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ERVER
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JUNE 1,1989
VOLUME XIX NUMBER 21
“Brothers Gaining Equality”
Role Models All
Denise Hawkins
By Jimi Johnson
Waleed Sadruddin, a 16 year old ings are ran by parliamentary proce­
junior at Benson Tech is on a mis­ dure and quite orderly. Members are
sion. He and a group of young high asked to maintain a 2.5 G.P.A. mini­
school students from Benson and mum. If a student’s grade slips be­
Jefferson High recently formed a “ self low the minimum, group members
help” group called “ Brothers Gain­ will get together to assist the student
ing Equality Through Excellence” , academically to help him restore a
better known as B.G.E.
respectable G.P.A.
Sadruddin is a positive thinker
who believes you can do anything
you want, if you put your mind to it.
Many activities sponsored by B.G.E.
have been successes, the latest was a
dance given at St. Andrews school to
raise much needed funds for opera­
tional cost and implementation of
future goals.
An excellent organizer, Sadrud­
din and group members chair various
committees to plan fund raisers. “ It’s
nice to see something you really work
hard at come together’ ’ says Sadrud­
din.
“ Brothers and sisters fought for
rights in the 60’s and 70’s now it’s
time for us as young men and women
to stand up and fight for the rights
Waleed Sadruddin
Recognizing the need for more that have been regressed in the 80’s ”
positive role models in the African- Sadruddin added.
Future goals of B.G.E. are to have
American community, Sadruddin and
some friends decided to form an or­ a chapter in every school in the P.I .L.
ganization to address these problems. and encourage students to take edu­
On September 10, 1988, Sadruddin cation seriously and understand the
and a friend Donta Warren (who chose price” our” people paid just to read a
the name for the group) met at War­ book.
Sadruddin says he’d like to see
ren’s house with a few other students
B.G.E.
continue after he and the
and B.G.E. was bom.
present
members
graduate and go on
Starting slow at first, B.G.E. soon
to
college.
At
present
young mem­
blossomed to over 25 members and
bers
are
being
groomed
to take over
hold meetings each Sunday at 3:oo
leadership
roles
as
the
current
lead­
p.m. to discuss the problems facing
ers
are
preparing
for
their
career
and
our community and young African
educational
futures.
Americans throughout our state.
In the long range future, Sadrud­
As President and founder of B.G£.,
din
secs B.G.E. as a National Col­
Waleed Sadruddin is a busy young
lege
Fraternity with chapters on col­
man these days. An articulate and
lege
campuses
throughout the United
caring person, Sadruddin has spoken
States.
As
fraternities
nationwide,
at several elementary schools about
the
mentorship
program
will remain
goal setting, being positive with class­
a
focus
and
self-help
the
goal.
mates, and how choices you make
“
I’m
pleased
with
the
strong
sup­
today can have a “ profound affect
port
of
the
community,
the
support
of
on your life in the future” . At pres­
my
B.G.E.
brothers
and
the
support
ent B.G.E. is setting up a mentorship
program for Boise/Eliot students, they of my parents Tauhced and Hadiyah
will be examples of how young people Sadruddin, for they are always there
can achieve if they believe in them­ in times of need,” states Sadruddin.
It is refreshing to see young Afri­
selves and don’t get involved in
can-American
men attempting to forgo
negative activities such as drugs and
a
future
for
themselves
as well as
gangs.
With group members such as Isaq
Shamsud-Din, Vice President, Ray
Nelson, First Officer, Chris Brown
and Reynauld Tage, Treasurers, and
Duran Beasley, Secretary, the meet­
Drug related
Murder abhorred
Now is the time for the religious
community at large, as well as pro­
fessionals, to take a stand against the
drug-related murders and mayhem
that have thrust Washington, D.C.,
into the nation’s headlines, United
Methodist Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel
said here May 18 during a news
conference at the Mormon Vistor
Center.
Bishop Yeakel, episcopal leader
of the Baltimore Conference, which
includes Washington, said too often
the problem is left up to * ‘profession­
als (who) have little specificity to
offer us beyond the use of jails.”
The news conference was held
prior to the annual dinner meeting of
the 10-year-old interfaith group to
release a two-page * * Pastoral Reflec­
tion on Drugs and violence.”
The document did not specify
action plans for addressing the prob­
lem in metropolitan Washington, but
acknowledged unified commitment
of the religious leaders.
“ We are outraged by the sense­
less and brutal destruction of life.
We have counseled drug abusers; we
have buried the victims; and we have
comforted their loved ones. Our com­
mitment to act is drawn from the pro­
phetic vision of a just and merciful
world where each life is infinitely
precious, “ the religious leaders stated
in the pastoral.
Bishop Yeakel said the develop­
ment of the pastoral document is a
step in the right direction, despite a
“ lack of specificity.” He added, “ If
anybody has a stake in the commu­
nity, in its values, its youth, it is the
faith community.”
Now, Bishop Yeakel said, those
in leadership roles must take that
concern and message back to con­
gregations, constituents and commu­
nity “ to bring them the real truth
(and) a new sense of focus, action
and encouragement.”
Senior citizen
of the week
those who follow. Brothers Gaining
Equality Through Excellence is a
welcome addition to the Portland
community, and I believe it’s here to
stay.
Oprah Winfrey endows Morehouse College
ALANTA — On Sunday, May 21,
during the 105th Commencement of
Morehouse College, the nation’s
only African-American all-male
undergraduate institution, Oprah
Winfrey, nationally acclaimed tele­
vision talk show host and CEO if
HARPO Productions, Inc., an­
nounced her gift of $1 million to
establish the Oprah Winfrey En­
dowed Scholarship Fund.
In the commencement cermony
where 285 young men received B. A.
and B.S. degrees, Ms. Winfrey was
also presented an honorary doctor of
humane letters.
“ I have traveled around the country
and witnessed the educational crisis
our young African-American men
face; today marks the beginning in
my personal efforts to halt that cri­
sis,” Oprah Winfrey said loan audi­
ence of more than 5,000. “The Oprah
Winfrey Scholarship Fund is my
contribution to help insure that edu­
cational opportunities remain avail­
able for African-American male
youths today and in the future.”
“ Morehouse was selected because it
has educated many of my personal
heroes. We must guarantee that
Morehouse continues because it is a
national resource. For over 122
years, the college has consistently
educated generations of strong effec­
tive African-American male lead­
ers,” she continued.
Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Ms.
Winfrcyis a graduate of Tenncscc
State University. Her broadcast ca-
reer was officially launched when
she was hired by WVOL Radio in
Nashville, and later she signed on
with WTVF-TV in Nashville as a
reporter/anchor.
In 1976, Ms. Winfrey moved to
Baltimore to join W JZ-T V News as a
co-anchor, and in 1978 discovered
her talent for talk show hosting when
she became a co-host of WJZ-TV’s
“People Arc Talking.”
In 1984, Ms. Winfrey moved to
Chicago to host WLS-TV’s faltering
morning talk show, “AM Chicago.”
She soon turned it into the hottest
show in town, the format was ex­
panded to an hour, and it was re­
named “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
“Oprah’s gift is definitely testimony
to her commitcmcnt to higher educa­
tion and sincere concern about pro­
viding financial assistance for
today’s African-American male
youths,” said Morehouse president
Leroy Keith.
Morehouse College, founded in
1867, is noted for its legacy of pro­
ducing outstanding African-Ameri­
can male leaders and professionals in
a variety of fields. Morehouse is the
alma mater of civil rights leader Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., Health and
Human Services secretary Dr. Louis
W. Sullivan, filmmaker Spike Lee,
Olympian Edwin Moses, and maga­
zine editor Lcronc Bennett.
For more information, call;
Robert Bolton
(404) 681-2800, ext. 495 or 496
Mrs. Freddye Webb-Pettet's Problem Only Obscures
Real Dilemma in the Executive Branch of State
by Stephen E. McPherson, the fact that the current welfare and the legislature made no secret of the
penal systems as they exist in the fact that a political pet had been af­
Special Correspondent
United States represent an unman­ fected adversely by the changes. It
ageable
albatross that strains the very doesn’t take a political pundit to
Il is a very well-known fact of po­
sinews
of the democratic process. recognize the fact that it is quite
litical life that every appointee exists
Yet,
few
state governments have made impolitic to alter political patronage
at the pleasure of the politician who
a
serious
attempt to resolve the ever at a time when the legislature is in
appointed them. To be sure, most
increasing
dilemma for fear of losing session, especially if such an action
astute politicians have their appoint­
the
other
battle
generated by uncom- has not previously been sanitized by
ees submit a resignation at the time
a clear mandate from the governor.
of their appointment so as to avoid
It doesn't take an astute political
the embarrassment of a recalcitrant
pundit to recognize that Governor
who wants to hang on to the job
INeil Goldschmidt separated himself
longer than is convenient to his men­
from the political process before the
tor. The recent exercise that came
November elections. Before then he
out of the governor’s office with regard
did make some vague pronounce­
to the new assignment of Freddye
ment about a children’s agenda and
Webb-Pettet is a very poorly dis­
then dis-involved himself from the
guised emolation of a sacrificial lamb.
presidential campaign before disap­
If several investigations already have
pearing into the woodwork. At one
cleared Miss Webb-Pettet of wrong
point Vera Katz, the Speaker of the
doing, then what useful function is to
House and one of the Governor’s
be served by having her step aside
staunch supporters averred to follow
while yet another fruitless investiga­
her own instincts because she was
tion is conducted?
getting no direction from the Gover­
If such an approach comprised the
nor.
criteria for improving governmental
service here in the State of Oregon
After sending Freddye Webb-Pettet
then a large number of executives
unassisted
to do battle in an uncharted
Both problems have played a
would be removed from their offices
jungle,
it
is
a cute little political ploy
prominent role in recent national and
long before their term had expired.
to
first
compliment
her for the terri­
state elections. While at the national
The real problem Miss Webb-Pettet
fic
job
she
is
doing
and
then pull out
level other factors have dictated the
faces is the fact that she is doing
the
rug
from
under
her.
More often
assignment of a diminished priority
battle with a hard core bunch of anti­
loyalty
and
commitment
are
made of
to such concerns they remain an ever
welfare Republicans on one side of
sterner
stuff.
The
“
temporary”
as­
pressing unsolved riddle in the State
the aisles who are augmented by an
signment of a top executive to a
of Oregon.
even harder core of die-hard Demo­
staffiess position in an exit tract is a
Last year when attention was fo­
crats who would resist change from
derogation of the innovative man­
any source. Such resistance is even cused on how the Human Resources agement process she has instituted in
more pronounced when the chal­ branch of the executive department Adult and Family services but also
lenger is a Black woman. It is some­ was working, the leadership caved in an abrogation of the very votes that
what of a comic paradox to have to these concerns and as a result elected him to his high position. That
Freddye Webb-Pettet submit to a per­ Portland suffered the loss of not only he took such an action is not very
formance evaluation because (l)she several significant parts of the pro­ surprising, one needs only to recall
instituted a time reporting system gram but also at least a half dozen that Willie Hunter was treated just as
which saved the General fund S I.5 committed state workers who some­ shabbily.
million; (2)reduced the revolving fund how made an impossible conglom­
History is not only a good recol­
checking account by 70% and the eration of service function with some
modicum of success. During that lection of things past but often an
error rate by 5.5%; (3) enhanced the
period the leadership style and effec­ excellent prognosticator of what can
special cash pay system to service
tiveness of Kevin Concannon was be expected in the future. At a press
clients better, (4) reconciled bank
conference called by the Coalition of
called into question.
accounts in a more timely manner,
Black Men to protest the ill-treat­
Such an approach did not silence
(5) instituted a stocklcss supply in­
ment of Mrs. Webb-Pettet, Harold
ventory system, (6) made it possible persistent critics of the system. A se­ Williams, vice president of the group
to identify accounts which had been ries of leaks to the news media ex­ called the action by the State, “ ex­
unreconciled for more than 10 years, posed “ the exorbitant life styles of
(7)Consolidated budget functions for executives within Adult and Family ecutive genocide” . When does the
other shoe drop? Who now is top
better management, (8) developed Services Division.”
person on the hit list? A climate has
It
is
very
interesting
to
observe
an effective affirmative action plan,
developed in this nation with the
that
none
of
these
revelations
be­
(9) Reviewed, analyzed and allocated
approval of the courts to abrogate
came
known
until
immediately
after
about 2400 positions to a new classi­
every hard fought gain made by
Freddye
Webb-Pettet,
the
new
chief,
fication system and (10) upgraded
African Americans during the hey
made
certain
organizational
changes
the performance standards of the
day of the civil rights movement.
which
would
not
only
stream
line
her
agency. It would be difficult to find
The problems that we now face in the
any executive with such an outstand­ office and make her more visible to
her subordinates but also over the public sector are not only a matter of
ing performance record.
fairness but once more the challenge
It would be difficult for anyone years would save the tax payers mil­
of
survival weighs heavily upon us.
who has studied the problem to deny lions of dollars. Certain members of
Arthur Fletcher to Head ILS. Civil Rights Commission
Dan Van Brocklin
By Jimi Johnson
Born in left Bridge, Alberta Can­
ada, Mr. Dan Van Brocklin came to
Portland over twenty years ago. A
resident of Northeast Portland ever
since his arrival, Dan (affectionately
known as “ Dan the Van Man” ) started
out voluntcring his services to the
Urban League of Portland five years
ago as a van driver for senior citi­
zens. Eventually, the demand for
transportation of seniors became so
great that Dan was hired as a full
time driver and senior citizen assis­
tant.
A warm and friendly person, Dan
takes pride in his job and says he
“ loves to serve the community when­
ever possible, it’s a blessing” . Van
Brocklin is currently a member of
the Highland Church of Christ and
serves as the church moderator and
head Deacon. Of course Dan has
also driven the church Sunday School
Bus during part of his nineteen years
of membership to the church.
Without “ Dan the Van Man” ,
senior ciizens will be hard pressed to
find reliable transportation to and
from their needed destination.
The Portland Observer salutes Mr.
Dan Van Brocklin for his dedication
and contributions to our community.
ARTHUR FLETCHER, a man
with a record of civil rights activism
that dates back to the early 1950s,
will replace WILLIAM BARCLAY
ALLEN as chairman of thU.S. Civil
Rights Commission as soon as a
vacancy occurs on the commission
for Fletcher to fill. Allen, who was
appointed by President Ronald Re­
agan, raised a storm of controversy
when he was arrested on February 7
for allegedly kidnapping a 14-year-
old Apache girl from an Arizona
Indian reservation in the course of
intervening personally in the investi­
gation of an adoption case. Fletcher,
whose mother was nearly 100 per­
cent American Indian, stated recendy,
“ I don’t plan to be going to any
Indian reservations.” But as he an­
ticipated taking the reins of the
commission, which was formed in
1957 to investigate discrimination,
Fletcher says he is ‘ ‘pleased to return
to toiling in the civil rights vine­
yards.”
Civil rights leaders hope Fletcher’s
appointment will pull the beleaguered
agency out of the mire of recent con-
covcrsics and that it will restore the
public’s confidence in it. The Com­
mission's previously exemplary rec­
ord of civil rights monitoring was
soiled when President Reagan packed
the commission with appointees hav­
ing little commitment to civil rights.
In 1982, CLARENCE PENDLETON,
a former Urban Leaguer and an out­
spoken opponent of affirmative ac­
tion, was appointed chair of the com­
mission; his leadership was adamantly
opposed by civil rights advocates
throughout his tenure. Pendleton died
while holding that office in June 1988.
Similar criticism was leveled against
the commission’s then staff director
LINDA CHAVEZ, who once pro­
posed that the commission hold hear­
ings on reverse discrimination against
white males. She resigned that post
in November 1983 and was soundly
defeated by Democrat BARBARA
M1KULSKI in the 1986 race for the
U.S. Senate in Maryland. Frustrated
with the Civil Rights Commission’s
domination bv these Reagan appoint­
ees, black, Hispanic, and women mem­
bers of the House of Representatives
succeeded in having Congress cut its
funding in half.
At the moment, Fletcher’s nomi­
nation is problematic, since there are
no vacancies on the eight-member
commission for him to fill. Allen, a
black Republican whose term ex­
pires in 1992, has shown no inclina­
tion to resign and commissioners can
only be forced out for neglect of duty
and malfeasance in office. Since the
commission’s rcauthorization is now
under consideration by Congress, the
agency’s leadership crisis is particu-
larly critical. But according to insid­
ers, the Bush administration is trying
to lure away one of the presidentially
appointed members from the com­
mission with the offer of a post at
another federal agency.
Fletcher later served as deputy
urban affairs advisor to President
GERALD FORD, after leaving gov­
ernment, he became executive direc­
tor of the United Negro College Fund
and later formed Arthur A. Fletcher
& Associates, a consulting firm which
maintains food service contracts at
military bases and assists corpora­
tions in the development of affirma­
tive action programs.
Fletcher believes that the U.S. must
eradicate all vestiges of discrimina­
tion by the year 2000 if it is to equip
coming generations with the skills
needed to ensure a fully productive
and competitive work force in the
next century. “ The United States has
lost the option of relegating blacks
and other minorities to the lowest po­
sitions in the labor force, Fletcher
says. He has also stated that he wants
to return bipartisanship to civil rights
policy and to change the perception
some may have that the GOP is a
haven for racists.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
"The Eyes and Ears ol the Community"
288-0033