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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1983)
Page 4 Portland Observer, August 24, 1963 EDITORIAL/OPINION March for Jobs, Peace, Freedom Twenty years ago, August 28, 1963, M artin Luther King’s words rung out over the capitol mall — ” 1 have a dream----- ” A lot has happened in these twenty years. The W ar on Poverty and Model Cities have come and gone. The Voting Rights Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Bill were passed. Numerous court decisions dealt blows to segregation in education and discrimination in employment. Affirmative action regulations gained some jobs and helped some minority businesses. Blacks became congressmen, mayors, judges, prosecutors, and legislators. More young people had the opportunity to attend college. In the past four years, especially since the election o f Ronald Reagan, many o f the gains have been lost. The world is in a state o f profound economic crisis. Unemployment is over ten percent and more than double that for Blacks and other mi norities. The education system is deteriorating and millions of young people have no opportu nity for education and employment. Medical costs are skyrocketing, leaving millions without health care. Infant mortality is rising. For the first time, millions are homeless. The forces o f reaction are rising. An aggres sive foreign policy, gunboat diplomacy, and an increase in nuclear, biological and chemical wea pons threatens humanity. The KKK and other hate groups are growing. The government is carrying out a carefully orchestrated attempt to eliminate the civil and human rights o f minorities and women. Govern ment secrecy and the use of public power against citizens are growing. On August 27th millions o f people will gather in Washington, D .C . and in cities across the nation, including Salem, to demand a more hu mane government. The cry is for jobs, peace and freedom. These rallies will unite the many groups the Reagan administration is working hard to separate — Blacks, whites, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, labor unions, politi cal parties, the peace movement, students, women, and the poor. Our nation has the re sources and power to deliver “ jobs, peace and freedom.” Whether it will depends on strong and persistent people, united in one cause. The rally on August 27th, 11:00 a.m ., in Salem is a good place to begin building that unity. lack sports/white sports In the United States, sports are divided into Black sports and white sports. Blacks play bas ketball, football, sometimes baseball, and box. A few take up wrestling and others participate in some track events. Whites play baseball, tennis, soccer, and water polo. They swim, dive, fence, lift weights, participate in gymnastics, equestri an sports, ping pong, boating, etc. We hope many of our youngsters are watch ing the Pan American Games. If so, they might have seen Casimior Suarez o f Cuba win 8 gold medals in gymnastics. They also can see fine Ed Leek (Continued fro m Page I. Column 2) learn to work with people m ore.” She fear* hi* *tyle may have alienat ed rame potential support. A former legislator herself, Kafoury put* down most o f Leek's trouble* to in experience as a first-term represen tative. A n aide to a liberal represen tative tayt Leek was an "ineffective floor speaker.” O n the other hand, poor people's lobbyist Terry Rogers says Leek was "a n excellent cross-examiner” on committee, drawing out witnesses' knowledge on both side* o f an issue. W hile he may have irritated some Republicans, she say* he was per suasive with other Democrats on the Human Resource* Committee. Charge* o f “ abrasiveness” are common against any legislator who take* strong stands, whether on the political left or right, says another legislative aide. Leek himself say* he found the legislature much more difficult than the neighborhood organizing he did before hi* election. In community groups, he says, people generally agree with each other and there is a clearly defined goal. In the legisla ture he found "m an y more mine- O regon Newspaper Publishers Asso.u it o n Black athletes from many o f the Caribbean and Latin American countries excelling in all sports. Many of the gold medalists, both men and women, from these countries are Black. This should refute the theory that Blacks are built to excel in some sports but not in others. Young people should be encouraged to try many sports — not just those that hold the promise of fame and fortune. Good health, mental and physical well-being and a lot o f fun can come from a wide variety o f sports and games. fie ld * .. more people and power blocs that have to be consulted and appeased.” Leek's biggest disappointment with the legislature was how "fellow Demoicrats let themselves be b uffa loed by business lobbyist* who say anything that serves working people must be bad for business. Tagging legislation 'anti-business' was enough to kill it for many of my col leagues." B lac k Issue* Leek worked for many issues that concern Black people, such as South A frica divestment, outlawing racial harassment, restricting police use o f deadly force, and welfare rights. He might have done more to inform the community o f his stands, Ron Herndon say*. For instance, the B U F worked heavily in the 1981 Legislature on restricting deadly force, but was never asked to help when the bill came up this session, Herndon says. Herndon believes that just a* an Irish legislator can better serve Boston's Irish, or a Pole is more qualified to represent Chicago's Poles, so (other things being equal) a Black would best represent Port lands Black community. Leek has not decided whether to run again in 1984 — he says a major factor will be whether he can afford to work for the legislature’s low pay. ■ v » - r s ' io r S i The P o r tla n d O bserver (U S P S 959 6801 it pu blished every Thursday by Ew»e Publishing Company. Inc . 2201 North Killings worth. Portland. Oregon 97217, Post Office B or 3137 Portland. Oregon 97208 Second class postage pa*d at Portland. Oregon H IB Ronald Reagan made a quick campaign »wing through M iam i, Texa* and California snd a one-day symbolic visit to Mexico to launch his new effort to win Hispanic vot ers. But Reagan'* road will not be easy because while he plan* hi* cam paign, Hispanics are already orga nizing again»! him. The National Hispanic Voter Registration drive was launched on A uguit 8th by more than 200 Latino leaden meeting in San Antonio. The goal is one million new Hispanic voter* by 1984. Recent election*, like those o f M ayor Harold Wash ington in Chicago and M ayor Federico Pena in Denver have dem onstrated the influence of the H is panic vote. The League of United Latin Amer ican Citizen* (L U L A C ), the nation's oldest and largest Hispanic organi zation, on July 4th elected a* it* president M ario Obledo, who wa* C alifo rn ia'* Director o f Health and W elfare during the Jerry Brown ad ministration. This organization will give priority to voter registration, relation* with the Latin American countries and immigration. Another immediate goal of L U L A C is to build bridge* with the Black community. L U L A C and PU SH have signed an agreement that "b in d * the organization* to work together to resolve common problem* in voting right* and jo b s." Obledo ha* signed a similar agree ment with the National Urban League and a meeting with the N A A C P is planned. In C alifo rn ia, the Mexican A m er ican Political Association (M A P A ) ousted it* president, a Republican ally o f Governor George Deuk- mejian, and elected Fernando Chavez. 31, son o f United Farm W orker* Union President Cesar Chavez. M A P A is the largest His panic organization in the state that has the nation's largest Latino pop ulation — overwhelmingly Chicano and Mexican. Elected 2nd vice- president was Al Belmontez, chair man o f the Los Angeles Coalition Against Plant Closures; Ben M olina, a member o f U .S . Repre sentative Mervyn Dymally's staff, was elected organizer. This election reversed the two-year effo rt by Rea gan supporters to bring the organi zation into the Republican camp. The United Farm Workers Union is turning to more activism, inde pendence and organization among Latino group*. Beginning in Sep tember, the U F M "C hicano lobby" will begin a massive telephone and mail poll to determine the issues most important to Chicanos and Mexicans in C alifornia. The U F W will cover all issues in its political lobbying, not just farm labor issues. The Coalition o f Latin American Trade Unionists (C L A T U ), now one year old, has as its goal the po litical participation o f Latino trade union members. Currently 30 per cent o f Latino workers are union members, compared to 20 percent o f white workers, but few hold lead ership positions. The C L A T U is seeking unity with other labor groups and especially with the Coalition o f Black Trade Unionists. Organizing in the Hispanic com munity over the past six months does not look good for Reagan's plans. tb.e way WoiidMriJwillhe foutput Portland Observer M Hispanics oppose Reagan y «0« The Portland O b w rv tr was established m 1970 Subscriptions 115 00 per year m the Tn County area Post m as te r Send address changes to the Portland O h w v r r . P O Bo« 3137. Portland. Oregon 97200 MEMBER NêWAL P E R Atteeietion Alfred L. Henderson, Editor/Publisber A l Williams, Advertising Mu nager Founded IM S Portland’s largest black-owned newspaper. iPORTWND OBSERVER News fo r and about you. Ma<i io Portland Obaarvet Bos 3137 Portland Oregon 97208 I ■■M | 283 2486 N atio n a l A d v ertis in g R ep resentative A m a lg a m a te d Publishers. Inc N e w York Subscribe today! I i Yes. I would like ■ subscription! to the Portland Observer. I □ I have enclosed my check or money order for *15, fora one year subscription J ■ ■ " I don’t think it ought to be legalized. They shouldn’t change the law just because we have it. There ought to be more enforcem ent." Andrew Rodgers Courier "They are not going to stop it any other way. These people on Union Avenue would be stopped if it was legalized. They need a brothel to get them o ff the streets."
