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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1985)
Page 2, Portland Observer, February 20, 1966 I M Socey we w e To foîeopîe ow <wc faons , but A60<uuvee t< EDITORIAL/OPINION ANO THE FAMILY FACA6 1$ THE ViCTiNt OF CHAN6IWÛ ECONOMIC C tA U T ifc $ IN TCANStTiOKZ... Honor our elders BUT SOCIETY DOES OWE \OU PEOPLE As Black H is to ry M o n th progresses, there is one historical contribution constantly overlooked. The foundation, sacrifice and resiliency o f P o rt landers born between 1900-1940. It was this hon ored generation who weathered the storm o f op pression, poverty and inequality. Also, those Black families who were drawn to Portland from the South to fill a labor gap created after the bombing o f Pearl Harbor in W orld W ar I I . They w orked on the railroad or in the ship yards and their contributions to the growth o f the Pacific Northwest demands that they be viewed and defined as pioneers. M a n y in our over-40 population are industri ous and com m itted to helping their families live as comfortably as possible. In 1966, Gospel Singer Mahalia Jackson said it best when appraising who was behind the social challenges o f the 1960s: “ W hen I hear people talking about communists being behind the college students I have to laugh. It ’s not communists. I t ’s the Negro mothers who believe it’s time for their children to fight for their rights and a good education.” M an y in the honored generation had their fo r mal education terminated before they completed elementary school. In spite o f overwhelming overt discrim ination, they were able to give their chil dren decent clothes, nourishing fo o d , a high school and college education. Street eat The generations o f the 60s and 70s have forgot ten the sacrifices their predecessors endured to achieve a higher quality o f life for their grandchil dren. Thus, they now lounge around living with the misconception that the world was created by them, for them. This “ spoiled ro tten ” perspec tive threatens everything that has been achieved. Adding insult to injury, this generation treats Sen ior Citizens as if they had the plague instead o f remembering that they have the medicine o f life — wisdom. Now, we arc not war mongers or crisis seekers, but if this generation could experience what their grandparents overcam e they w ould appreciate everyday com fort, the ability to go to school and the freedom to speak their minds a great deal more. As Black History M onth does a rollcall o f con tributions, let’s not look elsewhere to award acco lades while ignoring those at home who deserve it. T o those in this honored generation, thank you for refusing to ride in the back o f the bus. Thank you for desegregating public and private facilities. And, thank you, for working 12-hour days to pay the mortgage and feed your families. Il would be ludicrous to credit our achievements to the public schools, social agencies, the federal government or to politicians. The sacrifices, re siliencies and loyalties instilled in us by you have and will continue to provide us with the strength to recuperate and overcome. The Street Beat team gave Oregonians a chance to assess their city with "W h at things would you like to see more of, and what would you like to sec less of, in the City o f Portland.” by Lanita Duke and Richard J. Brown SONETRtWó, ANO WELL TAtÆ CÁBEOF V D U - ON SOUTH AFRICA by Marcus Cheatham apartheid organizations in Seattle. Seafirst had been among the largest sources o f funds fo r South A fric a , thus their decision is viewed as a dra matic victory. In a January 16 article in this col umn it was incorrectly reported that Seafirst was still making loans to South A frica, however the new policy was adopted in September, 1984 and made public in December. POSAF is pleased to set the record straight. The following is the text of a Seafirst memo announcing the new policy: There are growing signs that the movement to cut American links with South Africa is meeting with success. O ffic ia lly South A fric a denies that international pressure w ill have any impact on apartheid. But more and more voices are being heard from within the South African establishment calling for change. W hether such change will be meaningful — on the terms o f the Black m a jo rity rather than the W hite minority — will be in part determined by the success o f the effort to isolate the apartheid regime. Many Observer readers may already be aware that Seafirst, a large Seattle bank, has joined the ranks o f those refusing to make more loans to South A fric a. In the past five years, U .S . loans to South Africa more than tri pled. Staunching this flow of funds is a major goal of the Free South Africa Movement. Seafirst made their decision under considerable pressure from a n ti 1 SEAFIRST SOUTH AFRICA POLICY Seafirst has no investments in South Africa, nor will it make such invest ments. — Seafirst will not sell Krugerrands, o ffic ia l gold coins m inted by the government of South Africa. Seafirst has no offices or employees in South Africa, nor docs it consider South A frica as a “ m arket” for any activities of this corporation Seaftrst’s primary mission is to serve consumer and business markets with a presence in the northwestern United Slates. Seafirst w ill review this policy if South A fric a makes changes in its legal system to eliminate apartheid. Seafirst's South Africa policy is based on the belief that the South African government's official policy of apartheid is racist and regressive. In no way will Seafirst condone or support apartlieid —The official policy of Seafirst Hank is that it will make no loans to South Africa. — Seafirst has no loans to South Africa at this time. Marcus Cheatham is a member of Portlanders Organized fo r Southern African Freedom (POSAF), a local multi-racial citizens action group that supports Black m ajority rule in sou thern Africa and an end io U.S. sup p o rt f o r apartheid. For m ore infor mation call 230-9427. Why we should remember Malcolm X Along the Color Line by Dr. Mannirg Marable Marty Montgomery Homemaker ” l*d like to see less rain. Most o f the things I want to see more of, people are w ork ing o n.” Nicola Baaalay Student " M o r e sport activities for teenagers and less drunk drivers.” Kan Bowden Utility Worker “ M ore community involve ment at every level in politics and economic. Also, more unity in the Black community in the age groups of 20-40. We need less o f this non-trust." W hat is the relevance o f El M a jj M a lik El Shabazz (M alco lm X ) to Black struggles o f the 1980s? First, M alco lm is an ideal role model for Black youth. Part o f his greatness as a social figure was derived from his oppressed origins. M alco lm began adulthood as “ Detroit Red," a small time ghetto hustler who was sentenced to a ten year prison term (aside prison he transformed himself, struggling to overcome his lack o f education and political backwardness. H e became the powerful minister of Temple Num ber Seven in H arlem o f E lija h M u hammad’s Nation o f Islam. W ord of his sermons brought hundreds of poor and w orking class Black people to gether to hear the message Malcolm's life illustrates graphically the inherent power we all have to challenge our own weaknesses, self-hatred and fears to become leaders and participants in the struggle for Black freedom. We remember Malcolm X because he loved us, despite the social and political contradictions w ithin our Martha Moaa Warahouaa Worker " M o r e c o n s t r u c t io n . H a ve n 't seen enough w ork. Also, I would like to hear less o f people talking about how w e ll-o ff they are, when they really don't know.” '/» MBI • ” 1 want to see grade schools closer together and less kids out on the street after 9 p .m .” Portland Observer «apneas Thg P ortland O b w rver fU S P S 959 680) it published every Thursdey by E«»e Publishing Company. Inc . 2201 North Killings worth. Portland. Oregon 97217. Post Office Bo« 3137. Portland. Oregon 972QB Second class postage paid at Portland Oregon X« «oc. anon - rounded »MS ( 115 fex one year 125 fo» tw o Mr 8 M» Subscriptions 1 15 00 psi year in ths I r County srss Post m aster Send address changes to ths Porllend Observer. P O Bo» 3137. Portland Oregon 97208 A lfred L. Henderson, Editor/Publisher A l Williams, General Manager fT o ""” I H oi 3137 Portland OR 9 72flR The Portland O b w v r r was estab, bed m 1970 MEMBER com m unity. In his autobiography, M alcolm notes that after hours on the speaking platform, he would "b e come so choked up sometimes I would w alk in the streets until late into the night. Sometimes I would speak to no one for hours, thinking to myself about what the white man had done to our poor people here in Am er ica.” D u rin g a period when most Afro-American leaders favored non violent tactics, Malcolm urged activists to start “ rifle clubs” to defend their neighborhoods and families against police b ru tality and w hite vigilante violence. When perplexed white jo u r nalists asked M alcolm why he taught “ Black suprem acy,” M a lc o lm ’s re sponse was to "p o u r on pure Tire in return” : " F o r the white man to ask the Black man if he hates him is just like the rapist asking the raped, or the w o lf asking the sheep, 'D o you hate me?’ The w hite man is in no moral position to accuse anyone else of hate!" Contemporaries recognized that M alco lm articulated , as John Lewis once w rite, "th e aspirations, bitterness, and frustrations o f the Negro people.” We remember M alcolm X because he was one o f the very few Black leaders o f the period who recognized the limitations o f "in te g ratio n '' as a political dem and. W hen civil rights leaders condemned M alcolm for fa voring racial segregation, he exhibited a surer grasp of Black social history. " I l is not a case o f wanting integra tion or separation, it is a case of want ing freedom, justice, and equality,” Malcolm responded. “ It is not integra tion that Negroes in America want, it is human dignity.. . An integrated cup o f coffee isn’t sufficient payment for 310 years o f slave la b o r.” M alcolm understood that getting rid o f Jim Crow laws and establishing Blacks’ voting rights in the south were only February 21, 1985 marks the twen tieth anniversary of the assassination o f M alco lm X , the greatest Black nationalist since Marcus Garvey and a major spiritual and political spokes man of the 1960s. Il is tragic that many youth know so little about this revo lutionary figure. The Cooperative Re search Netw ork in Black Studies, based in Chicago, has urged us to plan programs on M alcolm in schools, churches and community centers dur ing Black H isto ry M o n th . M a rtin Luther King, Jr. will be honored next year when his birthday becomes a legal public holiday. " It is our respon sibility to turn our focus to the life of M alcolm X , ” states the Network in Black Studies. "M alc o lm X was just as important as M artin Luther King, and must never be forgotten." VVs, 283 2486 National Advertising Representative Am algam ated Publishers. Inc N ew York Apt 1 = 2 STATE ZIP preliminary steps in the battle for real democracy. Fie criticized Blacks' endorsements for Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 presidential candidacy, predict ing with grim accuracy that Johnson would stop far short o f providing a meaningful economic and social pro gram fo r Blacks and the poor. A t tacking the Negro middle class’ blind allegiance to the corporate system, M alcolm declared. “ You can’t have capitalism w ithout racism. A n d if you find (anti-racists) usually they’re socialists or their political philosophy is so cialism ." Years before M a rtin broke with the Johnson adm inistra tion's genocidal war in Vietnam, M a l colm stated that the conflict "shows the real ignorance o f those who con trol the Am erican power structure, their ignorance and blindness.” While the N A A C P and Urban League were silent on international affairs, M a l colm's Organization for A fro-A m eri can U n ity , founded in 1964, estab lished the direction for the entire Black Power Movement which followed After Malcolm X was assassinated, Bayard Rustin described him as " a tragic victim o f the ghetto. Now that he is dead, we must resist the tempta tion to idealize Malcolm X , to elevate charisma to greatness.” Carl Rowan described him as an "ex-convict who became a racial fan atic.” But Black actor Ossie Davis' 1965 tribute to M al colm is what Black history says about his true legacy: " In honoring him, we honor the best in ourselves. H e was and is, a Prince — our own shining Prince! — who didn’t hesitate to die because he loved us so.” Dr. Manning Marable leaches p o litical sociology at Colgate University, H am ilton, N ew York. "A long the Color Lme" appears in over 140 news papers internationally. 82,»?
