Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 1983)
Page 4 Portland Observer, December 7,1983 Is this "justice f o r all” ? ED1TORIAL/OPINION by Dr. Manning Marable Today a Black man. Frank “ Parky” Grace, is locked up in a federal penitentiary in Memphi». Tennessee. For almost a decade he has been imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. H i* only offense was his unyielding commitment to Black political rights and equality. Grace'» ordeal is a testament to the systemic racism o f the American "Economic recovery"-for whom? The Reagan adm inistration claims “ economic recovery” is well underway. The time leading to the 1984 elections w ill be spent in touting that non-truth. It is the responsibility o f the voter to look beyond the media-hype to the facts. In spite o f some decrease in unem ploym ent, the October o ffic ia l unem ploym ent rate fo r the U.S. was 8.8 percent— about 17.5 percent fo r Blacks and 7.5 percent fo r whites. A pproxim ate ly 16 m illio n Americans are among the reported unemployed or partially employed. The U.S. employment statistics hide the fact that much o f the reason fo r the dro p in the un employment rate was that over a h a lf-m illio n people gave up and quit looking fo r jobs, so were no longer counted in O ctober. The number o f Americans looking fo r w ork dropped fro m 10,423.000 to 9,886,000—a decline o f 537,000. But there was also a drop o f 17,000 in the num ber o f persons employed. I f the apparent im provement in the unemployment statistics really comes from people dropping out o f the labor m arket, then there was no improvement at all. The government estimates that there are 1,709,000 “ discouraged w orkers" who arc no longer w orking, but it does not include these people in its unem ploym ent statistics; nor docs it include part-tim e workers who want full-tim e w ork. I f all the "discouraged” and part-tim e w o rk ers were included, the U.S. unem ploym ent rate fo r October w ould have been 12.7 percent (14.5 m illio n unemployed) rather than 8.8 percent. Ten years ago the “ structural” unem ploy ment rate— the rate o f unemployed that is built into the system— was three or four percent. T o day the President’ s C ouncil o f Economic A d v i sers estimates structural unemployment to be about seven percent. Over 7 m illio n people w ill never be able to fin d jobs, even after “ fu ll recov criminal justice system. Fifteen years ago. Grace was a well-known and respected Black ac tivist in New Bedford. Massachu setts. After his discharge from the U .S. Arm y in December. 196«, he quickly became involved in a series o f peace-oriented, human rights and Black Power organizations. He es tablished links with the progressive African Party for the Independence o f Guinea-Bissau, and in 1971, opened a storefront office for Black Panther activities in New Bedford. His extensive community-based ac tivities and programs were closely monitored by city, state, and federal ery.” The unem ploym ent scale has gone up over the past 20 years, w ith each depression reaching a higher peak o f unemployment than the one be fore. Oregon’s unemployment rate fo r October was ,0.3 (seasonally adjusted), up fro m September. This means that 120,700 persons in Oregon who arc seeking employment cannot fin d jobs. A nd Oregon’s percentage decrease in unemployment from last year is partly because about 20,000 people left the state and thousands o f others have given up looking fo r w ork and do not ap pear in the statistics. Another indicator o f the poor economy is the fact that wages have risen more slowly than in recent years in the fo u r categories surveyed: o f fice clerical (5.9 percent); com puter related (6.1); skilled maintenance (2.7); and unskilled plant workers (0.8). The unskilled plant w orkers’ wage increase is the smallest increase since statis tics first became available in 1953; earnings fo r skilled maintenance workers showed a smaller increase than in any year fo r 20 years. The other tw o categories had the smallest gains since the authorities. Because o f Grace's political acti vities, police waged an illegal and vi cious assault against him. New Bed ford police arrested him at least 14 times in a four-year period, on a va riety o f absurd and unsubstantiated charges: “ conspiracy to commit anarchy." "conspiracy to over throw the government,” "public drunkenness." and "conspiracy to commit m urder.” Grace was one of the victims o f the F B I’s C o u nter-In telligence Program (C O 1N T E L - PR O ) which arrested, harrassed and executed political dissidents. Grace's free shoe and clothing pro gram for the city’s poor, and a breakfast program for children, were viewed as dangerous and sub versive. But the authorities still had early 1970s. “ Economic recovery” is a myth created fo r the election campaign. Wise voters w ill reject any talk o f recovery u n til they and their neighbors have jobs and money in their pockets. Death lost in the translation The opinion o f a Chicano scholar that the killin g o f a Mexican w orker by a W oodburn po liceman m ight have resulted fro m a m isunder standing o f languge is one more p ro o f that the Am erican people’ s neglect o f languages other than English is reprehensible. The professor be lieves the victim may have heard the o ffic e r’ s com m and— "Freeze” — as "F u e ra ” (Get out). I he numbers o f Americans who have native languages other than English is rapidly grow ing. Trade and travel makes com m unication neces sary. Yet most U.S. students never study a lan guage other than English and most who do take From the a year or tw o in college— too little and too late. In most countries students study a, least one foreign language— and sometimes several lan guages— beginning in the early grades and con tinuing through their school career. But the U.S. attitudes o f superiority have given our students the notion that nothing should be required ot them but English. Foreign language study should be m andatory beginning in the early grades. Soon it w ill be as im portant to be able to communicate in other languages as it is to be able to operate a com pu ter. mw You may recall that on M ay 31, 1983, that I wrote about the Future o f Local Governments Groups, a coalition o f local elected officials from the C ity, County. Gresham. M etropolitan Officers, and Council lor from East County. The purpose o f that group was to determine and gain consensus of local government. We all recognized that status quo was neither desirable nor possible and we wanted to initiate direction change and organization in an or derly and timely fashion. After a year, the options that sur faced were the form ation o f a new city or comprehensive annexation of unincorporated East M ultnom ah County. The Boundary Comm is sion, a state agency, is the channel through which both options had. The Boundary Commission is the determining agency about the valid ity o f each proposal. The following is the statement I made before that body which repre sents the thinking o f the Future o f Local Governments Group: &NCY W W W ttU-t-. UtiFOFFutWEIf, (té Portland Observer • MMI • ill [O regon N rw .(i.lllf, Publishers Asso, ration T h * P o r lld id O ln e r r e r IU S P S 959 6801 i t published eue,» Thursd«» b» E«ie Publishing Company Inc 220' N o rth Killings w o ilh Portland Oregon 97217 Pott O’ t'ce B o. 3137 P ortland Oregon 97208 Second class pottage paid at Portland Oregon K Iw The Pur i Id i d Observer was established m 1970 Subscriptions »15 00 per year in the Tri County area P o tt m a tte r Send address chenget to the Portland Observer. P O MEMBER Alfredi. Henderson. Editor/Publisher Al Williams. Advertising Manager AssoCfdbon • Founded TM5 * I I I I I I I I I I ! ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ w spoper. PORTLAND OBSERVER News fo r and about you. N ational A dvertising R epräsentative A m a lg am a te d Publisher« Inc N ew York I Subscribe today! I I I would like ■ tubtcriptlon I I to the Portland Observer. Y e t, □ I have enclosed my check or money order for $15. for a one year subscription. PLEASE PRINT Mad to Portland Observe« J I 283 2486 Boa 3137. Portland, Oregon 97208 NNA^ Boi 3137 Portland Oregon 9T20B »■ ■ ■ »■ ■ ■ «a N a m e _,________ _________________ A d d ress ______ __________________ C i t y ________________________ S ta te Z 'P _______ feet, both prosecution witnesses were given narcotics during the en tire trial. R o m Grace, the man who pulled the »rigger, was given life with the poM ibility o f parole in 15 years. Parky Grace, who was innocent, re ceived "N a tu ra l Life Imprison m e n t"— absolutely no parole. R o m Grace has admitted that he shot M organ, and that his brother had nothing to do with the slaying. But since January 24, 1974, Parky Grace has been behind bars. The U.S. Justice Department, the New Bedford police, and the local district attorney all know that Grace is innocent. But the reason for his continuing punishment is political A t W alpole State Prison in Massa chusetts, he was active in a Black prisoner’s caucus. In the mid-1970s he was an advisor with the National Prisoner Rights Association, which lobbied for humane reforms inside prisons. When Grace worked with several sympathetic college profes sors and the American Friends Ser vice Comm ittee to offer college courses and self-awareness w ork shops. penal authorities were alarmed Grace was sent to Mem phis, and four other prisoners who were involved in his constructive projects were transferred to other federal penitentiaries. Despite the beatings, the torture, and the injustice o f his imprison ment, Parky Grace retains his hu m anity— a commitment to struggle Can we afford to let even one per son like this be sacrificed? Contact C .O .N .S .. P .O . Box 1168. Boston, M A 02103, and contribute to the continued legal battle to vindicate Parky Grace. His ordeal is, in no small way, the political battle for justice for all o f the oppressed. oardroom by Gladys McCoy, County Commissioner HAS PeeH A TEST OF ‘L no evidence to put him behind bars permanently O n August «. 1972, M arvin M o r gan o f Providence. Rhode Island, and two other Black men came to New Bedford to purchase drugs. Getting into a scuffle with some lo cal men, M organ was shot and later died. R o m Grace. Parky's brother, committed the shooting; Parky Grace was on the other side o f town that night, and learned o f the inci dent a half-hour later. Grace was ar rested, handcuffed, and was vi ciously beaten on the way to the sta tion head-quarters. Taken to a back room, he was forced to walk through a gauntlet o f officers, who pounded him with fists and clubs. When Grace finally resisted, he was electric-shocked, blackjacked, and clubbed to the floor. His legs were pulled apart and he was repeatedly kicked in the groin; his hands were bloodied and even bitten. The brutal beating left Grace with permanent eye damage, permanent back and side spasms, chipped teeth, scars, bloody urine and testicle pain. But the forces o f "justice” left nothing to chance. Grace's support ers at Boston's Com m unity O rgani zation Toward a New Survival (C .O .N .S .) have evidence which in dicates the bizarre "ra ilro a d ” of Parky Grace. First, an all-white jury was selected. Defense witnesses who could have sworn that Grace was nowhere near the site o f the shooting weren’t subpoenaed. One eyewitness to the crime couldn’t be located. The prosecution forced M organ's friend, Eric Baker, who had outstanding drug charges pend ing against him in Rhode Island, to testify against Grace— and as a re sult, he was given only a six-month sentence and then was paroled. In ■ I I I I I ■ I I I ■ Boundary Commission Members: I am writing as chairperson of the Future o f Local Governments G roup (F L G G ) to comment on the proposed Fairview 'consolidation proposal being reviewd by the Boundary Commission. 1 believe that F L G G ’s discussion and efforts relate directly to the issues faced by the Commission as you analyze the Fairview proposal. F L G G was formed in the Fall of 1982 to facilitate finding solutions to the growing service needs o f mid- M ultnom ah County. F L G G mem bership included representatives from the Cities o f Portland, Gresham and the M etropolitan Ser vice District. T o address these service needs, F L G G agreed on two objectives: to stimulate public interest in resolving the area's long-standing service problems; develop political consen sus within the County on the best solutions to those problems. T w o clear options surfaced dur ing the six months of F L G G study and discussion: ( I ) services provided through annexation to existing full service cities, and (2) form ation o f a new city to be consolidated with Fairview. The F L G G Technical Advisory Committee has developed criteria to evaluate these and other options. Since F L G G ’s overall purpose was to solve th mid-County area'* serious service deficiencies, these * ple having a choice, but please re criteria were designed to measure member that this will be a decision each option's capability to provide o f lasting regional impact. The fu needed services. However, we never ture economic, fiscal and social saw the new city proposal until it health of the entire region depends was presented to you. The standards upon a comprehensive solution to applied in your own staff report the Urban Service needs in mid- closely resemble the F L G G criteria. County. I have read the Boundary C o m The Boundary Commission's re mission S taff Report on the Fair- sponsibility is not simply to pass view consolidation. Ken M artin and along inadequate proposals to “ the the entire staff are to be commended voters.” but to protect and further for their excellent ad proficient the interests o f all residents and work. The staff report clearly points existing jurisdictions in the County. out what I have discovered through Because the proposal before you my efforts with the F L G G group— does not provide for a comprehen that the consolidation proposal does sive solution to the problems, does not meet F L G G 's criteria for solv not provide the kind and level of ing the area's service problems. The services the citizens deserve, I be proposal does not ensure that ser lieve it is your responsibility to re vice needs o f citizens in m id-M ult- ject it and thus allow and encourage nomah County will be met, either in existing full-service cities to con the short-term or long-term. Neigh tinue their service delivery efforts. borhood parks, for example, are as These existing cities have shown sumed to be adequate at today’s both the willingness and the capabil levels. W e know better. Sanitary ities to solve the service problems sewers, needed to prevent health with which we have been wrestling problems and promote new job op for so long. I ’ m convinced, in fact, portunities, are not addressed. That excited, that through working to issue was the most critical as we be gether, we are now on the verge of a gan our deliberations a year ago, renaissance o f economic and com and yet the proposers o f the new city munity growth in mid-County. Let's denied the importance to the city let the neighborhoods and the exist a pit failed ip deal with it then,. ing full-service cities get on with In contrast to the shortcomings o f making it happen. the Fairview proposal, concrete steps are being taken by existing en The Boundary Commission voted tities to provide needed services in November 28 to reject the new city mid-County: idea. This now means other neigh Gresham and Portland have borhoods and East County must de adopted urban services policies that termine if they wish to be annexed commit them to carrying out the to one of the principal cities or planning and investments required remain in unincorported M u ltn o to fu lfill the area's service demand. mah County. M ultnom ah County, Gresham, No doubt there will be more to Portland, and Troutdale have suc this saga and I will want to keep you cessfully pursued a $5.8 million informed. Economic Development Administration grant to help solve the sewer problems in mid-County. Citizens and property owners in Help Dream * Come T ru e. . . two areas— the Colum bia South Even with Sickle Cell Disease, Shore Industrial district and the A r- youngsters can grow up to be gay Terrace residential neighbor engineers, architects, lawyers, hood— have worked to build the nurses and doctors consensus required to bring about Expensive research con service solutions. In both areas, tinues toward finding a cure property owner groups have collect for Sickle Cell Trait and Sickle ed enough signatures to accomplish Cell Anemia Support the triple m ajority annexations and ad National Association for Sickle Cell Disease. Inc and Its local ditional property owner annexation affiliates efforts art- underway in other neigh borhoods. The decision you have before you is obviously a critical one. Some people w ill tell you that the proper (easy) decision is to let "th e people” vote. N o one will argue against peo » » * * S A ISiS S CSV« tlW S» KU I l u IHS» 4M IW MM, W.hhrt BouVverd Suit, 1012 I m Anqrkrx ClMomta 9(1’ 10 i2l,l) 731 llftb • riti» 421 M &3 • Y k * * » ‘4* -, J (
