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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 1986)
Page 2, Portland Observer, July 23, 1986 EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Hicks Statements on Target Luciuus Hicks, a member of the Black Lead Letters to the Editor ership Conference, was on target when he A U.S. Congressperson, governor or U .S . Senator inherits powerful political positions. was quoted as saying that "the organization The governor is the chief executive of a state. could gain added credibility if it did not appear The responsibility of the U.S. Congress as a that we are turning our backs on any other Black candidate." Hicks was referring to the leadership confer ence's failure to endorse Gladys McCoy and power of U.S. Senators is well known to any political observer. dates are running for Multnomah County Chair Granted the fact the positions McCoy and and State Senator positions in November's general elections. Hill are seeking are not as powerful as those positions just mentioned, nevertheless, they The Leadership Conference endorsed candi are offices that carry clout at a local level. date Neil Goldschmidt before the May pri For example, the office of Multnomah mary, and is now in the process of organizing County Chair has a lot to do with whom gets a community campaign structure in support of Goldschmidt. the jobs. rican-American community in Portland where The failure of the Black Leadership Confer joblessness among adult and youth is much ence to endorse two African-American candi This issue is important to the A f higher than the population as a whole. It is dates who are seeking elected office does vital that someone from the African American make one wonder about the motives of the Conference. It is no secret that if African- community become Chair of Multnomah County in an effort to address such issues. Americans are to rise both socially and eco African-American candidates seeking poli nomically, they must have political représenta tical offices, whether it is in Portland or any tion, Although the number of African Ameri where else in the nation, should have the sup can elected officials has increased in the last port of African-American constituents. And if decade, only a small number of them have elected to public office, gained access to political offices that carry clout. accountable in full to the community. Governors who are African Americans. should be made However, at the same time, African Ameri For instance, there are no U.S. Senators or cans must realize that because an African- Fur American is elected to a particular office, thermore, there is only a small percentage of changes do not occur automatically. The poli U.S. Congresspeople that are of African- American decent. tical process doesn't allow such a quick metaphor. OPEN Season on Blacks? about an open season on black and other police union leader Stan Peters and some of Portland's police. minority communities^ Will police officers feel The police are charged with the duty of ser they have renewed their license to "smoke ving the people, all the people, of Portland. 'em" now that the police chief who was "too The conspiracy to eliminate the chief repre close" to the community is gone? sents irresponsible foot-dragging. It is the For the responsibility of the community who was just general community it was fiscally and socially ly outraged at police misconduct in the Stevenson case to make sure it doesn't. have been vexed and harrassed by the police unsound, but for the black community who it represents a giant step backward. Never before was there a police chief who Side step...sidestep., .sidestep... consulted with black community leaders be Eva Kutas fore making decisions that affected their com National Lawyers Guild who came to the black community and many Portland communities to answer questions Portland Chapter P.O. Box 1308 and criticisms. "Never again” is the motto of Portland, OR 97207 TO THE EDITOR me by phone on receipt of my tele phone call The issue was resolved in two days. I urge anyone with similar pro blems or concerns on issues regar ding pensions to call your senate or representative office. That's what we've elected them to do although most people don’t think about call ing on them. I can personally recommend the office of Senator Packwood. Jean M Ridings P.O. Box 546 Fairview, OR 97024 The So Called Crlstlan "Kuklol" Concerning the Editorial, "Hay den Lake Incident, A Reminder of the Continuity of Racism," July 16, 1906 Amerikans of all colors who have experienced it know that rac ism poisons the life of this nation, dividing people one from another and endangering the human rights and dignity of all. So imbedded are racist practices and ideas here that it sometimes seems they cannot be overcome, that they are a perma nent feature of this so called chris- Portland Observer Ih » IS r t lt m l otnrry/rr IU SPS 9898801 a »' ■'••»I». puMahad «vary Tburvtay by ( > « PubtaNng ConsMny. Inc . *483 N I K an g» « u n ti Portland Oregon 972*1 Poet Office Bo» 3*37. Portland. Oregon 9770B Second dea» postage p a d a Portland. Oregon Tim l ' i f Hand ( t t n e r m w e t aaiataahad <1 ,970 Sutoecre>'«n* » *5 00 p a y a a x> the Til County aree Poet m eater Sand eddreea changea to the Portland o t x m r r . P 0 Bn» 3117, Portland. Oregon 9720B member H e M p / I p ER «jaocixtion • founded IMS A lfredi.. Henderson, Editor/Publisher A l Williams. (¡enervi Manager J p ORTMND OBSERVER lis t o « one yae> »25 »oi tw o y ea n Bo. 3*37 Portia««! OR 972OB I I Street t iî Apt S tA T f ZIP Once we remove the perpetrators of racism, the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Kian will have no reason to exist We must focus our attack on the roots of racism, on the insti tutions that give rise to and perpe tuate it. rather than on its subjective expression Virtually all the financial institutions in Amerika are controled and manipulated by so called chris tian caucasoid Amerikans The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Kian would not have an elitist, class oriented society in order to perpetu ate racism It would no longer be to anyone's advantage, m any form, to be racist. This so-called Christian I'm inclined to believe racism is a creation of the so called Christian caucasoid exploiters of yesterday and today, in order to justify, with biological reasons, the cruel exploi tat ion and barbaric repression im posed on those considered "inferior beings " Yet we know the world is not divided into inferior and superior races, the world is divided into ex ploited and exploiting classes Hu menity is not aligned by color or by race. We are mixed races in Amer ika. No one should consider them selves of a pure race, much less a superior race. Since people in this country must put an end to this obvious and repugnant system, educators must eliminate from the consciousness of everyone the re maming vestige of irrational racial prejudices. A radical social and eco nomic tranformation must take place today We must strike at the economic roots that nourish racism This can be done with massive A ffirm a tiv e A ctio n programs Education should be mado econo mically accessible to everyone Un employment must be totally elimi nated, ending once and for all the competition between workers for Tuesday, July 8. 1986, the Ore goman carried an article written by Gordon Oliver entitled "Neighbor Groups Mull City Proposals For Operation Rules." On Saturday, July 12, 1986. the Oregonian re sjsonded in an editorial entitled. "Good Neighbor Guide". We would like to respond as represents lives from Sabin Irvington Heights Neighborhood Association resi dents. We feel that our response is more than warranted as our neigh borhood group brought out the same three "possibilities" for im provement that the Oregonian so gracefully put (1) Representation and accountability (2) Freedom of Speech (3) Examination of ONA Let us cite our examples of these three categories: Regional Vice President munity. Never before was there a police chief Recently I found the best re source available when you have a pension plan problem. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before. After 18 months of getting the runaround with a teacher's pension plan fund and substantial attorney fees, I received their newsletter ask ¡ng me to contact my senator in support of their legislative bills. Then it struck me to write my senator to help me talk to this com (»any and resolve the issue. Senator Packwood’s Portland field represen tative, Teddy Stampe», contacted seeing the day when they will have disappeared In my travels around the world, I've noticed in few coun tries of the world today are the prac tices of racism so widespread and so reinforced as in Amerika 2884X133 N a tio n a l A d v e rtla ln g R e p re e e n ta tlv e A m a lg a m a te d PubUahera Inc N e w York eiap x < z 5? ® 3 x * o in •A > JO leadership of this nation could de sign a society in such a way that there is no economic benefit what soever for anyone that comes from being racist This would eliminate the motive for racism, one of the very basic motives that an individual or an organization might have If we had no problem of racism in Amerika, there would be no need for Affirmative Action. I'm inclined to believe, the most powerful tool of class oppression is racism, and that the ruling class in Amerika knows it, and uses it for all that it is worth. The separation of men according to pigmentation un der the supremacy of the so called Christian caucasoid race is one of the most monstrous attacks on the essential unity of mankind that has ever been perpetuated The Ku Klux Kian (derived from the Greek word "kyklos," meaning circle) has evolved into a terroristic, secret society dedicated to depn ving people of color of their citizen ship rights. The cowardly carni vorous animals in human form have committed atrocities unequal in the chronological history of events against people of color They are lead by racial and religious fanatics. Anglo Saxon, native born Protes tant superpatriots The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Kian is a fraternal order and will accept Jews or Catholics, if they give up their religion. They claim the symbolism of the burning cross at all Kian ga thenngs has been used by crusaders for the last 19 centuries Yet, there weren't any crusaders until the 11th Century. Today they claim to use the cross as a rallying point to meet oppression and to establish Chris tianity. I was under the impression Christianity was established 1986 years ago They claim not to believe in violence. Yet, many local offi cials and the Justice Department blame the KKK for 32 bombings in Alabama, 40 bombings in Georgia, racial killings in Alabama, 35 church burnings in Mississippi, the ambush killing of Colonel Lemuel Penn, the castration of Blacks in Birmingham, the murder of Reverend James Reeb and Mrs. Anthony Luizzo in Alabama, plus many floggings of Civil Rights workers and labor lead ers. The Christian Knights of the Kian claim it does not indulge in violence. Its activities, however, indicate otherwise. Dr. Jamil Cherovee 1.2 M illio n Needs To Be Used As a D o w n p a y m e n t On Jail Space Letters to the Editor Will the ouster of Penny Harrington bring job opportunities The effect of this single act on the perpetuation of racism cannot be underestimated Through these measures, the eco nomic and social base of racism will be destroyed. lawmaking body is to pass legislation designed to deal with the major problems that people face and to establish rules and sanctions. The The two African-American candi Jim Hill. tian caucasoid society Racist philo sophy attempts, in fact, to convince us that social inequality is inbred, that it is "human nature," and, so potent are its forms, that sometimes even anti-racists dispair on even O Some of us were fortunate to be able to attend The Oregon State Sheriff's Association conference for Crime Victim’s Rights, whereby we learned (in June 861 that this pro gram can offer assistance to burg lary victims. They offered a sympo sium of testimony, facts, and data from keynote speakers (such as my self) who shared experiences neces sary to make a comprehensive statewide plan for improvement of the victim’s rights. When we at tended this meeting, little did we realize, that this Association of peo pie existed The committee appointed by Sarah Newhall, Director of Office of Neighborhood Associations, does not include any members from Sabin/Irvington Heights Neighbor hood Association Nor was S .I.H .N A. invited to attend (al though we are officially recognized by the City, State and Federal Go vernment.) W e did hear about these meetings by our adjoining neighborhoods and we attempted to voice our opinion on one occa sron. last year, at City Hall. "W e can’t have a bunch of people, or we would never get anything done," one committee member reported. "How come we were not notified in the mail about these meetings?" One member from the N.E. Coali tion is your representative, someone responded. The point we make here is loud and clear. Office of Neighborhood Associations is not the people who live and work in my neighborhood. The review panel is not made up of volunteers who had to iron out dis putes without the help of the City. In order to insure that your mistakes can be rectified, it seems only logi cal to have representation on a re view committee of those who were actually involved Draft proposals should not have been drafted by those who reflect an opinion of someone's character, rather than what the real conflict or issue is. It is time to challenge the Exami nation of the review committee, why were those people appointed? It is time to challenge why neighbor hood associations exist. We thought they were "to promote communication between citizens and city government as well as to increase citizen participation at all levels of decision making". Why. then, would a district board be allowed to settle a boundary dis pute about what association a vo lunteer would like to belong to? Why then would neighborhood associations of fewer than 200 households be discouraged? Free Speech —at present the city has minimal code requirements governing neighborhood associa tions, (as they should, because no two neighborhoods are alike). This so called review committee has no right to try and establish guidelines for the content of a neighborhood newsletter, unless of course they are considered as dictatorships for Neighborhood Associations, using South African tactics, and, if that is the case, we can assure you that we will do everything in our power to recall that 1.2 million that we pay as taxpayers and law abiding citizens. We will promise the people that we can donate our 1.2 million dollars used in this fiasco to a downpay ment on more jail space, rather than jobs for the staff of ONA. The bottom line is that neighbor hoods can operate without the sup port of ONA and can surely do with out the petty politics. W e have walked more streets than anyone of the ONA staff and have documents tion »3 prove it. W e can challenge ONA to demonstrate to us any neighborhood that consistently has 200 households established as working volunteers in their neigh borhood associations. W e can chal lenge her on their findings to be similar to ours. The homes that have been contacted by newsletter or door to-door will participate only when there is an issue, or they are having problems in the immediate neighborhood. The bottom line is that commu nity volunteers concentrate on help ing neighborhood people who really have significant problems. WE are going to operate our streets as we see fit, and no directive from the City can tell us, the taxpayers, what we can or can not do. It is scary to think that these people want to hold that much power over volunteers who do not receive one even cent, or odd, for that matter Sabin /irvington Heights Neigh borhood Association asks all of our neighborhoods as free speakers, and taxpayers to voice your opinion on abolishing this organization and using the 1.2 million- dollars as a downpayment on a Neighborhood Association Jaill Betty Garner 4205 N.E. 16th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97211
