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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
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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."
)