Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1984)
Page 4 Portland Observer, Octobar 31,1984 EDITORIAL/OPINION -nt vov S ee tow óeocac bush TAKES CAPE of the FlCST X>MAW VlCE-PPESlDENTiAL NOMINEE A M iftlA 6 w ! ffoHtU) PfAàAhf fS 0UÛ H A M ? fWW<*/AíM AMff PB O iPlO lTV A ffi Let's put community first does not run around at all. On November 2, 1983 leaders in the Black commuinity gathered to pull the resources of District 18 behind one candidate to prevent the hum iliation o f Ed Leek's victory over a list o f fragmented Black candidates who split the votes up every which way. During the leadership forum , the p a rtici pants voted C arter the winner, earning her the unquestionable support o f many. On May 15, 1984 the community glowed with her victory as she won two to one over the incum bent, three to one over the loser o f the forum, H arold W illiam s, and four to one over Debnam. That glow diminished to a twinkle as Carter stood voters up last Thursday. She should not expect the Neighborhood C oalition to have the political astuteness o f the League o f W o men Voters. But D istrict 18 voters did show up and the influence o f the m oderator, com bined with two independent panelists, diluted the stacked deck. A politician goes where he or she is called and not to the most convenient or comfortable places. Debnam's unethical behavior seems crim inally insulting to residents who expected a fair and impartial debate. His failure to reme dy this explosive situation added fuel to the fire as honesty, integrity and im p artiality took a back burner to greed, exploitation and manipulation. A ll o f this proves that politics and p o li ticians spend more time working against each other than working together for the good o f the community. On the eve o f the first anniversary o f the District 18 Leadership forum a disgusting dis play o f self-centeredness and political manipu lation occurred at a scheduled debate spon sored by the Northeast Neighborhood Coali tion fo r the Republican Chad Debnam and Democrat M argaret Carter. They are candi dates for State Representative in District 18. This debate never happened. Carter was a no-show because her campaign committee perceived a bias and disorganization surround ing the debates. Debnam gloated as Carter's non-appearance went over like indigestion among the 40-person crowd. But he finally conceded he had stacked the deck to favor himself. The debate ended when a panel mem ber resigned because a member from both campaign committees engaged in a harsh, verbal co n frontation before the audience at the King Neighborhood Facility. This lack o f dialogue left a big information gap as the true concerns, complaints and issues o f residents in D istrict 18 evaporated behind this petty display o f political immatur ity. Residents in District 18 are subjected to a universe o f inequities in a galaxy called Am er ica, on a planet called Portland. O ur children score three grades behind their white counter parts on their scholastic achievement tests; their parents are either unemployed or under employed; and their mothers cannot walk the streets because outsiders regard Northeast Portland as the city's whorehouse. As politically pitiful as it is, both candidates are conspicuously silent on these hard pressing issues. Instead, Debnam runs around crying that C arter w ill not debate him w hile C arter Preserve justice To the Editor. To /Ac Editor, Much has been said and written recently concerning the effects o f Ballot Measure No. 2, the property tax lim itation measure, on schools throughout the state. Rightly so, be cause the effects can be disastrous. Just as in any governm ental agency, or private business for that matter, when revenues are reduced, services must also be reduced. Ballot Measure N o. 2 makes no allowance for providing even the most neces sary o f services. Perhaps we ought to look at w hat happens to our great state when these essential serv ices are reduced. Ask your special districts what they will have to do if Measure 2 passes. Since June 1984 there have been several new districts formed. These districts did not levy taxes in fiscal year 1983-84. Since they did not levy for 1983-84, they can receive no tax revenues fo r 1983-86. N onel T h a t’ s a provision o f B allot M ea sure No. 2. Ballot Measure N o. 2 may solve one problem for the people o f Ore gon; but it w ill create insurmount able problems for years to come. A “ n o " vole is strongly urged in o r der to retain our lifestyle. D O N A L D L. P IC K E N S In recent years, the criminal jus tice system has been the subject o f much debate. C riticism has been leveled at its various components. In response the courts and state legislatures have amended laws and issued new opinions. Groups such as the Oregon Council on Crim e and Delinquency have undertaken major studies, such as the Oregon Prison Overcrowding Project, in an effort to obtain the raw data necessary to support well-reasoned change. A t times, however, emotional pressures come to the fore on particular is sues and serve as the impetus fo r hasty action. Such is the case in Oregon this year with Ballot M ea sure 8, the so-called Victims* Rights Initiative. Ballot Measure 8 purports to be a victims* bill o f rights. It is, how ever, nothing o f the kind. O nly seven of the 20 substantive sections deal with victims* rights. The other remaining sections o f the initiative reveal its true purpose. They are designed to radically alter many o f the long-established p ro cedures which ensure fairness in our courts and to increase the power of prosecutors in an unfair manner. Section 22 is the most troubling section o f Ballot Measure 8. It re peals seven statutes which are at the core o f our definition o f individual rights. These changes would signifi cantly lim it individual liberty by increasing the right o f police o f f i cers to stop and hold people, or . frisk or search them on the street. It would also elim inate laws which help the courts deal with police law lessness. This grouping o f different laws is an abuse o f the in itiative process S TE V E N W A X Legislative Committee Oregon Council on Crime and Delinquency Carter best To th t Editor, l*m voting fo r M argaret C arter for State Representative from Dis trict 18. Margaret has been active in Portland Gray Panthers, Center for Community Health and the Oregon Assembly for Black A ffairs. She is aware o f the people’s needs in Dis trict 18. Margaret is a former instructor at the A lb in a Youth O pportunity School and a counselor at Portland C om m unity College. She works with our young people and knows they represent our future. I urge you to vote for Margaret Carter who has been an active mem ber o f our com m unity and knows how to get things done. Z A C K E K Y E . B O U E Y III Portland Observer >1 MBI » 0«“ M » ,, .,1.0.». Th« P o rtlan d Observer rU S P S 969 M O I Is published «vary Thursday by Eaie Publishing Company. Inc , 2201 North Killings worth. Portland. Oregon 97217. Post Ottica Bo« 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208 Second das« pottage paid at Portland Oregon The P o rtla n d O bserver MEMBER w it ttta b lit h a d in ,970 Subscription! SIS 00 par year in , ha Tri-County sraa Post m a t tar Sand ad drett chsngat to the Portland Observer. P O Bo« 3137 Portland. Oregon 97208 NÊWA pep buociation - Founded t t t i Alfred L. Henderson, Editor/Publisher A i Williams, General Manager IS P O R T M N D OBSERVER □ SlStor one veer □ 126 tor two yaws Boa 3137. Portland OR 97208 I I Iki— f The Observer endorses: W alter M ondale. President Qeraldine Ferraro. Vice-President BALLOT M EASUR E 2: Constitutional Real Property tax limit Our endorsement of the Mondate/Ferraro ticket ia a strong Indictment of tha unfairness of tha Reagan Ad m inistration's genocidal support of South A frica. Reagan's economic policies have redistributed tha wealth of Amarica to create a wider gap between tha havas and tha have-nots. W e faai the Mondeie/ Ferraro Administration will ba fairer to all Americans - not just those making over 880,000 a year. NO on 2. W e aak voters to vote No on 2. W e concede the des perate need for property tax relief end we are disap pointed that tha legislature did not have the guts to draft property tax reform. But the impact of this mea sure would devastate vital services and schools. M ergie Hendriksen, U.S. Senetor Hendriksen has one of tha moat progressive records in tha Oregon Legislature on tha environment. Affirma tive Action and Senior Citizens rights. She has made significant contributions to th a causa of individual freedom. She has backbone and will stand up for what sha believes. She will be a much-naadad voice in Washington. D.C. to represent all Oregonians. U.S. Repreeentatlve. 3rd District Letters to the Editor #2 blues opthmm ! optoinjHiTv' r a * curs.1 283 2486 National Advertising R e p re s e n ta tiv a A m algam ated Publishers. Inc N aw York S il? No endorsem ent Ron W yden <D>, Draw Davis (R ). W yd en ’s refusal to ba an active opponent of South Africa and hie support of tha Sullivan principals, which makes apartheid more com fort a We for tha oppressed, is enough for us not to encourage voters to mark their ballots for him. Davis has no active political record that reflects tha concerns and issues of our readership. Therefore, wa issue no endorsem ent for W yden or Davis. Barbara Roberta, Secretary of State Roberts has a solid record of service to woman, work ers and people of color. Also, her experience as Majority Leader in Oregon’s House of Repraeentativee is enough for us to encourage voters to mark their ballots for her. Grattan Karana, State Treasurer His support for divestment of Stata funds in South Africa proves ha would financially stick up for tha ex ploited. exposed and unrepresented. W illiam (Bill) M cCoy. Stata Senator. District 8 M cCoy seems to ba much m ore in touch w ith the community in the general election than ha was In the primary. His experience in tha Senate should produce results for residents in tha dhSrict. M argaret Carter, Stata Repreeentatlve. District 18 Carter is tha beat qualified to repreaent tha concerns of tha district. She speaks out and tries to ba informed on the issues. Portland City Council Dual endorsem ent of H e rb C a w th o r n a and B ill Delz. The Portland Observer urges voters to mark the ballots for either Cawthorna or Deiz. C aw thorne's School Board record, his dedication to progressive issues, his early support and work for the presidential candidacy of Jesse Jackson, prove he will be a pro gressive voice on the City Council. Deiz’s experience working on Mike Lindberg's staff and his eccesaability proves he would be a fair Commissioner. Carolina M illar, County Commissioner, Position No. 3 Miller's support for the elderly, the young end the helpless is a much-needed voice on the County Com mission. Always available. Miller could instruct other politicians on the who, whet, when, where end why of citizen participation in county government. Gretchen Kafoury, County Commlssionar Position No. 2 K afoury gava up har Seat in Salem because she believed in the self-determination of tha community. Har political record and Human Service experience demonstrates that she will represent the district fairly, competently and progressively BALLOT MEASURE 3: Create Citizens' Otiity Board (CUB) to represent the interest of utility consumers YES on 3 Currently consumers have no voice in th e rate- making process since the one-person Public U tility Commissioner has no backbone to stand up against rate increases constantly requested by the Utilities. Voters should ask themselves, “ H ow much will my Utility bills rise because of the company's expensive opposition to Ballot Measure 3?'* The voluntary mem bership group. CUB, will also provide invaluable con sumer information to tha public as fairness is restored to tha process of rate sotting. B A LLO T M E A 8 U R E 4: Constitutional amendment establishing State Lottery Com mission. BALLOT M EASURE B: Statutory Provisions for state operated lottery if constitutionally authorized. N O on4B 6 W ho will reap the economic development benefits that this measure promises? The m ajority of players will likely be low end middle-income end non-whites, but there ere no provisions to ensure that these groups will benefit. Also, there is an ethical question involved since a major m anufacturer o f lottery tickets helped write the meesure. BALLOT M EA 8U R E 6: Exempts Coath Sen tencing from constitutional guarantees against cruel, vind ctive punishment BALLOT M E A 8U R E 7: Requires by statute death or mandatory imprisonment for aggra vated murder. N O on687. There is something morally wrong with an "eye for an eye" justice system. The majority of inmates on tha death row are Black males. W e concede the need for corrective punishment but edding the death penalty to an already unfair criminal justice system is not tha BALLO T M E A 8 U R E 8: Revises numerous criminal laws concerning police power, trials, evidence and sentencing. NO on 8. This measure is mistitled "Victims' Rights." It should be called the police rights measure. It hes 26 separate provieions that have little or nothing to do with victim's rights. It would allow illegally obtained evidence to be ueed in court end tilt the scales of justice unfairly. BALLOT M E A S U R E 9: Adds requirements for disposing of wastes containing naturally o c c u rrin g ra d io a c tiv e w a s te s . YES on 9. Any restrictions on radioactive waste should be wel comed by all Oregonians. Pollution of ground water is already a major problem in many areas of the coun try. These basis health and safety provisions will give our children a chance to survive in the 21st Century BALLOT M EA8UR E 28: Justice Serial Levy. Michael Marcus FOR JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT DEPARTMENT 13* NO on 28. This is a disguised jail levy. A large part of tha funds are targeted for opening up older jails. Tha funds w8l coma from property taxes th at are too high as it is. Other sources of revenue need to be explored to coun ter tha criminal on tha streets. Ap, - state ZIP VOTE TUESDAY NOV. 6TH
