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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1985)
« • . • . 7 : » A»« »»«»'< Portland Observer, January 16, 1985, Page editorial / opinion Put S. Africa on trial The refusal o f District Court Judge Charles Guinasso to grant ju ry trials to defendants par ticipating in the protest against a South African Honorary Consulate is equivalent to practicing apartheid with American laws. The District Attorney’s tactic o f re-classifying the charge o f trespassing to attempted trespass ing sidesteps the right o f Americans to a ju ry trial as guaranteed in our Bill o f Rights. The very existence o f a South African Consu late in Portland is criminal. He is an ambassador of inhumanity whose sole interest is to promote the business interest o f a country that would have made A dolf Hitler proud. The Judge and District Attorney are trying to defuse a national civil rights movement that has already exploded. Since Thanksgiving Eve '84, 487 civic, political and religious leaders have tres passed and protested the continuing presence of South Africans in the United States. In Portland, the guilt or innocence o f the “ Free South A frica ” defendants should no, be decided by one person. Portlanders should learn the statistics o f slavery that affect the lives o f the majority population. We need to put South Africa on trial. The burden is on Mayor Bud Clark to pu, the matter in perspective by declaring Van Pelt’s presence to be a violation o f local laws. Clark should fo l low the example o f Seattle’s Mayor Royer, who asked South A frica to close their consulate in the Emerald City. Any promotion o f South African interests is a promotion o f Nazism. M orally, the greatest sin is to remain silent when a crime is committed. Van Pelt’s business activities are a crime and he should honor the request visitors have made — resign. Justice is not for the convenience of the Judge or the District Attorney. Their job descriptions call fo r them to protect and serve the citizens and no, to censor, dilute or repress. We urge you to call the D istrict A ttorney, demanding a ju ry trial for the “ Free South A f rica” defendants. Freedom fo r the m ajority Blacks is only hours away. These minute exam ples of tolerating oppression are against the laws of humanity. Keeping the consulate open makes all o f us accessories to a crime. Locally and nationally, a tidal wave o f con cern is drow ning out the excuses fo r keeping consulates operational. The “ Free South A f rica” defendants are demanding an end to the destruction o f a people and the rape o f the land. Join the winning side. Demand a ju ry trial for the defendants and the resignation o f South African Consulate Van Pel,. The Supreme C o u rt recently handed down a decision broadening the power o f school o ffic ia ls to search students’ lockers. The Street Beat team asked, " D o you think this is fair?” Cheryl M a d d o x H ospital W o rk e r "N o , i t ’s not fair to th e s tu dent. How would they like some one searching their office?" David DePass W areho u sem an "No, everyone should have the right to privacy, no matter where they are at." S tep h an ie V o lk m a n H om em aker "I would leel tw o ways about it. I 'would hate to see it spread to other situations, but as a former teacher I know these Jactics are needed Joel Zalin R egistered Nurse I think it is a necessary evil It s important to keep our schools safe for kids and teachers " Bill T rau th am Student "T h e y should have p ro bat cause along with certain guid k ie s " •* MMI ' J im m y H end o n Painter " N o , I think th ey should re spect people's property " Portland Observer The 1‘orlhirut Observer was established in 1970 Subscriptions 115 00 per year in the Tri County area Post m aster Send address changes to the t'o n lan d Observer. P 0 Bo» 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208 A lfr e d I.. H enderson. E d ito r/P u b lis h e r Ssiociahon - Founded IM S A ! W i Ilia ms. G en eral M anager Oregon's role in apartheid by M arcus ( hen l ham The extent o f O re g o n ’ s eco no m ic relations w ith S outh A fric a , and this stale's stu b b o rn refusal to recognize and deal w ith this problem are shock ing. Com pared w ith many other stales O re g o n ap pe ars b a c k w a rd . O u r p o w e rfu l business lo b b y , in c lu d in g the T re a su re r's o ffic e and the H o n o ra ry S o u th A fr ic a n c o n s u l C a lv in Van P e lt, squash e ffo r ts at c u ttin g lin k s w ith the w o r ld ’ s m o st ra cist society. O re g o n is even a source fo r “ m ilita ry a id " to apartheid. M any Oregon hanks provide South A fr ic a w ith loans needed to im p o rt the o il and te c h n o lo g y essential fo r s u rv iv a l B an ks lik e the B ank o f Boston and Banner Bank have made such loans. O ne o f the w orst o ffe n d ers is Sea, ir s t, a d iv is io n o f Bank o f A m e ric a . It has lo an ed n e a rly JfM) m illio n d o lla rs to South A fr ic a and it ow ns c o n tro llin g interest in South W est A fr ic a B ank in the h e a rt o f N a m ib ia 's p illa g e d d ia m o n d fields. F irst In te rs ta te Bank is a p ro b le m , too. A lth o u g h it has not made loans, it is p a rtly ow ned by Bank o f A m e r ic a , one o f S o u th A f r ic a 's best friends It is e s tim a te d th a t the U .S . is S o u th A f r ic a 's le a d in g s u p p lie r o f go od s a n d services, so it is n o s u r prise that a nu m be r o f O regon bu si nesses invest there. Tcledyne owns 18 pe rcen t o f O c c id e n ta l P e tro le u m whose S o u th A fr ic a n s u b s id ia rie s include fe rtilize r and m achinery co m panies H e w le tt P a cka rd has 270 em ployees in S ou th A fr ic a and p ro vides the regime w ith over 38 m illio n d o lla rs in high tech nolog y c o m p o n ents w ith clear m ilita ry a p p lica tio n s. O re g o n 's Cascade C o rp o ra tio n also has a p la n t in S o u th A f r ic a w h ic h makes fo r k lift attachments. t hese investments are attractive to our businesses because money is saved by paying ro ck b o tto m wages. E m p loye rs d re am o f p a yin g wages be tween l(M) and 300 dollars a m on th in this c o u n try . In South A fr ic a it is a reality. M any O regonians and the O regon Slate governm ent ow n slock in co m panies that operate in S ou th A fric a fo r the same reason. O wners o f stock in N o r th W est B a n c o rp s h o u ld be aw are th a t it ow ns p a rt o f N o rw e st C o rp o ra tio n w ith 2.5 m illio n do lla rs in loans to S o u th A fr ic a . W id e ly held W estern Bank is owned by First Interstate B a n co rp , m en tion ed e a r lier The w orst o ffe n d e r is o u r ow n state governm ent. Il invests 20 to 25 percent o f o u r state p e n sio n fu n d , PERS, in com panies that operate in South A fric a . I f you are a state em ployee that means your pension fund is used to s u p p o rt a p a rth e id . T h e Stale Board o f Higher Education also invests its endow m ent funds in co m panies in South A frica. F o rty to f i f t y O re g o n m a n u fa c turers and traders get in on the act. Dozens o f O re g o n je w e le rs im p o r t and sell the k ru g e rra n d , a S o u th A fr ic a n g o ld c o in m ade so a ttr a c tiv e ly in e xp e n sive because A fr ic a n m in ers a rc p a id o n ly 200 d o lla r s a m onth and w ork in unsafe conditions. O re g o n ’ s D . D . M o o re is a le ad ing im p o rte r o f South A fric a n precious stones. A n d here is w here we com e to O re g o n ’ s " m ilit a r y a id .” A c c o rd ing to In te rn a tio n a l E x p o rte rs IW 4 the Law re nce G eorge C o m p a n y on S o u th w e st 1st ha been s e llin g h o l sters, scabbards, and r if le slings to South A fric a , and M ic h a e l’s o f O re gon C o m p a n y on N o rth w e st G lisa n has exported gun com ponents to the apartheid state. They arc led by Pre c is io n C a s tp a rts , h o w e ve r, p a rt o f whose 20 m illio n d o lla rs in in te rn a tion al sales o f a ircra ft parts has gone to South A fr ic a under K o n a ld Rea gan’s constructive engagement policy. Oregonians have not stood by while their brothers and sisters made money o i l racism . T h e c ity o f Eugene has urged jewelers to slop selling the k ru g e rra n d . T h e M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty C o u n c il has c a lle d on the state to cut its ties to South A fric a . Numerous churches and u n io n s have taken in vestments out o f com panies in South A fr ic a . But these are n o n -b in d in g re s o lu tio n s . W h e n it com es to real action O regon drags its feet. In each o f the last three sessions o f the stale legislature b ills were defeated w hich w o u ld have take n O re g o n ’ s pension fu n d o u t o f S o u th A f r ic a . D iv e s t m e n t, as it is c a lle d , is a safe and po w e rfu l way o f saying no to racism w h ich has w o rk e d w e ll in a num ber o f o th e r states. L ik e o th e r u n iv e rs i ties across the c o u n try , O regon c o l lege stud ents and the S tate B o a rd o l H ig h e r E d u c a tio n vote d to take their endowm ent funds out o f South A frica , but the A tto rn e y General and c ir c u it c o u rt have ru le d th a t they c a n 't d o it. T hey say i t ’ s not " p r u d e n t." I f th is m akes y o u m a d , th e re is plenty you can do. Take your money out o f banks that loan to S outh A f rica. D o n 't buy fro m companies that invest in o r trade w ith South A fric a , Talk to you r co-w orkers and church members to fin d o u t i f you r pension fun d or chu rch invests in com panies that do business w ith S ou th A fr ic a . I t ’s easy. M ost o f the in fo rm a tio n for this a rtic le cam e fr o m The U n ifie d L is t o f U .S. C o m p a n ie s in S o u th A fric a a n d N a m ib ia published by the Pacific Northwest Research Center in Eugene. As m ore and m ore O re g o n ians fin d o u t ju s t h o w m uch th is state sup po rts a p a rth e id pressure to cut the links grows. M arcus Cheatham is a m em ber o f P ortla nd ers O rgan ize d f o r S outhern A fr ic a n f reedom ( P O S A fj. a lo c a l m u lti r a c ia l c itiz e n s a c tio n s g r o u p th a t supports Hlaclc m a jo rity ru le in S outhern A fr ic a a n d an end to U.S. s u p p o rt f o r a p a rth e id , f o r m o re in fo rm a tio n c a ll 230 9427. Cawthorne campaigners reunion th e l ‘iir ila n il Observer 7USPS 959 6801 i t published every Thursday by Ene Publishing Company. Inc . 2201 Norlh Killings worth Portland. Oregon 97217 Post Office Bo« 3137. Portland Oregon 9721« Second dess postage paid at Portland Oregon member O N SO U TH AFR IC A 283 2486 National Advertising Representative A m algam ated Publishers. Inc N ew York (C o n tin u e d fro m Page I, C o lum n 6/ and energetic volunteer crew could have overtaken Bogle "W e needed another six weeks and we could have cleared that gap," she said The campaigners felt that E3oglc sat back on his name and dc-emptiasized the issues while Cawthorne ran a grassrixXs, issue-oriented campaign This left Caw- thome open, they said, to Bogle’s seizing on Caw ihornc’s stands on the em otion ally charged issues o f pro stitu tion , the nuclear free zone and Nicaragua sister city, as a way to scare votes in Bogle's direction. One thin g Bogle d id n ’ t have was a crew o f MM) volunteers who pul in un accountable hours canvassing, p h on ing, sending out mailings, blitzing d ix ir to door and putting up lawn signs. The volunteers professionally lo o k on the re s p o n s ib ilitie s o f a c a m p a ig n that wasn't run by a high-pow ered public- relations firm and a ba tte ry o f co m p u te rs , said v o lu n te e r c o o r d in a to r Pam I.. S m ith . " O u r c o m p u te r was a ‘ PLS m o d e m '," said C a w th o rn e , re fe rrin g to S m ith ’ s p iv o ta l ro le in day to day campaign coordination. " I n one two-day period tow ard the end o f the campaign, there were p ro b ably almost .300 people doing th in g s ," said Sm ith. "W e had 141 phone lines that were donated fro m several busi ncsscs and over l(M) people o u t ca n vassing (in the ra in ), " w h ic h is the hardest thing to do in a po litica l cam p a ig n , " said W o o le y . A lto g e th e r, over 40 precincts were canvassed and .35 were p h o n e d , u sin g s p e c ia lly coded com puter prin t-o u ts. The can vassing was so efficient that some can vassers were surprised to pass o th e r canvassers w o rking their way th io u g h neighborhoods on o p p o site -ru n n in g cross streets. A ll th is v o lu n te e r a c tiv ity lo o k place in spite o f the bu rno ut factor o f having already won the prim ary cam p a ig n , fo llo w e d by the p re s id e n tia l e le c tio n and the h o lid a y s . "P e o p le cam e o u t because it was s o m e th in g they believed in , " said V irg in ia H ar ris , " a d m in is t r a t iv e a s s is ta n t" in charge o f s c h e d u lin g f o r the c a m paign. " I th in k one e x c itin g th in g ab ou t the com position o f the campaign was that it was re a lly m u lti r a c ia l," said Stein. " I l was a great experience fo r people to come together in that w a y.” "T h e night we w on the p r im a r y ," said W o o le y , " i f y o u cam e to the election headquarters, w hat you had there was a diverse cross sectio n o l races, ages, occupations........... it was a diversity that I d o n ’ t thin k any other candidate could say they had. Il really re fle cte d w hat the c a n d id a te repre sents." )
