Page 2, Portland Observer, January 20, 1988
EDITORIAL
/
Civil Rights Journal
EDITORIRL
Beniamin F. Chavis Jr
Media in the Wrong
Without a doubt, Catherine O'Hara is a heroine. Saving the life of
7-month-old Denoris McClendon was honorable, commendable and worthy
of the highest praise.
To Ms. O'Hara, The Portland Observer says, “ Thank you for a job
well done."
The controversy that surrounded Ms. O'Hara's decision to administer
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a Black child without first thinking about
becoming infected with AIDS deserves more attention.
We believe that all persons should be concerned about the AIDS epi­
demic. We believe that all persons should find out as much as they can
about the disease and act accordingly. However, for anyone to suggest
that O'Hara should have considered the question of AIDS before consider­
ing whether or not to save the life of 7-month-old Denoris is cold and
callous.
To create a moral dilemma when there is no need is to invite panic and
isolation. To raise the question during the saving of a Black child by a white
female borders on racism.
When Channel 2 heard about Ms. O'Hara's heroism, it conducted a
viewer call-in poll. The poll asked the viewers whether or not they would
help a person in need, if they weren't sure that person was free of the AIDS
virus. More than 500 callers said no.
We will never know if these callers said no because of fear or because
of the influence of what they saw and heard the morning they were asked to
call in their opinion. To date, we can't recall another poll of that sort,
although many lives have been saved by men and women who didn't think
twice about doing it.
Portlanders should be cautious of such polls. Most merely generate
fear and panic among the general population. Portlanders should not allow
the threat of AIDS to prevent them from helping others. Portlanders
should take precautions to protect their faces and any broken skin when
performing such life-saving acts, but they should not have to think twice.
Ask yourself, would you refrain from giving mouth-to-mouth resuscita­
tion to your neighbor's child just because you were afraid you would catch
AIDS? Would you refrain from giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to your
neighbor because of the same reason? We must seriously examine our feel­
ings on the issue and make the appropriate decision.
The P ortland Observer suggests that citizens who are concerned
about this matter contact the American Red Cross or other like agencies.
Such agencies will provide all the possible information available on the sub­
ject. Currently, some paramedics carry a machine that has replaced the need
to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Some doctors suggest wearing
gloves, masks and goggles when administering first aid.
However, we urge all Portlanders to follow the example of Catherine
O'Hara. Keep an open heart. Keep an open mind. Reach out to those who
need your help.
Someday it may be you.
Observer Note: The question of the media's insensitivity in relating
the threat of AIDS with the family devastated by death and fire was
asked in the presence of most of the local media; yet none of the TV
stations, radio stations or newspapers that made this an issue gave
any air time or ink to the principled heroine's outrage. The Portland
Observer commends Catherine O'Hara for speaking out.
The Harassment of African
American Leadership
Physical threats against the lives
of progressive African American
leaders are an ever-present reality in
the United States. However, this is
not the only kind of attack which
they risk when they speak out on
the issues. A more veiled but equal­
ly incidious attack is the legal
harassment of African American
leadership. This was re-document­
ed in a study earlier this year, en­
titled: "Harassment of Black Elect­
ed Officials: Ten Years Later." The
report was prepared by Dr. Mary R.
Sawyer for Voter Education and
Registration Action, Inc., a Wash­
ington-based research institute.
An earlier report by Dr. Sawyer,
conducted ten years ago, conclud­
ed: "The higher the level of office
or the more outspoken the official,
or the greater the influence and
power — the higher the incident of
harassment lof a Black elected of­
ficial)."
From the evidence presented in
the current study, not much has
changed. The weight of the evi­
dence leads Dr. Sawyer to conclude
that after much legal maneuvering
by local and federal prosecutors,
usually via a grand jury investiga­
tion, "[A n] indictment typically re­
sults in acquittal, or in a conviction
which is ultimately overturned on
appeal — which then receives a
three inch announcement on page
17 after the story had been front
page, healine news for months on
end."
And this is a major point of the
study. Black elected officials under
attack are not being tried by a jury
of their peers. They are being tried
in the press by prosecuting attor­
neys who selectively leak informa­
tion helpful to the prosecution. Cer­
tainly this has been true of the
witch-hunt now being carried out by
U.S. Attorney DiGenova against
Washington, D C., Mayor Marion
Barry. As hard as he has tried —
and he's tried very hard — Di-
Genova can't seem to substantiate
any charges against Mayor Barry.
Thus, he has stooped to trying Mr.
Barry in the press. And papers like
The Civil Rights Journal, written by Benjamin
Church of Christ.
Established in 1970
A lfre d L. Henderson Publisher
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Black Cultural Impress
Concerning "Saturday School
Report Card" (1-13-88): I'm inclined
to believe Black studies are a vital
instrument in the determination of
the quality of our future. As such,
it is not a discipline to be limited to
Black children, for they alone will
have had direct and continuing ex­
posure to the critical learnings of
the Black experience. The formal
pedagogic exposure should be for
others, for in so critical an endea­
vor, nothing should be taken for
granted.
The caucasoid child,
whose social experience and whose
value constructs have been deli­
berately contrived in most cases
and inadvertently neglected in
others, has been excluded from the
reality of the Black impress. Hence,
the caucasoid child should, at all
costs, have the benefit of Black
studies at some level in his acade­
mic career. Innocent of this exper­
ience, he faces the future with a dis­
tortion of the past which will ser­
iously compromise his fitness to
perform acceptably in the world as
it is — to say nothing of the world
as it will be.
Whatever the current level of re­
cognition, Black Amerikans [sicl are
a very significant part of the pre­
vailing Afrikan (sicl heritage and
from the peculiar learning of the
Black experience in Amerika (sicl.
Therefore, the effort to attempt par­
ticipatory modification of contem­
porary culture must continue, for
the social order must be progres
sively humanized. Blacks must con­
tinue the struggle to enlarge the im­
press of the Black experience as a
pedagogic instrument in the interest
of their own cultural continuity.
The future of Amerika Isicl is not
Along
Aion the Color Line
OL
n
Manning Marable
Educational Genocide
1985 rose for whites, 26.9 of 28.7
Growing statistical evidence indi­
percent; but the percentage fell for
cates that a type of educational
Blacks, 20.7 percent down to 19.8
genocide is occurring against Black
percent. Another effective method
college students across the country.
of viewing the problem is by focus­
An examination of recent data illu­
ing on the percentage of all high
strates that the gap between the
school students who went directly
educational opportunities between
on to colleges. For whites, the col­
whites and Blacks has widened
lege matriculation rate was 51 per­
severely in the 1980s.
cent in 1977, and increased to 59
Superficially, it appeared to many
percent by 1984. During the same
observers at first that the educa­
years,
the rate of Black high school
tional gains achieved by Black Ame­
students
going directly to college
ricans during the desegregation
plummeted,
from 50 percent down
movement of the 1960s had con-14
to
42
percent.
In short, Blacks
tinued into more recent years. For
are
graduating
from
high school in
instance, the proportion of high
record
numbers
—
but
proportion­
school dropouts for Black youth
ately fewer of them are enrolling
aged 16 to 19 actually feel from 22
into colleges.
percent in 1970 to 12 percent in
The plight of the "disappearing
1983. Conversely, Black enrollment
Black
student" is particularly critical
in universities, junior colleges, and
in graduate and professional level
in professional schools soared. In
studies. In 1972, there were 21,000
1970, only about one in eight Afro-
full-time Black graduate students.
Americans over the age of 25 had
By 1984, the figure had declined to
finished college.
Thirteen years
18,000 students. This trend was
later. Black college enrollment had
especially apparent in Southern
doubled reaching
1.1
million.
states, where the implementation of
Blacks amounted to one tenth of
college desegregation efforts had
the total American collegiate popu­
lagged under the Reagan admini­
lation, according to the Bureau of
stration. According to the research
the Census. Many Black students
of Black educators William Trent
were the beneficiaries of affirma­
Another major difference bet­
and Elaine J. Copeland, the number
tive action recruitment programs,
ween the investigations of African
of Black graduate students enrolled
which broke down some of the
American and white officials is the
in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Virginia,
traditional Jim Crow barriers which
disproportionate number of investi­
Georgia, and Florida combined fell
kept earlier generations of qualified
gations aimed at African American
from 1,783 in 1976 to 1,345 in 1982.
Blacks out of elite, white institu­
elected officials. There are 490,770
First-time graduate enrollment for
tions.
white elected officials in the United
Blacks also declined from 1,218 in
But Blacks who gained admission
States. Of that number only a small
1978 down to 757 six years later.
to such colleges generally were well
percentage are being investigated.
prepared academically. Indeed, the
Nationwide, Black enrollment at
In stark contrast, only 6,400 (or
gap between white and Black col­
all
graduate schools declined by
1.5%) of elected officials are Afri­
lege entrance examination scores
approximately
one eighth since
can American. Yet when William
narrowed by more than 40 points
1980.
Black
enrollments
in manage­
Webster was FBI Director he admit­
since the mid-1970s.
ment
and
business
schools
dropped
ted that 40% of African American
However, these educational im­
from
7,511
students
in
1980
to 7,330
elected officials were under investi­
provements partially masked other
in
1984,
barely
3.6
percent
of all
gation.
more negative trends, which were
business students.
Despite in­
not fully appreciated until the mid-
This is not a random occurrence.
creases in Blacks’ test scores for
1980s. In previous years, the cost of
It is a deliberate and systematic
medical school admissions, the per­
a college education did not general­
scheme to prevent further political
centage of Black medical students
ly keep pace with the rate of infla­
empowerment of the African Ameri­
has also dropped since 1984. In a
tion, which had the effect of reduc­
can community.
In this nation,
few fields, Afro-American doctoral
ing the real cost of college for some
when a people are singled out for
students remain virtually nonexis­
working-class families. But during
racial and political intimidation, the
tent. For instance, in 1986 only 11
the Reagan administration, tuition
result impedes and strangles demo­
Blacks were granted doctoral de­
and fees have been much higher
cracy for all citizens.
grees in engineering.
The total
than inflation, and the requirements
number of Blacks obtaining docto­
F Chavis, Jr., is a publication of the United
for federal financial assistance have
rates in computer science last year
been severely constricted. Grants
was three.
formerly comprised over two-thirds
What are the implications of this
of all tuition costs for the average
systemic
destruction of Black higher
Black student. By the mid-1980s,
educational
opportunity? Colleges
the vast majority of aid was repre­
and
professional
schools are prime
sented in the form of loans not
institutions
of
socioeconomic
up­
grants, and the total amount of
better than the education of her
ward mobility for millions of Ameri­
money given was sharply reduced.
children, and the quality of educa­
cans — Black, Hispanic, and white.
Since most Blacks' family income
tion is no better than the quality
By partially closing these avenues
failed to keep pace with inflation,
of information we share in getting
for training, the size of the potential
the amount of discretionary income
at the truth.
Black middle class will be severely
which could be saved for an educa­
Looking also at countries which
limited. Since the middle class has
tion also declined. Working-class
have recently emerged from colon­
traditionally produced the leader­
households earning $15,000 to
ialism does not offer ready-made
ship of Black America in electoral
$25,000 annually could scarcely af­
solutions to the oppression of Ame-
politics, economics, the clergy, edu­
ford to pay even one-third of the
rikan Isicl Black people. In each of
cation, and the arts, the ability of
tuition, room, and board at most
these cases, the oppressed peoples
this strata to reproduce itself is c u r-;
private and many public colleges.
were the overwhelming majority of
tailed. Thus one central racial tenet
Thus between 1980 and 1984, the
the population, while the oppres­
of Reaganism, which j s t o move
total number of Black youth in four-
sors were a small minority. In the
Black
America backward to its
year colleges dropped by 3.3 per­
U.S., the situation is reversed, and
subordinate
status of the Plessy vs.,
cent, down to 613,000 students.
the oppressors are the overwhelm­
Ferguson
era,
is well served through-
The total percentage of students
ing majority and the oppressed are
this
process
of
"educational geno­
between the ages of 18 and 24 en­
the small minority. These differ­
cide."
_____
rolled in colleqe between 1975 and
ences in numbers, of necessity, call
Dr. Manning Marable is Chairperson of the Black Studies Department, Ohio State University,
for different tactics.
Columbus, Ohio. ' Along_t)w^x)loM jnejjHH ^s_ln_oveM 402Tewspapers_intem irtionalh^
I'm inclined to believe the ques­
tion facing Black people is: How
developed countries in that it has a [sic] scene. The Jewish people in
can we most effectively teach our
centralized political system and a this country have made excellent;
children the political facts of life«'
decentralized educational system in
use of both full- and part-time:
It is obvious that we can dismiss the
which the politicalization function is
schools to inculcate a specific set of;
media and caucasoid government
very explicit, but the method of
values and beliefs. In more recent:
agencies. There remains three insti­
achieving that politicalization is not
years the Black Moslims have made-
tutions which could be of help in the
very well defined.
The develop­
a good beginning in developing;
political socialization of Black child­
ment of "national curricula" in the
schools for their members. They
ren: the family, the peer group,
physical sciences, social sciences,
have developed a comprehensive
and the church. I believe the weight
language, reading, etc., provide a
educational system to replace the
of this racism has fallen most heavi­
means in these decentralized school
caucasoid-dominated public school
ly on the Black male. The Black
districts. As a result of the de­
system. The Catholic church has
church can serve the community in
centralized school system, huge dif­
found a parallel school system, so
a manner that is likely to be of
ferences exist from one school dist­
expensive that they have been slow­
benefit to Black people. It still re­
rict to the next. As a result of
ly closing down their private school
mains the most durable of Black
racism, the Black schools generally
system (particularly in Black areas).
institutions. A Martin Luther King
receive less of everything than their
With the help of the Saturday
caucasoid counter parts. Perhaps
could not have come from the north
School, Black parents will be able to
because the northern Black church
the most desperate need in Black
teach their children that they have a
is still searching for its sense of self.
schools is for the teachers to believe
culture, a tradition and a past of
In my travels around the world,
that the children can learn.
which they can be proud. Positive
Remember, Sisters and Brothers,
I've noticed, in most countries, the
information can have a profound
schools have been assigned a major
the notion of deliberately socializing
therapeutic effect on young child-
role in the politicalization of child­
and politicizing children in this
ren-
Dr. Jamil Cherovee
country is not new to the Amerikan
ren. The U.S. differs from most
the Washington Post and the Wash­
ington Times have been only too
happy to oblige.
Some have said, "So, what?
They treat white officials the same
way. Just look at what happened
to Gary Hart." But the differences
are context and proportion. Let us
remember that the most recent in­
vestigations have been mounted
against vocal African American poli­
ticians by U.S. Attorneys under the
Reagan Administration.
The Justice Department's abort­
ed attack against key African Ameri­
can elected officials in the Alabama
Black Belt was patently political.
These officials, civil rights leaders
all, had been instrumental in in­
creasing African American voter re­
gistration and participation to one of
the highest levels in the nation.
They had also been constant critics
of the Reagan Administration.
Charges against the leadership were
either dropped or those charged
were eventually acquitted. But vin­
dication came only after a long,
financially-draining trial, and after
the Justice Department had haras­
sed scores of elderly Black voters.
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