Page 2, Portland Observer, December 11, 1985
Healthwatch
E D IT O R IA L /O P IN IO N
Governor and unions lack
respect for Dr. King
«
G o v ern o r Vic Atiyelt and several state e m
ployees labor unions recently revealed their lack ol
sensitivity to thousands o f Oregonians’ el torts to
honor Dr. M artin l uther King, Ir. (»os. .Atiyeh
announced that Dr King’s holiday on Ian. 20,
will not be a paid holiday lor state employees
Atiyeh m ade the announcem ent alter several
unions, including the Oregon Public I mployees
U nion, f ederation ol State and M unicipal I in
plovees, the A ssociation ol I ngineeiing I ’m
ployees, the fe d e ra tio n ol O regon Parole and
P robation ( )l liters, and the <)regon I ducation
Association at Hillcrest and M a d aren I raining
Schools refused to trade Lincoln’s holiday lot Dr.
K ing’s holiday. Only the O regon I ducation
AssiKiation, which represents the schools lor the
deal ami the blind, and the( )regon I icensed I’rac
tical Nurses Association agreed to trade I incoln's
holiday lor Dr. King's holiday.
(»os. Atiyeh blames the unions and the unions
blame Atiyeh Both ( »os. Atiyeh and those unions
sshich opted not to trade holidays in order lor Di.
King to be honored share the blam e equally.
Atiyeh has proven in the past that he is insensitive
to the aspirations ol Black ( Hegonians living in the
state ol Oregon and abroad. Gov. Atiyeh seloed
HB-2001, a measure that would have dismsested
by Steven Hailey N D
Help for endometriosis sufferers
Oregon money from South Africa. Atiyeh’s a n
nouncement that state employees want to be paid
on Dr. King’s birthday is pure hypocrisy , since the
governor ap p o in ted the Stale C om m ission ot
Black Affairs to encourage activities on King’s bir
thday, while state em ployees are w orking.
Atiyeh's timing tor the announcem ent was also
bad, since community leaders and union represen
tatives are working towards a resolution.
lire union's action was just as shocking as the
governor's. Instead ol supporting efforts to honor
a great American, who stixxl lor what this nation
is supposed to be, the union was living to get an
additional paid holiday. M embers ol the
I ederation of State and M unicipal I m ployees
should be especially ashamed ot then actions. Dt.
King was killed in M emphis while representing
members of that union against the ( itv o t Mem
phis.
( fregonians should be outraged by the actions
ol both Gov. Atiyeh and those labor unions. Both
the governor and the unions lack respect in
honoring Dt. King in a maimer deemed fitting for
an individual who gave his life lor the betterment
of the entire world. I urtherm ore, the actions by
the governor and the unions dimmish the memory
ol I)i. King.
I asi week I m et w ith D o rs ie
H athaw ay, President ot the P ortla nd
Chapter o l the N ational L n d o in c tn o
sis A sso cia tio n I he E n d o m e trio sis
A s s o c ia tio n is a g ro u p w h ic h is at
te m p tin g to ed u ca te and o tte r a
referral network tor women suitering
Irom I ndometriosis
I ndom etriosis is a disease affecting
wom en in th e ir re p ro d u c tiv e sears
I he root o l the name comes fro m the
w o rd " e n d o m e tr iu m ” w h ic h is the
scientific name tor the tissue that lines
the u te ro u s and is shed m o n th ly
during the menstral cycle I he disease
is a con dition in which this tissue (the
endom etrium ) is found in areas ol the
body outside the uterous I he inigra
lion o l this tissue results in "n o d u le s "
which, like the uterous, respond to the
m o n th lv h o rm o n a l changes, but
unlike the uterine tissue, when mcnsiis
conies there is n o w h e re fo r the
blood to exit and may result in inter
nal bleeding Along w ith the nodules
and bleeding are com m on sym ptom s
ol low b.uk pain, increased cram ping,
pain during sexual activity, pain eatlv
m the cvcle which worsens up Io men
struation heavy and irregular bleeding
and o fte n in f e r t ilit y
W h ile these
sym ptom s are com m o n, one or more
mav be absent in in dividu al cases
W Inlc endom etriosis was relatively
unseen in the 19 ,0s and 40s, it has
become a fa irly com m on condition in
recent years. I or this reason the I n
dom etnosis Association was form ed
w ith the goals o l "e xch a n g in g m for
ination about I ndom etriosis, ottering
m utual support and help to those at
le vie d by e n d o m e trio s is , e d uca ting
the p u b lic and m e d ic a l c o m m u n ity
a b o u t the disease, an d p ro m o tin g
research related to e n d o m e trio s is "
( Iro m I d u c a tio n S u p p o rt Research
handout o l I n d o m e trio sis Associa
lion)
D o rsie becom e in v o lv e d w ith the
Association because o l her ow n con
cents w ith endometriosis She has had
w hat is te rm e d
"c o n s e rv a tiv e
surgery" which means the removal ol
at tested tissue w h ile preserving le i
tihlv I his is a tvjve o l treatm ent that
sail dim inish sym ptom s vet still allow
the w o m a n to have c h ild re n I Ills
tre a tm e n t is ce rta in ly not a guatan
teed cure, as even in to ta l hysterec
loins Ihere is still about $ percent o l
Oregon Legislature
pay raises
I o the I dllnr
In ,i tune when m any < hegonians
lie as sept mg cuts in pav anti benefits,
i, stems that our legisl lure assembly
mav have been somewhat insensitive
in raising then salaries In la s t, as a
lo im e r m em ber o l tin O re g o n
l.tg is la lu r e , I wav a p p a lle d at the
exorbitant pav raise w hich legislators
gave them selves d u r in g the last
session
I he depressed O re g o n
economy tails tor belt tightening, not
la,tenuig salaries at this tune
W it h a lm o st no p u b lic ity , lee is la
tois i.tised then base salaries, which
they receive 12 m onths each ve.u. by
N
i
- •
the session, they u p |x d then m onthlv
alai it's in t lin i steps, rent lim e $9tl|
in laiiu aiv l u x '
In a d d itio n , thev approved a taise
I i o iii s l m to s.ji«i |>,.| m onth in then
1 r ----
EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY
,
Portland Observer
■ Mo
The f*iv/llund (th srrvrr lUSPS 959 6801 iA
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972TB Second claw postaya p » d at Portland Oregon
Tb«
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MEMBER
r
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w m
« M a tta to ri m 1970
Sober rations 115 00 pa» yaa» m tha Tn County araa P o tt
m aster Sand a»tdraaa < ha»»ym to tha burikind O tnervrr. P O
B oi 3137 Portland Oregon 972TB
Alfred ! Henderson, / ditor Publisher
• *tf
•«A
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di
» tto c itl'O n ■ Founded IM S
Al Williams, (tenera! Sian,mer
288 0033
N a tin n n l A d v e rtis in g Repr m e n t Alive
A m a lg a m a te d Publisher» Inc
N am Y od,
v our sell w ith know ledge Y o u may
not le e l th a t you can c o n tr o l the
disease, but you sail make con tro lled
choices about how it is tre a te d ." One
source o l in fo rm a tio n is the Lndotne
trio s is A sso cia tio n l ite ra tu re and
contact sources sail be obtained Irom
I ndometriosis \ssoviation, I ’ O Box
9 2 ltC . M ilw aukee. W isconsin 51202
Ihe re is a local chapter w hich holds
regular meetings, and is developing a
re fe rra l n e tw o rk lo r tre a tm e n t and
support protessionals in the area I he
n a tio n a l address w ill d ire c t you to
liK.xl contacts
Letters to the Editor
I lie I Ibservei m7< nines letters in the editor I etlers should
be typ e d nr ne atly p rin te d a n il sooted w ith the a u th o r 's
name a rid address /addresses are n o t u su alh published)
r
w om en w h o e xp erience a re o ccu r
rence o l sym ptom s O th e r com m o n
" m a in s tr e a m ” th e ra p ie s in c lu d e
horm onal therapy to alter the e lle cls
ol estrogen on the endom etrial tissue
I he h o rm o n e s d ru g s used in c lu d e
e s tro g e n p ro g e s te ro n e p ills ,
p ro g e ste ro n e
a lo n e
and or
a
le s to s te ro n d e tiv itiv e (D a n a z o l,
l vclouieri) Side effects are a problem
to r som e w o m e n , a n d c o m p le te
removal o l symptoms is not com m on.
W h ile a sin e has vet to be fo u n d ,
IXnsie recommends wom en to " Arm
expense a llo w a n c e when not in
session, plus a raise in ctailv pel diem
when in session 01 c o m m itte e
iix v lin g s trom $44 to $$(). and added
a special a llo w a n c e o t up Io S i ' l l
m o il,lily to, larger districts
( In top o l this pav. members emov
sin h pel q iiis ite s as 11 ee r e s id e ill i . i I
phone service, paid medical and den
la l in su ra n ce to r the m em ber and
f a m ily , p a id tile and d is a b ility in
s iiia iic c . lu lls paid e n rollm en t in , tie
Public I mployees Retirement System,
and th e n spouses mav tlra w up Io
$2.t*>i per m on th durin g sessions lor
serving as the sta ll member
( lie g o il has always opeiated on the
c o n c e p t o l a " c itiz e n le g is la tu r e " ,
co m in g tog ether as a p u b lic service
d u rin g legislative sessions, and then
re tu rn in g to th e n fa rm s , |obs o i
business W ith total pav tor the bien
m um n e a rin g $ 1 '.,tn < t plus up to
$12.000 to i the spouse when serving
as the s ta ll m e m b e r, we are ap
proachm g a professional legislature,
where an increasing number o l |X'ople
w ith little or no poor w o tk experience
serve in the le gislature as their only
jobs.
I am w o rk in g to collect signatures
on the in itia tiv e pe tition to tepeal the
unreasonable pav raises I tie tx 'lilio n
alst> lim its the number ol days legisla
to rs may c o lle c t per d ie m lo r
legislative sessions to 120 class in ix ld
num tx'ted seals and I ' l l lor the legis
lative biennium AAe need sour help to
collect N1.161 valid signatures
Petitions mav be obtained horn the
sponsoring org an izatio n, ( hegonians
in a c t io n , 1511 I B u rn s id e , P o rt
la n d . O R 97214, or bv c a llin g 211
1211
Smeerels.
Hernard iHudt Users
Il e reserve the r iy h t to ed it to r length M ail to Portland
Observer. P O H<>\ I I P Portland. O K9720N
PassinArt reviews
I o the ! d ilo r
P a s s in A rt, m o v in g Ir o m one
g e n e ra tio n to a n o th e r d is p la y in g
meaning o l culture, art and history A
local Black theatre gro up I I’ assm .Art)
has once again taken works Iro m two
B l.it k p la y w rig h ts and created on
stage images, sym bols, and feelings
firehouse t u ltu ia l (e n te r AAeshould
not let ignorance in te rte re w itli our
su p p o rt o l the local th e a tre g ro u p ,
I'assui Art
relating to our blackness
I liese tw o one act plays e n title d
H ost l) o You D o , by I d B u llin s ,
directed bv I lance Bailev and I unrn
H o u s e o t a \e v r o , bv Adticnne ken
ne dy, d ire cle d by M ich a e l I G ra n t,
ate voiicei lied seriously w it Ii relation
ships a m i tin- im p a c t o t the w o rd
Black m on, nine, w ill, p o litic a l and
spuilual values, w ith the reality ot our
snuggles in its lu lli's i sense
, Uteri tunes w h ite lo u rn a lists have
extreme d illic u lty in review ing plays
w iili such intensity and meaning V a
co n scio u s B la ck w o m a n w ith a
passion to , the theatre and kno w in g
H om a personal ex|X'irence what con
d ilu te s a particular perspective in the
w o ik s o , Bullins and Kennedy. I was
not s u rp ris e d , but d is ,ta u g h t a lte ,
leading the reviews ot the plays in the
I tre i orn ari and B illa m e tle B <•»•(
Antelope petitions
I lie, e w as ev id e m Iv not an under
st.Hiding toi whom thev (B ullin s and
kennedv I w rite, wtia, determules then
inteies, as w riters, and whetlie, there
is a d ille te n c e between the types o l
events, ch a ta cte rs, them es, etc
tha t Black m ale and tem ale w lite rs
select in o rd e r to d ra m a tiz e the ir
stories
Mso. the tevlews seemed construed
to w a rd s d e s tro y in g I lie tru th in the
messages ot both plavs I ot example,
bv assu m in g the B la ck c o m m u n ity
no, the cast unde,stand the plavs and
the message the w iiters ate attem pting
to convev in their wo, ks N o s|X'cilic
exam ples o i evide nce was given to
support the accusations written
Black writers and critics are acting
on tile old adage dial one must speak
tor oneself it one wishes to be heard
'sincerely,
(tirial Wood
/ , , the E d ito r
AA e w o u ld lik e to express o u r
thanks to all tlie jx-ople ot Oregon tor
then help in circu la tin g tlie pe tition s
and a lso th e n fin a n c ia l assistance.
AA i t I io i i i vo u . we c o u ld not have
hoped to a c c o m p lis h o u r go a l o t
disincorporntion
AAeare now asking you to please
send in a ll the p e titio n s w ith
signatures you have gathered, in case
som ething indorsee,, happens in tlie
tillu ic
I tils w ill enable us to know
tiow many signatures we w o u ld s till
need
I tie AA asco ( otintv ( o u rl has ap
p o in te d Io n , new c ity c o u n c il mem
Ix'fs ( ine ot the tits, issues of (tie new
citv cou ncil w ilt be to place the issue
o l d is in c o ,p o r a ,io n on the M a rc h
ballot
/ hank v to a ll o f you,
hrn arid lean ( )prav
Give
w
£
SUNSHM
1
\5e ale realizing that no one else can
oi w ill sav what tie or she has to say,
and that silence condemns the silent to
m is re p re s e n ta tio n
and
neglect
I angston Hughes im m o rta liz e d this
idea in verse, and hix words are most
a p p ro p ria te to r the B la ck w rite rs ,
then creations and critics:
someday som e bixly’ll
stand up and talk about me.
Atnl w tite about me
Black and fx 'a u lifu l
\n d sing about me.
And put on plavs about me'
I reckon it 'll be
Me m vself'
Aes. I t 'll be me.
I encourage tlie co m m u n ity to at
tend the fin a l weekend , I X*i I ’ I 5 ( o f
the tw o plavs a, the In te rs ta te
American Heart
Association