Page 4 Portland Observer, December 22. 1982
EDITORIAL/OPINION
Terror sanitized
The execution o f Charlie Brooks, Jr., in Tex­
as opens a new chapter in legalized k illin g .
Brooks was the first to be executed with the new
“ high tech” way of death. He was strapped to a
hospital-type cot, catheters placed in his veins,
and drugs administered in a sanitary saline solu­
tion until he was dead, while doctors stood by.
The execution raises ethical questions beyond
the question of the death penalty itself. The A m ­
erican Medical Association has decreed that no
physician should take part in an execution, but
where is the fine line drawn? Is examination of
the executed before and after death participa­
tion? Is the use of medical techniques and equip­
ment participation?
Throughout American history— while advo­
cating the death penalty as prevention or retribu­
t io n - n e w “ p o in te rs " and less abhorrent
methods have been sought. The electric chair
was invented in 1890 to replace the firing squad
or the hangman's noose; the gas chamber re­
placed the electric chair in many states beginning
in 1924. Several states have adopted the “ lethal
in je c tio n "— Texas, O klah o m a, New M exico,
Idaho, Washington. Other states including Ore­
gon and Massachusetts have considered it.
The move to medically inspired methods o f
death can be compared to the "clean” bombs of
nuclear w arfare— an attempt to sell the public
on the idea that death is safe, clean and accept­
able. It is an attempt to replace the honor o f the
noose— with the broken body swinging in the
breeze— and the choking convulsions o f the gas
chamber with peacefully “ going to sleep" in a
hospital-like atmosphere.
W ill this new “ peaceful" way of death speed
the executioner's hand? Brooks was the fifth
person executed since Gary Gilmore’s execution
in 1977— the first black and the first to attempt
to continue his legal fight against death. A p ­
proximately 1,100 prisoners wait on death row
and another 100 are added each year. The legal
process is running out on many, so more execu­
tions can be expected in 1983.
Many problems follow the death penalty: The
crim inal justice is neither just nor error-free;
there is injustice in the selection o f those to be
executed and those to be spared; the society in
which we live fosters and perpetuates crim in ­
ality; execution does not deter.
The new “ lethal injection” will make oppo­
sition more d ifficu lt and more im portant for
those who believe that execution is immoral and
that inflicting death on another can never be
just.
udget whitewashes conflict
In paring the budgets o f those bureaus for
which she has responsibility, City Commissioner
Margaret Strachan has announced the vacation
of the position of Director o f the Bureau of H u ­
man Resources. Whatever the plans for the fu­
ture o f this bureau m ight be— w hether it is
phased out, its functions given to other bureaus
or to the C ounty— it is highly unusual that the
bureau be left without a director.
The answer to this dilemma appears to be the
fact that this position if filled by Emma H ep­
burn, the C ity’s only black and only female bu­
reau head. Rumors have circulated since early
summer; the problem has been discussed in the
press; and “ insiders" say the real question is
how to gracefully get rid o f Ms. Hepburn. Whe­
ther the problems between Com m issioner
Strachan and Ms. Hepburn are personal, per­
sonality, style or a question o f competence
neither seems willing to say. But it is very clear
that Commissioner Strachan does not want Ms.
Hepburn to head the bureau.
Taking the easy way out, Ms. Strachan is va­
cating the position— a little more difficult when
the employee is director o f a large bureau rather
than a low-level technician.
We would have greater respect for Commis­
sioner Strachan if she would just terminate Ms.
Hepburn and announce her reasons rather than
pussy-fooling around the issue. The community
has the right to know whether the elimination of
the C ity ’s highest ranking black employee Is
being done justifiably or whether she is the vic­
tim of petty politics or racism.
Letters to the Editor-------------
President explains NAACP role
To the editor:
Since you have chosen lo slant
your articles regarding the N A A C P
and me, I have chosen to respond to
you in w ritin g and I dem and that
this letter be printed in its entirety.
I f not, I w ill simply lake the matter
up with the FCC.
There comes a lim e when a man
must defend himself. The com m en­
tary over the N A A C P elections has
been unduly negative Why? Is this
an assessment o f some s c ie n tific
kind? Is it political? What is it?
The feeling seems to be, people
arc not happy w ith the N A A C P .
T h a t's clear! A nd i t ’ s about tim e,
to o . I'v e been unh ap p y w ith the
N A A C P fo r years! In fac t, th a t’ s
why I ran for the presidency in the
first place. I chose to display my un­
happiness by getting involved, not
by standing around on the outside
taking pot shots.
While the Observer and Herb Caw-
thorne choose to espouse negative
projections about the N A A C P and
w hat it hasn't d o n e, no one has
stopped to ask, “ W h o is the
N A A C P in the first place and what
has it done positively?"
The N A A C P is you and me and
everyone else w ho is a m em ber or
victim o f this vicious game o f so-
called 'p o litic s .* T h e N A A C P are
*/l MU' >
the people who stand up for justice
and equal opportunity. Nationally,
the N A A C P is made up o f 400,000
card holders and a few hundred
workers. Locally, the N A A C P con­
sists o f about 1300 card holders and
a dozen or so workers.
The hypocrisiea o f politics can be
te rm in a l i f you let yo u rse lf get
caught up in them For example, it's
been said, “ It's tim e to return the
N A A C P lo the p e o p le ," when in
fact, over half o f the recently elected
Executive Com m ittee have been sit­
ting there for over 20 years. There­
fore, I'm inclined to ask, “ W ho are
the people to receive the N A A C P
when it is 'turned over'?”
The E xecu tive C o m m itte e a p ­
proves or d isapproves p ro gram s,
projects and direction. The branch
membership has the overall respon­
sibility for sanctioning the com m it­
tee's recommendations. So, as you
can see, the N A A C P is based on
m em b ersh ip . T h a t it the true
NAACP
the membership. Now ,
the membership has met on the third
Sunday o f each m o n th at 4 :0 0
o 'c lo ck fo r years. So, the bottom
line here is involvem ent. Those in ­
volved set policy, direction and pro­
gram. I f you are involved you have
a voice; if you're not you don't.
L e t's exam in e the alleg ation s
which have been published in your
newspaper. The ed u catio nal issue
was addressed m any tim es by the
branch. The initial challenge issued
by Jonathan Newm an, which preci­
pitated the C oalition for School In ­
te g ra tio n , was issued to the
N A A C P , U rb a n League, and the
M e tr o p o lita n H u m a n R elations
C o m m is sio n . T h e C o a litio n was
aided by the p a rtic ip a tio n o f our
E d ucation C o m m itte e C h a ir, our
President and several o f our mem­
bers. In fact it was the sharing o f the
N A A C P Report on Q uality Educa­
tion that led lo the development o f
some measureable goals and objec­
tives. This has now been incorporat­
ed into the Desegregation Plan.
The developm ent o f com m unity
goals and objectives which were pre­
sented to the school d is tric t were
composed with the N A A C P 's help.
The reduction o f tw o-w ay bussing,
scattering o f teachers, and a tta in ­
ment o f a M iddle School were all is­
sues which the N A A C P faced and
supported publicly. Even the selec­
tio n o f o u r cu rren t School Board
member was aided by the N A A C P 's
vanguard. In fact the N A A C P was a
key element in the process which re­
sulted in the selection o f our current
Superintendent o f Schools.
O n the subject o f P o lice R e la­
tions, we were congratulated for our
e ffo rts to increase the num ber o f
black police officers on the force.
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Holiday season reflections
by Matthew W Prophet. Jr.
Superintendent. Portland Public Schools
The tra d itio n a l values o f home,
school, fa m ily and church are all
evoked with greater intensity in this
holiday season. For all o f us, it is
both a time for reflection and a time
fo r renew al. It is an a p p ro p ria te
time for individuals and institutions
to reflect on the quality o f life and
to take stock o f where we have been,
where we are and where we hope to
be in the future.
The holiday season this year finds
us all distracted by the nature o f the
world in which we live. Uncertainly
and concern, whether it be about the
serious economic conditions, con­
tinued inequalities between A m e r­
ican citizens, or the trend to w ard
fu rth e r nuclear p ro life r a tio n ,
threaten lo en g u lf us in self-doubt
and contribute to a sense o f national
and personal d rift that seems to be
our com m on lot in co n tem p o rary
society. The intrusion o f the holiday
season with its sense o f renewal and
hope provides a welcome respite and
opportunity for all o f us to set aside
the cares o f our daily lives in con­
templation o f the intrinsic wealth of
spirit we share as Americans. O re­
gonians and Portlanders.
As we look back and ahead, we
can renew our com m itm ent to the
quality o f our personal lives and cel­
ebrate with our friends and families
in recognition o f the fact that we do
not stand a lo n e , but we fact to ­
gether, with those we love and cher­
ish, a comm on tom orrow that can­
not help but be better than yesterday
because o f the bond o f b ro th e rly
love that strengthens and sustains
us.
It is a singular strength that en­
riches and ennobles our lives and
springs from our m ulticultural heri­
tages that holds dear those values on
which the decency, h u m an ity and
equality o f our society is dedicated.
A ll o f us in re fle c tin g on these
values, no m atter how im perfectly
addressed, can be th an kfu l that we
still have the capacity to believe that
as a nation o f people we can tru ly
co m m it ourselves to the com m on
good o f all.
Regardless o f the tensions o f to ­
day or the turmoil o f tomorrow, we
can remain confident that the demo­
cratic values that promise to protect
and defend each o f us can become
m ore viable and grow stronger by
our vigilance and our sense o f faith
and dedication to American ideals—
no matter how imperfectly realized.
It seems that is the fundam ental
message o f the holiday season and
its meaning— personal and institu ­
tio n a l renew al and a pledge to do
better and w ork harder to achieve
full realization o f the national com­
m itm e n t to freed om to w ork and
worship, to learn and to grow as we
choose without fear.
O f all o f our tra d itio n a l in s titu ­
tions, the one most common to all
A m erican s is the p ub lic school.
Over the years o f our national heri-
tge the public schools have been the
tra n s m itte r o f o u r c u ltu ra l h e ri­
tages fro m one g en eration to
another. It is the one institution that
binds all o f us together in a common
national purpose. W e must all be­
lieve that fro m th a t co m m itm en t
will ultimately evolve change and in­
tellectual and c u ltu ral grow th and
developm ent w hich w ill enrich us
personally and as a people.
The holiday season is also a time
o f joy. It is not a time to reflect on
the problem s o f o u r past, but in ­
stead to renew the promise o f the fu­
ture. In Portland in the months and
years ahead, the pledge and comm it­
ment to excellence in education and
equal educational o p p o rtu n ity fo r
all w ill become stronger and more
vibrant than it has ever been. The
d is tric t is co m m itte d to im p ro ve
schools for all o f the children in its
charge but in reality the district can
no longer guarantee quality schools
at any cost — but it can pledge
quality schools within the available
resources. The promise fo r the fu ­
ture is to do more with less.
The Portland school system has a
great deal to be thankful for in this
tim e o f reflection and renewal. A ll
members o f the school fam ily, from
custodian to teacher, to clerk, to ad­
ministrator, to Board o f Education
m em b er, at this h o lid a y season
thank the com m unity and o ffer an
extra measure o f gratitude to the ci­
tizens w ho tw ice in this past year
have, in the crucible o f the b allo t
box, a ffirm a tiv e ly renewed in d iv i­
d u a lly and co llectively a personal
com m unity com m itm ent to the na­
tio n a l prom ise o f free and equal
public education for all children, re­
gardless of race, creed or color.
For the schools, for the students,
fo r parents and the co m m u n ity
there is a great deal to be thankful
for in those acts o f faith . For those
who work in the schools the pledge
o f equality, economy and efficiency
is renewed in gratitude for commu­
n ity reco gn itio n o f the needs and
promises o f education for the future
benefit o f all o f us. It is in that sense
that in this holiday season there is a
rebirth o f mutual com m itm ent and
dedication to a common goal o f ex­
cellence in education between the
schools and the community.
In the spirit o f this holiday sea­
son, the pledge to excellence in edu­
cation for all children is the renewed
personal co m m itm en t o f all o f us
w ho w ork to educate P o rtla n d ’ s
children.
Don't walk out on the people
by H erb L. Cawthorne
Just bscsuw you have reached a poeitlon your
mind thinks to be Important, don't piece
yourself so high end mighty that you think
you can walk out on the people, without care
or concern, without looking beck, without
hearing their call to you;
Just because you have been set up by another
men w ith title, fee end free hand, don't walk
out on the people, because they have no reel
say so. because they did not appoint you.
because they cannot Increase your fieedom,
only leseen it with deeiree for your dedication
end commitment end love and hard work;
Between the N A A C P , U rb a n
League, and other groups (he com­
plexion o f (he Police D ep a r(m e n (
has im p ro ved fo r (he b e tte r. T h e
N A A C P also p a r(ic ip a te d on (he
Citizen's Task Force on ln(ernal A f ­
fairs, also known as the Storrs C om ­
m ittee. W e pulled out because the
E xecu tive C o m m itte e expected a
w hitew ash and w anted to rem ain
autonomous. A regional consultant
was brought in from O akland who
had worked on the O akland Model
for Citizen Review Committees. He
considered the P o rtla n d P lan a
“ paper t ig e r " and recom m ended
the consideration o f an o ther plan
but only i f there was support. The
branch voted the proposal down.
O n the subject o f re-districting,
o ur p o s tilio n then and now is
another plan. W e opposed the one-
district plan in an ticip a tio n o f its
outcom e and we were rig h t. T h e
community put all of its eggs in one
basket and came up short.
O n the subject o f Y o u th , the
P o rtla n d A C T -S O P ro g ram has
been recognized n atio n ally fo r its
success. In five years o f competing
on a national level, we have brought
home four medals. W ho can argue
with that? The N A A C P staged the
first Black Youth Leadership C o n ­
ference w hich fe a tu re d , am ong
other attractions, black role models.
T his conference has reached h u n ­
dreds o f youth and has been adopt­
ed by Y o u th Councils arou n d the
nation. The N A A C P youth o f our
city are among the most active in the
Northwest.
There are other areas where the
N A A C P has been active as well. For
exam ple, we subm itted several
friendly amendments to the contro­
versial R acial H arassm en t B ill
Juet becauee the world made you to have powers
of strength and sharp intellect, don't take
whet the world has given end walk out on the
people, caring only to build your private
empire on the tired sweet of human sacrifice,
caring only to amplify your living in a
sheltered personal world;
Just because you cannot remember how the
world took care of you, nursed you. and
listened for your criee. don't walk out on the
people, for they are the reason for your work,
end they are the source to which your soul
re tu rn s-th ey, and only they, can appreciate
the beauty of the gifts your spirit creates In
gratitude for the opportunity of living.
w hich was passed. Some o f our
amendments were accepted, which
made it a better piece o f legislation.
We also participated on the Govern­
o r’s Task Force to draft the Charter
o f the G overno r's Com m ission on
Black A ffairs. W e endorsed O pera­
tion Big Vote *80 and *82 and also
to ok public positio ns on B a llo t
Measure 3 and 31.
In summary, it's very frustrating
to believe in a cause so much until
you began to make personal sacri­
fices and to have yo u r service re ­
warded with slanderous h a lf truths
by people w ho are rem oved fro m
(he source and who do not bother to
check their facts. lt is also a very sad
co m m en tary when o ur so-called
co m m u n ity new spaper w illfu lly
steps on an organization in order to
endorse a candidate. H ow ever, the
most saddening part o f all o f this is,
we as a people have not learned that
everything doesn't have to be nega­
tive for healthy change to occur. W e
must rise above the crab mentality if
we want to truly be free. Remember
the record, “ Free Y o ur M in d and
your — W ill F o llo w ." W e ll, some
o f us would be better o ff if we had a
copy to listen to daily.
M r. C aw th o rn e and I have been
friends for over 12 years and it ’s too
bad that he chose to use me as his
subject to earn a few extra bucks. I
do not prefer using this forum to ex­
press my feelings. H o w e v e r, inas­
much as you saw fit to use it, I felt it
might be appropriate to reciprocate.
I'm p a rtic u la rly distressed th at a
c o m m u n ic a to r such as yo u rse lf
would violate the first law o f com
m u n ic a tio n . . . presenting accusa­
tions face to face, man to m an. I f
your aim is to be the first black Bill
Buckley o f P o rtla n d , c o n g ra tu la ­
tio n s, you are w ell on your w ay.
Just rem em b er, those people you
step on on the way to “ the t o p ,”
you w ill also have to face on your
way to "th e b ottom .”
Lucious Hicks IV . President
Portland Branch N A A C P
(Editor's note; The Observer
w elcom es "Letters.” The FCC
governs radio and b roadcast,
not the prese.)
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