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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1989)
V » 4 » '♦ *•* ♦ *v j i-*w « < < • ' « < \ ▼ »▼ • * », r 25C ERVER F eb ru ary 1 6 th , "The Eyes and Ears of the Community" Volume XIX Number 7 ■W ' ........ ......... V 1989 . B lac k H is t o r y M onth Introducing Oregon Legislator Calls Or Death Penalty for Racially Motivated Murders A Profile of Wally Scales by Ulysses Tucker,Jr. Calling the current national wave of hate violence a “ Crim inal plague in need o f a strong dose of tough law and order,’’ Oregon State representative Bill D w yer called upon his legislative colleagues to apply the death penalty to racially motivated murder. Omar Williams Ockley Green 7th Grade D w eyer’s proposed legislation, House Bill 2432, is now before the House Judiciary comm ittee. At a hearing on the bill W ednesday, the Springfield lawmaker cited the November 13,1988 Portland slaying o f Ethiopian national M ulugeta Seraw as “ just the latest in an epidemic o f neo-N azi, Skinhead type violence against innocent civilians.” “ It’s time Oregon gives the ‘ Hell No! ’ to the “ Sieg H eil’, “ said Dwyer. In his prepared testimony, Dwyer cited the Decem ber 20,1 9 8 7 racial killing on a Black youth fleeing a mob in Howard Beach, New York, as “ a despicable act that must be remembered.’’ Dwyer called the Howard Beach and Seraw incidents as part o f a national hate t rime wave Citing National council of Churches data o f 121 hate inspired murders between 1980 and 1986 including 302 assaults and 301 cross-burnings, Dwyer said that neo-nazi organizers have apparently targeted Oregon as a “ haven for hatred.” Sweet King School 3rd Grade D w yers’s bill would add murder “ because o f the victim ’s race or color” to the existing aggravated m urdcr statute (ORS 163.095). If adopted, racially motivated killings would join murder for hire, the killing of a police officer and other heinous homicides among those eligible for the death penally. As V P . for Special Events, Scales supervises all com m unity support programs and sponsor-related promotional activities. Additionally, he is responsible for game m anagem ent at the Coliseum and for producing some o f the most Unsolicited, this writer turned arouond excellent half-tim e extravaganzas in the and stated, “ O h, that W ally Scales, he is league. the Vice President o f Special Events and he has been with the organization for alm ost 17 years.” “ W ho is the Black guy sittiing behind the visiting team ’s bench, he is always there and what does he do?” asked a Blazer fan sitting behind the press corp at Memorial Coliseum recently. Rep. Bill Dwyer Urging House Judiciary members to “ elevate into the fraternity o f heinous homicide those who kill with racial hatred as their cause,” the Springfield legislator said that the current legislative session needs to “ send a message that we w on’t tolerate this type of garbage in our stale!” Dwyer urged Judiciary Committee m em bers to give a “ do p a ss’’ recom m endation to the full House so that hate-cult members in “ Idaho and elsew here know they’ll face the death* penalty if they com e to Oregon to kill.” Dwyer labelled his bill “ C olor blind” and said the legislature must im plement Oregon Gov. Neil Goldschmidt’s January 9th “ State o f the State A ddress” call for no room at the table for skinheads, crips or bloods.” W inchells Nigeria Crawford King School 3rd Grade The Oregon State Health D epartment has issued a HEPATITIS ALERT for the W inchell’s Donut Shop on N.E. Union Avenue in Northeast Portland. If you visited the site between January 25th and January 27,1989 it is urgent that you contact the Health D epartment immediately! Telephone 248-3406 A native o f St. Louis, M issouri, Scales is one o f the few African-Am ericans in m anagement arouond the NBA and the only former non-player, a rarity, since m ost owners choose to pad their front offices with ex-jocks who might create more visibility for their franchise. Here is a look at the “ household” names: K. C. Jones, V.P. for Basketball O perations with the Celtics; W ayne Embry, V.P. and General M anager for the Cavaliers; AI Attles, V P. and Assistant General M anager for the W arriors; Elgin Baylor, Executice V. P. and General M anager for the Clippers; Bill Russel, Executive V.P. and head o f Operations for theKings and W es Unseld, V.P. and Head Coach for the Bullets. Others working in the front offices include former Blazer Johnny Davis where he is the Community Director for the Atlanta Hawks and Gene Little, a solid player in the old ABA for several years who is now director of Player Personnel for the Charlotte Hornets. W ith the exception o f Davis and possible Attles and L ittle-all have connections or future associations with the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, M assachusetts, so why W ally Scales? Long before it became fasionable B lazer p resid en t,H an y G lickm an, understood and realized that minorities needed to play a greater role in management. The Blazers is probably the most progressive organizataion in professional sports today. They were sensitive enough to social issues to make strides in this direction. Harry is a pioneer in that regard and also has been excellent for the league. Scales is recognized as a well-respected and creative prom otional wizard. It is not uncommon for the the NBA front offices to solicit his advise regarding marketing ideas. For example, it was Scales who originates the NBA Slam Dunk Contest which has become one o f the m ost anticipated annual events all over the country. “ Ideas come and g o ,” Scales said, “ but the important thing is to be in tune with the fans and what is m arketable at that particular time. I often think long and hard about marketing ideas prior to making a presentation of the concept because the credibility of the organization is more important that some w ild idea. W e sell the entire Blazer concept through radio, cable, corporations, retail and any other device that is available within the community. W e push the entire concept from the top to the botom o f our o rg a n iz a tio n .” Scales is a graduate o f Citrus College in Azusa, California having come out o f Soldan High School in 1964. He first attended Lincoln University where he became a freshman sensation averaging 22.4 basketball points per game. The Wally Scales next year he joined the U.S. Air Force and w ent on to serve in the far E ast and in Germany. Before joining the Blazers, When questioned about whether or Scales worked as a planner for the Cornac not African-Americans were progressing Corporation and the Bank o f California. rapidly enough up the m anagerial c vhain When questioned about if he considered in the NBA, Scales, him self and active him self a role model for young people, m ember in community youth projects Scales reflected for a m o m e n t, leaned and sports activities was very candid. forard and said, His answ er was: "Y es, I take pride in the role and the “ No, I honestly believe that things social responsibility that com es with it. could be much better. You would think I am probably an examples that says you that with 80% o f the league players do n ’t have to be a seven footer in order being m em bers o f a minority group, to become a success. If you can get a their score card in managem ent would free education, grab it and run with it. be better, but it is not. Personally I I ’ve seen so many heartbreaks. It is very would like to see more opportunities difficult to play ball all your life and open up but things around the NBA take have itas your only focus. W hat happens a long time to make a significant change.” in the real world comes back around. At It is sad that a thoroughly qualified least I have the ability t have some say person will not oven get the opportunity about my future. That is real important in management because the teams run a to med an it also should be im port to closed shop. young atheletes.” Saluting: Minority Business Enterprise In Oregon: Part HI. Premature Proscription of Key State Programs by Stephen E. McPherson, Special Correspondent Gena’ Sloan Office Manager YWCA (N.E.) In the wake o f the devastating Redden decision in the Mattson case here in Oregon followed by the coup de grace of the U. S. Supreme Court decision in the Croson case in Richmond, the affected entrepreneurs are in the process of assessing the total damage. On the advice of the stale attorney general, several organizations have abandoned disadvantaged, minority and women business enterprises on the assumption that they are sim ilar enough to the one invalidated in Multnomah as to be found unconstitutional. Agencies so acting arc transportation, education and general services. It is both unfortunate and interesting to note the alacrity with which the State o f Oregon has united with several o f its agencies to accept such a narrow interpretation of both the decisions. It is possible that other agencies might follow the same direction. Eddie Johnson Ockley Green 6th Grade Several important observations were made recently in an interview Bruce Hamlin, the attorney for the Mattson Co., gave to Bruce Broussard, Publisher o f the American Contractor. First of all it is noted that the rulings o f both courts should not be viewed as a class action, but rather as applying in a strict sense to the two cases involved. He further stated that M BE’s are not invalid if it can be established with specific documentation that a particular group has been discriminated against. In such cases the remedy must be strictly tailored so as to be consistent with the provisions of equal protection under the constitutional guarantees o f the 14th amendment. He further staled that set-asides, goals and quotas may be used to remediate such discrimination but only as the last resort and with strict guidelines. Even the Redden decision recognizes that the suggestion o f discrim ination in the construction industry in Multnomah might be valid, but the county did not offer (Continued to Page 3) Congratulations! Com m ander Helen L. Purnell, Executive O fficer, Navy Recruiting District, Portland, Oregon. Commander Purnell, a 17 year veteran of naval service is a graduate of M aryville College, Maryville, Tenncsse with a B. S. degree in Biology and M athematics. She also h o ld s the M aster o f B usin ess A d m in istra tio n from M arym ount University in W ashington, D.C. She has served as a foreign exchange student in Beirut, Lebanon. Com m ander Purnell is currently the highest ranking African- American Naval officer in the Portland area. Seth H ill, right, former north Portland resident and Jefferson high school student is shown with Edwin M oses.world class hurdler who was guest speaker at the blacks in G overm ent conference at Seattle.Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Seattle W ashington Mr. Hill is director o f catering for the Sheraton Hotel. Creed O f The Black Press The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from social and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all arc hurt as long as anyone is held back.