Page 12, Portland Observer. June 17, 1987
Too Many Black Males Are
Becoming a Part of a Lost
Generation._____________
There is a seemingly persistent segment of Black urban males perhaps
as much as 50 percent of young Black males in certain c itie s -th a t still find
themselves cut off from the American mainstream, according to Randall C.
Bacon, Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
"They are unemployed and undereducated. They seem unable, and in
some cases perhaps unwilling, to become a part of the broader Society,
Grand Polemarch Bacon noted.
Even though Black men account for only 6 percent of America's popu­
lation, they make up half of its male prisoners. The leading cause of death
among young Black men is murder. A Black man has a one in 21 chance of
becoming a murder victim. This is more than six times greater than the
population as a whole. While the national unemployment rate is 6.9 per­
cent, for Black men it is 15 percent, and for Black teenagers it remains at
more than 40 percent. Approximately 18 percent of Black males drop out
of high school.
"There are many causes for these problems. Some causes are chronic
unemployment, segregated ghettos, poor education and the sweeping
changes in America’s industrial environment, many Black men have turned
to the drug culture. Unfortunately, drugs have produced an alternative
economy that for some provide high wages and self-esteem which they
cannot earn in the mainstream of society," said Grand Polemarch Bacon.
"A s a consequence of the deteriorating situation in Black Urban Ame­
rica, it has been estimated that there are fewer than 50 marriageable Black
men between the age of 20 and 24 for every 100 Black women of the same
age group," said Grand Polemarch Bacon. "To be sure, there is a crisis
that is existing, whether it is admitted or not, among many of our young
males
"Domestic policies of the Reagan Administration, which have cm social
spending, have hit poor Blacks particularly hard," Grand Polemarch Bacon
asserted .
"Kappa Alpha Psi believes that it is a waste of human talent to allow the
continued deterioration of Black males in our urban cities," said Grand Pole-
march Bacon. "W e believe that it is the responsibility not only of all Black
organizations, but also of the government to institute programs to help
change what is happening in our urban cities.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., supports efforts to erradícate this pro­
blem and calls upon its affiliates around the nation to pay particular atten
tion to encouraging the development of programs which will help to elimi­
nate this deplorable situation. Grand Polemarch Racon concluded
Help! He's
Jazz Festival F o u n d a tio n
In itia te s N ew Event
The Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz Foundation will sponsor the Mt. Hood
International Wine Experience on Friday. July 24. The event is a new addi
tion to the events sponsored by the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz.
The Wine Experience will feature French and Oregon wines in a dinner
and wine-tasting event to be held on the M, u ood Community College
H arlem R e n a issa n ce " S u p p o rte rs
Manhattan Borough President David N. Dinkins, second from left, was
co-host for a night when he recently invited visitors to see the Studio Mu­
seum in Harlem's highly praised exhibition, "Harlem Renaissance: Art of
Black America," sponsored by Philip Morris Companies Inc With Dinkins
are from left, Nancy L. Lane, Chairperson of the Board of the Studio Mu­
seum Dr Mary Schmidt Campbell, Executive Director of the Studio Mu-
coum'and Helen Cash. Director of Special Arts Services, New York State
D rive O nce a M o n th to Feed
E lderly O nce a Day
Loaves & Fishes needs drivers and runners for Meals on Wheels. With
enough help, most routes can be completed within 45 minutes, and you'll
be scheduled only once a month.
As volunteers start spring and summer vacations, more drivers are need­
ed. It just take one lunch hour a month to feed our housebound elderly
once a day. Please call I oaves Ft Fishes. 777 2424 to volunteer.
campus here.
you’ve come a long way baby.
Choking!
Choking (foreign body obstruction) accounts for over 3,000 deaths per
year. Many of these deaths could be prevented if first aid had been avail­
able to the victims.
Most choking episodes occur during eating and meat is the most com­
mon cause in adults. In children, there are a variety of objects that cause
choking.
When does choking usually occur?
Choking usually occurs during dinner or while one is eating food. Com­
mon causes of choking, in order of occurance, are as follows:
1. Poorly chewed food or pieces of food.
2. Swallowing of dentures, either upper or lower, has a significant ob­
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struction rate.
.
3. One who has consumed a fair amount of alcohol, and is in a stupor, is
third in line for a possible foreign body obstruction.
Since foresight is better than hindsight, if one follows a few choking
precautions, the chance of aspirating or "swallowing the wrong way is
lessened. These precautions are:
1. Chew slowly.
2. Cut food into small pieces, especially meat.
3. Avoid talking or laughter while eating food if you wear dentures.
4. Do not let children run or play with food in their mouth and keep small
foreign objects away from infants and young children.
W hat if I am there w hen a person starts to choke?
If you are present when a person begins to choke, do not panic. As long
as the individual is breathing, allow him to perform any maneuvers that he
must At all cost, do not immediately hit him on the back. If breathing
stops, seek immediate medical help. As long as the person is coughing and
has good color, meaning without a bluish tinge to the skin or a dusky ap­
pearance, you need not interfere immediately. But, if someone is coughing
very slowly or weakly and does have difficulty breathing, they are in an
emergency situation. This is due to the fact that a person whose airway is
totally blocked will be unable to either speak, cough or breathe. He or she
may look bluish or clutch at their throat, and, after a minute or so, will be­
come unconscious. This is only if the airway is totally obstructed. In es-
sence, we hsve time to help as needed.
W hat is my child begins to choke?
In this situation, one must allow the child to cough as we have already
mentioned. If, for whatever reasons, the child begins to turn blue, be­
comes weak, or stops breathing, lay the child over your arm, or, if the indi­
vidual is an adult, lay the adult on his side, apply several sharp blows with
the palm of your hand on his back between the shoulder blades. If the indi­
vidual begins to vomit, do not turn away in disgust. You may be the last
hope that he or she has. Merely clean out, with your fingers, the vomit
and perform what is now known as the Heimlich maneuver. What the
Heimlich maneuver consists of is to wrap your arms around the person s
waist standing behind him or her. You will make a fist with one hand and
place the thumb of this hand upwards, clasping the fist with your free hand,
and pull in an upward manner two to three times. If breathing does not
start immediately, you must be prepared to give mouth-to-mouth resuscita­
tion. If breathing starts and the object has been expelled, you will not need
to take any other action, expect to assure the person that he or she will be
okay. Do not let a person expire because you are afraid to interfere.
As long as the choking victim is breathing, coughing, or can say help me,
do not interfere. If the victim cannot breathe, has good color to his skin,
does not appear weak, allow him or her the chance to expel the foreign
object If this is not the case, immediately institute the above procedures
and send for emergency medical care. Do not allow anyone to expire if you
can help them.
W hat isCPR?
CPR is cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Does CPR help the ch oking victim ?
Yes, it does if instituted properly.
CPfTshould^be^nstituted when a person cannot breathe for himself or
herself, has had a heart attack, and for a variety of other reasons.
Can I doCPR?
Yes, you can.
Do I need to k n o w CPR?
Yes, you do.
lather. a i« .r or brother required CPR. wouldn't you wan,
to know how to do CPR7
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