Page 4 • Portland Observer • January 5, 1989 "Confessions Of A Former Racist" North Portland Bible College Prepares For Winter Term some good whites and some bad stand why. I braced myself to be whites. By the same token, there are called “ nigger" and white students by Mattie A nn Callier-Soears some good blacks and some bad When I graduated from Roosevelt shocked me by inviting me home for blacks There is good and bad in all All past, present and interested High School in 1975 and enrolled at dinner, fishing, to the "T-R oom ” , sail races. I had been labeling all whites ing, skiing, and to my disbelief, on students, faculty, staff and board Southeast Community College, Fair as being bad simply because they members are invited to attend an bury, Nebraska, I had no idea that dates. My world view or perspective belonged to the race! I realized that I informal gathering of FUN, GAMES, there were so many white people in about white people was crumbling had to learn to accept people for who SHARING, and REFRESHMENTS. the world. I did not like white people before my eyes. To further com pli they were instead of labeling them as Some call it “ Epiphany,” others because they were to blame for all cate matters, I fractured my foot in a bad because of their race. I realized say “ Twelfth Night” or “ Three Kings that was wrong in my Washington, pick-up basketball game and I never that stereotyping clouded my judge Day"; but, at NPBC, w e’re calling it D.C. community. The drugs, poverty, regained my junior college form that ment and destroyed potential com year. I withdrew socially, regressed unem ploym ent, and ill-equipped W inter Term Tip-Off Party. munications situations. I changed my If by chance, you fall into one of schools. He was the “blue-eyed devil" academically, and did good finishing entire outlook and view of the world in the semester. My GPA dropped to the above categories-you’re cordially the Black Muslims preached about fifteen days! invited to come out on January 6th, on our street corners, the race that barely a 2.0 compared to the 3.1 Once back on cam pus for the graduated with in Nebraska. I was a around 7:30 p.m. in the evening in killed off or paid off our black leader second semester, I was more com M aranatha’s Fellowship Hall located ship, and the man who enslaved our lost soul. fortable with my environment, open Virtually broke and unable to af at 4222 N.E. 12th Avenue (13th people. Yes, I threw bricks at white with my feelings, secure in the com Avenue entrance, downstairs). National Guardsmen as a teenager ford the 3,000 mile trip home, I bummed munications process, friendlier, and during the 1968 riots, painted anti a ride to Sacramento, CA. where I creative. My GPA skyrocketed to 3.79 white slogans on the side of build took refuge with my best friend from and I received several opportunities high school who had just accepted a ings, looted stores, and loved every to work in the media industry that job with a com puter company. Un moment of it. I hated white people were there all the time. I guess you sure of my academic-athletic future, I and my neighborhood, family, and can’t see what you are not looking for spent the entire Christmas holiday friends reinforced this attitude. I was glad that I opened my eyes. reflecting and trying to get my life in Fairbury, Nebraska is a small farm Ultimately, I received by B.A. & M.A. com m unity located about 70 miles order. and worked at KPTV, as well as other The trip to California turned out to southeast of Lincoln, the state capi- media outlets around Portland, be be the best thing for me. There, I had tol, and ten miles from the Kansas fore taking my enlightened attitude to one of the greatest revelations of my border. During the early to middle the south. seventies, there was a large influx of young life. I realized that there were inner-city athletes lured to junior col leges to play basketball and other sports throughout the Midwest. We Dr. T.L. Lewis would play basketball games and all Come meet the two new teachers: of the players on the other team would Dr. T.L. Lewis, pastor of the Morning be from the same city. New York City, wise have access to. It can be a CAMBRIDGE, MASS.--ln a sense, Star Missionary Baptist Church and Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia Gregory C. Chisholm has a double useful way of evangelizing.” Rev. Raoul Robles, pastor of the to name a few. It was much easier for Mr. Chisholm has four years of major at the Massachusetts Institute First Baptist Church of St. Johns. these institutions to recruit the mar studying remaining at Heythrop Col of Technology. The returning teachers are: Rev. ginal student-athlete than those in He’s a PhD candidate in mechani lege, a Jesuit school that is part of the Phillip Nelson, pastor of Allen Temple the upper percentile of their high school cal engineering, where he also ob University of London, before he is C.M.E. Church; Nathan Barnett, graduating class because all we tained his SB (1973) and SM (1975) ordained. He currently is living at the pastor of Berean Baptist Church; Lee wanted to do was play sports and degrees. And, since 1980, he has Loyola House, a Jesuit residence, in Arthur Madison, pastor of New Jerusa chase the pro dream. been preparing for the priesthood in Boston. He said he may well serve as lem Baptist Church and the director In admitting these marginal stu the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catho a priest in a parish setting some day, of the Center for Community Mental dent athletes, an institution could perhaps even while teaching. lic teaching order. Health; Dr. James E. Martin, senior qualify for Federal Educational Funds In fact, he already has combined “ I have always enjoyed the oppor pastor of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church because they had minorities attend his vocations by teaching mechani tunity to preach, and I imagine I'll find ing class on their campuses and more cal engineering at the University of ways to do that,” he said. importantly, they could generate reve Detroit, a Jesuit school. Those he preaches to should have nue from sports on a local level. It Mr. Chisholm, 37, an African- no trouble seeing him. He is six feet, would be safe to say that many of the American raised in New York City, four inches tall. coaches could care less if any athlete worked five years as an engineer for W hile his com bination of interests graduated or not. It was the same old Bell Laboratories and the U.S. De may be unusual, it is not unprecen- story regardless of who we played. partment of Transportation after dented, he explained. “ There have Guys would play sports for a few receiving his master's degree. been Jesuits as well as other priests semesters and head back to the urban What made him decide to become and nuns at MIT before," he said. jungle, only to be replaced by fresh Nevertheless, he will be featured a priest? blood as soon as the opportunity “ It’s a desire to be of service to in a documentary film now being presented itself. people in a way that I think people are made for the Society of Jesus to Needless to say, Fairbury rein crying out for,” he replied. “ Not that stimulate vocations to the priesthood. forced my racist “ D.C. attitude." People I’m the answer to anyone’s prayers, The film crew was at MIT recently would call me “ nigger” in the daytime but most people I meet are searching recording his role as graduate stu and cheer for me at night when I for some kind of god, something dent in his busy life as student, teacher played basketball. There were never and priest-in-training. beyond them selves.” more than three of us on the court at “ I happen to believe that God is one time and five blacks should have transcendent,” he continued. "Our started. W e had six on the team. I physical world with its people and started four gam es out of 71 in two materials is something God has given years and earned All-Conference us to help us find God." honors and was a Honorable Mention Mr. Chisholm, now completing his on the All-Region team. W e did all the PhD thesis, said he returned to MIT hard work and the “ local white boys" in order to be able to teach m echani held the trophies high. Off the basket cal engineering at the university level, ball court, the adjustment was even most likely at a Jesuit school. tougher both academically and so "Mechanical engineering is a useful cially because of our limited interac tool,” he explained. “ It will give me tion with whites. I had never sat in a access to people I might not other- classroom with a white until I was a freshman and I had only one white teacher up to that point. It was total culture shock for the six of us. There Jesus Loves You! were some whites who went out of their way to help us but the bad out weighed the good. By the time I reached the campus 4236 N.E. Eighth Avenue of the University of Portland, I was a (comer of 8th & Skidmore) bitter, confused, paranoid, and skep Portland. Oregon 97211 tical individual when it came to inter acting with white people. I selected Oregon because it was the farthest I could get away from the Midwest and my past in W ashington, D.C. I had several scholarship offers at midwest- YOU ARE WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT ern universities and at home but I 84 N.E. Klllingsworth • 281-0499 decided that coming as a “ walk-on” 7 30pm B it* Band “A warm spirit of fellowship always" to UP was the best thing for me. I 7 00pm Char Reh6irs.il considered home a “ hell hole" and “To the Glory o f G o d ’’ Sulky the Midwest racist. I had a tough time 9 15am Sunday School 11 15a m Morning Worship growing up as a kid. I lost both par 630pm YPW W ents before the age of 14, endured Evangelistic custody fights for the seven children 8 00pm Worship POONOER the Holiness Preacher EJjShop U V Phtersori D.D. Builder Pastor in my family, and grew up a violent Noon Day Prayer the Bible says ... individual with a penchant for criminal acts. I brought a "coast to coast" chip 7 30 p r F ollow peace with "The Pastor Speaks Safcrtiy on my shoulders to Oregon I was all men & holiness Morning Payer 9 00 a ( very uptight. w ithout which no Campus life at UP was different to man shall see the say the least. I became more con fused because the white students ■n,_ - HEBREWS 1M4 were very friendly I could not under by Lilly sses T u c k e r J l Phd C a n d id a te A t MIT A ls o S tu d y in g F or P rie s th o o d m ember or booster. Registration for each term is $10.00. Tuition for each course is $20.00. All persons want ing to attend and are unable to pay their tuition in one lum p sum can make arrangements for monthly payments. Rev. Raoul Robles and the head of the Coalition of Black Men; Rev. James Coleman, pastor of Fellowship Church of God and the chaplain at Emanuel Hospital; Sis. Ida Simpson Daniels, wife of Bishop H.B. Daniels and coordinator of w om en’s m inistries at Greater Mt. Calvary COGIC; Sis. Elizabeth Nance, NPBC librarian/Office Manager and Christian Education Coordinator at Maranatha Church; Rev. Michael Lindsey, Academ ic Dean of NPBC and the Chairm an of the Christian Education com m ittee at Berean Baptist Church. REGISTER NOW! Call (503) 288- 2919 or use a registration form, available from any NPBC staff New Year's Revival Celebration Tabem acle w ill hold a New Year’s Revival on January 9th through January 15th. Services will begin at 7:00 p.m. nightly. There will be guest speakers fea tured at each service. Local pastors and their choirs. Cornel Be involved in a full-gospel revival. Come! Expecting a spiritual renewal and a tim e to rededicate your life to Christ Jesus. W HERE: C e le b ra tio n T a b e rn a c le LO CATED A T : 1854 N. Lombard For more information, Call - 285- 9635, Rev. Elbert M ondaine’, pastor. People Are Talking Closed Churches Many Are Closed And Dark M t . S inai T emple "Is Open” The People's Church Two Service Worships Each Sunday Mid-Day 12:00 Noon And In The Evening - 8:00 P.M. January 1st Until January 29,1989 Revival Nightly Service In Progress 8:00 P.M. Bishop W.G. Hardy (Little King) Pastorette - A. Hardy in Charge Apostle Guy of Atlanta, GA. Alien Temple CME Church The Ark of Safety Church of God in Christ People's church where we expect miracles in every service worship. The best o f Kingdoms ' goods, musicians fo r your entertainment. 9Toly f host fo r your Salvation! People ... People fo r you r fellowship. M t . S inai T emple 936 N.E. Beech (10th & Beech) 284-0854 Lord i r .i / -