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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 1982)
Page 4 Portland Observer, M ay 27, 1962 EDITORIAL/OPINION Zimbabwe today by N. Fungal Kumbula Raids have evil purpose “ O peration E m p lo ym e n t” — the U.S. governm ent’ s e ffo rt to arrest and deport 30,000 undocumented Mexican workers from ten cities with high im m igrant populations is not a true e ffo rt to free jobs fo r unemployed U.S. citizens. It is an effort to turn race against race, class against class as the econom ic stagnation deepens. The U.S. economy w ill not be turned around by deporting people w orking in jobs that U.S. citizens refuse to consider. Although the operation is re ported to invo lve only “ highly paid” workers—most are working for minimum wage or less. The raids—which are continuing in Oregon and Washington as well as across the country (350 arrests in Oregon in the past eight days)—are designed to turn the attention o f the American people away from the real causes o f the recession and from the real reasons for the loss o f jo b s — high interest rates, pla nt closure, deteriorating factories, excess profits, spiralling prices, etc. The tune o f the day is to blame the w o rke rs—and when possible to blame black or Spanish speaking workers. W hile fig h tin g each oth er fo r low-wage jobs black, Hispanic, Indian, Southeast Asian and white workers and unemployed w ill never turn their attention to the true causes o f their misery. The targets w ill be undocum ented workers, affirm ative action, and unions. It is no accident that the raids are against Mexicans w hile hundreds o f thousands o f undocumented Canadians, Poles, and other illega l w hite im m igrants live in peace and security. N ot only-do the raids hunt dow n ille g a l Mexicans lik e anim als, but the nets catch U.S. citizen« o f M exican descent, naturalized U.S. citizens, Mexican citizens in this country legally, and children who are U.S. citizens with Mexican parents. The U.S. does not even provide m inim al security and safety fo r its own citizens o f Mexican or other Hispanic origin. It also is not accidental that the "Operation E m plo ym en t” roundup began on the day Senate debate began on the c o n triv e rs ia l S im pson-M azzoli b ill (S.222 and H .5872). This b ill w ould provide “ tem porary residence” fo r two years which would enable Mexican citizens to work in the U.S. legally, but would deny to them benefits, civil rights, and access to federally supported legal defense organizations. This would provide a class o f low-wage workers in virtual slavery. The current raids on undocumented workers were c a re fu lly planned to set the stage fo r more repressive acts to follow. weld Give A Million Bucks To see Oregon working Again Open letter to Chief Ron Still Dear Ron: The P o rtla n d C h ap ter o f the Am erican C ivil Liberties U nion is seriously concerned about inform a tion which appeared in an article published in the Oregonian regard ing your maintenance o f a “ file” on O regonian reporter Linda W il liams. In that M ay 7th article, you were quoted as saying the Portland Police Bureau maintains a file on Ms. W il liams o f considerable size which in cludes articles she has w ritten re garding the bureau, its agents and .p o lic e a ffa irs . O th er published statements indicate that you, the bu reau and the police union are not B Oregon Newspaper ■ Publishers IR IB Ü * '■ 1 Association ■I pleased with many o f Ms. Williams’ stories. The file , as described, and the maintenance thereof does not con stitute a violation o f law. However, its existence, and the possibility for inclusion o f o th er in fo rm a tio n , poses potential constitutional ques tions regarding an individual’s right to privacy, as well as First Am end ment protections o f both the indivi dual and the press. We hope you are aware that the inclusion o f any in fo rm a tio n "about the political, religious or so cial views, associations or activities o f any in d iv id u a l.. . ’ ’ would be a violation o f ORS 181.575, ' * . . .un less such information directly relates to an investigation o f criminal activ ities, and there are reasonable grounds to suspect the subject of the information is or may be involved in criminal conduct.” T he P o rtla n d A C L U sincerely hopes that you are aware and sensi tive to both the c ritic a l nature o f your station as head o f a law en forcem ent agency em powered to protect the rights o f individuals, and the existence o f external mechan isms and entitites to ensure that you do. Barbara C. Ring, President American Civil Liberties Union Greater Portland Chapter Portland Observer > ' r— L-. MEMBER MS T>OMAl The P o rtla n d O bserver (U S P S 969-6801 ie published every Thuredey by Exie Publishing Company, Inc., 2201 North Killings worth, Portland. Oregon 97217. Post Office Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97206. Second claaa postage paid st Portland, Oregon 9 Subscriptions: >10 00 per year in the Tri-County area Post m aster: Send address changes to the Portland Observer. P .0 . Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. N e W pn A per Association ■ Founded fSSS A l McGUberry, Editor/Publisher A ! Williams, Advertising Manager 283 2486 Notional Advertising Repräsentative Am algam etad Publishers. Inc. New York Nam e _ Subscribe todayl Receive your Observer by mail. Only $10 per year A ddress C ity_____ *z J5p. .S ta te , Portland O bserver Box 3137 P ortland, OR 97208 t Il seems funny being in Zim b ab we now. It is a fat cry from the fear- ridden, internationally ostracized, racially discrim inatory and strife- torn country I le ft some 10 years ago. 1 keep remembering the polari zation o f the races. There were sec tions o f town where we as blacks, were de facto aliens. The only time we dared venture there was to serve the needs o f the “ massa.” Now the roles are almost to ta lly reversed. While whites are still very much in evidence in the form erly white sec tion o f town, they are there as a very self-conscious m inority. Their fo r mer arrogance has now been re placed by the shocked realization that the days o f the "m assa” are gone and gone forever. So now they are busy trying to make friends with the very people they had trampled underfoot for so long. They are busy trying to curry favor w ith the new bosses. Before they had always been told they were needed to "m aintain standards and safeguard ‘civilization? ” Now they realize they are wanted but not needed. They need Zimbabwe more than Zimbabwe needs them. The " W h ite exodus" so played up in the Oregon press and other papers o f sim ilar persuasion has now slowed to a tric k le . In some a new experience that offers some cases even those that had fled to sort o f excitement. South A fric a are clam ouring to Further, in a lot o f instances, the come back. For the first time they are locals arc obliged to go and ask this beginning to realize there is no fu or that from those whites because ture in South A fr ic a , that when they are the ones that, until very re change comes, their lot would be a cently had access to it all. The rela lot worse than it is here now. The tionship between them, therefore, is old order has changed. somewhat easier as it tends to be one O n the jo b where we work w ith between teacher and student. them, they are for the first time hav ing to dem onstrate their com pe The recent in flu x o f the "b e e n - tence, to shoulder their responsibili to ’s” back to Z im b abw e has seri ties and to compete on the basis o f ously shaken the complacency and merit with everybody. over-confidence o f most o f the For someone whose w hite skin whites because it has blown sky-high has been an autom atic passport to the myth that without the whites to all the top positions and their atten run the economy, Zimbabwe would dant privileges, it is a most uncom soon grind to a h a lt. In a lo t o f fo rta b le switch. U nderstandably, cases, the returning A fric a n s are they have the most trouble dealing coming back with better educational w ith A frica n s w ho were trained q u alifications and more solid and abroad. These Africans have a cer versatile work experience than they tain arrogance, and self-confidence (the whites) can boast o f. There is that they find so irritating. (Remem no possibility o f the whites repeat ber the " N o rth e rn Negroes" and ing What they did in G u in ea and the Southern Whites?) "Been-to's" Mozambique where they just up and as we are sometimes called have no le ft, leaving the countries without tim e fo r them , do not mix w ith the skilled m anpower to run the them, do not ask anything from or o f them and generally give the im economy. It was worse in Guinea in 1938, not so bad in Mozambique in pression (hat they do not need them. For someone who has travelled , 1973 and non-existent in Zimbabwe in 1980. m ixing w ith d iffe re n t races is no longer a big deal. F or those who T ill the next tim e, keep the fires o f liberation forever burning. have been oppressed, however, it is African Liberation Day by Dr. Manning Marable "From The Grassroots. “ May. 1982 Malcolm X , the greatest spokesper fighters has accelerated. 620 people son o f black liberation o f the 1960s, were "detained’ ’ in 1981. About 300 recognized the necessity for black o f them are unaccounted for. Police Am ericans to in tern a tio n a lize our do not announce who is detained or struggle. One o f the key proposals o f released. M any prisoners have been the Organization for Afro-American given massive doses o f th a lliu m — a U n ity, formed in 1964, was to take powerful rat poison. Detainees have the various issues o f racist repression no rights at all— no fresh clothing, no against blacks in the U .S . to the food parcels, limited access to attor United Nations. Before his untimely neys, no reading material. death. D r. M artin Luther King, Jr., In Namibia, both the United States spoke out against both the U .S. war and South A frica are attem pting to in V ietn am and this governm ent’ s strangle the legitimate voice o f that genocidal policies before the world c o u n try ’ s A fric a n p o p u latio n , stage. Both Malcolm and M artin un S W A P O . U .S . representatives have derstood that the struggle for black in effect repudiated U .N . Security freedom was an international effort, Council Resolution 435 which calls requiring the unity o f oppressed for self-determination for Nam ibia. peoples across the Third World. In the Western Sahara, the U .S. pro Today Reaganism threatens to un vides millions o f dollars in arms for dercut every significant political/eco- the dictatorial Moroccan regime’s re nomic/educational gain that was won pression o f Polisario, the liberation by the black Movement in the last 50 movement o f the region’s Saharawi years. But it would be a mistake on people. The U.S. government has en our part to isolate Reaganism as sim couraged South Africa to launch m ili ply a domestic problem. What we are tary strikes deep into Angolan terri witnessing is a b ro ad and sinister tory. reaction o f the most racist and In the Western hemisphere, the ra fascist-oriented forces that threaten cist and reactionary politics o f this the survival o f black people across the country has produced the specter o f globe. U.S. troops in El Salvador; the threat In racist, apartheid South A frica, of armed confrontation with the pro terrorism against black freedom gressive governments o f Nicaragua and Grenada; and economic exploita tion o f the black masses in Jamaica and H a iti. Reagan's racist im m igra tion policies meant the drowning and deportation o f Haitian refugees. The U n ited N ations C o m m itte e Against Apartheid has declared 1982 the "International Year o f M obiliza tion for Sanctions Against South A f ric a ." This is also the 10th anniver sary o f the A L D — African Liberation D ay— a day reserved to honor black freedom fighters throughout the A fri can diaspora. On May 22, at the United Nations, thousands o f black and progressive people ra llie d in support o f black w orld , I S C A L D , the "S u p p o rt C om m ittee for A fric a n L ib eratio n D a y ," has been endorsed by h u n dreds o f activists and leaders, including Congressperson Mickey Le land; Judge W illiam H . Booth, Presi dent o f the American Committee on Africa; Rev. Dr. W illiam A. Jones o f the N ational Black Pastors C o n fe r ence; Rev. Tim othy M itchell o f H a r lem’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, and others. For m ore in fo rm a tio n , contact S C A L D . 550 W . 155th Street, New York City. 10036. (212)690-9058. The economy and social justice by Norman H ilt, Executive Director A. Philip Randolph Institute For decades the civil rights and la bor movements have argued for greater social justice and for safe guards which could better protect workers from the recessions which recur in any free enterprise econ omy. Such arguments have been based upon a humanitarian impulse, upon the view that all human beings are entitled to an adequate stan dard o f living and to the right to lead a dignified life. T oday, a m ountain o f evidence appears to suggest that greater so cial justice, increased social spend ing by governm ent, jo b security, and greater protections for workers, not only are morally laudable, but are good for economic growth. Such is the evidence contained in a criti cally important new book. Minding A m e ric a ’s Business, (H a rc o u rt Brace Jovanovich, 1982), co authored by Robert Reigh, o f H a r vard U niversity’s Kennedy School o f Government, and Ira Magazincr, a consultant to business and labor. In essence, the book makes a per suasive argum ent fo r adopting much o f the agenda favored by o r ganized labor and the c iv il rights m ovem ent. Through im ag in ative and concise use o f charts and statis tics the authors document the de cline o f the U .S . econom y. In I960, the U.S. was first in the world in terms o f standard o f living. T o day, we are no better than tenth, be hind such countries as France, H o l lan d, D en m a rk , West G erm any, N orw ay, and Belgium, with Japan quickly approaching us and signifi- cantly outpacing us in productivity increases and economic growth. W hat, ask Reich and Magaziner, do these countries have in common? W hat policies have their go vern ments and industries adopted to achieve economic growth? The evidence shows that those Western democracies which outper form our economy have a higher, not lo w er, degree o f governm ent spending on social expenditures than does the U .S. In each o f these countries there is a higher degree o f per capita social spending for such programs as social security and un employment insurance. Workers in these countries receive on the aver age four to five weeks annual paid vacation (while U .S. workers aver age 2.5 weeks time o ff). In each o f these countries there are substantial government- and industry-financed health insurance programs. Job security also is one o f the cor nerstones o f industrial productivity. As Reich and M ag azin er suggest; " I t is difficult to gain workers’ com mitment to a company if they know that the company is not ultimately com mitted to developing their ca reers.” They assert, on the basis o f evidence fro m such countries as Sweden and Japan, that " it h in a com pany’s best interest to be con cerned about the career develop ment o f all employees, not just the few at the to p .” In this regard, the authors argue, " it would not only be more humane but also less costly to develop the employees they have rather than bear the substantial coat o f employee disaffection and high worker turnover.” S ig n ifican tly, Reich and M aga- ziner suggest that government could promote job security by reimbursing companies for keeping workers on the payroll or in training during re cessions. Finally, the authors indicate that unionization is not an obstacle to economic development. Rather, by creating more decent work con d i tions unions help to spur productivi ty. In countries which outperform the U .S . econom ically, levels o f unionization are from 50 per cent greater than ours (Japan) to 400 per cent greater (Belgium and Sweden). M inding A m erica ’s Business is a book which deserves serious atten tion from labor and civil rights com m unities. Its evidence flies in the face o f President Reagan’s supply- side and free m arket pieties. G overnm ent is not the p ro b lem . Rather, when it reflects the popular w ill, it is a responsible and indeed essential part o f the solution. HANDYMAN I repair almost any and «verything—oil furnaces, plumbing, electric work, and r®Mgerators. I 287-6075 Ask for John Hartley
