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Page 2 Portland Observer May 11, 1989
EDITORIAL /
HATE MONGERS STRONGER
by John E. Jacob
There's a terrible complacency about
the growth of racist and neo-Nazi activ­
ity in the country today. It’s as if people
don’t understand that allowing the hale
groups to Hourish puts our democracy
in grave danger.
In recent months there have been
racist incidents reported on scores of
college campuses, among other places,
as well as numerous acts of violence
directed against African Americans,
Asians, Jews, Arabs, and other mem­
bers of minority groups.
Last year, the New York City Police
Department recorded over 500 violent
incidents of this kind, a 100 percent
increase from the previous year.
White supremacist groups have
bombed homes, hoarded military weap­
ons, and engaged in shootouts with law
enforcement officers.
Even the homes of decent people
aren’t safe from the inroads of the hatc-
mongers-in some cities they’ve aired
their messages of violence and racism
over cable television.
Of, course the most visible sign of
the way racism has become respectable
is the election of a Klansman to a slate
legislature, something that caused shock
waves to run through national political
parties. The fact that he ran as a Repub­
lican damaged that party’s attempts to
win over black voters. But Democrats
couldn't have been too happy about it
either, since it served as a reminder that
another avowed racist won a Demo­
cratic nomination for a state olficc a
few years ago.
Even business is subject to harass­
ment by hate groups seeking to bring
white supremacy to the employment
office. Last month AT&T stockholders
sided with management in beating back
a stockholder resolution that sought to
eliminate the company’s minority hir­
ing program on grounds that African
Americans have “ inherently low intel­
ligence.”
The outfit that launched this particu­
lar drive calls itself the National Alli­
ance, and its views are reflected in its
choice of Adolph Hidcr’s portrait to
adorn it’s monthly magazine, celebrat­
ing 100th birthday of the history’s most
evil racist.
The new racism got a boost from the
mood of the past decade that pretended
we are a color-blind society and fos­
tered indifference to growing inequal­
ity and to civil rights.
Law enforcement agencies need to
gear up to closely monitor hate groups
and disarm them. Congress should pass
the proposed Hate Crimes Statistics Act,
which marks a beginning of a more
effective national law enforcement drive
to reduce racist violence and harass­
ment. Above all, no one can afford to be
complacent or to fail to enlist in the
battle against bigotry.
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS
by Benjamin F. Chavis,
Jr.
and others who arc still not registered to
vote.
We believe that the entire process of
The voting rights of African Ameri­ voter registration needs to be reformed
cans and of other citizens of this nation drastically. There are many elected
continue to be eroded. This is due to a officials in state legislatures as well as
systematic form of institutionalized ra­ in the Congress of the United States
cism in the voting processes in effect in who actually fear massive voter regis­
tration and participation because they
most regions of the United States.
We all should be reminded of the know they would be voted out of office.
heavy price that was paid in blood, seat, Some of the changes that we recom­
tears and numerous jailings to get the mend which would lead to a reform of
right to vote for African Americans and the present voter registration system
others. But the right to vote has to be are the following: l)a requirement that
exercised by the community if it is to all municipal, state and federal agen­
cies do on-site voter registration; 2)
have an impact.
Unfortunately, the trend over the establishment of a one-time, lifetime
last several years has been low voter voter registration for all citizens; 3) to
turnout in racial and ethnic communi­ eliminate racial discriminatory roll­
ties, with the positive exception of the purging of voters from voter registra­
momentum engendered by the Presi­ tion rolls by local officials and 4) the
dential campaign of the Rev. Jesse establishment of * ‘same-day” registra­
tion, which would permit citizens to
Jackson.
It should be noted that President register and vote on the same day of
Bush was elected only as a result of half election.
If the United Sutes is to be a nation
of the eligible voters actually going to
the polls to vote. The truth is that mil­ where justice prevails for all people
lions of other persons would have voted without the injustices of racism and
in the last Presidential election if they exploiution, then voting must continue
were registered. Somebody needs to to be used as an effective strategy to
ask why in 1989 are there still millions ensure that the “ voiceless” will have a
of African Amcricans.Latin Americans greater voice in the affairs of this na­
tion.
BAN
APARTHEID!
PORTLflW b’b& E R V ER
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970
Alfred L. Henderson/Publisher
OPÍNIÓÑ
AT THE SUMMIT: THE PROCESS
OF NATIONAL RENEWAL
by Ron Daniels
Faced with a deepening crisis characterized by a growing economic
underclass, drastically deteriorating inner-- cut ghetto neighborhoods, an
explosion of ilrugs.violcnce, crime and a dramatic widening of the gap
between the haves and the have nots in the National Black Community,
hundreds of African-Americans heeded the call of former Gary Mayor
Richard Gorden Hatcher to come to New Orleans for an African-American
Summit. It was time once again to reiniitiatc the process of Black National
renewal.
Seventeen years ago it was Hatcher who had graciously consented to co-
convcne and host the historic Gary National Black Political Convention in
1972. More than 8,000 African-Americans converged on Gary seeking to
find answers to the crises still confronting African-Americans in that period.
Cong. Charles C. Diggs, Imamu Amiri Baraka, Hatcher and a host of other
leaders had called the convention to shape a "Black Agenda” and to forge
strategics for African-American empowerment and development. The pre­
amble to the Gary Declaration offered a profound analysis of the nature of
the problem facing the Black Nation. “ A Black Political Convention,
indeed all truly Black politics must begin with this truth: The American
system docs not work for the masses of our people, and it cannot be made
to work without radical fundamcnul change. ’ ’ As the delegates gathered in
New Orleans it was abundantly clear that this basic proposition has not
changed. Speaker after speaker rose to address the frightening and escalat­
ing crisis facing African-Americans, particularly our children and our
youth. Over and over again the anguishing cry of, how will we save our
children echoed throughout the conference chambers. In seventeen years
some things had changed, but much remained the same.
But something else is also wrong. Somewhere along the path to “ suc­
cess” the African-American nation has lost its way . Overwhelmed by the
“ illusion of progress,” the idea of a Black agenda was no longer popular or
practical within the framework of mainstream politics. In the 1988 presiden­
tial campaign the concerns of African-Americans were seldom noted by
either political party. Richard Hatcher begged to differ. It was dangerous to
be caught without a black Agenda. Hence the urgent need for the Summit.
Some notable national leaders may not have shown up and the attendance
may not have been as massive as the Gary Convention, but at New Orleans
we began to rediscover the basic tenets required for our survival and
development. A Black Agenda; the Cultural Offensive; networking; and a
renewed recognition that “ power concedes nothing without a demand.”
Where there is no struggle, there is no progress.
The challenge today is no less imperative than it was at Gary. “ It is the
challenge to consolidate our own Black role as the vanguard for a new
society” . The tide of history has turned us in the right direction.
L e t t e r s to
the E d it o r :
To The editor,
I’m writing in response to John E.
Jacob’s article in the Portland Observer
of April 27,1989, Common Sense on
Guns. There are numerous errors that
need to be clarified egarding his ar­
ticle. He refers to a past article of Time
magazine which stated “ that a 30 round
banana clip is not correct for deer hunt­
ing with an assault rifle” . It is illegal to
use a large capacity clip exceeding five
rounds for deer hunting. The selection
of assault rifles available to the con­
sumer Eire equipped to use a 5 round
clip.
The terminology between assault
rifles and traditional semi-auto rifles,
pistols, and shotguns is vague. Semi­
automatic firearms have been with us
for the last century used by légitiment
hunters. So why is Jacob writing this
article on this issue now? Gangsters
used semi-automatic weapons in the
1920s and 1930s, with impunity. Why
is there a new concern with this statisti­
cally small phenomenon? The defini­
tion between semi-auto firearms and
assault rifles is so unclear that if legis­
lation was implemented against assaul t
rifles, this would outlaw over 60% of all
firearms, pistols, rifles, and shotguns
included.
The legal users of Federally licensed
machine guns have never misused their
arms in a criminal manner. Why bother
with an area of legal recreation that is
not a problem? Statistics have shown
that when gun restrictions and bans
have been implemented worldwide, the
crime rate has increased. Switzerland
requires all males to keep a fully auto­
matic assault rifle in their homes, and
they have a lower crime rate than Japan
or England. Docs this say that we should
keep assault rifles in our homes to re­
duce crime? No America has sociologi­
cal problems which breed domestic dis­
harmony. The African-American com­
munity is particularly hard hit, suffer­
ing the most with 7 out of 10 gun deaths
in our country today.
We need to face the problem of
social conflicts in America realistically.
The stability of the family and the re­
duction of drug and alcohol abuse must
be attended to if we are to reduce our
fellow human being’s suffering.
Chris Brown
History Student
Portland State University
Portland, OR
WELL, I guess-tfiats it
TAKWISÉ FÓI 1909.
THE ABC’s OF PROTEST
by Dr. Lenora Kulan!
All over our country African Ameri­
can and Latino college students arc
rising up to protest racism on cam pus-
the so-called “ isolated incidents” of
racial harassment perpetuated by white
students and all too often condoned by
indifferent administrators; the neglect
of Black Studies program; the failure to
recruit and retain Black faculty; inade­
quate services and rising tuition costs
that hit students of color hardest.
New York City’s public colleges are
still rocking from protests over a pro­
posed $200 a year increase in tuition
that would have made it impossible for
thousands of students—most of them
poor people of color-to gel a college
degree. Their militant and well organ­
ized strike action, which began on the
Harlem campus of City College, had
spread to 19 of the 20 senior and com­
munity colleges in the City University
of New York system before Mario Cuomo
was forced to back down. He vetoed the
tuition hike legislation an hour before
the midnight deadline.
Many of those who took part in the
city-wide strike,which is still going on
at some campuses over the issue of am­
nesty for leaders of the protest and cuts
in services,said they fell betrayed by
the attempt of state legislators to ram
the higher tuition through, and by the
failure of liberal Democrats, Black and
white, to stand up for them. They have
been betrayed.
But it’s no coincidence that a CUNY
education, which had been free for 130
years,first got a pricetag tacked on it
when Black and Latino students began
seeking admission in large numbers.
New York City’s Mayor Ed Koch,
Governor Mario Cuomo and US Sena­
tor Patrick Moynihan of New York, all
of whom came from poor working class
familics-Jcwish, Italian, Irish-arc all
CUNY graduates. Now these Demo­
cratic Party politicians arc among those
pushing shut the doors of opportunity-
doors that were opened to them.
The students are right to be angry.
They are right to be fighting on for
amnesty. But if their protest is going to
be effective, then its leaders have to
bring the struggle into the Coalition for
a Progressive New York that is taking
shape around many independent may-
oral candidacy; otherwise they will find
themselves being pitted against rank
and file labor, the Black and Puerto
Rican communities, and other tradi­
tional Democratic Party constituencies
which arc force to compete with one an­
other in the divide-and-conquer shell
game the Democrats and their partners
in crime the Republicans play with our
people’s lives. It’s a losing game., one
that sets working class students up to
fight for funding against workers, the
homeless, people with AIDS and the
elderly. Now that the students have
won this round, they must demand that
no other constituency or community be
made to pay the price.
PERSPECTIVES
BLACK GENIUS,
WHITE COVER, V
As we close this series on African
literature and music, and move on to
other things in the weeks to come, I am
struck by the incredible range of our
pioneering contribution to the world of
letters. We speak of the people who,
according to Plato,” invented language...
numbers and astronomy” . But then, the
establishment prefers to ignore this fact,
and attributes the dawn of civilization
to the Greek students Knowing full
well that Homer was illiterate!
It is so fortunate for us that during
this era of an African-American redis­
covery of self, we find that our ances­
tors in Egypt Ethiopia, Nubia, and Arabia
wrote on stone-and that we have their
well-preserved papyri to document the
greatness of a race. Thus we have veri­
fication of our novels, epics, short sto­
ries, folktales, biographies, vignettes,
proverbs, parodies, epigrams, epithets,
aphorisms, rhetoric, metaphors, simil-
ies, hyperboles, treaties, statepapers,
you name it!
Guston Maspero, that noted author­
ity in the matter Popular Stories of
Ancient Egypt, University Books, 1967,
tells us that even in the realm of folktales
and fairy tales, Africans were “ the fa­
thers and the Founders.” He establishes
an “ unmistakable similarity” between
the themes of The Arabian Nights in
Arabic literature and The Story of the
Two Brothers in African literature.
Further, he goes on to note “ a curious
similarity” to the Biblical episode of
Joseph and Potipher.
Maspero goes on to trace a pervasive
seminality of the African model to the
German and French fairytales, and to
the same genre in Hungary, Romania,
Transylvania, Russia,Greece, Anatolia,
and even India. This should not be all
that surprising since 1 have been docu­
menting for the last year the fact that
thousands of years ago the ancient
Africans mounted explorations, trade
missions and conquests to these places
with maps still found on ancient temple
walls.
As a matter of fact I would say that
the material presented in this column
could be taken as a M aster Baseline
E ssay covering the fields of
malhematics,science, history and lit­
erature in respect to African and Afri­
can-American contributions. In any case
I have a publisher now for key elements
of my works, and several books will be
out winter and spring, 1989-90. One
text will have the same title as this last
series. “ Black Genius, W hite
Covcr” (copyright McKinley Burt,
1989).
Written a "thousand years before
Moses” , this papyrus is considered by
Egyptologists as the model for the Ten
Commandments.
The Soul’s Declaration of Innocence
This declaration was to be made by the
soul in the Judgment Hall of Osiris in
the presence of the council of forty-two
gods. The heart being weighed against
the symbol of truth and found correct
was then restored to the deceased who
entered upon the life of the blessed.
Oye Lords ofTru th! 1 have broughtyou
truth.
1 have not privily done evil against
mankind.
I have not afflicted the miserable.
I have not told falsehoods.
1 have had no acquaintance with sin.
I have not made the laboring man do
more than his daily task,
1 have not been idle,
I have not been intoxicated,
I have not been immoral,
I have not caused hunger,
1 have not made to weep,
I have not murdered,
1 have not defrauded.
Leon H a rris / General Manager
Joyce Washington
Gary Ann Garnett
Sales/Marketing Director
Business Manager
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