Portland observer., October 12, 1983, Page 4, Image 4

Page 4 Porttond Observer, October 1 2 .1 9 »
EDITORIAL/OPINION
Strachan strikes again I
W ith the appointment o f Gretchen Kafoury
to head the Bureau of Human Resources. Com­
missioner Margaret Strachan has again created
controversy over her method o f administration.
During the summer of 1982, associates o f the
Director of the Bureau of Human Resources.
Irma Hepburn, learned she was to be terminated
the following day— for reasons unknown. The
“ evaluation” meeting was postponed and the
termination never occurred. However, this posi­
tion was filed with Civil Service and Ms. Hep­
burn had to compete with all comers to retain
her job. A national search did not result in a new
appointment, but the position was vacated and
Ms. Hepburn reassigned to a lesser (and tempo­
rary) position.
In the 1983-84 City budget the position reap­
peared— somewhat differently defined. After a
suitable period had passed, the position was ad­
vertised and Gretchen Kafoury hired. Now, this
wouldn't have seemed so unusual, perhaps, if
there had not been a pervasive rumor that the
appointment of Ms. Kafoury was plannned even
before Ms. Hepburn was removed. Already a
position had been eliminated in order to remove
a Black woman; now a new position was being
created to hire a white woman.
This is not Commissioner Strachan’s only ad­
ministrative problem. Having safely deposed
Ms. Hepburn, she began a campaign to elimin­
ate Greg Gudger from the Metropolitan H u ­
man Relations Commission (by eliminating his
position), and when that failed, gutted the staff
and program. After months of nastiness and un­
confirmed charges, much o f the budget was re­
stored.
Now, the Kafoury problem. Charges o f irreg­
ularity in the process and procedures that fa­
vored Ms. Kafoury are being made. Information
coming out of the Commissioner’s Office and
the Bureau conflict. Has Ms. Kafoury been
hired or hasn’t she?
This appointment will again leave bitterness
and frustration over Commissioner Strachan’s
dealings with staff, her need to control, her atti­
tude toward Blacks and other minorities.
We have high respect for Gretchen Kafoury,
her political beliefs, and her Legislative record,
but it is unfortunate that she is involved in this
affair. Would she have prevailed in a fair and
open competition for the position? Can she do
an effective job when her appointment is sus­
pect?
Was Irma Hepburn pushed out o f the way so
Ms. Kafoury could be hired? What about Bar­
bara Patrick— a highly respected former Bureau
employee who scored very close to Ms. Kafoury
on a subjective test? Was this an opportunity for
affirmative action, or at least for equity?
It would be a good idea for Ms. Kafoury to
take a long look at the situation and her own
background and determine whether this is really
where a supporter o f human rights and equality
should be.
No plaque for Dr. King
Enter the P ortland School D istrict’ s B lan­
chard Education Center— the district’s office
and warehouse com plex— and you w ill see a
large metal plaque with a relief o f Blanchard
and an inscription dedicating the building to the
former Superintendent.
At the King Neighborhood Facility, visitors
arc greeted by only a great emptiness. There is
no sign of any kind on either of the two main en­
trances. And there is no pictue and no dedica­
tion to Dr. M artin Luther King.
This is an oversight that cannot continue.
The King Facility was built with Model Cities
money, is owned by the City of Portland, and is
operated by the Portland School District.
We recommend that the City and the School
D istrict, with assistance and guidance o f the
King, Vernon and Sabin Neighborhood Asso­
ciations, either fund or obtain a grant to develop
a suitable m em orial plaque to D r. King and
signs for the building.
The King Neighborhood Facility and M artin
Luther King Early Childhood Education Center
are the only tributes to King in the C ity. King
Neighborhood Facility has been neglected in
many ways. I f the C ity/School District do not
see fit to upgrade or expand the facility, they
could at least ensure that it is a fit memorial to
D r. King. King’s birthday, January 15th,
would be a good day to dedicate the new
plaque.
Long may it wave
When one sees Old Glory waving in the breeze
the heartbeat quickens and the strains of "T h e
land of the free and the home o f the brave” or
"H is truth is marching on,” go through the
mind. The flag brings thoughts of purple moun­
tains’ majesty and fields o f waving grain— home
and loved ones.
But in Portland, following the flag leads me
to a hamburger stand or a used car lot. In Port­
land. at least, there seems to be a competition to
have the biggest and highest flag. So when you
see that flag waving in the breeze, don’t get
ready to salute— get out your pocketbook.
I
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victory For Dennis Brutus
by D r. M anning M arable
bv Gladys M cC oy
W ho supports sales tax?
I am today asking for Oregonians
opposed to the sales tax to boycott
the services o f the U.S. National
Bank o f Oregon.
The U.S. National Bank o f Ore­
gon provided the 'seed money* that
is pushing the sales tax through the
legislature. Late last year, with pro­
ceeds from their ‘ Are you with US'
campaign. $50,000 was donated to a
group of businessmen calling them­
selves "Taxpayers for a Better
Economy” (T B E ). TB E then pro­
vided the nucleus around which or­
ganizations representing Oregon’s
city councils, county commissions
and school board members formed
in a cabal to push the sales tax
through the legislature.
While there is no broad public
acceptance to the N O SALES T A X
I
campaign I have organized, with
about 130 people contributing about
$700 ($1,100 expended), we can't
compete with the money o f the
banks and its big business friends.
O f the ISO contributors to N O
SALES T A X , I noted that 18 made
their donations on checks drawn on
the U.S. National Bank o f Oregon.
This includes even the state Demo­
cratic Party o f Oregon. Today in
personal letters to each of them I am
asking them and other Oregonians
opposed to the sales tax to withdraw
their accounts from the U .S. N a­
tional Bank o f Oregon. Since the
other private banks probably take a
similar position, I am suggesting
they transfer their accounts to the
Bank o f North Dakota. The Bank
o f North Dakota is the only pub­
lically owned bank in the nation and
is operated by the State o f North
Dakota.
I personally have banked by mail
with the Bank of North Dakota for
over five years; the bank is located
in Bismark, North Dakota. Checks
are free, there is no service charge or
minimum balance requirement, and
the profits are not used against the
interests o f the people Instead, the
considerable revenues go to reduce
the taxes o f the people of the State
o f North D ako ta.”
Wally Priestley,
State Representative
The Observer welcomes Letters to
the Editor. Letters should be short,
and must contain the writer's name
and address (addresses are not p rin t­
ed). The Observer reserves the right
to edit f o r length.
Portland Observer
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Thursday by Ew»a Publishing Company, Inc., 2201 North K illin g s
worth. Portland. Oregon 97217, Posi Ottica Bow 3137. Portland.
Oregon 97208 Second class pottage pe«d at Portland. Oregon
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P.O.
Finally. South A fric a is currently
caught in the center o f a new wave
o f p o litic al unrest. O n August 21,
the largest a n ti-g o v e rn m e n t ra lly
since the early 1960s was held in
Capetown, uniting 7,000 Blacks, In ­
dians, " c o lo re d s ” and a n ti-rac ist
whites. The new c o a litio n , termed
the U n ite d D e m o c ra tic F ro n t,
opposes new constitutional propos­
als w hich w o u ld still block equal
vo tin g rights fo r m in o ritie s . The
Front's leader, colored minister Dr.
A lla n Boesak, calls fo r an end to
" th e b ru talizatio n o f our people at
the hands o f the w hites. South
Africa belongs to all its people.”
Dennis Brutus is still a living sym­
bol o f the new Front's multicultural
democracy— and for that “ crim e,”
W ashington and Pretoria desired to
silence him p erm an en tly. Despite
the recent v ic to ry , o u r struggle
against racism at home and abroad
still continues. O ur comm itm ent to
e q u a lity and h u m a n ity is best ex ­
pressed by Brutus himself;
Somehow we survive
and tenderness, frustrated, does
not wither.
Investigating searchlights rake
our naked unprotected contours;
over our heads the monolithic
decalogue
o f fascist prohibition glowers
and teeters for a catastrophic fall;
But somehow we survive
severance, deprivation, loss.. .
most cruel, all our land is scarred
with terror,
rendered unlovely and
unloveable.. .
but somehow tenderness survives.
The revised M in o rity and Female
Business E n terp ris e ( M B E /F B E )
program o f M ultnom ah County has
been in operation for two years. T o
date there have been no complaints
about im plem entation or its effec­
tiveness, so I am persuaded it has
been effective.
This program is a commitment o f
the M u ltn o m a h C o u nty Executive
and Comm issioners to justice and
the eq u ity in the C o u n ty " m a rk e t
place." It is appropriate and justifi­
able that the C ounty should take a
leadership ro le in this area . O u r
combined minority and female goals
rem ain 11 percent fo r contruction
p ro jects; 0 .5 percent fo r supplies
and eq u ip m e n t; 11 percent o f a ll
trade or skilled services; and 9 per­
cent o f professional services.
These goals translate into minori­
ties and females takin g part in the
mainstream o f County business. For
f
™ ™ or ™ "
M ultnom ah County Commissioner
example, as you pass over the H aw ­
th o rn e B rid g e , you m ay n otice a
new and safer curbing system; the
m e tal fa b ric a tio n o f w hich came
from a m inority firm . W hen you en­
ter the C o u n ty ’ s Elections Center
this w inter, you w ill find the build­
ing wanned with fuel distributed by
a m in o rity firm , which also fuels a
num ber o f other C ounty facilities.
V isit our Purchasing O ffic e at the
Ford Building and you w ill walk on
carpeting furnished and installed by
a fem ale-o w ned business. Should
you attend the open house fo r the
new Justice Services Center (and I
encourage you to do so) the sparkle
in the sparklingly beautiful building
w ill have been done by a m in ority
maintenance company.
In short, these examples illustrate
a viable m in o rity and fem ale busi­
ness com m unity participating with
M ultnom ah County. I wish to com
TláryñnJác7-û^èTnewspaper.
! PORTLAND OBSERVER
Ï News fo r and about
m end the C o u n ty s ta ff fo r th e ir
comm itm ent and dedication, some­
times above the call o f duty, to m ak­
ing this program work.
A ttend the sixth annual M in o rity
Business O pportunity Day, 9 a.m .-S
p .m ., W ed n e sd ay , O c to b e r 12th,
1983, M em o ria l Coliseum , Assem­
bly H a ll. This w ill be an opportunity
for comm unity members to become
m ore in v o lve d in the C o u n ty ’ s
M B E /F B E P ro g ra m , lea rn ab o u t
the technical aides, participate in the
question and answer sessions, study
o u r p ro g ra m , and be educated
about M B E /F B E program o p p o r­
tunities. Continued achievement of
M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty ’ s M B E /F B E
p ro gram goals and objectives de­
pends on co m m u n ity in p u t, sup­
p o rt, and understanding as well as
effective County management.
1 encourage your p a rticip atio n .
Subscribe today! I
Yea. I would Ilka a subscription!
to tha Portland Observer.
I
f i I h a v e A n rln a w d m u r h ^ r l i n j
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The Portland Obiarvar wee eetabtoehed in 1970
Subscriptions SIB.00 par vast In tha Tri-County ares,
m a a ta t Sand addraaa changaa to tha Porttend O tu rrv tr.
Boa 3137. Portland, Oregon »730B
struggles and the le ft. S acrificin g
Brutus would have sent an unambig­
uous message o f political solidarity
to racist authoritarians.
From The Boardroom
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
States. During his years o f state tor­
ture. he began to write poetry; now
his w ork is recognized as first rank
within Africsui literature.
D u rin g the past tw elve years, he
has been a professor o f African and
South A fric a n lite ra tu re at N o rth ­
western U n iversity, has published
nine books, and has been a visiting
scholar at Dartm outh and Amherst.
His political criticisms o f apartheid
still continue; indeed, Brutus and I
spoke to gether at the larg e a n t i­
apartheid demonstration. New York
in September, 1981. A former South
A fric a n secret agent called Brutus
"o ne o f the twenty most dangerous
South African political figures over­
seas.”
The dilem m a for Brutus began in
1980. Although Brutus was raised in
South A fric a and is considered its
citizen, he was actually born in what
Is today Z im b a b w e . W hen Brutus
failed to o btain a Z im babw e pass­
port soon enough, the U .S . Im m i­
gration and N a tu raliza tio n Service
( IN S ) seized upon this technicality
to push for his expulsion. IN S and
the U .S . State Departm ent claimed
that Brutus " is being treated like
anybody else.” But the world knew
that if Brutus was forced to return
to Zim babw e (or any Black nation
near South A fr ic a ) th at he w ould
soon be assassinated.
W hy did the Reagan Adm inistra­
tio n w ant to fa c ilita te a p o litic a l
m urder, to put the m atter bluntly?
It's instructive to note that Richard
A lle n , Reagan's lon g -tim e adviser
and form er national security chief,
is cu rre n tly a h ighly paid lobbyist
fo r a p a rth e id interests. Second.
Reagan and his aides view South A f ­
rica as an " a lly ” in the w orldw ide
containm ent o f national liberation
Earlier this month, anti-apartheid
c ritic Dennis B ru tu s, a w o r ld -fa ­
mous poet, was finally granted poli­
tic k asylum in the U .S. after a d iffi­
cult three-year campaign. The white
suprem acist regim e in P re to ria
would still like to silence Brutus per­
manently. The Reagan Adm inistra­
tion almost accomplished this by re­
peatedly refusing to allow Brutus to
live here in exile. T h e case reveals
the direct political relationship be­
tween Reaganism and apartheid, as
w ell as the necessity fo r p o litic a l
struggle to o vertu rn both o f these
movements toward permanent ine­
quality and racism.
Apartheid's problems with Brutus
began almost three decades ago. As
a young schoolteacher in Port Eliza­
beth, South A fric a, he learned that
the International O lym pic C o m m it­
tee's charter excludes from competi­
tion any nation which practices ra ­
cial or religious segregation. Brutus
soon in itia te d a cam paign in the
press to force South A fric an teams
out o f all international games. After
m any years, the e ffo r t produced
progressive results which forced the
regime to make token desegregation
steps in a th letics , but w hich also
barred the racist state's teams from
world competition.
Brutus was firs t " b a n n e d ” by
ap a rth e id a u th o ritie s in the early
1960s His articles were not perm it­
ted to be published anywhere in the
country. In 1963 Brutus was arrest­
ed for attending a meeting o f South
Africa's Olympic games committee.
He was later shot in the back while
attem pting to escape, and was sen­
tenced to do hard labor at Robben
Island prison. E v e n tu a lly , Brutus
was perm itted a one-way exit visa,
and in 1971 he settled in the United
283 2486
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