Pape 2, Portland Observer, November 7, 1984
T H E Y 'R E S U teG -N A T lO N A L lS -n C A N D
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EDITORIAL/OPINION
6 un 6-H o
for
R eagan .'
Rainbow must push forward
The R eagan/B ush tid alw ave Tuesday
drow ned the progressive aspirations o f m il
lions o f Am ericans who are casualties o f an
economic policy that takes from the poor to
give to the rich.
The Reagan/Bush landslide smothered the
hopes o f many for the fairness that is incor
porated in the c o n s titu tio n o f the U n ite d
States, a constitution written for all the people
and not just a few.
The R eagan/B ush re-election road was
paved by m a n ip u la tin g m isconceptions.
Am ong the greatest misconception p ropa
gated by the Reagan/Bush campaign was the
need to cut social programs or pull the so-
called gravy-train back. In reality, this gravy-
train never hit the tracks. In 1964, forces that
controlled America capitulated to the demands
o f fairness and retribution. Programs to allevi
ate hunger, rebuild the cities and educate all
Am ericans were discussed, designed and, in
some cases, im plem ented. The A m erican
dream was made imaginable because jobs, op
portunity for higher education and better life
styles were offered to all; regardless o f income.
Four years later the Nixon Administration
was voted in and pulled up the tracks o f this
so-called gravy-train. Programs were cut in
half, eliminated or shelved. What is frighten
ingly shortsighted are the views o f many who
currently decry this half a decade o f hope. In
1984 the prevailing thought seems to be, “ I got
mine — and later for someone else."
The influence o f Dem ocratic Presidential
candidate Jesse Jackson will always be under
stated and unobserved. But let the history
books show that Jackson was the first to com
mit himself to placing a woman on the ticket,
and the only one who backed up his words
with action by negotiating the freedom o f L t.
Robert Goodman and Americans from Cuban
jails.
Although the Reagan/Bush Administration
might think they have a mandate to continue
their nuclear nightmare diplomacy, their at
tacks on A ffirm a tiv e Action and their crim
inal support o f South A frica, the progressive
forces in America must not lie dormant as we
mourn our losses. The mandate is for the is
sues, concerns and goals o f the Rainbow Coa
lition to continue to be expressed at a consistent
pace, and sometimes in a c o n fro n ta tio n a l
manner.
As the winds o f w ar blow over C e n tra l
America and the poverty rolls increase, with
lopsided governm ental policies taking their
to il, we may end up with four more years o f
long, cold winters and four more years of long,
hot summers.
Election results bittersweet
The political results in Portland for candi
dates and B allot Measures are bittersweet.
But all is not bleak. The utility companies
tried to put a "boondoggle" over the minds of
voters with their m illion dollar opposition to
Ballot Measure 3, the Citizens* U tility Board.
Voters now have a chance, a voice, and dele
gates to say " n o " to the steady stream o f util
ity increases. The Citizens* U tility Board or
ganizers need to be com mended fo r never
wavering from their main points, despite the
constant, direct and negative campaigning of
the " N o on Three Committee.”
Candidatewise, we hope the 17 losing City
Council candidates learned something — espe
cially the Black candidates with embarrassing
small showing among the voters. They should
ask themselves, "W as it worth it?" and "N ext
time will I represent myself, a constituency or
my community?"
Also, the results may signal and end to the
"professional politician" who resigns in mid
term from one elected office to run for anoth
er. Political strategy does not always end with
the same results one drafted on paper when
the voters overwhelmingly vote down so-called
experience for accountability, progressiveness
and a new face, fresh voice.
The victories o f H e rb C a w th o rn e , Dick
Bogle and Margaret Carter is a sign that all is
not lost. We, as a community and members of
the Rainbow Coalition, have come a long way
in such a short time. As D r. Darrell M illner
said, "These people are going to serve in City
H all and in Salem. That is a tremendous step
forw ard for the Black com m unity. For that
kind o f progress to take place in less than a
decade is an indication o f the potential in the
Black community.*'
I'LL BET WE COULD CHANGE THAT
IE WE 6OT OUT AMO
O Q & AN1ZED
EOC WHAT?
”0 .
ON SOUTH AFRICA
have to sterilize women after one or
two children.
W h e n D o ro th y N y e m b e , S o uth
A f r ic a ’ s lo n g est-s ervin g w om an
p o litic a l p ris o n e r, was fin a lly re
leased fro m prison in A p ril, she re
p o rte d th a t w om en sentenced fo r
p olitical " c rim e s " are treated even
m ore badly than men. She was not
allo w e d to study or to read news
papers during her 13-year sentence.
Prison au th orities denied her visits
fro m her f a m ily , and letters were
held up because they were not w rit
ten in English.
August 9 is S o uth A fr ic a n W o
m e n ’ s D a y , c o m m e m o ra tin g the
m assive p ro tests o f 1956 ag ain st
the extension o f the infam ous pass
laws to w o m e n . 1984 has been
nam ed the Y e a r o f the W o m a n in
South A fric a . But fo r the rulers o f
the apartheid regime it is still busi
ness as usual:
— W hen M rs . A n n ie Silinga, 74,
died in June o f this y e a r, she had
spent n early 30 years hou n ded by
South A frican authorities for her re
fusal to carry a pass. She had been
deported several times to the T ran -
skei bantustan, and in the last years
o f her life was denied a pension.
— Miss Doris N d o li Setlhoke was
b ro u g h t to t r ia l in J a n u a ry th at
her dress o f black, green and gold —
the A N C 's co lo rs — en dangered
South A frican security.
— M rs. W innie M andela has lived
under constant police surveillance
and re stric ted by b an n in g o rd ers
since 1977. N e ve rth eless , she has
Dear Friend,
P o rtlan ders O rg an ized fo r Sou
thern A fric a n Freedom (P O S A F ),
Am erican Friends Service C o m m it
tee (A F S C ) and the A fr ic a n S tu
dents Association at Portland State
University, invite you (a n d /o r your
organization) to participate in a rare
comm unity event.
Portia Buites (pronounced Bates),
a Black South A fric a n w om an and
currently a student at O regon State
U n iv e r s ity , w ill be the fe a tu re d
speaker on a special evening p ro
g ram d evo ted to le a rn in g a b o u t
the ro le o f A fr ic a n w om en in the
struggle fo r South A fr ic a n lib e ra
tion. The date is Saturday, N ovem
ber 10, 1984, fro m 7 - 10 p .m ., at
M t. Olivet Baptist Church, 116 N .E .
Schuyler.
In S o u th A f r ic a , B lac k w om en
are regarded by governm ent lab or
p olicies as " s u rp lu s B a n t u " o r
"s u p e rflu o u s ap p en d a g e s." They
su ffer a burden o f oppression and
h u m iliatio n even heavier than that
im posed on B lack m e n . B arred
fro m nearly a ll w ork except in d o
mestic service or as fa rm laborers,
w om en are releg ated — to g e th e r
w ith c h ild re n , o ld people and the
d isab led — to the im p o v e ris h e d ,
disease-ridden bantustan areas.
Mothers relocated by government
fia t have been fo rc ib ly separated
from their children, some o f whom
have starved to d eath as a re su lt.
Wives are separated from their hus
bands w ho must liv e in a ll-m a le
hostels near factories or mines.
A rro g a n t co n te m p t fo r w om en
has lon g been a h a llm a rk o f the
South A fric a n govern m en t. W h ite
interpretations o f A frican tradition
al law have kept them in the status
o f p e rm a n e n t m in o rs , u n a b le to
own or inherit p ro perty, enter into
contracts, sue or be sued, or even to
act as the g u a rd ia n s o f th e ir ow n
children.
T h e In te r n a tio n a l D e fen se and
A id F u n d ( I D A F ) re p o rts th a t in
M a y o f this year, a Cabinet M in is
ter and a P r o v in c ia l C o u n c ilo r
went even fu rth e r, arguing fo r en
f o r c e d s t e r i l iz a t io n o f B ie c k
w o m e n . Unless B lacks get aw ay
fro m the idea th at " w e breed and
th ey f e e d ," said C o u n c ilo r D .
C a m p h e r, the g o v ern m e n t w o u ld
struggled to operate a medical clinic
fo r poor people liv in g near the re
mote village o f B ra n d fo rt to which
she is confined.
W e hope that Black w om en’ s o r
g a n iza tio n s an d th e ch u rch c o m
m unity w ill make a special e ffo rt to
come out and support this event. It
is a courageous act to speak about
w h a t is c u rre n tly d e v e lo p in g in
S o u th A f r ic a , w hen th e re is the
very real possibility o f retaliation by
the South A fric an government. W e
can do no less than show o ur sup
port fo r P o rtia Buites* courageous
willingness to share with us.
T h e even ing p ro g ra m w ill also
fe a tu re a film : " S o u th A fr ic a Be
longs T o U s , " p o e try re ad in g s,
and a p erfo rm an ce by the T a lk in g
D ru m Dancers. A reception featur
ing A fric a n fo o d , co-hosted by the
Black Ed ucation al C enter, w ill fo l
low the program. There is no charge
fo r the even t, how ever d o n atio n s
are welcome.
P o rtlan ders O rg an ize d fo r Sou
thern A fric a n Freedom , a co-spon-
sor o f this e v en t, is a lo c al m u lti
ra c ia l a c tio n g ro u p th a t supports
B lac k M a jo r it y ru le in S o u th ern
A fric a and an end to U .S . Support
for apartheid.
Please share this letter with others
a n d /o r your m em bership and jo in
us in w elco m in g P o r tia Buites on
Novem ber 10th. F o r more in fo rm a
tion please call me at 230-9427.
A V E L O O R D L Y . Director
A F S C Southern A fric a
Program for P O S A F
A .M . PRINTING CO.
2201 N. Killingaworth
—_
Phone:283-2487
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M eet Merbet: Lloyd M erbet holde up thè Ore-
gonlen ad that opponente of Ballot Maaaure No. •
ran prlor to tha eleotlon. Votara paaaad tha mee-
aura Tuesday requiring naw waata aafaty regu
lations daaplta tha negative antl-M arbat oam-
palgn waged by opponanta.
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MEMBER
pep
A u ocfU on - Founded 19tS
A lf red L. Henderson, Editor/Publisher
A l Williams, General Manager
Dist. 1 seat first for minorities
Many residents felt Debnam's busi
ness platform was stronger than C art
er's. Tolton said. "Thai's possible, but
it takes more than business to make the
world go around. You have to have a
good m ixture o f business and social
issues.And you must understand how
to put those iuues together."
On January 14, 1985 M argaret
C a rter w ill be sworn in. " T h e cam
paign is over but the Job is just be
ginning," she added.
Her priorities will be education and
skill development.
Tha campaign was not w ithout its
negative side as sexism was interjected
into it. " I t was clear that certain ele
ments in the com m unity wanted a
male. On one occasion one man physi
cally picked me up and said it was a
man's race." This same person showed
up at her victory party. " I 'm glad to
see him here. People should let by
gones by bygones," Carter said.
She added that her race was one
for all the people in the district. "Now
we can gel behind issues that will en
rich our community."
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