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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1982)
Page 4 Portland Observer, March 11. 1982 EDITORIAL/OPINION Black Capitalism: Profile in Poverty bv Manning Marable It must be racism Is it possible that the five members o f the School Board who voted to place Tubman M id dle School in the Boise building are right? Is it possible that the Black community, its organiza tions, and two members o f the School Board are wrong? Could it be that the m ajority o f the School Board are justified in totally ignoring the hopes and desires o f Black parents and students? Is there some overriding concern, some important new evidence, that makes the personal desires or vendettas o f five School Board members more important than the children they are elected to serve? It is hard to believe that only tw o School Board members— Herb Cawthorne and Steve Buel—really care about Black children. And yet it seems to be true. It is obvious that racism prevailed during the Board’ s decision-making—that the concern o f five Board members was not for the children who attend Tubman or the children who attend Boise. The overriding concern was for the stu dents o f F liot—46 per cent o f whom are white. The p ro o f o f the pudding w ill be when the Board decides where to send the Boise students. W ill they displace other neighborhood children, causing a series o f moves and disruptions? Or will they be scattered to the four winds? The obvious best decision— if Boise is to be used—is to send the Boise students to Beach and Eliot, where many can walk to school. Then comes question number two. Who will be displaced from Eliot? Not the 46 per cent. The neighborhood children from King, Sabin, etc. who have been recruited in the past to meet the Headstart Followthrough income require ments w ill be sent back to their neighborhood schools and the interests o f the middle class white children will be protected. Yes. Racism still prevails in the Portland Pub lic Schools. Why fear citizens' review? We have long favored a police review board— a board o f citizens that would investigate and evaluate complaints against police officers or the Police Bureau. Considering the “ esprit de corps” o f police officers we consider it unrea sonable to expect them to police each other. The Task Force recommendation to establish a monitoring commission that w ill be presented to the C ity Council does not meet the need for citizen oversight and citizen involvement. It has little power or authority. Its appeals would fall on the deaf ears o f the Police Commissioner— currently the Mayor. Its only real power would be the ability to publicize adverse decisions and procedures. What do Mayor Ivancie and Chief Ron Still have to fear from this commission? Their vio lent opposition is d ifficu lt to understand. Per haps even the smallest insight into the inner workings o f the Portland Police Bureau would risk too much exposure. In light o f the continued complaints o f racial harassment, brutality, corruption and illegal ac tivities by police officers one must wonder what else there is to hide. I f these problems have really been alleviated —as we are constantly told—the Mayor and the Chief o f Police should welcome the prying eyes o f a citizen monitoring committee. I f not, then they are right to try to keep the doors shut tight. Stop attack on Nicaragua C IA operations ordinarily take place in the dark night o f secrecy and although suspicians are ram pant the tru th is hidden fro m the American people for many years. The US denied im p lic a tio n in the Bay o f Pigs Fiasco and only in recent years has the depth o f US involvement been revealed. Only through the w ritin g s o f form er C IA agents have we learned about C IA operations in A ngo la and in various South A m erican countries. Congressional hearings brought out some o f the facts about the murder o f Allende and the overthrow o f his government in Chili. The Iranians were lucky enough to fin d the evidence in the embassy they occupied, and M ozam bique recently expelled C IA agents plotting against that government. The list o f covert activies against nations and their leaders is long and frightening. But until now “ covert” activities were secret activities. Now the US is brazen enough to announce its cu rre n t actions against and w ith in the nation o f Nicaragua. The C IA plans to train thousands o f mercenaries to invade Nicaragua. It also plans destruction o f roads, bridges and oth er v ita l sites to destroy the economy and the government. Nicaragua is a small, poor country that was in the hands o f a US selected dictator for many years. Only 216 years ago the people were able to gain th e ir freedom afte r a long and devastating struggle. These two years have been spent in rebuilding the country, educating the people, p ro v id in g previously unknown health care, etc. But fo r the last year — since Reagan took office — Nicaragua has been under constant threat o f attack and economic boycott from the US. It has had to defer its own social and economic needs to arm its people against the very real threat o f a US invasion. Disillusionment with Reaganom ics has inspired a revival o f a variety o f Black strategies fo r economic survival in the 1980s. M any Black com m entators, in clu d in g Tony Brown, argue that Reagan is actual ly helping Black people by pulling the federal government’s social ser vice “ security b la n k e t” out from under their feet. Blacks have suffi cient resources to develop and sus tain their own viable Black Capital ist economic program . U n fo rtu n a tely, the neoconservative Black polyannas are long on rhetoric but short on facts. A detailed analysis o f the data on Black-owned businesses in (he U .S. illustrates the affluence o f some, and a p ro file o f poverty for the many. Census research on Black-owned businesses also indicates a profound pattern o f concentrated wealth and power in the hands o f a relatively small num ber o f Black busi nessmen O n ly 164,177 workers (mostly Blacks) found employment in the 39,968 Black firm s which hired personnel in 1977. W ithin this figure, however, 32,581 businesses (81.5 per cent o f firms hiring work ers) employed between one to four persons during the year. These firms hired an average workforce o f 1.45 em ployees, paid average annual gross payrolls o f $ 9 ,6 9 5 . and re corded average gross receipts total ing $68,831 Moving up the employ ment scale, a d iffe re n t picture emerges. O nly 230 Black firm s in the U.S. in 1977 hired between 50 to 99 employees. This group retained an average w orkforce o f 67 6 em ployees, had average annual gross payrolls ot $540,035. and average yearly gross p ro fits o l $2,357,909. At ihe pinnacle ol Black Captial- ism were the 11 3 1 1 s Black firms which employed 100 or more work ers m 1977. This tiny elite is part o f the dominant U.S. corporate estab lishm ent. W ith an average w o rk force o f 247.5 employees, these firms met averuge annual payrolls o f $1,960,221. Average annual gross receipts for the elite in 1977 were $8,952,469. T h roughout the U .S ., there were 1,060 Black-ow ned corporations and partnerships that hired 20 or more employees. This small fraction o f all Black entrepreenurs was only one-half o f one per cent (00.46) of all Blacks engaged in private enter prise. These 1060 a fflu e n t Black firms had gross receipts which to talled $2,467,958,000. 38.6 per cent o f all gross receipts acquired by Black firm s w ith employees, and 28.5 per cent o f the gross receipts re ceived by all B lack-ow ned busi nesses. O nly a few enterprises earn the vast majority o f profits. 103 manu factu ring firm s out o f a to ta l o f 4243 received 6 7.3 per cent o f all gross receipts in that sector, and em ployed 52.8 per cent o f all em ployees. In wholesale trade, 5 per cent o f the firms had 75.3 per cent o f all receipts and 58.3 per cent o f all paid workers. In finance, real es tate and insurance. 90 firms (0.9 per cent o f the to ta l num ber) earned 69.2 per cent o f all gross receipts and had 77.1 per cent o f all em ployees. Black C ap ita lis m in the 1980s, must be subdivided into three dis tinct constituencies— the “ proletar ian p erip h e ry ” ; the in term ed iate Black small entrepreneurs; and the Black corpo rate core. O ver fou r- fifth s o f all U .S . firm s, 82.7 per cent, belong to the proletarian peri phery. These 191.235 enterprises have several com m on c h aracter istics: I) almost all are sole propri etorships, unin co rp o rated firm s owned by a single Black individual; 2) most ate started by Black blue collar or marginally white collar em ployees; 3) the firms arc undercapi talized from the outset, and owners Oregon's next Governor Now that invasion, either by US troops, or by US supported and trained tro ops, is imminent. For many years the American people have sit back and allow ed our governm ent to do what it wishes to the people o f the world. W ill the American people again sit back and allow this bold attack to continue? We are, after all, responsible for the actions o f OUR government. It is time for the people o f this country to take a stand agaisnt murder and terror perpetrated by OUR government. Social programs are a high prior ity to C lark and during extreme budget cuts he has attem pted to keep the county closely involved in health and social programs. He con ceived and implemented Project Health, a program that has become a national model. The County pays all or a portion o f the fee for private health insurance, enabling lo w -in come persons to receive “ m ain stream” health care. One o f his goals for the state is a state health-care program. “ It will be years before there is a national health insurance program and O re gon cannot a ffo rd to w a it.” M any persons do not seek needed health care because o f their lack o f money. W ith the community-based public health center, quadrant offices, ju venile diversion programs, etc., he has tried to make social programs available and convenient. A ffirm a tiv e action also is a top p rio rity . “ I believe government should take the lead and set the ex ample. Governor A liyeh has said it can’ t be done through force, but I believe it can. I have made my man agers responsible for a ffirm a tiv e action and have made it clear what I expect.” C lark said the C o u n ty ’s workforce has a better representa tion o f minorities than any govern ment in the state. “ The employees are representative o f m inorities, women and socio-economic group." This concern carries over to appointments to committees and boards: “ 1 ensure that committees include minorities, women, and geo graphic areas o f the county." When it became necessary for the County to lay o ff employees Clark established Project S A V E , which found other county jobs for all who wanted them . “ The saying— last hired, first fired — is unfortunately true, so this program was especially important for minorities." It should be used on the state level. C la rk added Regarding the recent special legis lative session to deal with the state's budget deficit, Clark said al though the legislature came out looking bad much o f the problem stemmed from lack o f leadership by Ihe G overnor. “ I believe he knew the legislature could not accept his proposal with its deep cuts in agency budgets and in higher education. In my opinion he was attempting to re gain his conservative base o f sup p o rt-p ro p o s in g cuts in social pro grams even though he knew it wasn’t realistic." As for the gover Praises to Dr. Williams To the editor: Rev. and Sister O .B . W illia m s , pastor and wife o f Vancouver Ave. 1st Baptist Church will be celebrat ing their Thirty-seventh Anniversary in this role. I am writing this as a tribute for a job well done. I have been a m ember o f V a n couver for over thirty-one years. I have learned a lot from these God-sent people; and have been able to build a moral and a religious foundation, that I am proud of. From my parents and Rev. O .B .’s teaching, God has been made real, and a deep love for Christ has been instilled. The Reverend still exemplifies the Portland Observer hl Subscribe today! Receive your Observer by mail. Only $10 per year T h * P o rtla n d O b t t r r r r IU S P S * M - M O I la published every Thursday by txie Pubkehtng Company. >nc . 2201 North KMngs w orth' Porn>n<i' Oregon «7217, Root Office Bos 31 T t. Portland Oregon *720* Second dees paetege paid at Portend. Oregon _P ublishers • A sso cia tio n N e W A Address 283 2486 L peh gaeocledon - Pounded H A . Lee Henderson, Publisher A I McGtlberry, Managing Editor A ! Williams, Advertising Manager C lark also faulted the governor for his efforts to cut social programs and education. “ You do not cut programs for the poor and unem ployed during a time o f high unem ploym ent, when they are needed most And making cuts in higher education and the com m unity col leges will just force more people out o f school and onto the jo b m arket where there are no jobs.” C lark believes the people o f O re gon must pause and look at the fu ture— the type o f lifestyle that will be in vogue ten or twenty years from now. M any jobs will be done by computer or robot; the type o f work needed will be different. What type o f education and training is needed for life in that kind o f world? What will happen to people in the nation — whose entire self-image and self esteem are based on their work — when many will be without jobs? What can the state do now to p re pare for that time? National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc New York City____ same meekness, hum ility, and obe- dienct to G od that he did over th irty -fo u r years ago when I first heard him preach. Revcrened. the quality that God gave you is a rare one, and by your possessing this you have been able to pass it on to some o f us, not only in our church, but in the whole city and ihe nation. I am proud to be a member o f Vancouver. M atthew C h ap ter 5 says it all about you, especially verses 5 and 12: "Blessed arc the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is yout reward in heaven." Fesre Loving Name Subecnpbone «10.00 per year In Tri-County area ro a lm e a la i Sand addraaa change» to the Portland O btenur. P.O. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon *7200 MEMBER nor’s style o f leadership: " I f I were governor I would have met with the Senate and House leadership from both parties, laid out the problem and said, ‘ Let's work out a program together.’ Then that program would have had broad support. Instead, he kept his plan secret and it had no support." Letters to the Editor Granma Oregon Newspaper are forced to subsidize business acti vities by drawing upon personal sav ings, loans from friends and rela tives, and by allocating a portion o f their salaries at their other place o f employment; 4) all o f these firm s have no paid employees; 5) the vast m a jo rity arc concentrated in tw o traditional sectors o f the segregated Black economy, human services and retail trade; 6) at least 75 per cent become b an kru p t w ith in three years; and 7) their average annual gross receipts vary between $3,000 to $15,000. Economically and politi cally, these Blacks are essentially workers who are attempting to be come successful businesspersons. These small entrepreneurs u n i form ly pay higher rates for insur ance, since m ajority-Black commu nities are defined as “ high ris k ” areas. They are exploited by banks which “ re d lin e " Black districts, making entire communities ineligi ble to receive loans at reasonable rates. Sm aller retailers w ith low sales volumes and a small number o f items for vale must charge higher re tail prices for good or services than larger w hite-ow ned com panies. M cD onalds and K entucky Fried Chicken, for instance, can sell their fast foods at nominally lower prices than the Black “ m o m -a n d -p o p ” chicken establishment, because o f higher sales volum e. H u m an ser vice-oriented firms started by Blacks who possess personal skills (h a ir dressers, cooks, barbers, caterers, etc.) can be established w ith little capital, but they are also very vul nerable to recessions Black workers and the unemployed have precious little discretionary income. At every periodic downturn in the economy. Black lower and middle income fam ilies cut back on their spending for services and gixxis. As a result, in both 1973-75 and 1980, tens o f thousands o f Black busi nesses failed. U nfortunately, thou sands more will fail this year State Portland Observer Box 3137 Portland, OR 97208 Zip Correction O u r apologies Io D r. W ebster Brown for m isspelling his alm a m ater, M eh a rry M ed ical School. And to M a rk D avis and M a rk Gardner for confusing the two.