Page 4 Portland Observer, November 24,1982
1
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Another View
EDITORIAL/OPINION
by Herb L. Cawthorne
0 King Of Peace, help us make war
“ O God o f love, O King o f peace, make wars
throughout the w orld to cease.” These were the
closing w ords o f R onald Reagan’ s plea to the
Am erican people and Congress to spend $27 b il
lio n to b u ild an ever m ore deadly nuclear wea
pons system.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and
thoughts turn to religion, to fam ily and friends,
we m ight contem plate not only on how fo rtu n
ate we m ight be to live in the land o f “ freedom
and justice fo r a ll” but on our responsibilities as
the m ightiest n a tio n on earth. W ill o u r n a tio n
continue to be the b u lly that denies freedom to
large segments o f the w o r ld ’ s p o p u la tio n
through m ilita ry and economic oppression? W ill
our nation be the one to destroy hum anity fo r
ever?
Aside fro m the headlong race to destroy the
w o rld in order to make p r o fit and pow er fo r a
few U.S. industrialists and p o liticia n s, there is
the question o f use o f resources. The M X missle
system, i f it even w o rks— and m any nuclear ex
perts say it w ill not— w ill be obsolete before it is
completed.
Can we a ffo rd to spend over $27 b illio n on a
questionable weapon when m illio n s are unem
ployed, when p ro visio n o f fo o d , housing and
m edical care are rejected as being “ in fla tio n
a ry ,” when the elderly are in fear o f losing their
skim py retirement benefits?
The entire w orld is in a state o f depression, in
large part caused by m ilita ry spending that uses
up a n a tio n ’ s resources and returns no th in g to
the econom y. T h ird W o rld nations are on the
verge o f b a n k ru p tc y , una ble to cope w ith the
high interest rates, in fla tio n and in dustrial stag
nation caused by U.S. economic problems. Peo
ple are suffering and dying all over the w orld.
Ronald Reagan’ s answer to the serious pro b
lems that face the w o rld is a new nuclear wea
pons system. He subscribes to the id io tic notion
that m ilita ry m ight brings peace.
O nly the Am erican people can stop this farce.
Congress must be delayed w ith the letters, tele
grams and telephone calls o f Am erican citizens
who really seek peace and freedom.
U.S. supports racism
Vice President Bush has returned fro m A fric a
where he failed miserably in his attem pt to gain
support fo r the U.S-South A fric a n proposal fo r
N a m ibia n independence. The A fric a n nations
have refused to equate the illegal occupation o f
N am ibia by South A fric a w ith A n g o la ’ s right to
have Cuban troops on its ow n soil.
The United States has become a tool o f South
A fric a through this issue. The W o rld C o u rt de
termined in 1971 that South A fric a ’s occupation
o f N a m ibia is illegal. South A fric a spurned e f
fo rts o f the C a rte r A d m in is tr a tio n , B r ita in ,
West Germany, France and Canada to push to
ward independence. Instead, South A fric a w a it
ed fo r the more friendly Reagan A d m inistra tion
to take office.
S outh A fr ic a then seized on R eagan’ s idea
that w ith d ra w a l o f South A fric a fro m N am ibia
should be linked to w ithdraw al o f Cuban troops
fro m A n gola. N either A n gola nor the other in
dependent A fric a n states are w illin g to buy this.
Rather than support the United N ations’ resolu
tions fo r liberation o f N am ibia, the Reagan A d
m in is tr a tio n c o n tin u e s to tr y to sell its o w n
flawed proposals.
This action— along w ith the “ constructive en
gagem ent” p o lic y o f increased trade w ith and
investment in South A fric a , once again dem on
strates the U n ite d States’ dedicated support o f
dictators, killers and racists.
Youth offenders our obligation
The N ational C ouncil o f Jewish W om en’s re
cent juvenile court m o n ito rin g project that veri
fied the fa ct that m in o rity yo u th are arrested,
c o n fin e d and sentenced at a h ig h e r rate th a n
white young people and that their sentences are
harsher is n o t news to the c o m m u n ity o r to
many people who w ork w ith youth. It does ver
ify w hat m any have suspected o r believed and
should provide a call fo r action.
The study does not reveal why m in o rity young
people suffer disproportionately at the hands o f
the law . Is it a c o m b in a tio n o f lack o f educa-
tio n a l and em ploym ent o p p o rtu n itie s? O r is it
racism in the police bureaus, social service agen
cies and legal adm inistration? W hatever the ba
sic causes the situation must now be addressed.
It is the responsibility o f the police and justice
system adm inistration and the social and educa
tio n a l agencies to meet w ith m in o rity parents
and c o m m u n ity leaders to determ ine how the
com m unity can best serve the legitimate interests
o f m in o rity youth and prevent their being lost in
the unending cycles o f the justice system.
Letter to the Editor
To the editor:
Thank you for the perceptive, en
couraging and discerning e d ito ria l
entitled “ Accentuate the Positive”
in the November 17th issue o f the
Portland Observer.
O bjective c ritic is m can be
healthy, but the tenor o f m any o f
the recent articles in The Oregonian
was not o f th a t ca lib e r. A n o n y
M f MBt H
mous persons p u rp o rte d ly in te r
viewed, w ho allegedly made nega
tive statements about the progress
and lack o f com m itm ent o f blacks
in our c o m m u n ity , should not be
q uoted , m uch less be given cre
dence.
It is my firm conviction that in the
ensuing years our youth w ill go on
succeeding in making their mark.
P. S. — The C ivic A u d ito riu m is a
large concert hall, and thus counting
the number o f blacks who attend the
superb concerts conducted by Maes
tro James D ePriest is an im possi
b ility . C ontrary to the letter w riter
who stated there were but tw o
blacks in the audience on November
7, 1982, there are several who attend
re g u la rly d u rin g the e n tire Sym
phony season.
Mercedes F. Deiz
“ It is tru e that black people in
P o rtla n d do not have p o litic a l
pow er,” said Charles Jordan, P ort
land C ity C o m m issio n e r, in last
week’ s Observer, adding that, “ the
power o f any black political official
is restricted. The ‘ power structure’
sets a lin e — a line I cannot rise
above. W hen I sta rt pushing
through that line, things w ill happen
to put me in my place."
I must say that this is o n ly one
perspective, the tru th according to
one m an’ s view o f politics. It is not
necessarily the only truth.
It is clear that the black people o f
P o rtla n d do not have ‘ ‘ p o litic a l
pow er," in the sense that black peo
ple c o n tro l the c ity governm en t,
manipulate the funding systems for
various governmental bodies, or en
sure that who we want elected to any
political position at any time actual
ly gets elected. But when does only
seven percent o f any p o p u la tio n
achieve such a fete—except through
terror and violence?
Given our numbers and given the
boldness o f some o f our leaders, the
black community is extremely in flu
ential in the w orkings o f this city.
The problem is we d o n ’ t th in k we
have much influence at all. Conse
quently, where we can make a d if
ference, we abdicate. We th ro w
away o p p o rtu n itie s fo r organiza
tion, activity and change. “ We can't
change the system, anyw ay,” seems
to prevail as a philosophy.
P o litic a l pow er does not come
fro m a g ra n t-in -a id . Power never
concedes anything w ithout a strug
gle, Frederick Douglass often said.
s ib ility o f fa ilu re in o rd e r to suc
We learned the tru th o f this state
ceed. Though his s k ills and back
ground may be lacking, he w ill be
ment in the struggle to change the
schools. As long as we were submis
able to succeed if he has determina
sive and quiet about the inequity o f
tion and purpose. In education or in
the bussing system, the officia ls o f
politics, the struggle is the same.
the school district defended it, end
There is no reason to be naive
lessly. They tried to “ set a line” and
about P ortland p o litic s . T rue, we
put us in our place. They tried to
are not the most pow erful force in
discredit those who opposed the un
the city. But we have something very
fa ir system. But when we said,
few groups possess. We have the
“ T his is going to change,” it
ab ility to u n ify fo r action. There is
changed.
definitely an attempt by others to set
The Police In te rn a l A u d itin g
a line on the level o f achievement o f
commission? This commission only
black folks. We do not achieve as
came about through pressure and
individuals in the same manner as
struggle— not through some soft-
w hites. T h e re fo re , we have to be
toned meeting in a downtown hotel.
clever. We have to be ingenious.
W hen we decide som ething m ust
And, most im portantly, we have to
change, and we u n ify around that
stick together on the issues.
decision, no one can put us in our
Does anyone put Ron Herndon in
place. The fact is th a t no human
his place? Can anyone set a line on
being or group o f human beings can
Reverend Garlington? W ho believes
“ set a lin e ,” by v irtu e o f pow er,
that the “ power structure” can tell
that another human being or group,
Reverend Jackson w hat to say?
by virtue o f determ ination and v i
Does someone put Frcddye Pcttet in
sion, cannot force them t& reset
her place? These individuals act on
again and again.
their own principles.
The most destructive thought we
Charles Jordan was stripped o f
have, given the conditions we face,
the Police Bureau at a crucial time
is that someone else keeps us in line
because he took a stand on p rin c i
and prevents us fro m progressing.
ple. For any black representative,
Let me illustrate this another way.
acting on principle doesn't guaran
Have you ever tried to teach a young
tee that one w ill always win. It only
c h ild who is dejected, fu ll o f low
means that one w ill have the chance
self-esteem, and has a negative con
to w in. O therw ise, it's certain de
cept about him self? I t ’ s hard to
feat.
i
m otivate that child to do anything,
It is not true that we d o n ’ t have
much less make him believe that he
political power in Portland. We just
can change his c o n d itio n and
don’ t have a ll o f it! And we w ill not
achieve something. Achievement is
use as much as we have i f significant
possible only when this youngster is
black leaders keep saying we d on’ t
willing to try, w illing to risk the pos
have any.
Later for Thanksgiving
by Ronnte Herndon, Co-Chairman, Black Untied Front
For many years I felt Thanksgiv
ing was one o f the most b arbaric
and paganistic ritu a ls ever p ra c
ticed. According to the story white
people landed in A m erica and
nearly starved to death. Indians
stepped in. shared food and taught
the Pilgrims how to plant crops. To
show their appreciation the Pilgrims
held a Day o f Thanks on which they
had a big feast with the Indians and
thanked God for their survival.
A fte r the gracious P ilgrim s got
the w rinkles out o f their stomachs
and half-way knew where their next
meal was coming from , they began
murdering and stealing from the In
dians These early white settlers be
gan enthusiastically taking part in
the age-old European custom o f
scalping. Yes, scalping was started
by whites; as a matter o f fact those
so-called great purveyors o f civiliza
tio n , the Greeks, were one o f the
earliest practitioners o f scalping.
Scalping got so good to early A m
erican settlers that they began to put
a bounty on each Indian scalp. Gov
ernor Kicft o f New Netherland orig
inated the idea of paying for human
scalps, and with this p ro fit motive,
the Dutch virtu a lly cleared what is
now southern New Y ork and New
Jersey o f Indians before the English
move in . By 1703 the co lo n y o f
Massachusetts was paying the equiv
alent o f about $60 for every Indian
scalp.
In the mid-18th century Pennsyl
vania fixed the bounty fo r a male
Indian scalp at $134; a female's was
worth $50. It was only in the mid-to-
late 19th century that Indians them
selves began scalping, and this was
in response to massive exterm ina
tio n e ffo rts by whites. This was a
ce n tu ry -a n d -a -h a lf a fte r the firs t
white man had scalped the first In
dian.
A ll o f this can be found in Peter
Farb’s book, Man's Rise To Civiliz
ation. When Farb wrote the book he
was cu ra to r o f A m erican Indian
C ultures at R iverside Museum in
New York City.
In view o f this history that reeks
with the stench o f murder, massacre
and mayhem, I found Thanksgiving
to be the epitome o f hypocrisy. Now
I learn the true history o f Thanks
giving is far more satanic tiia n I
th o u g h t. A U.S. C om m ission On
C iv il Rights p e riodical, The C iv il
Rights Q uarterly Perspectives, dis
cusses an article written by W illiam
B. Newall, a Penobscot Indian and
form er head o f the U n iv e rs ity o f
Connecticut's anthropology depart
ment. Newall recounts what really
happened at P lym outh C olony in
1637.
English and D utch mercenaries
came upon a group o f Indians dur
ing one o f their religious rites—the
annual green corn dance. Ordered
out o f the b u ild in g in w hich they
had gathered the Indians were shot
down as they ran. Those slaying be
hind were burned alive. “ The very
next day the Governor (of the Mas
sachusetts Bay C olony) declared a
Thanksgiving Day |and) for the next
100 years every Thanksgiving Day
ordained by a governor (was) to
honor a bloody v ic to ry , thanking
Ciod that the battle had been won.”
Most white Americans w ill prob
ably continue celebrating this Indian
massacre; since its in ce p tio n this
country has all too often wallowed
in sanctim onious falsehoods and
tric k e ra tio n . Black people should
call a halt to taking part in this ritu
alistic abomination. W ould we par
ticip a te in T ha n ksg ivin g i f it cel
ebrated murdering Black people?
One alternative is using this h o li
day to celebrate Black Family Day.
a practice developed locally by the
Black Educational Center. They felt
this tim e could be used fo r us to
come together and give thanks and
show special appreciation fo r our
families. We do fight so very hard to
stay together; most i f not a ll we
achieve is because o f the strength,
courage and intelligence we learned
from our immediate fam ily and our
extended fa m ily , the Black com
munity.
Use this day to reflect upon how
hard our ancestors struggled keep
ing just the concept o f fam ily alive
w hile this c o u n try condoned our
m others' being raped and treated
like brood mares. T h e ir ch ild re n
were snatched screaming from their
arms and sold like livestock. In spite
o f this hell on earth our ancestors
miraculously clung to the notion o f
fam ily Our thoughts and sincerest
thanks should go out to m illions o f
single Black women who today by
themselves care and provide fo r a l
most h a lf o f all Black children in
America. A ll too often we take their
daily heroism for granted.
Now we can’ t say we d id n 't
know, hope most o f us w on't con
tinue celebrating a w h ite holid a y
that m arked the beginning o f the
end for m illions o f Indians.
The Observer presents:
Community Forum
"The Legislature and You "
Senator Bill McCoy
Rep. Ed Leek
Rep. Wally Priestley
Rep. Gratton Kerens
D ec em b e r 4
10 00 a .m .
The Rustler
G rend A ve.
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