Pace 2. Portland Observer, December 16, 1987
EDITORIAL /
The Case of Robert Parker
The case of Robert Parker, former
Committee Administrator for Jim
Hill (D-Salem), is unsettling, ab
stract and confusing.
In one camp, there are allega
tions that Parker (1) used a credit
card belonging to a lobbyist who
represented the Oregon Gasoline
Dealers; (2) that Parker negotiated
favorable treatment of City of
Salem-supported legislation in ex
change for the City's favorable dis
position of his overdue parking
tickets; and (3) that Parker offered
favorable treatment of legislation in
exchange for money from other
members of the lobby. The allega
tions were made by former Oregon
State Senate Presidents Jason Boe
and John Burns.
In the other camp in Senator Jim
Hill, who strongly believes that the
charges are unscrupulous and w ith
out substance, and Robert Parker,
who maintains he is innocent of any
wrongdoing.
Standing in the middle of the two
camps is the Oregon Government
Ethics Commission.
Recently, the Commission said it
had reasons to believe that Mr. Par
ker is guilty of ethics violation and
wants him to agree with its decision
without admission of guilt.
Contacting the Portland Obser
ver, Mr. Parker has asked the news
paper to conduct its own investi
gation of the allegations. Saying
that he wants to clear his name,
Mr. Parker feels that media ac
counts of the allegations against
him have been one sided, insensi
tive, and severe.
Currently, the Portland Observer
is considering Mr. Parker's request,
but before it makes a decision, the
Observer will conduct a preliminary
investigation to determine whether
Mr. Parker's request merits support.
If the findings support Mr. Parker's
allegations of innocence, the Obser
ver will proceed with its investiga
tion.
It's the Observer's position that a
man or woman is innocent until pro
ven guilty. Neither the Ethics Com
mission nor Mr. Parker's accusers
have come forth with specific proof
of his guilt. The Commission has
stated that it "believes" Mr. Parker
violated specific codes of ethics.
While the Observer is in no posi
tion to dispute the Commission's
position, it is disturbed by the pro
cess the Commission used to reach
its final conclusion. If an appointed
or elected state official can be haul
ed before the Commission on hear
say and guilt is established without
specific proof of allegations against
him or her, the process of fair and
equal justice before the law is com
promised.
If Mr. Parker is guilty, his accu
sers should come forth with con
crete evidence or put this issue to
rest. If the evidence proves Mr.
Parker's guilt, he should be treated
accordingly. If the issue is put to
rest without any concrete evidence
of guilt, Mr. Parker's name should
be cleared and his dignity restored.
Justice demands such.
Demonstration Slated
There will be a peaceful demonstration of indignation and concern re
lating to the death of Joe Holcomb and all those who have been senselessly
victimized by crime in our neighborhoods.
At 1:00 PM on Saturday, December 19th we will gather at the First AME
Zion Church at 109 N. Skidmore and walk five blocks in silence to the scene
of the shooting. We will lay a wreath at the site one week to the hour after
the tragedy.
Please feel free to park in the Cascade Business Center parking lot
across the street.
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established m 1970
Alfred L. Henderson/Publisher
Richard J. Brown/Editor
PORTLAND OBSERVER
is published weekly by Exie Publishing Company, Inc.
5011 N.E. 26th Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97211
P.O. Box 3137
Portland, Oregon 97208
Phone Number: (503) 288-0033
Leon L. Harris
General Manager/Controller
Gary Ann Garnett
Business Manager
Nyewusi Askari
Richard J. Brown
Writer
Photographer
Mattie Ann Callier-Spears
Leslie V. White
Religion Editor
Art Director/Sales
Kendel Bryan Covington
Vivian E. Richardson
Entertainment Editor
Sales Representative
Joyce Washington
Rebecca Robinson
Sales Representative
Typesetter / Production
Lonnie Wells
Distribution
Civil Rights Journal
Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
Where are African American Children's Books
In previous columns we have en
couraged the purchase of m ulti
cultural children's books. The re
sponse from many in our audience
indicates this may be easier said
than done. In most areas of this
country, African American — or
Hispanic, or Asian American or Na
tive American — children's books
are almost non-existent. But this
was not always the case.
Back in the late 1960’s, following
the urban rebellions, the federal
government made large sums of
money available to schools and li
braries, especially earmarked for the
purchase of multi-cultural children's
books. With this pot of gold gleam
ing in their eyes, publishers rushed
to their presses. Now, many of the
books that were issued were poorly
written or authored by those who
knew nothing about the culture they
were dealing with. But a lot of good
books were also part of that rush.
Some of them, like Sharon Bell
Mathis' "Sidewalk Story" or Vir
ginia Hamilton's "Zeely" are still in
print and now even in paper back.
Most, however, were allowed to go
out of print after the federal money
dried up.
As one noted African American
children's authors, Walter Dean
Myers, revealed in an article in the
Every school in every city and town in Oregon should be looking at what
happened in Roseburg. Administrators, teachers and students should join in
discussing the root causes, and ways to make sure the "monster" doesn't
rise in their own backyards.
The Orego.i School Activities Association should not sidestep the issue.
Roseburg High — and, more appropriately, the people responsible for dis
gracing their school and their town — need to have their shame brought
home. It could come in the form of
athletic probation, and/or a fine.
But it must come. Anything less
will add insult to injury.
I am drafting a letter to the
OSAA, telling them it is their "clear
duty to make an example of Rose
burg High." I am sending a second
letter to every legislator, and every
school board in the state, urging
them to raise public consciousness
through community forums. I call
on everyone to join me in keeping
this issue fresh in the public's mind,
so that we can get a dialogue go
ing, and turn the deplorable events
in Roseburg to a positive end.
We have been handed a golden opportunity by the bigots who crawled
out from under the rocks and heaped shame on the decent citizens of Rose
burg.
It is an opportunity to stimulate a statewide discussion of racism and
bigotry — to bring it out into the light of day, and have young people look at
it for what it is.
This in no time for hand-wringing, or letting anger cloud our judgement.
Let's give the system a chance to work.
Letters to the Editor
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New York Times Book Review, "In
1974 there were more than 900 chil
dren's books in print on the Black
experience . . . By 1984 this number
was cut in half." He added, "W alk
ing through Hast year's I American
Library Association meeting in New
York City was, for me, a sobering
and
disheartening
experience,
were Black writers suddenly incap
able of writing well? Of course not,
but we were perceived as no longer
being able to sell well."
Eloise Greenfield, another famous
children's book author, agrees.
"The whole country is much more
conservative now. This has resulted
in losses in many areas. The de
crease in African American child
ren's books is just part of that total
picture."
Yet the demand — and the need
— remain. The experience of Gry
phon House, a major national distri
butor of early childhood materials
attests to this. As Leah Curry-
Rood, one of Gryphon's founders
told us, "There has been some im
provement, such as putting more
books in paperback and using multi
ethnic illustrations. But this is not
enough. We know there's a market
because we've been selling for 15
years. Yet really good [racial and
ethnic] books are still allowed to go
Commissioner Dick
Bogle Speaks Out
Against Racism
Deadlines for aN submitted materials
Articles M o n d a y 5 p m
OPINION______
I am concluding today my won
derful 36-day-long stay in the U.S.
and, by this note, wish to thank you
for the brief but fruitful opportunity
you offered me in Portland so that
we could share some observations
that affect mankind.
Uur "deal" stands, man, and I
reassure you that I won't let you
down on the pledge I made about
opening a column in the Observer.
have a nice time and please do
not fail to "rem ind" me of the great
Martin Luther King Day by sending
me an article I can push into my
paper.
Kind wishes to "Observer” staff,
particularly Nyewusi and Richard.
Please, when you write next, don't
forget to enclose copies of your
pictures — the three of you. I did
not arm myself with my camera that
time.
Till then, goodbye,
Amos Marenya
Light Rail Problem
The light rail line to Gresham
has been more successful than ex
pected, especially in attracting addi
tional riders to Tri-Met. It has been
so successful that little attention, if
any, has been directed its short
comings.
One weakness is that the double
track extends from downtown Port
land only to Ruby Junction. This
out of print or out of stock for long
periods of time. And don't even talk
about Hispanic books; you can't
find them. We've had to import
them in order to fill our orders."
Jewell Stoddard, one of the own
ers of Cheshire Cat, a major child
ren's bookstore in Washington,
D.C., echoes this sentiment: "There
is a much greater market [for Black
and other ethnic children's books]
than we have books to supply, peo
ple even call us from New York City
because they can't find the titles up
there."
Yet, Ms. Greenfield and others
also point to some of the newer
African American books on the mar
ket as a positive sign: "The Golden
Pasture" by Joyce Carol Thomas;
"Justin and the Best Biscuits in the
W orld" by Mildred Pitts Walter;
"Daydreamers" by Eloise Greenfield
and illustrator Tom Feelings.
It's up to all of us. Get your PTA,
your church group, or your neigh
borhood organization to have a
children's book fair. Ask your local
bookstore or library for a recom
mended listing of their racial and
ethnic children's books.
Let the
publishers and the bookstores know
you and your organizations appre
ciate the newer titles but want to
see more - and then put your
money where your mouth is. Most
importantly, support racial and eth
nic publishing houses and distribu
tors. They have continued to offer
positive, multi-ethnic literature to
our children when others no longer
seemed to care.
Children's literature is critical if
we are to break the damaging
stereotypes and affirm all children's
identity and worth. As Mr. Myers
forewarns, "If we continue to make
Black [and, we might add, all racial
and ethnic! children nonpersons by
excluding them from books and by
degrading the Black experience,
and if we continue to neglect white
children by not exposing them to
any aspect of other racial and eth
nic experiences in a meaningful
way, we will have the next racial
crisis."
Freedom El- Social Justice
by Alexander R. Jones
Dormitories of Death
Rebecca P. was admitted to Ancora Psychiatric Hospital on November
1, 1986. Four days later she was dead, another victim of the sickening con
tempt for human life and dignity which pervades the psychiatric industry
throughout the United States.
According to the Public Advocate's report on this tragic event, when
Rebecca P. was admitted to the hospital, she "was placed in mechanical
restraints, a procedure in which her arms and legs were tied to a bed so that
she was tethered in a spread-eagle position. During the next 96 hours
prior to her death, Mrs. P. spent 84 hours in restraints. On November 5,
1986, at 6 a.m., after Mrs. P. had been removed from restraints to take a
shower, she collapsed and died."
The report goes on to explain that fatal blood clots are a "w idely
acknowledged risk of prolonged use of restraints", and yet in Mrs. P.'s case
her restraints were not loosened at regular intervals to ensure she would not
develop such blood clots. In fact, the woman died after 34 STRAIGHT
HOURS IN RESTRAINTS!
*
Historically, Mrs. P.'s fate has been one of the real risks people con
front once they are placed under the care of a psychiatrist. Take at look at
the years 1960 through 1967. During that time period, the number of
deaths in U.S. mental hospitals averaged 43,623 deaths per year; more
deaths per year than the TOTAL U.S. casualties in Vietnam between Jan
uary 1, 1961 and November 2, 1968.
Think about it. More people died in ONE YEAR in hospitals where
they were supposed to be helped than in SEVEN YEARS of armed guerrilla
warfare where people were being shot, burned, and blown-up on purpose!
How would you feel about going to a psychiatric hospital where your
chances of survival are less that for a combat troop fighting a jungle war?
And then there is the distrubing question as to how many of these
unfortunate sons, daughters, fathers and mothers, were actually "mentally
ill". The psychiatric industry has spent millions on propaganda to REDE
FINE normal human behavior as mental illness; things like a child's fidgeting
in school, or a woman's grief over the loss of her husband, or other things
solved by communication with someone who cares, not with the drugs,
electroshock, degradation, and early death psychiatry offers.
Whenever you can, wherever you can, question the tax dollars being
spent on psychiatry. The taxes needed to pay the annual multi-billion bill
from the psychiatric industry would be much better spent on education or
other programs which have demonstrated effectiveness in increasing a per
son's ability to survive.
means that often an eastbound train
has to wait to come off the single
track, so delays are not unknown.
Another point to consider: that
head-on collisions happen more o f
ten on single track than on double.
This fact indicates it would likely be
a good idea to extend the double
track from Ruby Junction to the end
of the line in Gresham.
Henry Korman
Longview, WA
Communist
Threat Excluded
Your article, "Threats to Free
dom (November 25) reported selec
ted excerpts from a speech given by
civil rights leader Rev. Ralph David
Abernathy during a recent trip to
Portland.
As sponsors of Dr. Abernathy's
trip, we feel that vital portions of
his speech were not covered. Spe
cifically, Dr. Abernathy's speech
outlined four areas that present
threats to freedom — racism, reli
gious bigotry, communism and im
morality. The third point on com
munism was not covered.
Dr. Abernathy feels deeply that
the oppression of communism in
other nations is a threat to the free
doms of all people. The following
quotes are excerpts from his
speech:
"A ll religions share a love of God.
However, communism is a threat to
religion. The communists are mov
ing like Trojans, like termites eating
away at the souls of mankind."
"W e must all stand together as
one. What affects some of us direc
tly (racism at home and communism
abroad), affects all of us indirectly.”
"It is time to stand up against
the forces of evil — and we can do
it together. Together we stand, but
divided we fall."
Dr. Abernathy has had the wis
dom to recognize that the struggle
for human rights and liberty does
not end at the United States bor
der. Communism is a threat that
all people concerned for peace,
freedom and civil rights must work
to defeat.
Bisnop H 0 Daniels
Greater M t. Calvary Church of
God in Christ
Portland, Oregon