Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1982)
Page 4 Portland Observer, J u ly 28, 1982 EDITORIAL/QPINION South Africa and Reaganism Axis partners bv Dr. Manning Marable ' 'From The Grassroots ‘ ' Dellums leads Congressional debate on military budget The Congressional debate on the m ilita ry budget brings mixed news— some good and some bad. We can be very proud o f Congress man Ron Dellums who almost single-handedly attempted to bring sanity back to the national budget. Repeatedly charging that an ever growing m ilita ry budget is madness that w ill lead the world to a nuclear holocaust and an end to mankind, he spent hours on the House flo o r debating, challenging the a d m inistra tio n ’ s philosophy, re fu tin g the o p p o s itio n ’ s igures, and challenging them to demonstrate a need to spend more money on weapons while the American people are unemployed, hungry, in need o f housing and medical care, and fu ll o f frustration. Nearly alone—with his firm supporters including Rep. John Conyers (D- M ich .) and Rep. Jim Weaver (D -O re .)— he kept his end o f the debate at a high level o f in tellect and in te g rity . Sharp, a rticu la te , in formed, he was clearly the leader on the floor, if not the winner. • A Dellum s amendment to elim inate nu clear powered aircraft carriers from the budget was defeated. Dellums charged that building aircraft carriers is trying to fight a W orld War II operation in the ’ 80s. He alleged that these carriers are not planned to fight o ff a “ Soviet threat,’ ’ but to threaten Third W orld nations. He said the projected use o f these ships to “ keep the shipping lanes open” in the Indian Ocean will lead to nuclear war. • Dellums’ amendment to delete the B-l bomb er, which he called obsolete before it is built, was also defeated. Dellums challenged the idea o f using manned bombers in an age o f missiles. Preparing for conventional war in a nuclear age is a deceit—an attempt to make the American people believe a nuclear war is survivable, he said. The government should halt its confronta tion policies and open lines o f communication with the Soviets. • Rep. John C onyers presented an am e n d ment to delay all nuclear weapons fo r one year — an a ctio n he called “ not a freeze, but a de la y.” This delay w ould provide an o p p o rtu n ity for the U.S. and the U.S.S R. :o engage in talks w ithout an accompanying I S . escalation. This amendment also was defeated. • The House voted to delete funds tot produc tio n o f nerve gas fo r ch e m ica l weapons. The House removed $54 m illio n fo r the pro d u ctio n o f nerve gas bombs and skills fro m the adm inis tration request. I f the appropriation is reinstate- ed in the House-Senate Conference (the Senate had already approved the expenditure) it w ill be the first time the U.S. has openly manufactured chemical weapons since N ixo n banned p rodu c tion 13 years ago. Reagan wants to spend $2 b il lion over the next five years to replenish stock piles. The b ill also specifically bans using other funds on the production o f binary chemical m u nitions. • The House vote to fund the M X missile was close, indicating some atte ntion to the grow ing peace m ovem ent. The House approved the b ill to fu n d the missiles but put a hold on $260 m il lion in basing and deploym ent funds. The M X missile was first requested by Jimmy Carter, who wanted them spread out thro ugh the desert to avoid a Soviet attack. That idea has been reject ed and everyone admits to not know ing where to put them. The Senate cut all M X fu n d in g fro m its au th o riza tio n b ill in M ay. I f the missile system is b u ilt it w ill cost m ore than $25 b illio n and w ill not be on line u n til 1986. The House debate on the m ilita ry budget pro vided an opportunity fo r the American people to learn the tru th about their governm ent’ s expen d iture fo r w ar, but not much o f it w ill be cov ered by the press. We doubt that you w ill see any o f Congressman D e llu m s’ br .lia n t argum ents on yo u r T V screens or that yo u ’ ll even read his name in your daily newspaper ¡lack family income declines The twin effects o f inflation and a depressed economy resulted in a de cline in black family median income in 1981, and an increase in the num ber o f blacks below the p o verty level, according to a report from the Com m erce D e p a rtm e n t’s Census Bureara. This m arks the second conse cutive year in which in fla tio n coupled w ith a recessionary economy resulted in significant de clines in real fam ily income and in creases in the poverty population. M edian fam ily income for black families was $13,270 compared with $ 2 3 ,5 2 0 fo r w h ite fam ilie s, and $16,400 for Spanish-origin families. A fte r adjusting for inflation, black families experienced a 5.2 per cent decline in their real median income. Real median incom e for Spanish- origin families remained about the same. The poverty threshold in 1981 for a fa m ily o f fo u r was $ 9,287; fo r 1980 it was $8,414. The report shows that median in come for black families was $16,590 in the West and $ 12 ,2 8 0 in the South. Overall, real median fam ily income for all families fell in three o f the four regions o f the N atio n . The Northeast was the only region that did not show a decline in real income. Changes in "rea l” median family income refer to comparisons after adjustm ent fo r in fla tio n , as mea sured by the change in the annual Oregon ■ Newspaper iw_ u I Publishers II» Association MEMBER average Consumer Price Index. A downturn in economic activity was a co n trib u tin g factor in the number o f persons who fell below the poverty level in 1981. The num ber o f blacks below the poverty line rose by 618,000, from about 8.6 m il lion in 1980 to 9.2 m illion in 1981. There were 21.6 m illion whites be low the poverty level in 1981, up 1.5 million from 1980. A b o u t 70 per cent o f a ll black families below the poverty level in 1981 were m aintained by women w ith no husband present. There were 1.4 million poor black families maintained by women in 1981, about the same as in 1980. Other highlights: •In 1981, 31.8 m illion, or one in seven Americans, were below the poverty level, an increase o f 2.2 mil lion persons over the 1980 total o f 29.6. •The number o f poor children under 18 years old rose from 11.5 m illio n in 1980 to 12.3 m illio n in 1981, and the proportion o f children below the poverty level rose from 18.3 to 19.8 per cent. •Between 1980 and 1981, the pov erty rate rose from 13.2 to 14.0 per cent and was highest among blacks (34.2 per cent) followed by persons o f Spanish origin (26.5 per cent) and whites (11.1 per cent). •The real median income for fam ilies maintained by women ($10,960) declined by 4.6 per cent. •B lack women in the South, women under the age o f 25. and fe male private household workers all experienced declines in their real median income. •Real median fa m ily income in 1981 was down 3.5 per cent. On the average, fam iiy purchasing power was about $2,150 below 1979 levels, the last year in which increases in family incomes kept pace with infla tion. •The increase in the poverty pop ulation occurred in all major geo graphic areas. M e tro po lita n and nonmetropolitan areas had increases o f about the same size (1.2 m illion and 990,000 respectively) in the number o f poor people between 1980 and 1981. •The overall poverty rate for metropolitan areas was 12.6 per cent in 1981, but the central cities had a considerably higher rate (18.0 per cent) and areas outside central cities had a lower rate (8 9 per cent). As in all sample surveys, the data in this report are subject to sampling variability and errors o f response, including underreporting and non- reporting A detailed explanation appears in the report. The report also points out that the survey results reflect only money in come and exclude non cash benefits such as food stamps, medicaid, etc. It also cautions that the adjustment fo r in fla tio n may be overstated slightly for the average household because of the treatment o f housing costs in the calculation of the Con sumer Price Index. Portland Observer q »«»' » ' While ihe attention o f the world has been on the Falkland/Malvinas Islands and the Mideast during the past four ntounths, racial unrest has been escalating in apartheid South Africa. On July 6, two thousand black miners northwest o f Johannesburg went on strike in a platinum mine. Their demand was quite simple: a decent wage. Blacks w ho work ex actly as white miners do, receive about o n e -fifth (20 per cent) o f whites’ wages. The racist regime’ s response was brutal. Fifty Africans were reported injured when police used tear gas In nearby Venterspot gold mine, another SO black miners were beaten and arrested for striking. Almost 500 miles away, at the Indian Ocean port city o f Durban, black coal min ers drove a tractor through one b uilding, and set scores o f other buildings on fire. W hy is black labor, and especially miners, on the offensive? First, keep in mind that South A frica's econ omy, which depends p rim a rily on the w orld price o f gold, is at the brink o f disaster. Two years ago, gold prices exceeded $600 an ounce. Assuming that the price would re main that high, the government and private sector launched a series o f grandiose plans for mining and con struction. One mine shaft system ic. White laborers are also restless. At the height o f early July's black m iners' strikes, the trade unions representing 22,(KM) white miners asked for a 15 per cent raise. The miners and companies agreed to a 12 per cent settlement on July 6. Yet annual inflation in South Africa ex ceeds 16 per cent, so Ihe white min ers may continue to pressure man agement. More than ever before, racist South A fric a , the modern fascist state, needs the U.S. to provide crit ical support at its moment o f tu r m oil. Once again, apartheid has found a genuine friend in Ronald Reagan. A ccording to Jean Sindab, the Executive Director o f the Washing ton O ffice on A frica, Reagan and his advisors are encouraging the re pressive posture o f South A frica. Aaaoc/aMon • Foartdad TMS I A ! Williams, Advertising Manager Editor'» note: Dr. Manning Marable la Director of the Race Ralationa Inetitute, Flak Univer sity. Nashville. TN. by Congressman Ron H yden Q The Senate last week voted to raise S98 billion in taxes fro m a va riety o f sources. Do you support this tax hike? A. 1 have two m ajor problems w ith the tax b ill approved by the Senate. First, I have a lot o f trouble with the notion o f raising taxes during a recession. 1 am concerned that a tax increase—particula rly one o f this magnitude—could strangle what lit- :le economic recovery we are expect ing later this year, thus prolonging the recession and keeping the deficit UP-. Second, I am concerned that some components o f the proposed tax hike put the burden on those least able to bear it. For example, the proposal takes a bite out o f the average wage-earner by increasing taxes for telephone use and reducing deductions for medical expenses. It also adds to the financial prob Q Last Thursday the House gave lems o f senior citizens and other the go-ahead to production o f the perple on fixed incomes by w ith M X missile. How do you feel about holding 10 per cent of earnings from this vote? savings and dividends. A. I have always questioned the Perhaps the most amazing thing wisdom o f building the M X . The about this tax proposal—the largest weapon is cumbersom, costly and proposed tax hike in the history of potentially vulnerable, and thus of the United States—is that it comes questionable value to our national just one year after the Adm inistra defense. tion pushed through Congress the But I am especially outraged that largest tax cut in the nation's his the House voted to spend $1.14 b il tory. lion for production o f nine M X Mis At best, this represents poor plan siles when a basing mode has not yet ning. At worst, it represents an un- been determined. forgiveable attempt to fool the tax Il is nothing short of criminal for payers. Ihe House to set aside this kind o f I cannot support the tax bill in its money for such a questionable pro present form . A lthough 1 would ject, when it is asking senior c iti gladly support a bill that closes bil zens, the poor and other vulnerable lion dollar loopholes fo r o il com Americans to give up programs they panies and others, 1 cannot support need just to survive. a bill that takes the bite out o f taxp- It is an inexcusable use o f tax payers who did not receive any tax payers’ money—and one which I relief last year. cannot support. Letters to the Editor To the editor: K hom eini's aggression in Ira qi territory is yet another result o f his expansionist policies and his total disregard fo r peace in the region. This time Khomeini has openly re jected the Security Council’s Reso lu tio n fo r a peaceful settlement. S im ilar to the one carried out 23 months ago by Iraq, this aggression w ill undoubtedly deteriorate the present situation in the Persian Gulf. Khomeini’s foreign policy, which advocates the exporting the so- called revolution, laid the ground work for the outbreak o f the war. He has openly put forward the ous ter o f Saddam’s government as one o f the conditions fo r ending the war. In a speech delivered from Jamaran on May 17th, Khomeini declared that " i f the other govern ments o f the region do not behave according to Islam (meaning Kho m e ini’ s wish), they must keep in mind that they are not stronger than Saddam." Clearly, as long as Khomeini ex ists, the M iddle East w ill not see peace, stability, and friendship. He is pursuing his ideas for revising a Caliphate under his own control in the Islamic countries, from Afghan istan to Iraq and Bahrain. Further more, the ruling clique’s propagan da, running the " H o ly W a r" against the invader, has had no pur pose but to put a lid on the p ro found internal, social, political and economic crisis and in providing a ju s tific a tio n fo r the internal sup pression o f the well-organized oppo-’ sition, mainly, the Mojahedin. On the other hand, Khomeini is faced with the problem of having to explain the 170,000 dead and the hu man wave tactics he has used in the war. This has become even more d iffic u lt now that Iranians must fight on Iraqi te rrito ry , when the Iraqis have expressed their w illing ness to establish peace on the basis o f both countries’ te rrito ria l inte grity. Khomeini cannot stay in power without creating crises. Yet, none of Subscribe todayl Receive your O bserver by mail. Only $10 per year N * Rrj ¿ ‘•»z his last-ditch efforts to save himself seem to portray a bright future for his regime. Julie Jessie To the editor: I want to congratulate Al M cG il berry on a very fine awards banquet July 16th. There were many com ments about the success o f that evening. Ron Dellums was tru ly excep tional. His speech was informative and at times, frightening. Certainly his message was heard and should encourage each o f us to work even harder for a nuclear freeze. Again, A l, congratulations on a successful event and thanks for ac knowledging some very talented, ef fective and committed persons. Kay Dean Toran Director, Affirmative Action Office, Governor’s Office Portland Observer Box 3137 Portland, OR 97208 Name 283 2486 Address C ity____ A!McGilberry, Editor/Publisher "Furthermore,” she states, "(head ministration seeks to reassure Soul Africa of its desire for a closer alii ance by strengthening bilateral tie in many areas." The administration gave permit sion for the opening o f honorar consulates in three U.S. cities: Seat tie, Denver and Cleveland. Reagan has asked fo r $2.3 m illio n front Congress to train black South A fril can inside South Africa, thereby re. inforcing the segregated educational system. Export control regulation» on such critical items as air ambu lances, computers and helicopter» have been weakened to help apart heid. South Africa is the greatest moral question confronting black and pro gressive people o f our time. I f we stand silent as the Reagan South-Af rica axis builds, we must be con demned as involuntary partners in the destruction o f black mine work ers in Durban and Johannesburg. We must demonstrate in front o f all apartheid consulates in the U.S., de manding an end to all official U .S .-I apartheid relations. No U.S. businesses in South A fric a , and freedom for our sisters and broth ers. Washington Hot Line The P o rtla n d Observer (U S t*S 959 6801 it published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, Inc., 2201 North Killings worth, Portland. Oregon 97217, Post Office Bo« 3137. Portland, Oregon 97208 Second class postage paid at Portland, Oregon Subscriptions 110 00 per year in the Tri County area Post m a s te r Send address changes »o the Portland Observer, P O Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208 near Johannesburg worth $104 mil lion has now been curtailed. General M ining Union C o rp oratio n , the country's second laigest mining f i nance house, has trimmed its capital expenditures this year by 12 per cent. The reason: gold prices have declined to about $.100 per ounce. If the price o f gold drops as low as $250 an ounce, a general panic will set in; the number of South African mines that close will be catastroph National Advertising Representative Am algam ated Publishers, Inc. N e w York Hit My Mom and Dad read the Portland Observer why not you? Subscribe todayl State Zip
