Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 28, 1986)
4 <4 •r* '*^ * " r*o«B •a lly o f Oregon L ib ra r y *, C- 97403 Volume XVI, Ntimbei PORTLAND OBSERNER May 29, 1986 25c Copy TwoSections African Liberation Day Held at Irving Park b\ Jerr\ Garner c urn ng in South Africa Herndon said Blasks in this country should be proud ot their African heritage "T he history o f A frica and its people are ric h ," said Herndon. Cook and Herndon were joined by several other speakers at the Rally, in eluding Avel Gordly. AFSC Southern African Program. Joyce Harris, Direc tor. Black Educational Center, kamau Sadiki. POSAF(PortlandersOrganized for Southern African f reedom». Mar garet Carter. District IK Rcpresenta live, and la m ia Duke. News Director, Cirassnxil News NW Those w ho participated in the Libera lion Day Rally seemed to he dedicated in their desire to make a difference in South Africa Tonya f ile said being a part o f the Rally was her way of show ing her support against the system ol Apartheid File said she brought her two children along with her to instill a sense o f commitment Io our fellow man who is suffering "1 hope when they grow up they w ill always be aware of the suffering ol others, and work to ward making the world a better place for all The speakers also reminded the crowd ol the social problems in Port land Problems such as |obs, in adequate education and health, lack ol adequate health care, and police brutal ity "W e can make a difference about the situation in South Africa and in this country . " said Debra Cix»k More than 2(8) people attended the fifteenth observance o f the African Liberation Day Rally at Irving Park in Northeast Portland The theine ol the Rally was "South Africa W ill Be Free ” The purpose o f African Liberation Day is to honor and remember the thousands ol men. women, and c h il dren who gave their lives in the war tor freedom in Southern Africa The Rally began at kin g Neighbor hood Facility, where 75 marchers walked through the neighhorhtxxls chanting. "South Africa W ill Be Free": "A fric a for A fricans"; "Free dom Yes, Apartheid N o ", and "Free Mandela" During the day-long Rally, people listened to a host o f speakers, and were entertained with poetry ami music by a local band called Q Band Debra Cook, a human rights activist from Eugene, told the crowd they must participate in efforts to correct the brutal system o f Apartheid "T h is Beast ( Apartheid» must not fx- allowed to grow, we must stop i t . " said Ctxik Ronnie Herndon, Co-Chair ol Port land Black United I ront. urged those at the Rally to contact elected officials in an effort to pressure South Africa to give Black South Africans basic politi cal. economic, and human rights He told the people at the Rally they should he proud o f their work in an effort to dismantle the injustices which are oc- »■ 1» I he African Liberation Day march and rally brought together a diverse communio concerned alxiul the treatment uf Blacks in .South Africa. I hey marched from the K ing Facility to Irvin g Park where s|>ecchcs wi n- maile on the subject. I he annual event is sponsored by Hie Black Filile alional ( enter. Photo by Richard .1. Brown Are Blacks Losing Political Clout? by Jerry Gainer o ff strategy in which the party tries to woo back conservative Whites by ig noring tlx.- concerns ol Blacks, who presumably have nowhere else Io go This sentiment is shared by Michael Harrington, a group leader o f the New Direction for Democrats. which con sisls o f left wing Democrats and labor leaders "W e are profoundly disturbed by the rightward d rill ol the Democrat ic P arty," said Harrington Blacks arc also disturbed by the Democratic Party's "threshhold" rule, under which a presidential candidate must get a minimum percentage of votes within a congressional district in a primary to win any delegates, which is unlair to minorities and outsider candi dates This rule was challenged by both Jessie Jackson and Gary Hart during the 1984 primary election lor the Democra tic nominee for President Overall, Black voters arc lacing a critical pentxl in American politics, in which their voting powers are making a tar smaller impact on politicians in both major political parties Jessie Jackson says, "the Democra tic Party has built into its rules for '88 things that w ill disenfranchise people Blacks arc registering, voting and winning public office in record num bers, and represent a greater-than-ever proportion o f the national electorate According to the Join Center lor P o liti cal Studies, there were 21 states in 1985, with more than I (Ml Black elected officials. Despite this voting power by Blacks, many Blacks feel that the nation and the Democratic and Republican parties arc moving in a political direction that is hostile to the concerns of Blacks They point to the lack o f policies in correct ing Black unemployment, government aid to the pcxir and the retreat in civil rights laws During the 1980 and 1984 Presiden dal election. Blacks voted overwhelm ingly against Ronald Reagan, and Reagan, thanks to the votes o f conser vative Whites, won both elections by w ide margins. In an effort to regain control o f the W hile House, it appears that the Demo cralic party is shitting to the right at the expense o f Black interests Some Black leaders say the Dcirux: rats in 1988 w ill pursue a racial trade Oregonians Invited to Help Fill 1986 Time Capsule founders ol the University ol Oregon packed contributions Iroin around the state into a copper box and buried it inside the cornerstone ol Villard Hall The capsule was forgotten until Richard discovered inlormalion about it in the university archives "W e hope to do as well as our forebears," he says. "The I885 cap sule and Us contents are unusual be cause everything was in vintage condi tion — including a still-green leaf picked from the grounds at Harvard University.” On (K t 18, 1986. a public ceremony w ill be held to unveil the new lime capsule before it is placed in the cor nerstone o f Villard Hall, the universi ty's second-oldest building The event w ill he featured as part of the 1986 UO Homecoming Winners o f the Villard Hall Centen nial Time Capsule Contest w ill have their entry included in the capsule and an opportunity to participate in the cap sule ceremony. Richard says EUGENE What would you want your great grandchildren to know about life in Oregon during 1986.’ W hat do you think life w ill be like in 2086? A contest inviting Oregonians to enter their suggestions and future prophesies for use in the University of Oregon's |986 Villard Hall Centennial Time Capsule is underway Il is hoped that the new time capsule, inspired by the 1885 Villard Hall I ime Capsulc w hich was opened last November, w ill be opened in 100 years, says Keith Richard, UO ar chivist Richard says items that reflect the ordinary lifestyles o f today’ s Orego nians arc o f particular interest for the lime capsule "Packing a time capsule is an act o f optim ism ." Richard says "Because the university belongs to the state, we're asking Oregonians to help create a bit o f future nostalgia After all. V il lard Hall was the first building on cam pus that was paid for by taxpayers The new time capsule w ill carry for ward the tradition set in I885. when z ■} ■' • -• : * : Contest categories include civic and/or com munity groups, individuals and members o f the University o f O re- •a ■ One of the major reasons for “ African Liberation Day" is Io educate people about Africa. There is also time for fun. One of the features at the rally was a gun community (students, faculty and stall I Suggestions for items to be included in the time capsule must be accom panied by an explanation o f why the item would be of interest, as well as the entrant's name, address, zip code, phone number and contest category Messages (or prophesies, must be typed and he limited to 500 words or less Richard suggests that participants be as spetifx- as possible about what living in Oregon w ill be like in 2086 Ideas and messages may be mailed to CONTEST, Villard Hall. Room 216. University o f Oregon. Eugene, OR 97405. The deadline is June 15, 1986 Contest winners w ill be announced prior to the Villard Hall Centennial Time Capsule ceremony in October Winners w ill be selected by the UO Villard Hall Centennial Committee For more information, contact the UO Department o f Speech. 686-4171 f.? I ,* » f ' • * < t T ? ' , ' . » i ll.'’ ’> - ' t t • a* ff*» dance contest for the young kids. Music was provided by the Hands Smith “ Q " Dance Band. Photo bv Richard .1. Brown Statistics Indicate High Pregnancy Rate for Oregon Teens One out o f 13 Oregon teenage females ages 15-19 became pregnant in 1984. Rased on the latest State Health Divi sion census data, statistics show there were 4.301 births to teenage mothers in 1984; 56 births to girls 10 to 14 These findings result from research done by Family Planning Advocates of Oregon (FPAO,, an organization that provides public information, education and advocacy on family planning is sues The research findings also indicated that 20‘A o f unwed teenage pregnancies occur the first month after sexual activ ity begins, but that teens typically delay seeking contraception for an average of 10 months after sexual activity begins These results mdx'atc a significant need for birth control services and edu cation to sexually active teens "Reasons most often given by pre guani tecnagcis lor not using contraeep lion arc that they didn't expect to he come sexually involved, they had sex ual relations at a "s a fe " time ol the month, that they feared the health con sequences o f contraceptive use. and that they were embarrassed Io talk atxxit sex and contraception", said Came Clark, oxirdinator for FPAO FPAO. which has been tracking teen sexuality trends in Oregon since 1973, also has some gixxl news Between 1980 and 1984 the pregnancy rale lor Oregon's 15 19 year olds dropped 18 points. "Outreach anti education by family planning agencies such as Planned Parenthtxxl, education in our public schtxils. and growing parental w illing ness to talk with their children about sexuality may he some ol the reasons (or the decrease in teen pregnant ies in O re g o n ." .ttltletl C ain e ( I nk N ationally, however. A m enia's teen pregnancy rale ol '**> 1(88,females leads the industrialized world Its closest neighbor is I ngl.inds leen pre gn.UKV rate ol 45/1(81 . according to a report released last year by tlx- Alan (iuttmacher Institute A copy ol tlx- research. "Facts of I.lie lo t I ecus 1984 . and another fact sheet covering rescan h on fam ily planning service needs in Oregon, "Facts o f lile in Oregon 1984", is available tree to the public A lt in lerestetl persons may contact Family Planning Advtxales of Oregon, 3231 S F. 5(8h Ave , Portland, Oregon 97206
