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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1986)
Page 2, Portland Observer, January 8, 1986 Healthwatch EDITORIAL/OPINION by Steven Bailey N. D. Crime money should go to King & Eliot The City ol Portland recently received $104,000 in federal grant money from the U.S. Department o f Justice, Crim e Prevention Division. The p ur pose o f this grant is to provide aesthetic improve ments and crim e prevention measures in co m munities with a high crime rate. This federal grant should be allocated to the King and E liot neighborhoods. A lthough many neighborhoods throughout the city have felt the impact o f the crime wave, none have been hit as hard as these com m unities. Both com m unities have experienced a high degree o f crime for years. Residential burglaries, prostitution, drug tra f ficking, and assaults occur regularly in the King and E lio t neighborhoods. M any ru n -d ow n b u ild in g s and houses in these neighborhoods p ro vid e a haven fo r p rostitutes and their customers, along w ith drug dealers and users. C h u rch p a rkin g lots arc even being used by prostitutes and drug dealers. I f this federal grant is allocated to the King and E lio t com m unities, it could be used to purchase lights for areas where crime is likely to occur and to secure vacated dwellings which w ill help deter acts o f assault and robbery. Other ways the grant could be applied is to install locks in homes that are easy targets for burglars; trash and tall weeds in vacant lots could be cleaned up; signs could be placed along Union Ave. warning “ Johns” (who usually reside outside the c o m m u n ity) that soliciting the services o f a prostitute is illegal and they run the risk o f being arrested. Decent citizens liv in g in the K ing and E lio t neighborhoods have repeatedly demonstrated they arc sincere in their efforts to eradicate crime fro m th e ir co m m u n ities. The K ing and E lio t Neighborhood Association, C rim e Prevention Committee along with other com m unity groups such as the Christian Women Against Crime have organized to light crime. On Oct. K last year, more than 130 residents marched in the rain along Alberta St. and Union Ave. protesting the problem o f drug dealing and p ro stitu tio n. The march was sponsored by the King and Eliot Neighborhood Association, Crime Prevention Committee. The Committee has also held num erous pickets on (he corner o f N .E . Alberta and Grand Ave., in an effort to stop drug dealing on that corner. Although the Committee’s e fforts haven’ t ceased the sale o f drugs on this comer, their work has resulted in a decrease in the number o f young Black males who openly sell drugs. Recently, more than 150 residents living in the King and Eliot areas voiced their frustrations at city and county officials during a panel discussion at the King Neighborhood Facility. The panel in cluded Portland’s Mayor Bud Clark; Multnomah C ounty C om m issioner Gretchen K a fo u ry ; Program C o o rdina tor Council fo r P rostitution Alternatives Susan Hunter; C om m unity Service M ultnom ah County Corrections Harley I.ieber; and M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty D is tric t A tto rn e y Michael Schrunk. The Crime Prevention Committee o f the Eliot and King Neighborhood Association should be congratulated fo r the ir e ffo rts . H ow ever, the Committee is aware o f the fact that their efforts to clean the streets o f crim inal activities is far from complete. For in order to eradicate crim e, the residents livin g in these com m unities need the resources and cooperation o f city officials. Toni W illia m s, an Executive Board member on the King Neighborhood Improvement Association, stated, “ For years city officials have been ignoring the problem o f crime in the King and Eliot com- muniites.” The new a d m in istra tio n can dem onstrate to residents living in the crime-prone neighborhoods that the city and the Police Bureau are concerned about crim e in their com m unities. This can be done by using the $104,(11) federal crime preven tion grant in the King and Eliot neighborhoods. Escalation in Nicaragua by John I am/>erti groups, and at least two of them have Recent new» dial U.S.-backed Con Iras shut down a Nicaraguan A rm y helicopter with a Soviet-made suriacc- to-air missile was coupled with adini nisi rat ion charges o f increased Cuban participation in Nicaragua's defense e ffo rts . T h e events and the charges indicate a new escalation o f the ugly war in Nicaragua— and a new round o f scare tactics to pressure Congress into stepping up the United Slates' role. A c co rd in g to U .S . governm ent sources Nicaragua's Army has about 700 o f those missiles, known as SA 7’s. In July 1984 a State Department official predicted ominously that SA- 7's would soon appeal in the hands of rebel forces in El S alvad o r, presum ably transferred fro m N icaragu a. I hat has not occurred, despite ad m in is tra tio n claim s o f a continuing llow of arms in that direc tion Ironically, the missiles have in stead been obtained and used by Con tra forces. A spokesman told the /.os Angeles Zone that private co n tribu tors in the United States piosidcd the money to buy them, and that retired U .S . A rm y G eneral John Singlaub arranged for the Contras to receive essential tra in in g in their use and maintenance. The State Department says that two o f the 14 people killed in the downed helicopter were Cubans, and calls this evidence o f a S o viet. C u b an and N icaraguan "can er in the re g io n .” W hether or not there actually were Cubans present, condemning foreign involvem ent in C e n tra l A m erican co n flicts is a strange line fo r our government to lake. U.S. pilots and ground personnel, w orking for the C IA or as mercenaries, have made num erous trips over and in to Nicaragua to supply and assist Contra died there. T h e C IA has mined Nicaragua's harbors and attacked its port facilities. In El Salvador's civil war, U.S. A ir fo rc e pilots regularly fly train ing and reconnaissance missions for the governm ent forces and sometimes fin d themselves in combat. I f "o u ts id e " (C u b an ) p ar ticipation hi Nicaragua's Contra war is so w ro ng , how can the U n ited States ju s tify its own deep and growing involvement? In ra tio n a lizin g its m ilita ry and econom ic cam paign against Nicaragua, the Reagan administration stands reason and justice on their (leads An impoverished little country o f barely three m illion people is pic tured as a threatening military giant. Nicaragua, many times in this century the victim o f U .S aggression, is ac cused of unprovoked hostility toward us. Nicaragua is constantly denoun ced for human rights shortcomings, although its record is far superior to that o f U.S. allies in the region such as Guatemala and El Salvador. Not least strange, terrorists and m urderers become, in President Reagan's words, "freedom fighters” and "th e moral equivalent of our founding fathers." It is consistent with this record that the current escalation o f the war by the Contras is presented by U .S . o f ficials as i f it w eie somehow a provocation on the part o f the government they seek to overthrow! This logic doesn’t w ork. The cam paign against Nicaragua, which the administration wants to expand, is a mistaken policy that hurts U .S . in terests in many ways, f o r example, the U n ited States is increasingly at odds with its most im portant allies, none of whom support the U .S . em bargo on trade w ith N icarag u a. Earlier this month a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the embargo passed by a vote of 84 to 4, only Israel, G a m b ia and G ren ada voted with the United States. The credibility o f the United States as a peaceful and law-abiding nation is eroding badly. O u r government's refusal to answer Nicaragua's charges in the W orld Court looks very much like an adm ission o f g u ilt. The damage these policies do to the role of law in international affairs may in the long run become one o f the greatest costs o f the a d m in is tra tio n 's an ti- Nicaraguan vendetta. Secretary o f State George Shultz was quoted as being "all fo r” Contra use o f the SA-7's against Nicaraguan government forces. " I hope that the United States might itself take " fu r ther steps" against Nicaragua This is shocking and sad. Escalating the war in C entral Am erica is not in the in terest o f (he United States or any of the peoples in the region. Elsewhere in the world M r. Shultz sees things w ith d iffe re n t eyes. O n Dec. 11 he said that “ A country can not be expected to make a concession to those who resort to terrorism and who treat negotiations as only a way station on the road to its u ltim a te destruction." He was speaking at that tim e o f Is ra e l’ s policy to w a rd the Palestine Liberation Organization. It is unfixtunate that the Secretary does not see that these words accurately describe the position o f Nicaragua in relation to what, elsewhere, he would not hesitate to call external aggression. John la m p e rti is a professor at Dar- mouth Collette in Hanover. N H He is cu rren tly serving as a consultant w ith N A R M 1C. a research an d publication project o f the A merican Friends Service C o m m itte e in Philadelphia. PA. Portland Observer =~ ■ ■ ’ O ir ijin d w Publishers Asso, '.itiön ■ ™ The tS fila n d o t n r r w r lU S t S 988 8801 • putwstwri Ihursrtav by Law PulW«h«>g Company. Inc . 1483 N t KZbnga north Pontand Oregon >7211. Poa» Offtca Bor 3137. Portland. Oregon 97208 Second d a ta poetage paad al Portland. Oragon / 81 tba N v iltm d (M tsrrwr was aatahaabed n 1970 Subacraxona MEMBER 118 00 par year <i the Tri County araa A lfre d I.. Henderson. E d ito r/P u blish er Association - founded 7888 Poet m a a la r Sand addraaa changes to tba Pturlertd fX n rrv rr. P O Boa 3137. Portland. Oragon 97208 A I Williams. Cenerai M anager 28SOOS3 N a tio n a l A d v a rtia in g Z la p re a a n ta tiv a A m a lg a m a te d Pub lishers Ir.e N a w York Shriners Hospital in Portland Portland is fortunate lo have one o f N o rth A m erica's 19 Shriners O r thopedic Hospitals. The Shriners have operated specialty orthopedic c h il dren's hospitals since 1922. and in Portland, have recently moved to a fa c ility at 3101 S .W . Sam Jackson would place a financial burden of the patient's fam ily or g u a rd ia n ." W rite to the Shriners H osp ital. 3101 S .W . Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland. oR 97201 for more in fo rm a tio n , or call 241 5090 I was recently given a tour o f the Park Road. I he new 40 bed hospital provides a new Portland facility by Jill Laurence o f the hospital's p ub lic relations d ep artm en t. U n lik e most general wide range of services including reha bilitation, education and research as well as treatment for a variety o f orth opedic problem s. The tru ly unique aspect o f this hospital is that there is no charge for the services rendered. The Shriners literature states: " A ll children from infancy to 18 years of age are eligible for treatment if, m the o pin io n o f the h o s p ital's ch ief o f staff, there is a reasonable possibility that treatm ent w ill benefit the child and that treatment at another facility hospitals, this one is geared toward children and (he atm osphere does much to rem ove the ste rility and threatening nature o f most facilities, children who are about to undergo surgery "p lay-act" the actual surgery so as to minimize fears. W h ile the hospital can hold 40 children at a lime, there are normally around 20 children at the hospital. The average stay is 10-12 days, patient clinics which serve a broader short term need, inclu d in g one for cast rem o val and one fo r cerebral palsy patients. Though the " S h rin e o f N o rth A m e ric a " funds the Shriners H o sp itals, (here is no requ irem en t that children served have any relation ship lo a Shriner. The special fund raising events like the circus and high school sporting events are but a few o f the ongoing Shriner activities that help p ro vid e free care to needy children. A ll children are eligible to apply regardless o f race or religion So, if you have or know o f a child who has o rth op ed ic problem s that could be tre ate d , co n tact the local Shriners Hospital at (503) 241 5090 or call the national number at I -800-237- 5055. alth ou g h there are specialty out- ' -• i.- J l ■ = = = Letters to the Editor ¡be ( Risers er welcomes letters to the editor, letters should M e reserve the right to edit f o r length. M a il to: Portland be typed o r neatly p rin te d and signed with the author's Observer, P.O. Box 3137, Portland. OR97208. name and address ¡addresses are not usually published). Dialogue is needed in Northeast Portland To the Editor: In the b elie f that knowledge and awareness are necessary and effective antitoxins against the venom o f hate, I believe dialogue is needed in N o r theast Portland We cannot afford lo be carried away by em otionalism . I would like lo share a Q uranic verse with Sister Nabeeh M ustafa, “ Verily never will G od change the condition o f a people until they change it them selves (w ith their ow n s o u ls )." (1 3 :1 1 ). " T h e believers are but a single B ro th e rh o o d ," says A lla h (4 9 :1 0 ). Is this, then, how one b ro ther/sistcr helps another? W ith the term "Bold-headed liar?” I here is not an atom of truth in what you said Sometimes it's a person's ignorance that allows them to be beguiled. A lit tle knowledge is a dangerous thing, more dangerous than ignorance itself. If anyone points out the proper path to an ignorant person, the latter will follow them without putting on the airs o f a p hilosopher. But one possessing a little knowledge; while they are incapable o f understanding co rrectly, refuses to acknow ledge their own incapacity. The old adage has it that full lunacy is better than sem i-lunacy. S im ila rly an ignorant person is better than one possessing a little knowledge. H ave you fo rg o tten that n atu ral science, G e o m e try , M ath em atics , A stro no m y, M ed icine, C h em istry, G eo lo g y, and all other sciences beneficial to man have a bearing on m atters connected w ith re lig io n , although they have no direct relation with religion itself. God will certainly aid those who aid His (cause! (22:40). The Christian segment o f the world's "ism s" or ideologies would proclaim Jesus Christ as (he greatest historical revolutionary, although other radicals lived before his time. It is interesting that Christ’s priority for living was to lib erate his people — not G od the Father w ho is analagous to the C h ristian " r e lig io n " — but people: Christ lived in G od but fo r people, because Christ was so much in God. It is necessary that one's philosophy nourishes and sustains his w o rk. C h rist, the living revolution and " c h u r c h ,” reached p eo ple’ s philosophies or religion or reason for being th ro ug h tending to their primary needs— providing them with fo o d , c lo th in g , shelter, and even “ com m unity” — a safe environment o f persons like themselves. H e , the minority, created a movement and in the end his own people contributed to and supported the violent death o f their ow n leader. Christ was an anarchist pure and simple. Dr. King did not wait on (io d to start the civil rights movement. We must deal with the science concerned with the principles o f valid reasoning and correct inference, either deductive or inductive. Intelligent people today do not believe they w ill flo a t up to some city with golden streets and milk and honey on a cloud som ewhere. They don’t want anyone to tell them about " T o m o r r o w in good O ld B eu lah ’ s l a n d ." (T im :2 :2 5 ) The preacher must furnish the basis for feeling by producing intelligent con viction. C an the physician practice medicine without study o f physiology, or the law yer practice law w ith o u t study o f jurisprudence? I'm inclined to believe, regardless o f C re d o , everyone should read, Shakespeare, K Henry V I, 2nd part 4 :7 — " Ig n o r ance is the curse o f God; Knowledge the wing w h e rc -w ilh we fly to heaven." Sister Nabeeh, could a trained or skilled working prostitute (W hore) be called an " A r t is a n ." W hat do you really know about Darw in's theory? Charles Darwin, Life, 1:274— " In my most extrem e flu c tu a tio n , I have never been an atheist, in the sense o f denying the existence of a G o d .” I may sound harsh and a n tagonistic, yet I'm the product o f A m e rik a 's m is-edu cation . I'm in clined to believe antagonism evokes response, and response evokes in d iv id u al reactio n , which in turn stimulates the ego. I h aven't asked anyone to seek truth in the minds o f pre-h u m an apes, or in the blind stirrings o f some primitive pulp. The genesis and emergence o f an idea are one thing; its validity is quite another The logical value o f chemistry cannot be decided by reciting its beginning in alchem y; and the logical value of astronomy is independent o f the fact that it began in astro lo g y. Even if man came from the ape, we need not trem ble fo r the v a lid ity o f the multiplication-table or o f the Golden Rule. I f we have moral insight, it is no matter how we got it; and if we have no such insight there is no help in any psychological theory. Are we the vic tims o f a m ental or m oral astig m a tism, which secs a single point o f truth as two? C an we see G od and m an, divine sovereignty and hum an freedom , C h rist’ s divine nature and C h rist's hum an nature, the natural and the supernatural, respectively, as two disconnected facts, when perhaps deeper insight w ould see but one? A stro n o m y has its ce n trip e ta l and centrifugal forces, yet they are doub tless one force. Dr. Jamil Cherovee Integration is Mid-East solution To the Editor: N o state has a right to exclude people on the basis o f th eir race. People who arc driven out o f their homeland become angry and violent. If you were driven out o f vour house, you too m ight k ill the racists who stole your land. Israel must a llo w P alestin ian people to re tu rn , or else Jews w ill never be safe anyw here in the M id - East. Zio n ism is an ideology based on race. It is causing unnecessary blood shed to both Jews and A rabs. Zio n ism claim s it is m akin g a safe haven fo r Jews oppressed by A n ti- Sem itism Y e t, look w hat they are really producing: guerillas k ill 17 tourists, Zionists, or Jews. So, the Zio n ist governm ent o f Israel w ill bomb a Palestine village somewhere, or kill a few more Palestinian people in the co n cen tratio n camps on the West Bank. The blood gels deeper and stickier. Jews are not safer now in the Mid-Elast. During Vietnam, nobody was really surprised when the tiny V iet Cong bombed bars, airports or brothels full ol Am erican soldiers drinking to try and forget the women and children with guns they had just killed in some Vietnamese village. Am erica lost in Vietnam because they were trying to force the m ajo rity into an unaccep table governm ent. A m erica's pawn state o f Israel w ill lose in the M id - East, if they try to force Arabs to live by Israel's rules. The adults who died in Rome and Vienna are not innocent. They know there is a w ar going on. T hey also th in k they benefit fro m the racist supression o f the Palestinian people. They are wrong. Soon, no Jew will be safe in the M id East, because o f what a tiny racist clique of Zionists is doing in the name o f Jews. The majority of Jews in the world are anti-Zionist, yet they suffer for what the racists are doing. The people o f the world must start speaking out for an end to the racist oppression o f the Palestinian people who were driven o ff their land, with our tax dollars! W e want Peace on Earth for Palestinian people too. O ne very positive solution to this problem is a united stales o f the M id East, w here, as here in A m eric a, people o f all races can tra v e l, buy land, work or intermarry as they want to. It w orks here and it can w ork there. H a lf my relatives live in Israel They claim there is a large minority in Israel w ho w ant an in te r-ra c ia l society, as in the U nited States, but the governm ent and the U .S .- con trolled media ignore these deman ds and ideas. (T h a t is probably the reason this letter w ill end up in the "circular file " ) A few racists w ill say that Arabs and Jews can't live on the same block, or go to the same schools, or work at the same jobs, but I disagree Here in Am erica, 200 d ifferen t cultures live and work together fairly peacefully. Jews aren ‘I allowed to have their own state here. In te g ra tio n w orks in America, and it can work in the M id East, if the United States would just cut o f f all funds to the racist Zionists in the Israel government who distort the government o f Israel and are the main cause o f this spreading violence The U n ited States must put ilself on a higher moral plane by not giving the bullies in Israel any more o f our money for bombs. This will force the Zionists to m ake peace w ith their neighbors. Paul Kangas