Portland observer., May 18, 1988, Page 2, Image 2

Page 2, Portland Observer, May 18, 1988
EDITORIAL /
Guest
Apology Due!
- '
• •/"
It could have been the case that we here at The Portland
Observer were the only ones who were greatly offended by
last week’s media comment on the City of Portland’s A ffir­
mative Action policy. The fact of the matter is that we receiv­
ed a good score of calls from both public officials and in­
dividuals concerning a disturbing racist commentary which
appeared as an ‘editorial note’ in the other Northeast com­
m unity newspaper.
It is hard to believe that the writer was knowingly allowed
to make such racist statements as
. the city s idea of
placing wishy-washy Black folks in key positions ’ .. .“ Hir­
ing a Black face to sit by the door doesn’t cut it” . . . or the
Mayor “ needs to insure that his bureau chiefs hire compe­
te n t’ employees” . It is even harder to believe that a Black
wrote this piece, but, regardless, both a reprimand and a
public apology are in order. As far as we know, there has
been no intim ation in either the public or private sector
which would indicate that there is some problem of in­
competence among Black city employees. Then, why this
piece, and why now?
We would hate to think that these vicious canards were
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED, and that some employee of the
newspaper was permitted to slyly insert a bit of poison (dirty
tricks) JUST BEFORE ELECTION DAY (We note the less-
than-oblique reference — there is much more at stake in
terms of CREDIBILITY and EFFICIENT city government.).
What an affront this is to the affirmative action process, and
to all those Blacks who have worked so hard to become
OVER-QUALIFIED just to ‘break even’ in securing Equal
Employment Opportunity.
We cannot be certain as to how much damage has been
done to the image of the Black workforce, before the com­
munity, and importantly, before our aspiring youth. The
community should reinforce the self-esteem of these
dedicated Black employees by letting them know of our
confidence in their COMPETENCE AND COMMITMENT.
Again, we say that an apology is in order!
Prof. McKinley Burt
PORTLAND O BSERVER
"The Eyes and Ears of the Community”
288-0033
portla W
Î& erver
OREGON S OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLICATION
E s ta b lis h e d in 1970
Alfred L. Henderson/Publisher
Leon Harrls/Gen Mgr
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
Nyewusi Askari
News Editor/Staff W riter
Gary Ann Garnett
Business Manager
Lonnie Wells
Danny Bell
Entertainment Writer/Sales
D istribution
Mattie Ann Callier-Spears
Steve Adams
by Professor McKinley Burt
Support the A N C
This week, I want to shift from a
commentary on "gangs” to an­
other area of community crisis.
We need to pay attention to a pro­
cess of ‘a ttritio n -w ith o u t-re -
placement' that occurs in Mino­
rity Business Enterprise. This
type of business loss completely
offsets the meagre gains created
by the incubation’ of new enter­
p ris e s .
Let me suggest that the Black
community is subjected to this
trauma not only by the condition
of its youth, but by a parallel
failure to make significant econo­
mic gains — if any. There is the
saying that “ those who do not
learn from history are doomed to
repeat it” . Interestingly, an an­
cient Black dynasty (community)
suffered the same type of mas­
sive alienation — Egyptfrom2181
B.C. to 2050 B.C. This was called
th e “ S e c o n d In te rm e d ia te
Period,” "when one age is dying
and the new one is not yet born.” It
was in this age of insecurity and
lawlessness that a Black scribe
composed a prayer and lamenta­
tion that has been handed down
to present time on original papy­
rus. Incorporated into the Bible by
the Hebrews, then in Egypt, it is
now known as the ‘Twenty-third
Psalm’(See note at the end of the
article).
In respect to attrition of m inori­
ty business, let me remark that a
common theme in commerce is
‘family succession’, and that as a
race it is not a process we have
pursued to a full advantage. Hold­
ing fast to economic skills and
traditions . . . and transferring
these institutions from genera­
tion to generation has been a hall
mark of the cultures of Americans
of European or Asian descent.
A contemporary situation is
that of an apparently prosperous
convenience store located in the
center of this community, con­
ceived and founded by a dedi­
cated Black couple, it has been
put up for sale. I have been given
the impression by several of their
friends that the reason forthe sale
is that these parents retained
their full-time jobs (as well you
might in a new venture) — but,
then, the youngsters in the family
did not follow through with the
com m itm ent and support one
would expect. If true, this would
not be a new phenomenon in
Black culture. It occurs, of course,
in all groups, but not with the
same impact it has upon the fra­
gile economy of a Black com­
munity.
In contrast, let me cite the ex­
ample of the two white-owned
stores at 16th and N.E. Killings-
worth, and N.E. Fremont and 24th
respectively. Owned and opera­
Sports
Joyce Washington
The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions
by Dr. Jamil Cherovee
Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly
115 00 per year in the Tri-County area
The PORTLAND OBSERVER — Oregon s oldest African-American Publication — is a member of The National
Newspaper Association - Founded in 1885. The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association and The National
Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc
New York
» • $»»»(■
¿NO * '
M'.»-
r
To start the Portland Observer coming every week.
$25 00 for tw o years
PORTLAND OBSERVER
Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208
Name _______________— ------------------------ -—-----------------------
Address ____ __________ ______________________ ______
■ •4
’■»A *
NOTE: Any reader who desires a
copy of the original of the Twenty-
Third Psalm as written by an Afri­
can scribe should send a stamp­
ed, self-addressed business size
e n v e lo p e to The P o rtla n d
Observer, 5011 N.E. 26th Ave.,
Portland, OR 97211.
Dr. Avery Post, President of the
United Church of Christ, stated at
the meeting, “The racist apartheid
regime in South Africa is perpetrat­
ing one of the greatest crimes
against humanity that has been
witnessed in history. These crimes
are not dissimilar or unrelated to
the holocaust during World War II,
and both of these crimes against
humanity were borne out of similar
racist/fascist ideologies . . We
are called by God to promote
God's justice.”
In response. ANC s Pallo Jordan
stated, "We have had reason,
especially since 1980, to be ex­
tremely disappointed with the sorts
of responses we have been able to
get from the Administration in the
United States on issues related to
southern Africa. And we are
Rebecca Robinson
labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed envelope
li
One thing that is desperately
needed in this community is an
INVESTMENT GROUP w h ich
would purchase for operation, or
hold for resale to Black families,
those viable businesses which for
whatever reason are about to be
lost forever to the community.
Strangely enough, there was such
an organization forty-five years
ago, formed by Black railroad
employees: The ‘Acme Business
Club, Inc.’
OPINION
pleased to have this opportunity to
meet with people like yourselves
who have been with us in the
trenches, fighting for the same
end.”
Thabo Mbeki focused on the
long history and deep affection of
the South African people for the
African National Congress, remind­
ing us that, "The ANC was foundeo
in 1912 as an organization commit­
ted to the democratic, non-racial
transformation of South Africa.
Naturally, we have deep roots
within our communities. Genera­
tions of Black South Africans have
grown up in the ANC. So even if
they arrested all the leaders and
the activists, the community would
carry on in the spirit and the name
of the ANC."
Mbeki also reported on the latest
murderous acts of terrorism com­
mitted by the government of South
Africa against the ANC: the assas­
sination of Dulcie September, the
ANC's Paris representative: the
car-bombing of Albie Sachs, an
ANC lawyer in Mozambique; the
attempted bombing of ANC’s chief
representative in Brussels; and the
scores of other persons who have
been murdered by South Africa's
“ Z-death squads in raids on the
neighboring front-line nations.
While I ws in Botswana I saw the
terrible devastation at the site of a
recent raid where South Africa's
death squad had murdered and
burned the bodies of 4 people, 3 of
them young women. One of the
victims was a church member of
the U.C.C of Southern Africa.
Also at the meeting Ruth Mom­
pati spoke of the millions of chil­
dren who are being physically and
psychologically tortured at the
hands of the South African gov­
ernment. She talked about the
ANC youth program that estab­
lished schools to care for and
prepare the youth who escape
from South Africa for future leader­
ship. The beauty of the ANC is that
it is preparing future leaders while
still respecting the wisdom of the
senior leaders of the struggle.
The President of the ANC, Oliver
Tambo, is 70 years old. He was
once the law partner of Nelson
Mandela, the noted ANC leader.
Mandela has been a political pris­
oner in South Africa for 26 years. -
Those at the meeting reminded us
that on July 18th of this year there
will be an international celebration
of Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday.
As our meeting ended, a
member of the ANC delegation
requested prayer. Suddenly
another member of the ANC began
to sing "We Shall Overcome” and, .
as our voices joined in song, we
formed a circle and held hands. As
the
South
Africans
say,
"Amandla!" — “ Power to the
people!"
Will The Black Male
Escape Extinction?
Deadlines for all submitted materials
Articles Monday. 5 p m . Ads Tuesday 5 p m
f ’’*?
I have noticed that the sons and
daughters of the ‘other’ groups
often DELAY their university edu­
cation until the foundation of the
family business is firm ly in place.
Frequently, they take specific and
relevant technical courses at a
nearby community college in the
evenings. This process brings
back to the enterprise new ideas,
new technologies, and some­
times new 'blood'. On the other
hand, I had in my classes at Port­
land State University, some stu­
dents who were by no means
ready for that level of academics.
And of these who were Black,
many had parents who were skill­
ed artisans and crafts people,
independent contractors w ith
successful businesses. Is it a fact
that we have parents who may or
may not have finished high school
who place too much emphasis on
an early-on’ college degree?
"He/She is going to be the first in
our family to get a ’DEgree’(sic).” I
will be writing about alternate
routes in The Portland Observer’s
"Career Special” of June 2.
As millions ot voices around the
world continue to cry out against
racist apartheid in South Africa,
there appears to be a crucial
turning point on the horizon. With
the exception of the United States
and Israel, most of the nations of
the world have sought to cut all
substantial ties with Pretoria. In
addition, it has become clear which
liberation movement has won the
popular support of the people of
South Africa. No longer is it a
question of whom we stand
against, but, rather, whom we
stand with.
After my recent tour of southern
Africa as part of a leadership
delegation from the United Church
of Christ, I have come to one firm
conclusion: the most effective
means of supporting the people of
South Africa in the struggle to
dismantle apartheid is to give all
possible, direct support to the Afri­
can National Congress (ANC).
On April 16, 1988 in Lusaka,
Zambia I had the pleasure of taking
part in an historic meeting between
the leadership of the African Na­
tional Congress and national lead­
ers of my church. The ANC delega­
tion was composed of members of
their National Executive Commit­
tee, including Pallo Jordan, Thabo
Mbeki, Ruth Mompati and Jacob
Zuma. The ANC's Religious Affairs
Department was also there, includ­
ing Chaplain Gqiba. The atmos­
phere was permeated by a sense
of mutual respect and solidarity.
What became clear to our delega­
tion was the profound love which
the ANC continues to have for the
people of South Africa.
We met for an entire day in
candid and in-depth discussions
concerning the present crisis in
South Africa and South Africa’s
attempts to destabilize all of south­
ern Africa. We also discussed the
history and program of the ANC
and its vision for the future of South
Africa.
Typesetter/Production
Sales Director
•y-«,
ted by a single family, they re­
present a situation with which I
am very familiar — my years of
public accounting. These type of
operations are referred to as a
"dynasty" where the young family
members grow up in the business
and then STAY WITH IT. The insti­
tution, the tradition, and the
know-how is transferred from
generation to generation. And I
am quite sure that all of us are
familiar with the term "good w ill” ,
where the name and the commu­
nity respect for the enterprise is
valued almost as highly as the
physical assets. We notice daily
th is type of ‘ g e n e ra tio n -to -
generation’ c o n tin u ity in the
te le visio n advertising or our
area’s car dealers and furniture
stores.
Sales Representative
Arnold Pitre
Fred Hembry
S 15 00 fo r one year
Beniamin F Chavis Jr
Art Director
Religion Editor
Subscriptions
___
Civil Rights Journal
Perspectives
EDITORIAL
;
OPINION
C it y __________________ - —
State_______________________ Z i p ----------------------
Black men and boys around
this nation are under attack be­
cause they pose a threat to the
system of caucasoid supremacy
which has dominated the planet
for the last 4,000 years. Prominent
Black thinkers probed this crisis
during a two-day conference at
Compton Community College
last month entitled "The Black
Male: An Endangered Species?”
When we say the Black male is
endangered, that means he is ex­
posed to harm or loss, he is in
great peril, he is threatened with
e x tin c tio n . “ T ha t’s se rio u s,"
declared Minister Farrakhan Mu­
hammad Ali, opening the confer­
ence before a standing-room only
crowd of nearly 2,000
R egarding the theme, the
M inister cautioned, however, that
the Black man
. is not a kind of
somthing else .. the Black male
and female is the original form
which species come," an idea
which all the presenters echoed
at some point in their presenta­
tions.
The two-day conference fea­
tured, in addition to the Friday lec­
ture by Minister Farrakhan, pre­
sentations on Saturday by Dr.
George J. McKenna III, principal
of the George Washington Pre­
paratory High School; Lee Ro­
gers, former gang member turned
youth counselor; Drs. Nathan and
Julia Hare, noted sociologists
and psychologists; Dr. Robert
Staples, professor of sociology at
the University of California; and
Judge Daisy G. Collins and Sher­
man W. Smith, Sr.
Dr. Frances Cress Welsing,
psychiatrist and author of the
famous Cress Theory of Color
Confrontation and Racism, con­
cluded the conference with her
piercing analysis of caucasoid
supremacy and its base in the
caucasoid man’s fear of cauca­
soid "genetic annihilation."
This Afrikan Peoples Confer­
ence, the seventh of its kind, was
the result of the vision of con­
ference chairperson Billie Jo
Moore. Ms Moore told me other
Black students could improve
academically if they knew the
g re a tn e s s of th e ir h is to ry ,
because she had "become stron­
ger and more self directed" as a
result of her own experience.
Ms. More, feeling a need to
"wake up" other students, organ­
ized symposia which flowed into
the Afrikan Peoples Conference,
and have attracted well-known
Black scholars like Drs. Yosef
Ben-Jochanan and Ivan Sertima
The conference coincidentally
started on the same night that the
Los Angeles Police Department
sent a wave of 1,000 police of­
ficers into the streets allegedly to
curb gang crime and violence.
The presenters left no doubt
that the drug crisis, skyrocketing
unemployment, single parent fa­
milies and Black-on-Black crime,
and even the AIDS epidemic, are
not accidental side effects of
Amerika’s rejection of Blacks, but
calculated devices aimed at con­
tro llin g and eventually exter­
m inating Blacks, p a rticu la rly
Black males.
There is a cloud of death that
hangs over our c o m m u n ity,"
warned Minister Farrakhan Mu­
hammad Ali, stressing that Black
people have lost the love of them­
selves and the purpose for which
God created them, therefore,
Black people kill each other and
set the tone for caucasoids to kill
Blacks."
■ Continued next week
«