deferred until they return to the
United States. Tues paid to forei1n
1ovcrnments are deducted from net
federal income tues; smaller, U.S.
only based firms must consider local
and state taxes as a normal business
upensc. If federal tax laws were
chanaed, allowln1 smaller domestic
businesses to deduct a portion of
local and state taxes from their
federal tun, and the tu loophola
for multinational, were closed,
major incentives would be created
for the upansion of domestic em-
ployment.
J) The creation of a new Recon-
struction Finance Corporation,
financed by the federal aovernmnt,
which would lend capital to ailing
city and state aovcrnments, cor-
porations and cooperatives in aco-
graphical areas with high unemploy-
ment.
The concept of the Reconstruc-
tion Finance Corporation has been
revived by urban planner Felix
Rohatyn, the director of New York
City's Municipal Assistance Cor-
poration. Rohatyn's proposal
would combine a massive infusion
of capital into economically
depressed areas with strict wage
controls and austere manaaemcnt.
The RFC would be capitalized at S5
million and be allowed to issue up to
$25 billion in federally auarantccd
bonds to attract forei1n and
domestic investors. RFC would then
provide no more than ,o percent of
the capital to finance any public or
private project. Rohatyn also ad-
vocates special tax credits for older
firms and expansion of muncipal
aovcrnments' tax bases to include
the more affluent suburbs.
The RFC desianed by Rohatyn
would not substantially reduce
Black and Latino unemployment,
nor would it be able to have the
fiscal levcrqe required to acneratc a
capital base within declinin1 urban
areas. The RFC proposed here
would have to be capitalized at a
minimum of $15 billion. Foreian in-
vestors would be restricted; bonds
purchased by U.S. citizens would be
redeemable at a rate sufficiently
profitable to attract a major sector
of those currently investin1 in
money market funds . Light
manufacturina and hiah technoloay
industries would be ineliaible to
receive R}:'C support, unless these
corporations were located in hiah
unemployment areas. Small,
locally-owned businesses would
receive Iona-term, low-interest loans
and venture capital. RFC would en-
courage the development of con-
sumer and producer cooperatives in
the areas of housing, food pur-
chasing, health care, agriculture and
other human service - related ac-
tivities. Employees of plants or cor-
porations that were closina or
relocating could purchase existina
plants with RFC assistance through
Iona-term loans.
4) Corporation relocations should
be regulated by local, state and
federal agencies.
State and local aovcrnmental in-
itiatives must be ratified to halt the
destruction of jobs. At a minimum,
this would involve: a two year ad-
vance notification of the intention
to close any plant or firm that em-
ploys more than 50 persons in a par-
ticular area; community benefits of
2, percent of the gross annual wages
of affected employees should be
paid to a public fund or regional
state RFC which in turn would
allocate grant money to depressed
communities toward 1ax loss relief;
and a lcaal requirement that all
firms continue to pay employee
benefits amountina to two months
pay for each year worked. Greater
public control of the economy is no
longer, as John Maynard Keynes as-
serted a half century a10, a
necessary part of the modern
capitali~t economic order. That
"order" itself is responsible in lar,e
measure for the "disorder" within
the lives of millions of worltln1
Americans. In short, since larae
corporations arc unable or unwillina
to pursue stratcaics which eliminate
racism, sexism, and economic
staanation within older urban cen-
ters, the American public must in-
volve itself in the democratic
challcnae of placing is own fiscal
house in order.
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Portland, OR 97208
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