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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1986)
Page 2, Portland Observer, February 12, 1986 • - .... ....... O a r E d it« , Businesses Deteriorating I asl October the I! S Census Bureau reported that Black owned firms increased 47 percent het ween I977 and 1982. I his report is very mislead ing. a closer analysis o f the report reveals that the condition o f most Black businesses actually de teriorated during this period I he Joint Center for Political Studies concluded in its study entitled "Recent Changes in Black Owned Businesses", that the average annual re ceipts o f Black-owned firms tell from $37,392 in 1977 to $36,685 in I9K2 When inflation is taken into account, the decline is actually from $37.(MM) to $23,(MX) in constant 1977 dollars Although the increase in the number of Black owned businesses are important, wha, really is important is whether those businesses are making any money, and whether they are making more now than they were several years ago A deeper analysis of the census data reveals that the vitality of Black businesses is declining The number o f firms with paid employees declined more than 3 percent between 1977 and 19X2 alter increasing by 63 percent in the 1972-77 period I he percentage of Black linns with paid employees dropped from 17 1 jiercenl of all Black firms in 1977 to 11 4 percent in 19X2 I he number o f people employed by Black- owned Finns increased barely I percent from 1977 to 19X2. a marked contrast to the 15 percent growth in overall business employment by Black-owned firms The rate of growth in receipts o f Black-owned firms fell from 56 percent in the first period (1972 1977) to 44 percent in the second (1977- 19X2), while receipts o f all businesses grew by 65 percent I he aggregate receipts of Black-owned firms with paid employees increased in real terms during the firs, period but declined during the sec ond period The most telling statistic concerning the plight o f Black owned businesses can be seen in gross receipts O f 108.(MM) finns added since 1977, 63.(MM) or 58 percent, had gross receipts o f less than $5,(MM); 85 percent had receipts o f less than $25,000 Overall Black owned businesses remain a very small par, of the total business sector While Blacks constitute 12 percent o f the total popula tion. Black-owned firms still account for only I percent of small business receipts and less than 2 percent of total business receipts The small level of Black businesses could shrink farther it the Reagan Administration rescinds an executive order guaranteeing minorities a percentage of federal contractors Along the Color I. me by Dr. Manning Marable racist." Why don't Blacks like Reagan, when nearly all other Americans seem to love the old boy? Didn’ t Reagan sign the law which made Martin Luther K ing's birthday a federal holiday Shouldn't we be grateful to the conservative chief executive? These are the wrong quetions to ask We recall that Reagan personally opposed the legislation w hich King and thousands o f desegregation advo cates supported the 1964 C ivil Rights A c . and the 1965 Voting Rights Act We remember that Reagan fought against the renewal o f the Voting Rights A d provisions, and has packed the U S C iv il Rights Commission with the enemies of Black freedom We know that Reagan tried to smear the memory o f King with red-baiting, anti Communist lies, ami that he and his administration are fully committed to backing the illegal anil in, moral system o f South African apartheid But it one single reason should be identified to justify Black antipathy to Reagan, it would be this the President and his administration do not treat Black Americans as human beings, they relate to us essentially as a series of problems. I here is no recognition of the Afro American cultural and so cial heritage, no comprehension o f our politic.d perceptions, our economic status and educational goals There is no interest in understanding that Blacks are a group of Americans with a collective history of oppression, and a unique political vision of social justice Rather, we are identified, labeled and stereotyped as a group o f public policy prob lems unemployment, welfare, housing, educa lion, urban crime, healthcare, apartheid When Reagan contemplates the Black expert ence. he sees no humanity only "p ro b le m s" to be tinkered w ith, or relegated to obscurity Apar ,b a il's systematic murder of African children, its brutal pass law system, its daily use of terrorism and violence, are crimes against humanity But to Reagan, the deaths of Black children are a problem of "crow d control " I he oveiall Black tin employment rate exceeded 14 5 percent in 19X5, was over 12 percent for Black adult males anil I 3 s percent for Black women Yet the Reagan ad ministration claims that we have a " f u ll employ m enl" economy, and charges that all those who truly want Io work can find jobs I he economic "p ro b le m " of Blacks is that they lack the self discipline and motivation to w ork' Reagan's "Negro Problem" is that we refuse to accept second class citizenship, poor schixils, non existing medical facilities, high unemploy men, rates, and U S support for South Africa I he creation ot a new federal holiday cannot obliterate the absence o f complete democracy , economic op portunity and social justice in fins country So long as Blackness remains "p roblem atic" in the U S , anil so long as "W e Shall Overcome remains a dream deferred, rather than a reality . we w ill con tmue to he dissatisfied lh \l.inning \t.ira b lr H iiw ilit# i V m > .'U t g ^ A peh U tio c iH io n ■ FounOtd IM S Alfred I **- *•* Henderson. Editor/Publuher A l W illiams. Cenerai Manager ters put their nAcis logeuxi. irouotc shooting from a realistic standpoint The sudden impact of social re entry had to be considered, the shock pressure of life in a dollars and-cents world had lo be anticipated and pro vided (or during those first crucial weeks alter release, a period in which the ex convict is traditionally known lo fail on parole Immediately upon release, IOP clients would require Ihe basic neces- silxs food, clothes, lodging and job referrals in amounts tar greater than anvthing offered by a low budget State Subsidy Program Some members would need the services ol drug or al cohol counselors, some would need emotional or marriage counsel, and otlxrs would simply need to talk with soirxorx who understood the thorny transition Irom prison lo tree w xxly Assistance, advice and direction had lo he available 24 hours a day if clients were expected lo succeed in the real world, and it was unanimously agreed that these goals could be accomplished only through community support From those first discussions on the yard. Inside <lulside People cam paigned with the Oregon State Penitcn tiary administration, submitted a ,or inal proposal, requested uppoininxnts w uh various prison officials, and at last perseverencc paid olt IOP were per milted to hold weekly meetings in the Activities Room Attendance was large Irom the start, prisoners attracted by IOP s novel ap proach. and new members were sworn in at each meeting Formal positions were appointed, responsibilities dele gated, and when newsletters were sent lo judges, lawyers. Corrections otti cials. Governors. Mayors and anyone else who seenxd likely to take interest in the program. IOP began getting re sults Many viable links were soon es tablished with tlx outside I he organization is the brainchild ot Donald McMillan, a sincere, dynamic black man who hails originally Iron, Southern California s Hay Area where he had spent a large portion ol his luvenile and adult lile Ix'hind bars tor ollenses ranging Irom Petty I arceny lo Armed Robbery tie understood the ways ol |x*nal systems, intimately. and when lx landed in the Oiegon Stale 1‘eniteiltiaiy at Ihe age ol 44 he saw much potential lor positive change, both in his own life and in ( fregón Cor reel ions In June ol 19X4. If If’ Pounder. Direc tor and President McMillan was re leased Irom prison He carried the young program to his Portland honx and left behind a strong, dedicated stall According lo the tentative plan. Ale A,iHan would deliver Ihe message lo ihe public . establishing a sound base ot operations, and nxm beis still within the walls would re enforce the Found eis efforts with letters, phone calls, and by w halevet nx.ins they could m us ter Ihe fledgling organization had all tlx right ingredients tor success there was an honest cause, a real need lor proposed IOP services, and there were enough loyal men to make it work It was inevitable that the program would soon beconx a household wold Crisis struck Just a lew short weeks alter his release. Me Afilian learned that he- had terminal caixet ol the pancreas and lowei lungs With no other mem bets on the outside who could match his lortutude and expertise, the collapse ol Inside Outside People was loretold by pessimists tai and wide I ven to the most ardent members, the luture looked bleak lor their would tx- organization No one but the Pounder hmisell. however, accounted lor the taw power ol human w ill Irom his bed al I uianixl Hospital, between exploratory surgeries and kemotherapy treatments. McMillan ontinued lo promote the cause As his condition gr.nlu.illy stabilized he was allowed lo return honx, an out patient, and. with his own mortal end looming so ixar. he worked hmisell lo exhaus tion each day delivering the IOP nxs sage Other nxmbers have joined in the drive with McMillan since those dubi ous limes, shouldering the work load, community support grows steadily, so cial empathy tor a higher ideal; and to date IOP is credited with some major > I I I MtaMXwrt n 1970 »,5 N Inside t lulside People got then tools in the Spring ol |9X4 I he organization began witha tew nxelings on Ihe prison yard in Salem. Oregon, enlightened convicts discussing Ihe many problems akin to then social status. Hading thconcs and ideas, ottering solutions "I want to try a ixw w ay," seenxd to be tlx recurrent theme among these men. I |ust want lo gel out and live a noiuial hie Viler years ol residency in v.moils Corrections systems. It If’ hopeluls weie ready to hang up their guns, tlioiouglily tired ot prison lite Gone were the Bonnie A Clyde ide als. gone were the romantic aspirations to last loitune. and tlx problem remain mg was how to enact new hie prac tices on the streets, no small dilemma lor uxn long branded criminals I hcv wanted a Ian chance at a Ian start otl the outside I arly IOP suppor M«A**P** L N a 1 Subacremon* 00 par raar m tha TrcCounty area Boat maarar Sand a VHaat changa» lo iha PnrO itd O ttener. P 0 Bo> 3, J7. Portland Oregon 97206 MLMBÍR I o I he I ditor p u p e n in /r r nuz#«»r»«i//y Th» PVvrteod (ttn m e r (USPS 9 » « 0 1 ■ puWwhad rrer» Thursday by Em* PuMaZwvg Company Inc . ,«63 N E K *ng» worth. Portland. Oregon »7211 Poa« Ortica Bo« 3,17 Portland Oregon 97208 Srxond e lm postaga paid a, Portland Oregon rtva /Xw-rtoorf Otnrrrrr M Sincerely. Iievor A Dorothy Purcell fm h im tl »«•■ m / oka til C d titile I niter m I \ 4/<>rry iht ( «»/or / m e a p p e a r i in «»»rr /4fJ n rw , Portland Observer .»« M i t i • (here is jn uneasy sileixc among minded Americans about U S ag gressive posturing against Libya I he (J S carriers Saratoga and Coral Sea have just completed exercises of, the coast o f Libya in what Ihe Reagan administration calls a "w ar ot nerves with Col Muammar Qaddaft The exercises were said to be non- provocative a blatant insult to the intelligence ol those who have been ob serving U S -Libya relations Appa renlly dissatisfied with not having pro voked Libyan forces into a light, the U S now plans to send Ihe carriers to the Gull ol Sidra next week, and this lime they may enter ihe area claimed by Libya lo he national waters but con tested bv ihe ( 'tilled Slates Is this not provocation ' The administration justifies these he ligercnt actions as ret.dial ion lor Qad dali's support lor the Rome and Vienna bombings, even though it now seems Syria may be Io blame Hui terrorism is merely a pretext tor tlx I S lo bully Ihe vulnerable I ibya. as well as Nicaragua and Cuba, have long been identified by tlx Reagan administration as countries against which our govern irxnt could 'take out o tx ol their pieces'' oil the geopolitical checker board In the meantime. the CIA has been desperately trying to undermine tjad d ali's government IJ.idd.di is erratic. lie exalts terrorists to Ireedom lighters, and indications are that tx facilitates their training on Li bvari soil (The question ol who is lo he deluxe) asa terrorist still remains i Hut none ol this should not be an excuse to use military agression, instead ol dip lomacv. against I ibya VV hal it another country were to commit its torces against the t X as retaliation lor Reagan s training and sup|»>rt ol Ihe Conlias. who murdci and maim mno cent civilians in Central America.’ lerrorism dixs not spring out ot some primordial devilish instinct, it is a product ot political conflict Ihe con llicl in this case is the Israeli Palestinian issue and tlx t S partisan position Instead ot attempting lo settle this conflict diplomatically. however, there has been a myopic attempt to use military means, and an arrogant etlort tocixrce public support by appealing lo tlx leai ol terrorism I he public and the media are falling tor it. hence the sheepish silence» I his disturbing silence seems to arise I rom a recent ielre.it I rom reason and an appeal to nationalist dogma, a dogma which has rekindled tlx w idcspre.nl but contradictory feeling that the I S brands ot treedom. iiistice and democ racy ate so ‘ cortee, that the rest ol the world particularly small weak conn tries must tx- whipped into compli ence I lx policies ot this administration max be ,vopulur now. but as the- nans gressions ol individuals committed in a littul monieni ol exc ilemenl come back to haunt them, so too will the moiticn lardy popular but unjust policies ot government Justice reserved lor only those who aie ideologically compatible is not justice And Ireedom that sur vives bv aggression against the weak is not Ireedom tan “ Reagan’s ‘Negro Problem’ ” l ast month's celebration ol Or Martin Luther King, J r 's birthday as a federal holiday gave the media a golden opportunity to project the view that America had transcended its racism I he stalwart voice o f American capitalism, the Hr/// Street Journal, announced with smug satisfaction that "th e nation has come a long w a y " on race rela tions Indeed, since King's assassination "racial integration has ceased to be an issue I he Journal noted that " a 19X0 survey showed that 90 percent o f whites favored integrated schools, compared with 64 percent in 1964 and only 32 percent in 1942 By 1972. 97 percent o f whites favored equal opportunities for Blacks, compared to only 45 per cent in 1944.” The H'«// Street Journal added with hopeful enthusiasm that Blacks were also "becom ing more independent in their voting patterns, and whites are showing no hesitancy to vote for B lacks." The later statement is. o f course, a gross distortion of reality, despite the recent election ol Douglas W il der as V irginia's first Black lieutenant governor Statistically, less than 2X percent of the while elec torale votes for a first-time Black mayoral candi date Whites are far more race conscious in their voting behavior than Afro Americans But most disturbing to conservatives is the lack of support Blacks show toward President Reagan, who cur renlly has at least a 66 percent approval rating among whites According to the BusZi/zig/ou / ’ovr/ABC poll of early January . only 23 percent ot all Blacks approve o f Reagan, and a decisive m ajority are convinced that the President " is a 4 ==* Letters to the Editor EDITORIAL/OPINION Black • 288 0033 P O R TW N D OBSERVER They have been git,cd with a large house in N E Portland, courtesy o f Tom Boothe and American State Hank With considerable repair and remodel ing. jxrhaps even a new coal of paint. Me Millan and his stall plan to have the IOP house ready to receive clients by early Summer of 19X6 they have twice appeared on N I Spectrum (Rogers’ Cable Systems. Ch 23). a I V talk show which covers cur rent events in the Portland Metro area It)P representatives have appeared in court several times to stand behind clients in need of their interjection, o f fering alternatives to long, needless prison sentences, and while IOP have had only limited success in these en deavors. judges have begun to take notice ol their solid principles, their progressive approach to a stagnated situation As IOP gains credibility with the courts (a slow process with the na lions' most conservative institution), members are confident that they will have a real atlecl on the How ot lives bureaucratically destined to, the Cor rections warehouse IOP have been in touch with many Portland business people who have ag teed to consider IOP clients for job placement With this approach, clients can begin immediately to gam stability as productive, working nxmbers of six lety as opposed lo ihe stereotyped ex convicts who are on their way back to prison Irom the monxnt they 're re leased An IOP Youth Program waits in Ihe wings i.McMillan's personal project) which will enable youngsters to earn money by collecting garbage in their respective neighborhixxls. a productive alternative to the current slug thein- and run ethics practiced by so manv young people today Logic dictate' that the moral condition of tixlay's youth will determine the quality of the future either positive or negative, law abid ing or criminal, an excellent case study in social preventive medicine Dear Editor. Re the Editorial,Commentary in the Jan 29 issue by N kenge loure Re productive Ireedom is a Black issue I am distinctly uncomfortable in taking the opposing side or view when it per tains to a seemingly positive gixxl work, but I am duly bound (required by conscience) to express serious alarm at the thought of my people marching to assert the right to abortion in the name ol "reprixluctive treedom There is no such thing — outside rape as "forced childbirth." just as there is no such phenonxna as "reverse discrimination." something ot which a still relatively powerless minority is simply incapable AAe need to look closely at such loaded and tricky slo gans Have we really tried to deal with our moral weakness (absorbed as a cultural influence) and the problem of teenage |iiegnancv ’ I think we are just now fully recognizing the problem and |ust now getting m a position lo do something about it I he talk of coal hanger abor tions seems an attempt at sen sationahsm AAe as a group may be much mote perceptive than is thought and this "sit back" on this issue for a ttixxl cause And there are several Black organizations beginning to suc cessfully deal with adoption ol Black children N kenge loure asserts that 9tJr< ol the inmate population of Attica were born to teenage mothers Questionable, but very shixking indeed if true But the- statement that "m ost ot the wonxri using these clinics (abortion and family planning) are Black women " simply has to be untrue I would suggest that we address the issue ol "babies making babies" from our own perspective After all. is it re ally that difficult lo imagine the end results ol our interrupting the life pro cess at will, and further encouraging our young people in irresponsibility ’ l et us continue to search for our own solutions Family planning is only intelligent, a must tor our people and any civilized stxiely. but "family planning "and "abortion" are not synonymous Sincerely. 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