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Page 2, Portland Observer, August 3, 1988
EDITORIAL /
PORTLflMÖ'Öß^ERVER
OREGON S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop: Leader and Master Historian
E sta b lish e d m 19Z0
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The Ordeal Of
Judge Hastings
by Stephen McPherson
he criminal justice system in submit voice prints to confirm the
this country takes particular tact that the voices intercepted
were indeed those of Judge
pain to protect innocent parties
from the excesses of an over-zeal­ H astings? To believe such
ous government. The fu lles of evi­ evidence requires that one have a
dence delimit facts from opin­ great deal of faith in FBI methods
ions. It is seldom that any jury of investigation.
would convict an accused person
Even if all of the other evidence
based solely on undocumented is untainted, one would have to
circumstantial evidence. There al­ believe in Santa Claus, the Easter
so is an absolute requirement Bunny and the Tooth Fairy if we
that any criminal conviction be are to accept the mode by which
devoid of a reasonable doubt.
the Rico/Romano group exchang­
On the other hand the articles ed the initial $25.000 deposit with
of impeachment generated by any Mr. Border in the manner describ­
Congress are not necessarily ed. Even if these unlikely facts are
packaged with the same tidiness true, how was the money launder­
required by the judicial system. ed? What was Mr. Border’s moti­
To be sure, they are purely a pres­ vation? Is it possible that he was
entment tantamount to a true bill running his own personal extor­
rendered by a grand jury. The Sen­ tion racket and benefiting from
ate is obligated by the constitu­ his past associations with Judge
tion to air the accusations in a full Hastings? He admitted as much
trial in which testimony is given in separate criminal proceedings
and the right to cross examine the prior to his disbarrment.
witnesses by counsel of the ac­
The evidence presented with
cused, accused choosing is
regard to a dinner date Judge
respected. It is not surprising that
Hastings had at the Fontaine­
such a process was successful in
bleau is shabbier than all the rest.
removing an incumbent from of­
It seems to support Judge Hast­
fice only eleven times during the
ings’ contention that he was only
entire history of this country. At
dining out with a female compan­
its best impeachment is a very dif­
ion. How could the removal of two
ficult exercise, even though the
chairs from a four place table
preliminary articles might loom as
even remotely suggest that he
ominous and damning.
was expecting other guests?
The matter of Judge Alcee
Hastings is either a curious exam­
Finally, at the suggestion of Mr.
ple of the persistent harassment Hastings’ colleagues in the 11th
of a dedicated public servant by a circuit the United States Judicial
vindictive bureaucracy or the best Conference appears to have ac­
orchestrated malfeasance of an ceded to a personal vendetta
incorrigable charlatan who must against the Judge. District at­
be removed from office immed­ torneys in the past have been
iately if the judicial system is to known to manufacture all sorts of
survive.
obfuscations which would abro­
Normally a jury acquittal pre­ gate the doctrine of double jeop­
cludes further criminal proceed­ ardy. When one observes judges
ings. The constitutional prohibi­ in the federal court playing the
tion against double jeopardy is a same sort of dirty pool, that act
principle that has survived the becomes reprehensible.
canons of Anglo-American juris­
Neither can one be deeply im­
prudence for more than eight cen­ pressed by the fact that Rep.
turies. One might not always John Conyers, a Black man and
agree with the findings of a jury chairman of the subcommittee on
but it is rare when such a decision criminal justice and the judiciary
is set aside or challenged in a convinced his colleagues to vote
court of law. The idea that articles unanimously for the articles of
of impeachment are not in con­ impeachment. Isn't that exactly
flict with the principle of double what the present administration
jeopardy is specious. It Is only the wants?
Supreme Court which is qualified
In the United States, one is still
under our system to make such a innocent until proven guilty be­
determination. It would seem that yond a shadow of doubt. Col.
the Congress exceeded its auth- Oliver North has demonstrated
iority in this matter of interpreta­ quite convincingly that the bur­
tion.
den of the proof is on the accuser.
The overture Judge Hastings is More recently Ed Meese labored
alleged to have made through under tons of circum stantial
W illia m B o rde r to e x tra c t evidence and survived the on­
$150.000 from a defendant would slaught. Even the recent incum­
have been inept since the judge bent in the White House has been
frequently authorized wiretaps tainted but exonerated. Is a
and would have been knowledge­ special standard of ethics now
able of the methodology the FBI being applied to Judge Alcee
employed. It is hard to believe Hastings?
It is to be hoped that Judge
that a federal judge would permit
himself to be seen making a tele­ Hastings, though not obligated
phone call from a public tele­ under our laws, will give a good
phone just outside his chambers, accounting of himself when he
especially if he were involved in a steps into the well of the Senate
criminal activity. Did the FBI ever floor.
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OPINION
ment of Afrikans all over the
world into assets As a student in
Paris. Diop studied world civiliza­
tions from an Afrocentric per­
spective. He became leader of the
Afrikan students' movement. He
was Secretary General for R.D.A.
(Democratic Afrikan Rally), the
"ra d ic a l” student movement
which attracted most of the
Frankhaphone future, Afrikan
by Dr. Jamil Cherovee
leaders. He was also a leader in
the organization of the First Pan
n my travels, I had the pleasure
Afrikan Student Congress. Later
of meeting one of the greatest
he became an active participant
King's in all his glory. No indi­
in the 1966 World Festival of
vidual, scholar contributed more
Black Arts in Dakar, Senegal.
to Afrikan people retaking their
There he shared a special award
tame than Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop,
with W E B. DuBois as “ the writer
whose death at his home in Dakar
who had exerted the greatest in­
Senegal, West Afrika, on Feb. 7,
fluence on Black thought in the
1986 brought to a close one of the
20th Century.” He also made
most brilliant intellectual careers
many contacts with Afrikans from
in this century. I’m inclined to
all parts of Afrika and the world
believe. Dr. Diop was one of the
that kept him politically active
few universal scholars in the
throughout his very busy and
world, having mastered the disci­
work-oriented life.
plines of physics, archaeology,
Not only did Dr. Diop begin his
Egyptology, lin g u is tic s and
p
o
litic a l battle against c o l­
sociology. Brother Diop used
onialism
at the Sorbonne, he also
these disciplines to develop an in­
launched
his war against the in­
tellectual framework that provid­
tellectual
European world. While
ed Afrikan leaders with the major
pursuing
the
doctorate, Diop had
ideas they used in their struggle
to
write
three
thesis because the
against colonialism, and Afrikan
university
rejected
his first two.
scholars with theories to guide
The
first
thesis
had
established
their studies toward the restora­
Egypt
as
an
Afrikan
civilization,
tion of the truth about Afrikans in
both
biologically
and
culturally.
world history and civilizations.
The
second
thesis
scientifically
Professor Diop was born in
demonstrated the cultural unity of
Diourbel, Senegal, December 29.
traditional Afrika. In the latter
1923. He was born into the Wolf
work he also demolished the
ethnic tradition, and was later
theory of universal pattern of
trained in Qur'anic studies, re­
cultural unity which leads to the
ceived an undergraduate degree
concept of European cultural
at the University of Dakar in
supremacy. These two rejected
Senegal, and finally completed
works were later published in
his formal education at the Sor-
French by Presence Afrikaine and
bonne in Paris, France. I believe,
have become among the most
Diop turned these experiences,
outstanding books of the 20th
which have had a tremendous im­
Century. (The English versions
pact on the intellectual develop­
are, respectively, The Afrikan
Origin of Civilization: Myth or
Reality, and The Cultural Unity of
Black Afrika).
The third thesis was accepted
only after Brother Diop rounded
up all the Afrikan scholars he
could find in Paris and invaded
the examination room with them.
That work was also published by
Business
As Usual?
is still
empty!
— That
conven-
| t ience
store
location
at N.E.
15th
and Fremont. The failure of this
operation was cited several
weeks ago in my comments on
cultural reasons for the demise of
many businesses. For those who
may be considering this type en­
terprise. I point out that there is
an excellent (and larger) site avail­
able in the Pacific Power and
Light complex across the street.
On the positive side of com­
merce this paper will in the near
future feature several successful
local Black businesses: A sophis­
ticated COMMUNICATIONS CEN­
TER AND OFFICE SERVICE with
both conventional and radio
answ ering services — An IN ­
TERSTATE PARCEL DELIVERY
SERVICE — A Westside
REAL
ESTATE MANAGEMENT COR­
PORATION (Employed one of my
students to install a computerized
control system a decade ago.)
From time to time I have cited
some historical examples of com­
mercial excellence — such as
the Coleman Manufacturing Com­
pany of South Carolina (textiles).
It was set-up at the end of last
century and after many changes
in corporate ownership (and col­
or), became today's CANNON
LINEN MILLS. For the many who
think it is not possible to start a
business without a government
loan (and control), I would love for
evolution of Afrikan socio-politi­
cal structures as the basis of a
history of Afrika.
by Dr. Manning Marable
The Bentsen Mistake
Sometimes the way in which
problems are handled is more sig­
nificant than the content of the
problem itself. Dukakis’s problem
was to inform Jesse in a timely
fashion that he wasn’t being
selected. This wasn’t a surprise to
Jackson. But the manner in which
Dukakis permitted the media to
dump the news on the Rainbow
Coalition's candidate was, delib­
erately or not, also perceived as a
racial statement. The “ Duke” was
stating that Jackson had no right
to the normal courtesies one
would anticipate within power
politics. The Rainbow's suc­
cesses were written off in a pre­
emptive fashion. And behind the
scenes, Dukakis’s key advisers
whispered that a racial snub of
the Country Preacher might pro­
duce thousands of white, conser­
vative male votes. The New Eng­
land technocrat had found a neo-
Dixiecrat approach to the dilem­
ma of Black activist politics.
The real question which re­
mains unanswered is whether the
liberal7left forces behind Jackson
will recognized that their recent
ostracism was not based on per­
sonality differences with Dukakis,
but actually represented a stra­
tegic shift by the Democrats to
the right. Blacks and progressives
can be taken for granted, so long
as they have no other alternatives
except to embrace the national
Democratic ticket.
Victories in the California and
New Jersey Democratic primaries
in early June pushed Massachu­
setts Governor Michael Dukakis
over the top in his run for his par­
ty's nomination. In retrospect,
Dukakis's successful campaign
is difficult to explain. The Gover­
nor was all but unknown outside
of New England at the beginning
of 1988. He has a speaking style
which Is bland, and the personali­
ty of a snail on sominex. Dukakis
has a respectable track record as
a public sector manager, but he’s
never had the capacity to express
a bold political vision which could
capture the hearts and minds of
voters. In fact, he couldn’t re­
cognize what a political vision
was even if it crept up on him in
the middle of the night.
Dr. Manning Marable is Chairperson of the
Black Studies Department, Ohio State Uni­
versity, Columbus, Ohio. ' Along the Color
Line" appears in over 140 newspapers
internationally.
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
-Perspectives
by Professor McKinley Burt
developing a scientific explana­
tion of the laws of governing the
Along the Color Line
I
them to see my file on many en­
terprises set up by whites and
Asians with and without such aid.
Often, it is a matter of style and
discipline — no more, no less.
In the early 1950's my auto­
dealer accounting clients were
already fleeing Union Avenue for
the suburbs. At the same time a
friend offered me his down-state
CAR WASH in settlement of a
debt. It was in Albany, Oregon
and there I saw an opportunity to
exercise some of my more imag­
inative ideas. In the West, I knew
that while in large cities employ­
ment discrimination was ramp­
a n t— as in Portland— in the
smaller towns many business op-
Dortunities were wide open. I had
met Black owners of Auto Dealer­
ships, Helicopter Services, Log­
ging Companies, Sheet Metal
Shops, Agricultural Chemical
Companies, Trucking Firms, and
Grange Masters, even Mayors.
After a year of operation of the
car wash, I added a pick-up and a
mobile steam cleaner in order to
service loggers, contractors and
farmers; for the latter I cleaned
and lubricated tractors and com­
bines, and sterilized poultry pens.
During a long loggers strike,
white help became readily avail­
able and with additional units I ex­
panded into cleaning restaurant
grilles and the shopping carts of
supermarkets from one end of
99W to the other.
In 1954, I was ready to leave for
Los Angeles to set-up an account­
ing and Federal Tax Court Prac­
tice. Finding no interested Black
buyer in Portland I sold to a local
restaurant owner who wanted the
business for his sons. Interesting­
ly, my first client in Los Angeles
was a 'Mecca Mortgage Com­
pany’ owned by three Black broth­
ers of the Spikes’ family. The
eldest was the inventor of the
RAILROAD SEMAPHORE and the
MAGNETIC TORPEDO In fact
this began my research into Black
Inventors.
Presence Afrikaine as Afrique
Pre-Coloniale and will soon be
available in an English transla­
tion. In that work he focused on
The Howard Beach
Tragedy
by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
he racial injustice of the
Howard Beach tragedy con­
tinues unabated. Although the
cial attack occurred in the Ho­
ward Beach section of Queens,
N.Y. in December of 1986, most of
the group of the more than twelve
young whites who violently at­
tacked three African-American
men have not been prosecuted.
Michael Griffith, 23 years old, was
struck and killed by a car as he
was running from the attackers. In
the first trial which ended in
December of 1987, three white
men
w e re
c o n v ic te d
of
manslaughter and assault and a
fourth was acquitted of all
charges.
The second Howard Beach trial
recently ended with the acquittal
of one of the white attackers,
19-year-old Thomas Gucciardo.
Although Cedric Sandiford, who
was severely beaten during the
Howard Beach attack, testified
that Gucciardo was the one who
"was beating me with a tree
limb." Gucciardo was found not
guilty. The foreman of the jury,
George Isaris, stated that the jury
did not believe that Sandiford’s
identification of Gucciardo was
adequate enough for a conviction.
We all remember the highly
controversial nature of the first
Howard Beach trial which ended
in the convictions of some of the
attackers. The lawyers represent­
ing the Griffith family and Cedric
Sandiford demanded a special
state prosecutor. Attorneys Alton
Maddox an Vernon Mason, Afri­
can-American lawyers who repre­
sented the victims of the Howard
Beach attack, were severely
c ritic iz e d because of th e ir
demands for the special pro­
secutor.
At the end of the trial, however,
T
Maddox and Mason won praise
because their strategy proved to
be effective in getting some con­
ra­
victions arising out of the Howard
Beach tragedy. Now that the me­
dia and public attention has turn­
ed the limelight away from the
Howard Beach drama the orderly
course of institutionalized racism
in the criminal justice system
continues to flow unchallenged.
Even though there were two
African-Americans on the jury of
the second Howard Beach trial,
they were prepared to give a
greater weight to the varacity of
the defense of Mr. Gucciardo over
the testimony of one of the vic­
tim s of the crime. Justice,
therefore, continues to be an il­
lusive phenomena for African-
American victim s of racially
motivated violence.
One could draw the conclusion
that unless African-Americans
and other racial and ethnic vic­
tims of racial attacks have law­
yers and supporters who are w ill­
ing to literally “ raise hell” before,
during and after the trial of these
cases, then there will never be
anything gained toward justice
being done. When it comes to the
actions of the judicial and law en­
forcement systems of this nation,
the life of an African-American in
this society appears-to be of less
worth than the life of a Anglo
American.
The Howard Beach incident,
like that of the Emmett Till
tragedy in Mississippi in the
1950s, has made another ideliable
imprint on the conscienceness of
the African-American community
concerning the reality of the
viciousness of racism in the
United States. We will never
forget the life and the death of
Michael Griffith.
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