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PORTLAND OBSERMER
Volume XVII, Number 5
December 10, 1986
1
25C
Burch To Become Legislative
More Black
Entrepreneurs Assistant________________
by Jerry Garner
Self-Help
The Key?
by Terrance Tudhope
It was Martin Luther King, Jr. who pointed out that after
equal rights under the law was won, equality in opportunity
would be the next battle. "The emergency we face now is eco
nomic, and it is a desperate and worsening situation," he said
"For the 35 million poor people in America . . . there is a kind of
strangulation in the air. In our society it is murder, psycholo
gically, to deprive a man of a job or an income You are in sub
stance saying to that man that he has no right to exist."
Today, the majority of Blacks are working out better lives
for themselves. In the last 20 years, the percentage of Blacks
in the middle class has doubled. Yet, about one third of all
Blacks and 1 out of 2 Black children still live in poverty And
nearly 1 out of every 2 Black teenagers is out of work.
The passport into the middle class is no secret —a good job
So it comes as little surprise that in a national survey done last
year, unemployment was ranked as the number one concern
for Blacks. The Black unemployment rate is nearly twice that
for Whites
Nevertheless, the combined economic power of Blacks is
considerable. According to figures released by Brimmer ft
Co., the gross income of Black Americans last year was esti
mated at $202.6 billion dollars. Ebony magazine pointed out
that if only 10 percent of that income was spent with Black
businesses, the Black economy would be booming. Black
enterprises would show a 40 percent increase in revenues, an
approximate extra $8 billion dollars.
A sharper awareness in Black communities, especially
amongst the middle class, to "buy Black" whenever possible
would be a powerful offensive against poverty, promoting in­
creased Black employment.
But it's a tw o sided coin. Black businesses must also be
able to effectively compete with W hite companies. Charity
only goes so far, and people, no matter their race, want quality
goods and services for their money.
Perhaps even more important, these statistics highlight the
necessity for m ore Black businesses to create a d d itio n a l
Black jobs. They point out how urgently we need more Black
entrepreneurs to launch new companies.
Washington Post columnist William Raspberry has warned
the growing Black middle class that a new message is needed
to those left behind in the ghettos: " It would help enormously
if the w ell-off would let the p o o r— especially the children -in
on their vital secret. You can make it if you try ."
But perhaps there is an even more vital message. Perhaps
what we really need to be telling the young is: you can create
y o u r o w n jo b and y o u r o w n fu tu re if you w o rk fo r itl
But for many, no matter how bad the situation is, no matter
how bleak the current job prospects look, no matter how tough
it all seems, there is still a hope that somewhere, somehow,
their break will come. They put in time on the streets, getting
by the best they can, while they wait. It is these who if shown
a wav to make something of themselves, just might take it.
Deck The Halls:
Wreath-Making Workshops
No one know« winter greenery better than the Bureau of Parks and Re
creation. Our workshops will show you how to create special holiday
wreath« that will have your own personal touch
Fulton Perk C o m m u n ity C enter. 68 S .W Miles; Session A, Dec 11,
7 8:30 AM: Session B, Dec. 10, 7-9 PM. Bring gloves and clippers. Fa
shion a 12-to-14 inch wreath using a variety of greenery, cones, and bows
Learn secrets to keeping greens fresh Fee is $3
M e tt Dishm an C o m m u n ity C enter, 77 N.E. Knott; Session A,
Dec 10. 1-3 PM; Session B. December 10. & 8 PM Includes greens, wire
frame, pine cones, and ribbon Bring any additional ornaments you may
want to add. Fee is $3
'.r
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Faye Burch, a staff assistant at Pacific Northwest Bell, has been picked
by District 18 Representative Margaret Carter as one of her legislative aides
for the upcoming legislative session which begins January 12th in Salem
Burch, who has been employed at Pacific Northwest Bell for ten years,
has been granted a community service leave by the phone company which
will enable her to serve as Rep Carter's aide during the legislative session
Usually community service leaves are granted only to employees who have
been elected to public office
As a legislative aide to Carter. Burch will write speeches, schedule
appointments, do research work, assist Carter on the floor during legislative
sessions, seek qualified individuals to testify on bills sponsored by Carter,
and serve as a fill in for her at meetings
Burch said she feels honored to be chosen as a legislative aide by Rep
Caner "I admire her (CarterI greatly. She is extremely competent and is
a credible person."
She said working as a legislative aide will be a learning experience for her
"I have always worked in the corporate world Serving as Rep Carter's
aide will give me first hand knowledge of the workings of the political pro
cess," Burch said.
Burch feels that her corporate background and her involvement with
community organizations will be beneficial to Rep Carter "The individuals
who are in these organizations are constituents of Rep Carter.”
In order to prepare Burch and other in coming legislative aides on their
responsibilities, the House Majority Leader will sponsor a one week orienta
tion beginning January 5th.
Faye Burch
Photo by R ichard J. B row n
Non-Military Solutions
Needed In El Salvador
s
Says Activist
ár
by Jerry Garner
The United States government should cease all military and economic
aid to the government of El Salvador and should urge Salvadorian officials
to seek a non military solution with the resistance forces fighting in that
war torn Central American country said Macceo Pettis, Co Chair of the
Oregon Rainbow Coalition
Pettis recently returned to Portland after spending five days in El Salva
dor. He was part of a nine member Oregon delegation which went to San
Salvador, El Salvador, to attend a peace forum entitled "In Search of
Peace A U S
El Salvador Conference", held at the Catholic University
of Central America.
The conference was sponsored by the National Unity of Salvadorian
Workers (UNTS), which is the broadest opposition coalition in El Salvador
Overall. 176 U S and 250 Salvadorian delegates attended the conference
The 176 member U S delegation is the largest American peace delegation
ever to visit El Salvador
Pettis said the purpose of the conference was to find ways to work to
wards a peaceful negotiated settlement to the seven year old civil war bet
ween the government and the Farabund Martin National Liberation Front
(FMLNI.
He was critical of the Reagan administration's approach to the solution
of the conflict, saying that administration has only encouraged a "military
solution” to the problems in El Salvador.
"Furthermore, the Reagan administration should work closer with
organizations such as the UNTS The UNTS has the support of the maior
ity of Salvadorians living in the urban areas and is the driving force behind
the trade union movement in El Salvador," Pettis said
He said support for UNTS has increased over the years because of the
social austerity programs and human rights violations by the government.
Pettis was asked whether he felt that the majority of Salvadorians sup
port the resistance fighters or the government. "Although I was only in El
Salvador for five days, I felt that many support the efforts of FMLN Many
wouldn't say this publicly for fear of their lives by government death
squads."
When asked was there a strong U.S influence in El Salvador, he replied,
"Yes. Throughout our stay in El Salvador, we had to get approval from
the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador
I got the impression that the U.S
government was running the show down there "
Pettis said another topic discussed at the conference was the lack of
effort by the Duarte government to assist the people who were victims of
the earthquake on Oct 10th of this year. The earthquake killed 1,500 peo
pie and left thousands homeless Critics of the Duarte regime, including
Pettis, alledged that the $50 million earthquake relief fund allocated by the
Reagan administration to assist victims of the quake isn't reaching them
"There are indications that the funds are being diverted for military use,"
said Pettis. He recommends that U .S. citizens who want to help the
"damnificados" (the earthquake victims) to send their donations to the
Catholic Church in El Salvador.
Pettis said delegates at the conference agreed on a resolution calling for
the U S to cease all military and economic aid to El Salvador; to start dia
logue and negotiations for peace among all parties and sectors to resolved
the conflict; to cease all repression of unions, cooperatives and the people,
in general; to support the unconditional defense of human rights, freedom
for political prisoners, and an end to disappearances; and to immediately
meet the demands of earthquake victims for food, clothing and shelter
Pettis said the two things which surprised him most during his visit to
El Salvador were the prevalence of poverty in the country and the racist
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M acceo Pettis
Co Chair. Oregon R ain bo w C oalition
Photo by R ichard J B ro w n
nature of the Duarte government "Unemployment in El Salvador is any­
where from 25 to 50 percent Power in El Salvador still remains in the hands
of the private sector and the military.”
Pettis said he wasn’t aware that the El Salvadorian government was
racist until an incident occurred during his visit there Ho said his delegation
was slopped by military officials while returning from a resettlement camp
and was ordered out of the bus "While the troops were checking the ere
dentials of one of the passengers, I started to walk around but was told
by Suzanna Cepeda, co director of the U .S delegation, that I should stay
with the group because the government is racist and is hostile to Blacks."
Pettis said 15 percent of the U.S delegates were from minority commu­
nities He said he went to the conference to bring back information to Port­
land's Black and Hispanic communities.
Pettis gave a slide show presentation last Sunday to a group in North
west Portland Another presentation will be given Thursday, December
18th, at 7 30 p m ., at the Musicians Union Hall, 325 N E 20th
If any groups or religious organizations are interested in viewing the slide
presentation, they should contact Pettis at 287 2835 or 249 0600