•nd Observer Decemher 30, 1987
IP Z r
EDITORIAL /
Freedom & Social Justice
EDITORIAL
In recent statements to
the press, the Martin Luther King
Street Naming Committee said it believes
the objections to renaming Front Avenue in honor
of Dr. Martin Luther King are related to the street's
historical significance. Acknowledging that concern,
the Committee said it wanted the renaming process
to be a positive and learning experience for those who
may not recognize the ideals for which Dr. King stood.
In keeping with that spirit, the Committee is now re­
questing that Union Avenue be named in honor of
Dr. King.
The Committee's decision is commensurate with its
concern about the livability of Portland. It believes that
Portland should be in the forefront in terms of the image
it projects to our children, to visitors to this City, and to
citizens throughout the State of Oregon.
In its statement, the Committee says that Portland is
a beautiful and progressive city and the time has come for
us to join the ranks of those who believe in providing visible
reminders of what we want our world to be. Dr. King has
already received honors from around the world — including
the Nobel Peace Prize. The renaming of a street, while a tri­
bute to Dr. King, is really a tribute to our City. It is a reminder
that truth, justice and peace are important as we attempt to
build a better tom orrow."
The Portland Observer agrees with the Committee's
wisdom and totally supports it's request that Union Avenue be
named in honor of Dr. King.
As the Committee has pointed out, Union Avenue connects
the Northeast and Southeast sides of Portland and it is part of our
State highway system. The length of Union, the location of signi­
ficant landmarks (the Convention Center) and the traffic flow
clearly meet our criteria.
What's in a name? History, pride, heritage, and positive change. To
íame Union Avenue in honor of Dr. King is to bring about a historical
auge we all can be involved in. Not only that, it gives us all a chance to
■ lerstand the process and know exactly how to implement it when the
,,(.j arises again. It gives our children the important chance to be involved
th a pro. ess they will be required to keep in place decades from now.
Theit-f-ire The Portland Observer requests that the City Council of
jrt a n d and Governor Neil Goldschmidt support the efforts of the Martin
King Street Naming Committee to rename Union Avenue in honor of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Leon L. Harris
PORTLAND OBSERVER
Gen Mgr./Controller
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Civil Rights Journal
Beniamin F. Chavis Jr.
by Alexander R Jones
Health Wars
Nyewusi Askari
OPINION
Nearly 20 years ago, P Joseph
Lisa embarked on a trail of research
that would bring him face-to-face
with a sinister conspiracy to destroy
competition in the health care in­
dustry. In his explosive book, "The
Great Medical Monopoly Wars", he
exposes the hidden battles, and de­
tails example after example of in­
justice and dishonesty in the medi­
cal establishment's drive to wipe out
legitimate health care competition,
and limit your freedom to select the
type of health care you desire.
At the center of this conspiracy is
the American Medical Association
(AMA) which has waged this war in
the media to discredit alternative
health care providers. It has waged
this war in the Congress to ensure
only legislation is passed that will
protect the AMA's monopoly. It
has fought this war with the active
cooperation of government agen­
cies such as the Food and Drug
Administration.
One of the most-publicized and
well-documented AMA attacks was
the professional genocide waged
against chiropractors.
A secret
1971 AMA memo clearly states that
the purpose of this infamous cam-
paign was "first the containment of
chiropractic and, ultimately, the eli
mination of chiropractic.''
Unfortunately for the AMA, a
group of chiropractors got wind of
this effort and filed a restraint of
trade suit against the medical giant
in 1976. Later, in 1979, the New
York attorney general filed a $13
million criminal conspiracy suit
against the AMA and others.
The results has been dramatic.
Chiropractors are now officially re­
cognized by the AMA as legitimate
health care practitioners, and are
allowed to send their patients to
hospitals for diagnostic x-rays,
something forbidden in the past.
"The Great Medical Monopoly
Wars" covers the cases of numer
ous other targets of the medical
monopoly conspiracy, and ends
with copies of actual documents
Mr. Lisa obtained during his re­
search. It is an enlightening book
which will forever change your
viewpoint regarding the health care
industry.
It is published by the
International Institute of Natural
Health Sciences, Inc., P.O. Box
5550, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.
Alexander R. Jones is the Director of Mino
rity and Third World Affairs for the Church
of Scientology IRI International
Letters to the Editor
threatened his life and told him he
Editor:
had better take a lower profile in the
The Northeast YWCA staff would
prison system.
like to express our appreciation to
We fear for Marco's life, for the
The Portland Observer for its assi­
Ku
Klux Kian members are the insti­
stance in "getting the word out"
gators
of the form and are the ones
about our "Grand Opening" held
threatening
Marco. Members can
December 3, 1987.
be
found
throughout
the State of
We want to compliment your
,
Georgia,
therefore,
we
have re­
staff for the story on the history of
quested
of
Governor
of
Oregon,
the YWCA, and the follow-up cove
Neil
Goldschmidt
and
Governor
of
rage of the "Opening". The center
Georgia,
Joe
Frank
Harris
to
make
has received calls requesting infor
arrangements to transfer Marco out
mation about o1'- programs, and du­
of the State of Georgia to another
ring the opening, people signed up
state, preferably Oregon.
to volunteer.
Our son and I ask you, the public,
The Portland Observer's assi­
to
write or call to Governor
stance has definitely helped in let­
Goldschmidt:
Office of the Gover­
ting the community know about the
nor,
State
Capitol,
Salem, OR
Northeast YWCA. We believe the
97310-1347,
(503)
378-8024
and Go
regular "leports" on the Northeast
vernor
Harris:
Office
of
the
Gover
Center in The Portland Observer
nor,
State
Capitol,
Atlanta,
GA
will help community members to be­
30334,
(404)
656
1776.
Please
en­
come more familiar with our pro­
courage them to transfer Marco out
grams and activities, and it will also
of Georgia.
encourage them to participate.
Marco did what was correct, he
Once again, the staff and I appre­
needs our support. For our entire
ciate your continued support, and
lives, we will thank you for making
thanks to The Portland Observer
your voices known.
staff for the lovely plant.
I look forward to working with
Mrs. M arco Polo Hernandez c.
The Hernandez Family
you in the future. Happy holidays
and best wishes to you and your
staff for the coming new year.
Constance G. Carley
D irector
Concerning "Black Press Warned
N ortheast YWCA Center
To Prepare For The Year 2000,
12/2/87:
I'
inclined to believe
media is best viewed as an organi
Editor:
zer. While newspapers, magazines,
This is an example of a mock ap­
television and radio do inform and
plication form given to my husband,
entertain, they first and foremost
Marco Polo Hernandez Cuevas
shape and collectivize an audience.
(EF203594), an inmate of a Georgia
Messages, attitudes, emotions, in
state prison:___________
formation, lies and distortions of all
Application For Employment to
kinds permeate our consciousness
Jesse Jackson's Staff, Candidate
— and big stakes are involved. For,
For President. Place of Birth: a)
to control the consciousness of a
Charity Ward _____ b) Cotton
people is to control a significant
Patch _____ c) Zoo --------- d)
element of their political destinies.
Back Alley _____
e) Free
"Lobbyist Charged With Making
Clinic_____ f) O ther---------
False Statements," 12/2/87, sheds
Source of Income:
a) Theft
light on the political stage.
_____ b) R elief_____ c) Welfare
I've given this matter a lot of
_____ d) Unemployment Compen­
thought. We need to provide an
sation _____
educational forum for the expres
Prior Experience: a) Gov’t W ork­
sion of the ideologies and attitudes
er _____ b) Black P a n th e r____
of the Black movement in all its
c) Evangelist_____ d) Pimp e)
ranges. There is a profound rela
Rapist _____
f) Used Hubcap
tionship between politics and cul
Salesman
g) Dope Dealer
ture: one is the mirror reflection
of the other. By continuing to re
How Many Children Do You
gister the best Black cultural and
Have? 1st Wife
2nd Wife
political thought available to us
_____
Neighbor's Wife
The P ortland Observer, continues
Shack Ups
in its historic function as an hide
In 50 Words Or Less, State Your
pendent and reliable source of Blac k
Greatest Desire In Life (Other Than
information and opinion
a White Woman).
I am not one of those w ho is a
History Records
Marco complained about the dis
tribution of the form to the admini
stration of the prison facility Since
that time, the prison administration
has harshly reprimanded Mann
new spaper m aker; not one w ho pet
form s the task the newspajM’ i and
other m edia are asked to perform
Emerson once w ro te
W e have the
newspaper w *’" h does its best to
Voting for Change in
Keysville , Georgia
The African American citizens of
Keysville, Georgia, 26 miles west of
Augusta, liken their situation to the
old plantation system. Most whites
in their town have running water,
Blacks don't. Most whites have a
sewage system; Blacks don't. And
most Blacks are dependent on the
whites who control the town for
their livelihood.
Now the African American com
munity of Keysville has organized
to change all that. On January 4th
of next year the town will hold an
election. It will be the first local
election in which African Americans
of this town have ever voted. The
power relationship of the town
could thus be changed forever.
It all started back in 1985 when
the home of the Streetman family
caught on fire. As members of the
African American community fran­
tically tried to put out the fire, they
also called three county fire depart­
ments.
The fire department for
their county was 20 miles away.
The other two, though closer, re­
fused, saying Keysville was not in
their jurisdiction. The Streetman
home burned to the ground while
the Black community watched,
helplessly.
That's when the African Ameri­
can residents formed the Concerned
Citizens of Keysville, spearheaded
by Mrs. Emma Gresham, a retired
teacher. At community meetings
the group talked about their situa­
tion: about the outhouses and the
lack of indoor plumbing; about hav­
ing to haul water from their chur­
ches, from those few African Ame­
rican residents with wells, or from
the creek because the African Ame
rican community had no water sup
ply. They talked about going 18
miles to the nearest clinic because
there was no doctor in Keysville,
and about sending their children
almost 20 miles each way, every
day, because the African American
school as closed down after
school desegregation.
They also talked about the white
owned nursing home which ran its
sewage
including the waste from
its patients — into an open ditch
and through the African American
community. They also talked about
the economic and political strangle­
hold which the Marshall family, the
owners of that nursing home, had
make every square acre of land and
sea give account of itself at your
breakfast table." That is a proper
function for the press. But, I am
rather one of those who is a con­
sumer of news, whose daily work is
affected by what the newspapers,
and of course, radio, television, all
the media purvey, and I am one of
those whom the newspapers ask to
give an account of himself.
But, there is another sense in
which the press is terribly impor­
tant to me. For what is true of my
role and yours as a Black person in
all aspects of Amerikan Isicl life is
also true in my and your relation­
ship to the press. We are frequently
excluded, distorted and patronized.
And yet, the seller of the newspaper
will take a quarter from me as from a
caucasoid hand. The media in this
country profoundly underplay Black
people in any hut the most menial
jobs: We are allowed to sweep the
TV studio just as we are allowed to
sweep the White House, and even
the mansions of the governors.
But, those who use the media to ad
vertise their products will take my
dollar, as long as it's green, just as
quickly as they will take a caucasoid
person's dollar. In brief, the cauca
soid owned and controled press
and other
m edia in this country
are profoundly racist, just as in
every other institution in our nation.
N ow
aren't
you
surprised?
D id n 't you th ink by watching the
line coverage Black folk get io your
newspaper and on the radio and TV
screen, that Blacks ow ned m ost of
the radio and TV stations and news
pa|iers in the i o u n tiy ’ Of < nurse
you ie nut sutpnsed lor you know
as well as I do that wherever the
i am asoid poWi ■ tun tore has < on
on the town.
And about the
changes the African American com­
munity could affect if that nursing
home weren't the only game in
town, and, thus, able to get away
with paying barely minimum wages.
Some even recalled how old Mr.
Marshall, the white patriarch of the
town, used to say he was the mayor
of the town, even though no elec­
tion had been held since 1933.
Administration of the town had
been turned over to the county
during the Depression. Now Afri- .
can Americans, who are 80% of ;
Keysville's population, want it back. ;
With the help of Herman Lodge, the
county commissioner and Rep. Ty--'
rone Brooks, their state represen­
tative _ both African American —
they began to reactivate the town
government.
Now Mrs. Gresham is running for
mayor. She articulates her plat­
form like a practiced politician: "a
government for all the people . . . a
water and sewage system that the
poor and elderly can afford . . . new
jobs and industrial development . . .
an A-1 city."
Mrs. Gresham, Mrs. Turetha Nee­
ly, who is Keysville's African Ameri­
can Superintendent of Elections,
and others active in the struggle
face heavy opposition, however.
The Marshall's and other local
whites haven't paid local taxes in 54
years and they don't want to start
now. The Marshalls are even said
to have threatened their African
American employees with dismissal
if they support the move toward
self-government. Then, too, many
white residents wonder why the
Black folks want to change things;
after all, if they need anything, all
they need to do is ask.
Gayle Korotkin of the Christie
Institute, a public interest law firm
which has provided invaluable legal
assistance, said it best: "Rights
without power is meaningless. This
election would mean real political
power for the Black community."
The Concerned Citizens are ask­
ing for Justice Department obser­
vers on January 4 and after to insure
fair elections. We must all support
them in their request. For through
the act of voting on election day,
they risk much. Their victory will
be our victory.
trol, racism is institutionalized as
part of its system of control. The
media are surely no exception.
We must not allow them to dis-
troy the Black press. It seems to me
we need to look at racism in greater
detail, not only to understand what
it is, but ultimately to understand
how to fight it. For that is the order
of the day; that is the legacy left us
by the great leaders of our recent
past, by Dr. Martin Luther King and
by Malcolm X and by Paul Roberson
and by W.E.B. DuBois. It is a le­
gacy which tells us that the struggle
against racism is the first task which
Black people face, not because we
care a whole lot about educating
our so-called Christian caucasoid
oppressor, or about making him/her
our friend, but rather in order to get
him/her off our backs, so we can go
on about the business of living.
History records, from the very
experience of our own people, the
great importance of the media to
our struggle. We have found some
of our greatest leaders on the pages
of newspapers or magazines: Fred­
erick Douglass on the North Star,
W E B. DuBois on the Crisis — and
we may well find them there again.
There is just not enough space for
me to deal with institutionalized
racism of the caucasoid owned me­
dia. The task of the media in the
hands of Black people today is to
seek hope, to suggest means of
s.niggle, to develop our talents, to
revise any self debasing image of
ourselves. That is the task which
tin* Black media can perform, onlv
if you
if we
join hands in the
struggle foi a media fiee of ta i asm
free of middle < lass bias, and
ultimately anil in truth
tier
Dr J a m il C herovee