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$ <* ’#’ »$»*'• ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 :< P aëe 2 Portland Observer March 30,1989 I EDITORIAL THE HOWARD STUDENT REVOLT: A GENERATION DISCOVERING ITS MISSION For sometime now something has been stirring in the air: A new sense o f urgency about the African-Am erican conditions; in the face o f drugs, crime, violence, and even the good life , an expectation that life could be, indeed must be better fo r a ll African-Am ericans; a new demand fo r self- respect; a new awakening after countless racial attacks in cities across America and racial flare-ups on college campuses, to the reality that racism is alive and th riving in Am erica; W illie Horton being rubbed in our faces; a ffirm ative action being set aside by the Supreme Court: D avid Duke, a Klansman elected to public o ffice , Lee A tw ater was slipped onto the Board o f Directors o f Howard U niversity. It was time, past time to acL Howard U niversity students rose in rebellion. Hope had been reborn! "E a ch generation must out o f relative obscurity discover its mission, fu lfill it or betray i t ” . This was the challenge set forth by Frantz Fanon, the Black Algerian revolutionary who became a prime theoretican o f anti- colonial struggles and liberation movements in the 60s. The “ movement” in Am erica fo r African-Am erican liberation took inspiration from Fanon’ s w ritings as a young generation hammered at the w a lls o f racism, segregation, racial oppression and domestic colonialism . As the B lack Power movement exploded onto the stage in the m id-sixties A frican-Am erican students at Cornell University, Jackson State, Duke University, Columbia, Kent State, and a host o f other colleges and universities seized buildings or staged strikes demanding that institutions o f higher learning learn to be responsive to the needs o f African-Am ericans and T hird W orld students. In launching these courageous protests these students stepped into the path blazed by students who sparked the civil-rig h ts revolution w ith set-in demonstrations in Greensboro, Oklahoma C ity, and a m ultitude o f cities across the south. In L ittle Rock, Arkansas, nine high school students braved hostile mob to desegregate Central H igh School. Students in the fiftie s and sixties discovered their mission and fu lfille d i t In the seventies a great lu ll seemed to overtake the “ movement” . Those o f us who taught on college campuses use to lament the fact that students in the seventies seemed oblivious to the movement, to purpose to a sense o f mission as it related to the liberation o f A frican people in Am erica and the w orld. M ore often than not parents had cautioned their sons and daughters not to mess w ith that “ Black s t u f f ’ in college. That is not to say that Black activism died com pletely, but as a dominant force Black consciousness, Black Power, and Pan-Africanism receded in the fact o f assimilation, (the wanabe syndrome), and individualism , (do your own thing). It was a big, lu ll that seemed to be put African-Am ericans back to sleep. In the latter h a lf o f the eighties, however, many observers began to detect a new rising tide o f self-affirm ation and m ilitancy. In recent years a variety o f influences seemed to be converging to fuel rising aspirations and expectations among African-Am erican young people. The rhythm and rhyme o f rap music turned from the meaningless to the m eaningful as groups like Public Enemy, and the Stetasonics found the sharp cutting edge o f message music. The protest lyrics o f Raggae have blew in from the Carribean and w ith ita w h o le new fascination w ith our culture. In the sixties we wore tikis around our necks. Today more and more the young bloods are wearing leather medallions w ith the red, black and green o f A fric a and the red, yellow and green o f the Carribean. Spike Lee calls himself a nationalist w ith a camera and produces thought provoking movies. Jesse Jackson challenged fo r the presidency tw o times. And tracy Chapman is “ T alkin Bout a R evolution” M alcolm X is on the rise again! O ut o f relative obscurity, a young generation is apparently discovering its mission. The March 3 student revolt at Howard U niversity may w e ll be a watershed event signaling a renewed determination o f young A frican- Americans to jo in in the spirit o f their predecessors and their contemporaries in south A frican. Nambia, and Carribean to build a new people, a new nation and a new world. r >♦. -\'r ■ •»■ CONTINUING CRISIS IN MIAMI by B e n ja m in F. C havis, J r. < r. M ost o f the w orld has become aware o f the deep racial problems and divisions that plague the city o f M ia m i, Florida. The recent documented cases o f racially-m otivated police brutality against A frican Americans in this city o nly serve as a backdrop fo r the growing racial tensions. Aesthetically, M ia m i is a beautiful city w ith much promise fo r the future. Yet, behind the gloss is a m ulti-racial com m unity that lacks the w ill to fo rth rig h tly address fundamental social, political, and economic issues. N ow that M ia m i is experiencing a large influ x o f Central Am erican refugees, racial hostilities appear to be increasing to a crisis stage. The New Y o rk Times recently revealed in a report that the educational system o f Dade County where M ia m i is situated, also is not prepared to handle the more than five hundred im m igrant children com ing to M ia m i per month. M osto fth em speak Spanish. Iron ically, there are now renewed calls fo r “ English O n ly” legislation that would require that English be the mandatory language o f local school systems. Dr. M ichael M . Krop, Chairman o f the Dade County School Board has appealed to the President because “ Bush says he wants to be the Education President” . Yet, the Federal Government is now in the process o f making new budget cuts from programs designed to support local school systems like the one in M iam i. We are very concerned about the perceived tensions between the A frica n Am erican and Hispanic Am erican communities in M ia m i as a result o f the social and economic implications o f the rise in the local immigrant population. Strategically the A frican Am erican and Hispanic Am erican communities should unite in a common struggle fo r empowerm ent The future o f M ia m i does not have to be a future o f d ivisive racial confrontations. But, the handw riting is surely on the w all, and the necessity for unity and jo in ta c tio n has never been more urgent In fact, M iam i w ill serve as a national barometer on the future o f race relations in the United States. The “ powers that be” in the Anglo-Am erican com m unity should not w ait fo r the situation to explode. The extent to which those in power are w illin g to share w ith those who are powerless is the extent to which a basis fo r dialogue and corrective action can be initiated. It appears that the Bush Adm inistration w ill not rush in and o ffe r solutions fo r the acute problems facing this city. Thus, local leadership across the lines o f race and class w ill have to emerge to ensure the kind o f social and p olitical change necessary fo r empowerment and development o f all o f the communities o f M iam i, particularly those communities that have historically been oppressed and exploited. PORTLAND OBSERVER ¡ ill “ The Eyes and Ears of the Community" tój» 288-0033 SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! Another Day of Infamy in the City of Roses by Stephen E. McPherson, Special Correspondent Portland, the C ity o f Roses, is said to be the most livable place in the United States, but fo r whom? Once more the vicious venom o f racism has been vented on the embattled A frica n Am erican com m unity. The editor and c h ie f architect o f a yellow journalistic rag is scheduled to be honored fo r her dubious contribution to the low er Northeast sector o f the town. The added insult to this affront is the fact that she was nominated to this questionable honor by the parson o f St. Andrews Roman Catholic Church which is located w ith in the heart o f the com m unity where the nominee casts aspersions upon its citizens w ith im punity. The good pastor offered his nomination w ith the complete knowledge o f the scurrilous piece o f rubbish the nominee publishes every month. He ignored that fact w ith the observation that one thing has nothing to do w ith the other. Such an attitude is tantamount to saying that the villa ins who appended a taunting derision to the cru cifix tw o m illcnia ago were o nly a mischievous bunch o f over exuberant youths bent on displaying a little humor. One can only assume that the progenitor o f this misguided nom ination has remained so cloistered w ithin a monastery that he is out o f touch w ith reality or that even a man o f the cloth can harbor a m alevolent second agenda. It is little wonder the hierarchy o f his church precluded its ministers from engaging in political a ctivity. One cannot escape the fact that such a nom ination has serious political overtones. The entireprocess denigrates the award to the extent that it no longer can be taken as a serious representation o f an acceptable com m unity effort. M ore distressing, however, is the fact that unmitigated racism now enjoys a certain amount o f respectability, even from the august sanctuary o f the church. It is, indeed, very curious to observe that tw o o f the honorees are persons from the Northeast com m unity who have made a very serious com m itm ent to resolving the m yriad problems that affect that sector. It also is interesting to note that one o f the honorees is associated w ith the St. Andrew Legal C lin ic located just across the street from the Roman Catholic Parish but remains completely independent o f its administration. Finally, the management o f station K O IN is not entirely devoid o f blame in this matter. They do, indeed, have a moral and legal responsibility as set forth under the rules o f the Federal Communications Commission in this matter. It does not suffice to indicate that the awards resulted from the decisions o f two misguided and anonymous miscreants. The decision making process is always a d iffic u lt task which is an exercise in expressing good judgement. It is certainly cowardly to blame a mistake o f this magnitude on some faceless person when one is not endowed by example or experience w ith the fortitude to speak out against any injustice. There is little doubt that the publication the nominee authors and distributes has done irreparable harm to a significant segment o f the African American Community. G iving an award in that category to such a person only confirm s the ominous message that has emanated recently from those persons who once were friends. It is now abundantly clear that the decision makers no longer consider the aspirations and concerns o f the A frica n Am erican com m unity to be an im portant factor in their deliberations. The public urgently needs to demand that persons in positions o f leadership know exactly what position K O IN and public o ffic ia ls assume w ith regard to racism o f any type. It would be in the best interest o f preserving public harmony and | human understanding to suspend all Jefferson awards fo r the current year. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION’S FUTURE by John E. Jacob Confusion s till reigns after the Supreme C ou rt’s decision knocking down Richmond, V irg in ia ’s m inority setaside program. Opinions d iffe r about whether that ruling k ills affirm ative action or whether it leaves room fo r the continued existence o f such programs. And everyone is w aiting for the Court to drop the other shoe - upcoming cases w ill affect affirm ative action in local government hiring and in private em ployer’ s promotions. T o take the bright side first, the Richmond decision need not choke o ff m in ority setaside programs o f local governments. M ost local programs are based on goals, not the kind o f quotas Richmond wrote into its law. The judges also struck down the Richmond law because the city d id not prove setasides necessary to remedy past discrim ination. In most places, such documentation is available arid state and local governments should be com piling statistics and other evidence o f past discrim ination to defend their present setaside programs. A lo t w ill turn on what the C ourt ultim ately decides is adequate evidence o f discrim ination and what appropriate remedies w ill be acceptable. Some judges have the peculiar notion that only specific individuals who had been discriminated against - and who can prove it - should be given preference in a setaside or an affirm ative action program. That tells us more about ju d icia l theories than about reality in our Am erica. Discrim ination against A frican Americans is easily proven and ric h ly documented. We were discriminated against, however, as a group and on the basis o f group affiliation, not as individuals. Group discrimination leading to group disadvantage requires group remedies. Whether that logic can penetrate the ideologues on today’ s federal courts is doubtful, and that means the future o f affirm ative action could be in peril. Some upcoming cases before the Supreme Court w ill determine whether its narrower interpretation o f the constitutionality o f racial preference programs is tightened into a noose that murders affirm ative action, or whether guidelines w ill be refined to the point where such programs w ill continue. One case involves a challenge to a court-ordered hiring quota fo r firemen. Another w ill decide whether statistical evidence o f low m inority h iring and prom otion practices. Another big pending case w ill find the Justices review ing the 1976 Runyon decision that allowed damages in private discrim ination cases. And the low er courts have numerous other cases challenging affirm ative action and m inority setaside programs. So the next several months w ill be crucial for the future o f A frica n Am ericans’ efforts to close the economic gap and achieve opportunities long denied them. A ffirm a tiv e action is an essential mechanism to overcome discrim ination and its effects. The Supreme C ou rt’ s new m ajority seems to be acting as i f we are a color-blind society w ith no need to make special efforts to overcome past denial o f constitutional rights. As Justice Thurgood M arshall wrote in his dissent in the Richmond case, the m ajority is ‘ ‘constitutionalizing its w ishful th inking .” It is applying the same standards and tests to efforts to overcome discrim ination’ s effects as it d id to state-imposed segregation. It may be up to the Congress and the Adm inistration to frame a national response to this runaway Court, with legislation that frames a constitutionally acceptable affirm ative action standard and shelters local government and private affirm ative action standard programs from the courts that are trying to ro ll the clock back. INDEPENDENT COALITION POLITICS A new, independent coalition is emerging in New Y o rk C ity , S till embryonic, but grow ing every day, this com ing together o f key activists o f organized labor, students and the Black and latino comm unities is out to challenge not o nly the bi-partisan political establishment, its corporate patrons and their flunkies in the unions and bureaucracies, but the phony reformers and pseudo-profressi ves who have stood in the way o f the decade- long movement to dump M ayor Ed Koch. The union-busting, anti-poor, racist b ully and loudm outh, a Democrat who fo r 12 years has occupied the m ayor’ s residence on Gracie Square at the pleasure o f the real estate developers and the banking industry, is running fo r an unprecedented fourth term. The coalition that is now taking shape in New Y o rk is sim ilar to the one w hich helped Harold Washington mount his successful electoral challenge to the w hite supremacist Democratic Party machine in Chicago. B u t there is one important difference between them: New Y o rk ’s emerging coalition is independent to the very core! That does not mean that we won’ t support progressive Democrats running fo r political o ffice, when and where they deserve our support. It does mean that we can' t rely on the Democratic Party fo r our empowerment. That is why the leaders o f New Y o rk ’ s new ly emerging coalition -su ch as Georgianna Johnson, the president o f Local 1199, w hich represents 80,000 health and hospital workers, most o f them Black and Puerto Rican women, and A li al-Rah man, president o f the Guardians Association in the Department o f Corrections, the organization o f Black police officers who w ork in the c ity ’ s ja ils -h a v e endorsed m y “ T w o Roads Are Better Than One’ ’ plan in New Y o rk C ity ’ s mayoral race. It means supporting Manhattan Borough President David D inkins in his supporting Manhattan Borough President David D inkins in his bid for the Democratic Party’ s nomination and then, i f he does not w in the prim ary, backing m y independent candidacy fo r mayor in the general election. I am eager to build a coalitional slate o f real independents who between now and November w ill use the “ inside-outside” tactic to get candidates elected to public office. This means people candidate w ho w ill run in the Democratic Party prim ary fo r cityw ide and local offices to beat back K och’s cronies on their own tu rf and then-w hether they w in o r lose the p rim a ry - w ill run on the independent New Alliance Party line in the general election. That w ill give us tw o chances to elect some people’ s candidates who can go to the borough halls and down to C ity H all and function on our behalf as watchdogs on New Y ork’s scandalously corrupt and anti-people administration. Georgianna Johnson, A li al-Rahman and I are among the voices o f the emerging coalition that is com ing together in New Y o rk to take back the unions, to take back the communities, to take back the c ity. An o nly an independent political m ovem ent-a Black-led and m ulti-racial people’ s movement can do it! Because what we’re taking back is p olitics, what w e’re taking back is power, from those who took it from u s -th e Democratic Party, disguised as the party o f the people, in cahoots w ith the Republican Party, which doesn’ t even bother to disguise the fact that it is the enemy o f the people. Dr. Lenora Fulani is the national chairperson o f the New Alliance Party and a practicing Social Therapist in Harlem. She can be contacted at the New A lliance Party, 2032 F ifth Avenue, New Y o rk, N Y 10027 and at (212) 996-4700. PORTLAND'OBSERVER O R E G O N ’S O L D E S T A F R IC A N -A M E R IC A N P U B L IC A T IO N Established In 1970 Gary Ann Garnett Joyce Washington Business Manager Sales/Marketing Director 4 A ♦ a A » » « * e * .e Marie Deculr Lonnie Wells Photographer Circulation Manager PO RTLA ND O BSERVER is published weekly by Exie Publishing Company, Inc. 525 N.E. Killingsworth St. Portland, Oregon 97211 P.O. B ox3137 Portland, Oregon 97208 (503) 288-0033 (Office) Deadlines for all submitted materials: Articles: Monday, 5 p.m.; Ads: Tuesday, 5 p.m. The PORTLAND OBSERVER welcome« freelance submissions. Menuscripts and photographs should be dearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. All created designed display ads become the sole property of this newspaper and can not be used in other publications or personal usage, without the written consent of this general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. 1969 PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART W ITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. Subscriptions: $20.00 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. 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