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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1988)
Mrs France» Schoen-Re.spaper Roo» University of Oregon Llbrary tugene, Oregon 97403 Ebony Fashion Fair Page 5 25$ ERVER PORR USPS 9 M 6A0 HM * by Ron Harris Crack: New Danger in Communities In the last three years, accord- ng to a new Drug Enforcement Administration report, crack (a highly addictive cocaine deriva tive) has rapidly spread to 46 states — all but the most sparsely populated areas of the country. Using such phrases as ‘‘dramatic increase,” ‘‘serious problem ,” and ‘‘escalating to alarm ing levels,” the 22-page document details the rapid emergence of this terrifying drug on the streets in many m id d le -size c itie s , smaller towns and even rural areas in America. "Never before has any form of cocaine been available at such low cost and high potency," the report said of crack, a drug which is "inexpensive, highly addictive” and “ physically and emotionally destructive.” The report has come just at the time when President Reagan de clared that "the tide of the battle has turned and we are beginning to win the crusade for a drug-free Am erica,” citin g surveys that showed cocaine abuse among high school seniors and other young adults dropped 20 percent last year. But many local officials con sider that White House rhetoric is not reflecting the whole picture at the community level. "Just saying no’ is not enough," Peter F. Luongo, director of a youth treat ment program in Maryland, told the Los Angeles Times. "W e’ve got to do something.” The new crack tra ffic k in g organizations, partly composed of m em bersorform erm em bersof big city street gangs, make exten sive use of teenagers both as pushers and couriers. Young peo ple, many under the age of 16, are tempted by the prospect of plenty of spending money, nice clothes, fancy cars, and the weapons that have become part of most crack operations. Individual organiza tion s; are reported to be selling up a| to $3 m illion of crack a day in larger cities. Apart from lowering prices to bolster crack use, big business marketing techniques are now being adopted in some areas to in crease customer sales, every thing from packaging crack under brand names (like “ Airborne" and "Sudden Impact” ) to sales com- alone will not lead to a drug-free America. Even in a police state as tightly controlled as the Soviet Union, there is a drug problem. “ There has always been every type of drug available in Moscow,” re cently said a medical doctor who defected to America. “ At night on streets near Red Square, you can get anything you want — women, men or drugs.” For those who work with drug users at the street level in American cities, there is broad agreement that we cannot elimi nate a social problem like drugs sim ply by m aking it also criminal problem. To fully handle why someone takes drugs now, it is often necessary to resolve what was p e titio n s w ith in tr a ffic k in g organizations. The initial response to the sweeping crack wave has been to call for increased law enforce ment resources to effectively drug networks and the violence and killing that follows them. But, as we have learned through years of escalating drug abuse, this wrong before they took them. The w ar-to-end-all-w ars on drugs, the only one that has a hope of truly brining about a drug free America, cannot just attack drugs and their pushers. It must also focus on better ways of deal ing with those problems that lead to drug abuse. Trying to punish those who use drugs has more than proven to be an ineffective, incomplete solution. While drug abuse is rampant in America, reducing efforts to stem the flow of drugs into the country might be disastrous. But without a more direct attack on those fac tors leading to drug abuse, crack and other drugs will be a part of the American landscape for many years to come, available to any teenager or adult alike who cares to seek them out. See related articles on Page 7 The Other Type of Gang: Skinheads by I.R. Macrae Crips, Bloods and Asian gangs have got officials and citizens worried, and with good reason. Well-organized, sophistaicated and armed with deadly weapons, they have been linked to drug- Dushing, prostitution and numer- □us other crimes. While often 3ne type of gang mem- jer is a different breed, lowever, motivated not ay greed but by hatred, pure and simple. »nt, most gang activities are ivated by desire for fast, large its to be made by dealing in il- drugs, pimping or trafficking olen goods. One type of gang nber is a different breed, iever, motivated not by greed by hatred, pure and simple, /ell inform ed sources de- be the skinheads as young Its who hate "everything and ryone..." but have a particular dge against Jews and racial or nic m inorities — especially April 13, 1988 "The Eyes and Ears of the Com m unity” Volume XVIII, Number 22 Asians and African Americans. Their activities range from pass ing out hate literature and scrawl ing g ra ffitti to harrassm ent, assault and, in at least two cases in Portland, murder. Neo-Nazi groups such as the Aryan Brotherhood are known to be actively recruiting among the skinheads. It seems the young punks find the ideology of hate provides at least the pretense of a rationale for their violence. Not that they need a raionale to attack or harrass. Among recent in cidents: two skinheads approach ed a white person waiting at a bus- stop, asking for money. When the person refused, he was beaten with an umbrella. A white youth was “ cut-up" by two skinheads, and a white street corner preacher was beaten when he refused to assent to the superiority of the white race. Most victims, how ever, are minorities. They include a security guard at Lincoln High School, an African American woman attacked near Lloyd Cen ter, and most recently, an Asian man beaten as he emerged from a Chinese restaurant in Old Town. Neo-Nazi groups such as the Aryan Brotherhood are known to be actively recruiting among the skinheads.” One of the most serious skin head incidents to date occurred in 1986 when a member of the San Francisco gang called the "San Francisco Bashers” came to Portland via Richard Butler's Neo- Nazi training camp in Idaho. Like many skinheads, "Basher Dave, as he was called, was a devotee of heavy-metal music with its fre quent allusions to Satanism and fascism. It was not surprising, therefore, that he gravitated to Satyricon Nightclub in Old Town where he enjoyed the music be fore com m itting murder. Last year, another Old Town murder was attributed to the skinheads when a group of them beat a tran- sient to death. Neil Crannell, member of the Portland Police Bureau's Gang Unit, believes that w hile the overall numbers of skinheads re main small, they are bolder now than they have been in the past. In creased publicity from television talk shows and town meetings may be part of the reason, but Crannell thinks that most are simply aware that they w ill pro bably spend little time in jail. Most of their activities are m isde meanors, he explains, so the chance of incarceration is small. Another source noted that the skinheads are “ just not that well- organized." Black and Oriental gangs are much more dangerous at the present time, he said. Ac cordingly, most funding and police work has focused on the latter. However, Mayor Bud Clark has asked the M e tro p o lita n Human Relations Commission to investigate the skinheads in the aftermath of the most recent at tack. Oregon Bank Scholarship Established Dr. Matthew Prophet, Superintendent of the Portland Public Schools, shakes hands with Joseph H. Johnson, President and Chief Executive Of ficer of Oregon Bank, who has established a scholarship fund for members of minority groups with an interest in a career in financial services. Oregon Bank announced April 11 that it has established an Ore gon Bank Scholarship Fund to provide two scholarships annual ly to be awarded to graduating Portland School District High School seniors. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist graduating seniors from minority groups who have an interest in and the potential for a career in financial services. Dr. Matthew Prophet, Super intendent of the Portland Public Schools, said, "I am very pleased to welcome the Oregon Bank Scholarship into our financial aid program for graduating seniors. It expands the opportunities in higher education for our stu dents, while it encourages our highly qualitifed candidates to study in Oregon. According to Joseph H. John son, President and Chief Execu tive Officer, “ We are excited about the potential this program provides for attracting minorities into the financial services field. At the same time, we are endorsing the Oregon public education sys tem for its ability to educate and prepare individuals for banking careers. We are pleased that the possible opportunity to work at Oregon Bank during summer va cations will not only provide addi tional funds for the student's education but also provide hands- on experience in the Bank.” The scholarships provide the equivalent amount of a full year's tuition at a public four-year col lege or university in the State of Oregon and is renewable over a four-year period. Scholarships w ill be awarded on the basis of: 1. Personal and academic achievement and potential. 2. Membership in a racial or ethnic m inority group. 3. Record of participation in ex tra curricular activities, both in school and/or the community. 4. Grade-point average of 3.0 or combined SAT score of 1050. 5. Availability for employment at the Oregon Bank during sum mer vacations while on scholar ship. Application forms may be ob tained from the college counselor at any Portland Public High School. Finalists w ill be inter viewed by the Oregon Bank and recipients will be notified by June 1, 1988. Oregon Bank has assets of $1.2 billion and 56 branches through out Oregon. The Portland-based commercial bank is a subsidiary of Security Pacific Corporation, based in Los Angeles, and is ad ministered by Rainier Bancor poration headquartered in Seat tle. FCC Grants Approval for Black-Owned Radio Station Christopher Bennett of Seattle, Washington, an Afri can-A m erica n b u s in e s s man, announced today that the Federal C om m unica tio n s C o m m is s io n has granted approval of a license for the operation of Oregon's first Black-owned radio sta tion. The station w ill operate under the call letters KAAR (1480 AM) and w ill feature a 24-hour contemporary soul format. The station will be located at 510 S.W. 3rd Avenue in Portland (Postal Building). Resumes and air tapes are now being accepted. Inter views are scheduled to com- mense on Friday, April 15, 1988. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply by calling 222-1480.