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Page 2, Portland Observer. January 6, 1988
EDITORIAL /
OPINION
Civil Rights Journal
Freedom Et Social Justice
EDITORIAL
Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
by Alexander R Jones
Expand Black History Month
The months of January and February will see Black Oregonians partici­
pating in the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and
Black History Month.
Established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month was in­
tended to make all Americans aware of the richness of Black culture, Black
heritage, Black history and to commemorate Black heroes and sheroes.
Like so many before him, Dr. Woodson understood that Black Ameri­
cans' contribution to America and the world was neither a new or a frivolous
enterprise, and he emphasized that American history itself is incomplete
without consideration of Black contributors.
Judging from past Black History celebrations in the City of Portland, it
appears that many citizens, Black and white, have yet to grasp the full mean­
ing of Black History Month, thus, making Portland's celebration pale in com-
parison to other celebrations across the country.
Back in the '20s, when Black History Month was established, not many
Americans believed African-Americans had a history and a culture. For
many decades the celebration was degraded by social scientists, educators
teachers and the like. But as American society progressed, and as Black
Americans began to recognize and embrace their culture and contributions,
Black History Month picked up steam and has been slowly winning recog­
nition from Americans across this country.
When Black History Month arrives in Portland, there is a mad dash to
employ Black performing artists, speakers, dancers, and other Black con­
tributors. They are bombarded with requests for performances throughout
the State of Oregon. However, as soon as Black History Month has ended,
they are ignored or put on hold until the next celebration. Unfortunately,
Portland's Black community seems to follow suit.
We must quickly change this attitude.
Black History Month is a celebration intended to be celebrated and
shared throughout the entire year. When Dr. King and other Black contri­
butors carved their mark on the face of America, it was not done in one hour,
one week, one month, or one year. It was a commitment that lasted a life­
time. And when we give honor to their work, we must not fall into the
morbid habit of shortening the honor to a 30-minute presentation, an hour
presentation, or a three-day celebration. It must last throughout the year.
The City of Portland, the Black community and the State of Oregon
must take the lead in making sure citizens throughout the State are provided
an opportunity to commemorate, participate in and celebrate Black history
and culture. Such an effort should be coordinated through Oregon's Black
contributors and performing artists.
The P ortland Observer also calls on Portland Public Schools to do
more to bring Black history and Black culture into the schools; not just for
Black History Month, but throughout the year.
It is through efforts of this sort that Black History Month will be appre­
ciated, understood and commemorated on a year-round basis. Such an
effort will ensure a greater cultural, political and social understanding across
racial and cultural lines.
Then, and only then, will we come to understand what Dr. Woodson
understood: "to celebrate Black history and Black culture is to increase our
own humanity a thousand-fold."
Let it be.
PORTLAND
Parents Demand Millions For
Wrongful Drugging of Children
Parents of children in California,
Minnesota, and Maryland recently
filed three separate malpractice
suits totaling over $13 million
against psychiatrists who prescribed
the controversial drug, Ritalin, for
their children.
The suits charge
that the three children suffered ser­
ious complications due to the drug,
ranging from nausea and blurred
vision to muscle spasms and irre­
versible nerve damage.
The most chilling claim, however,
came from Cheverly, Maryland s
Sue Gardner, who asserted her
seven-year-old son attempted sui­
cide while on Ritalin by laying in
the middle of the street in the hopes
a car would run over him! Based on
government figures on Ritalin pro­
duction and informal surveys done
in major cities, her son is just one of
thousands of Black children who
have been placed on this drug in
recent years.
Long promoted by the psychiatric
industry as a harmless and mild drug
designed to treat "hyperactivity" in
children, the real-life dangers of
Ritalin are rapidly being exposed.
The three suits files are an indication
of the growing realization by
parents that they have been misled
by psychiatrists regarding the harm­
ful effects of the drug.
Central to the issue is the trust
parents have traditionally placed in
physicians regarding the care of
their children. When you take your
child to the doctor, you expect him
to recommend what is best for your
child. Yet, the trend has been for
psychiatrists to casually prescribe
Ritalin without even informing
parents of the drug's long list of ser­
ious side effects.
Adelia Lorenzo, the California
plaintiff, charged in her suit that she
"specifically requested a listing of
potential side effects caused by the
drug, in order that she could give
knowledgeable consent", but was
told by the attending psychiatrist
"that there are no side effects what­
soever . . . " However, the manu­
facturer of the drug lists several
dangerous side effects ranging fom
permanent and irreversible nervous
disorders to suicidal depression.
Dennis Clarke, national spokes­
man for the Citizens Commission on
Human Rights, a group which has
launched a campaign to expose the
dangers of the drug, explained, "R i­
talin is categorized in the highest
category a drug can be in by the
Drug Enforcement Administration
and still be legally prescribed. It is
one of the most highly addictive
substances known to man, and is in
the same drug classification as co­
caine, methadone, morphine, co­
deine, preludin and others."
Alexander R Jones is the Director o f M in o ­
rity and Third W orld Affairs for the Church
of Scientology IR I International._______ __
Portland Observer Welcomes
New Editor
Richard J. Brown, long-time staff
photographer for The Portland
Observer, has been elevated to the
position of Editor.
For more than ten years, Mr.
Brown has served as staff photo­
grapher, advisor to the Editor, and
has fulfilled a variety of roles that
have contributed to the progressive
evolution of the paper.
Mr. Brown's appointment is a tri­
bute to his dedication and an ac­
knowledgement of his respectability
by citizens throughout the State of
Oregon. The appointment is also
an acknowledgement of The P ort­
land Observer's belief in Mr.
Brown's ability to effectively guide
Oregon's oldest African-American
newspaper into the 21st Century.
The staff at The P ortland Ob­
server commends the paper's
management for having the wisdom
to make the appointment.
And to Richard J. Brown, we say,
"Congratulations!" It couldn't have
happened to a nicer human being.
The Year 1988
The new year of 1988 will pro­
vide peoples throughout the world
with the continuing opportunity to
improve the quality of human life.
Yet, the handwriting is already on
the wall in the United States. 1988
will be the year when a new U.S.
president will be elected. The next
president will be determined largely
by how seriously all voters take this
election. If those who believe in jus­
tice and freedom do not act upon
their belief, through the voting
booth, then 1988 will become the
year of another right-wing step-
backwards for the nation.
This year we do have an alter­
native. The Rev. Jesse Jackson
and the Rainbow Coalition offer the
country another opportunity and
another direction. It is the oppor­
tunity to be more inclusive at the
height of political decision-making
and it is the chance to move away
from a military build-up to solving
some of the pressing domestic pro­
blems.
For example, the situation of the
homeless continues to deteriorate.
Tens of thousands of citizens are
literally lying in the streets in cities
across this nation. A large number
of the homeless population are now
children. The scourge of acts of
racially motivated violence against
African Americans, Asian Ameri­
cans, Latino Americans, Native
Americans and others continues to
escalate.
The drug crisis has reached pan­
demic proportions.
Health care,
due to rising costs, is now out of the
reach of millions of person who
need medical attention. The unem­
ployment rate continues to in­
crease, particularly within the Afri­
can American community.
In spite of all these ills, we have
always maintained that the future is
determined by how well we learn
from the past and how well we use
the present to prepare and ade­
quately plan for the future. The
meaning of the New Year should go
beyond the affirmation of various
resolutions
or announcements.
Thus, let us commit ourselves to
study hard our history and to take
the time to give ample reflection to
those things that are dear to us.
One pressing need that should be
fulfilled is the economic develop­
ment of the African American com­
munity. This is not a new need or
a new idea. We spend over $200
billion a year, we do not receive
respect commensurate with our tre­
mendous buying power.
Several years ago the National
Black Leadership Roundtable re­
leased "The National Black Leader­
ship Family Plan." A key section of
this plan was devoted to joint eco­
nomic development. Again, the is­
sue of unity is the necessary con­
text in which effective economic de­
velopment can be nurtured. Quite
simply, African Americans have had
a bad spending policy. We spend
more than we save and we have
had a history of spending with the
very forces that are sometimes in­
extricably linked with our oppres­
sion. We all should recommit our­
selves to spending and saving our
financial resources, not just for the
personal acquisition of material
wealth. But more importantly, we
should commit ourselves to a
spending and economic develop­
ment strategy that allows the broad­
est possible participation by our
community at large.
Another pressing need is to chal­
lenge current attempts to psycholo­
gically re-enslave African Ameri­
cans. We spend too much of our
time and money trying to change
our God-given gifts of beauty and
wholeness. The negative stereo­
types and racist images that the
established news media often por­
tray need to be confronted forth­
rightly. In 1988, in other words,
we need to be more proactive than
reactive. In fact, what we need it
a long-range goal that the majority
of our people can agree upon. This
goal should not change from year to
year, but should be worked toward
by each generation.
Lastly, there is no single greater
issue than the struggle against racist
apartheid in southern Africa. It is
my hope and prayer that African
Americans, in particular, and all
others who love freedom will more
concretely assist the African Nation­
al Congress and SWAPO. The libe­
ration movements aimed at South
Africa and Namibia deserve our im­
mediate and long-term support. In
1988 freedom will not be free.
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970
A lfre d L. Henderson Publisher
Leon L. Harris
PORTLAND OBSERVER
Gen. M gr
Trust Fund Established
Controller
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: (5031 288 0033
Richard J Brown
Editor
Gary Ann Garnett
Business Manager
Richard J. B row n
Nyewusi A skari
W riter
Photographer
M a ttie Ann Callier-Spears
Leslie V. W hite
Religion Editor
A rt Director
Kendel Bryan C ovington
Vivian E. Richardson
Entertainment Editor
Sales Representative
Joyce W ashington
Rebecca Robinson
Sales Representative
Typesetter / Production
A rnold Pitre
Lonnie Wells
Sales Representative
Distribution
A trust fund has been set up at the main branch of Far West
Federal Bank, 444 S.W. 5th, Portland, OR 97204 (Attn:
Adrienne Ings), for Andria Jones & family whose house was
destroyed in a Monday morning fire resulting in the death of her
2 1/2-year-old son, Maurice Wysingle McClendon, and serious
injuries to Andria's 18-month-old Jelani McClendon and 7-
month-old DeNorris McClendon. Andria Jones turned 27 Tues­
day.
term rehabilitation. Andria and Jelani, who suffered severe
burns to 25% of his body, are listed in serious condition at
Emanuel Hospital's Burn Center. DeNorris suffered from smoke
inhalation and is also listed in serious condition at Emanuel
Hospital.
Andria's uncle, James Turner, and neighbor, Catherine
O'Hara, both made heroic efforts to save Andria and the child­
ren.
In her attempt to get all of her children out of the burning
The entire contents of the house were destroyed in the fire,
house, Andria was severely burned and suffered a severe cut to
her right arm which has required surgery and will require long­ the cause of which is still under investigation.
Letters to the Editor
Deadlines for all submitted materials
Articles M o n d a y 5 p m
T h ^ P o rtla n d Observer welcomes freelance subm.ss.ons
Ads Tuesday 5 p m
Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled
and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed stamped envelope
Subscriptions
$15 00 per year m the Tn County area
The P O R TLA N D OBSERVER
Oregon
oldest African American Publication
is a member of The National
Newspaper Association
Founded in ’ 885 The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Assoc.at.on and The National
Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers Inc
New York
k'0'
i o start the Portland Observer coming every week
$15 00 fo r one year
$25 00 for tw o years
PORTLAND OBSERVER
Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208
Name .______ _— --------------------------—
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Editor:
After reading "The Other Story",
I thought it would be good to clear
up some misunderstandings. Cathy,
the girl involved in the Joe Holcomb
killing, was not our employee. She
had worked for a number of months
for a landscaping firm that contrac­
ted with us to maintain our proper­
ties. I had seen her work a few
times in the flower beds during the
fall. I had never met her.
The detectives who were working
on the case instructed her to move
out of the neighborhood because
they thought there was some pos­
sibility that she would be at risk.
They have been following her
whereabouts. They brought her to
Joe's funeral.
I know next to nothing about
Cathy. She very well may have
had a troubled past. However, Joe
did not just look out the window
and make a decision about what
was happening. Cathy had come
into our warehouse a few minutes
earlier, complaining about being
harassed by two men. The stran­
gers had lett, so Joe assured her
that they would watch out for her if
she wanted to go back to work. Joe
went out to help her when they
came back the second time. Ob­
viously, Joe had a pretty good idea
what was going on.
I did know Joe very well. He was
a friendly, even-tempered guy with
a body like a teddy bear. He could
be protective, but I never saw him
get mad. In the six years I knew him
he never once physically threatened
or touched a soul.
I was there, Joe did not physically
threaten or touch either man. He
chased them into the laundromat,
one of them turned around, pulled
the gun, and shot Joe, point blank.
in the heart. It all happened instant­
ly, Joe never had a chance to say or
do a thing.
I would hope that all the facts will
come out in the trial. I wish that I
had been asked for this information
before the article was written.
I don't believe this incident was
racial. I think it is a sad statement
that some people want to turn it into
that. I understand that the Black
community is leery of attention
brought to these types of situations.
Sadly, they can bring out a lot of
white racism and can be counter­
productive to the Black stuggle.
However, Joe was killed and he in
no way deserved it. And he was a
hero. We must face the causes of
his death. Trying to paint the pic­
ture differently doesn't do anyone a
service. We have big problems in
this community; we are all being
victimized. We all have to work
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together to hold this community to­
gether.
As a white businessman on Mis­
sissippi, I can guarantee you that,
yes, there are people who I want out
of this neighborhood. I want the
drug dealers, pimps, burglars, ra­
pists, robbers, and murderers out of
here, every last one of them. Black,
white, brown, every one of them.
I want a healthy, happy neighbor
hood with families, senior citizens,
and responsible businesses. I want
them to be able to live here, free of
fear, peacefully.
I have always
known Albina as a mix of races and
cultures. I am not interested in
changing that mix. I can assure you
that I'm much more ill at ease in
Gresham than I am in Albina.
James O. Kelly
President
Rejuvenation House Parts Co.