Portland Observer OCTOBER 5, 1989
EWRSSfiT /OPINION
by
Benjam in F . Chavis, Jr.
In the wake o f President Bush’ s
qweeh to the General Assembly o f
the United Nations, we are alarmed
and dismayed that the President o f
the United States would invite the
terrorist murder o f innocent Angolan
women and children to have tea at
the White House. No one questions
the President’s prerogative to invite
whomever he wishes to have a per
sonal audience. Yet, we do have the
right to question the wisdom and the
morality of condoning, supporting
and encouraging Jonas Savimbi’ s
UNIT A terrorists in their merciless
acts of vicious brutality and inhu
manity against the people o f Angola.
On October 5, 1989, President
Bush w ill welcome Jonas Savimbi to
the White House. This embrace o f
Savimbi by Bush is tantamount to a
hideous crime against humanity. Why?
We
this position because o f the
reality of the situation in Angola at
this very moment. Since the historic
Obndolite, Zaire agreements between
the government o f the People’s Re
public of Angola led by President
Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Jonas
Savimbi o f U N IT A before 18 A fr i
can heads o f state, the cease fire that
was declared on June 24, 1989 has
repeatedly been violated by U N ITA .
Rather than supporting the ceasefire,
the Bush Administration in July o f
this year pressured the Senate In te lli
gence Committee to approve an in
crease of U.S. m ilitary aid to U N IT A
lo over 40 m illion dollars. Now
hundreds of innocent Angolan c iv il
ians have been slaughtered by U N ITA
as a consequence o f deliberate UNITA
attacks on the civilia n population o f
Angola. Who bears the responsibil
ity of these human rights atrocities?
Who bears the responsibility for these
acts of terrorism?
The Bush Adm inistration not only
prides itself with taking responsibil
ity for U N IT A , but recently the U.S.
Stale Department reaffirmed its
“ vigorous support o f Jonas Savimbi
and U N IT A .” The invitation for
Savimbi to once again cross the thresh
old o f the W hite House is but a public
testimony o f both the arrogance and
the blindness o f the Bush A dm ini
stration when it comes to Angola in
particular and southern A frica in
general.
Savimbi is scheduled to meet on
October 3 and 4 w ith members o f
both the House and the Senate. Sena
tors Dennis DeConcini (D -A Z ) and
Jesse Helms (R-NC) w ill be renew
ing their support o f Savimbi while
Congressman DAve McCurdy (D-
O K ) w ill be introducing Savimbi to
M cCurdy’ s newly-formed Angola
Task Force which also supports
U N IT A ’ s acts o f violence. Then
Savimbi w ill meet w ith Vice Presi
dent Quayle, C hief o f Staff Sununu
and national Security Council Direc
tor Scowcroft. On October 11,1989
Savimbi w ill be escorted to New
York C ity to lecture at the Council o f
Foreign Relations.
In a recent letter to the Washing
ton Post, Mrs. Ethel Kennedy wrote,
“ Americans should be clear about
what we are doing in Angola. It is a
conscious policy o f U N IT A to target
civilians. We should call an immedi
ate halt to our policy o f providing
support to U N IT A .” Unless there is
a massive public outcry from m il
lions o f Americans throughout this
nation, the W hite House cocktail par
ties w ith Savimbi w ill continue and
the suffering o f the people o f Angola
w ill be unabated. We call fo r your
prayers, we call for your protests and
we call for your continued support to
build a national movement o f con
cerned citizens to challenge these
continued crimes against the people
o f Angola which are crimes against
all humanity.
f c
L0TTB7Y
Get in on the Action...
SON LOTTERY
OREGON
sj
£
P ity Oregon Lottery's new Sports Action Game.
Its exciting, its fun! Details at your Lottery
Retailer. Enter this week to play and win!
Vantage Point
PLAYING BY OUR RULES
BUSH INVITES SAVIMBI: A CRIME AGAINST
HUMANITY
THE ROOTS OF RACISM AND THE RISE OF
By D r . L e n o ra F u la n i
On September 12 David Dinkins
became the first Black man in history
lo win the Democratic party’s nom i
nation for mayor o f New York
C ity.N ot surprisingly, the white cor
porate-owned media attributed this
historic victory to liberal white vot
ers. Others are saying that the brutal
murder o f 16 year old Yusel Hawk
ins, a young Black man, by a gang o f
white hoodlums three weeks before
primary day had translated into a
massive “ sympathy” vote for the
Black Dcmocrat.But neither o f those
explanations is the right one.
The fact is that a new movement
has come to m aturity in New York
C ity -a n independent, Black-led,
w orking class-wide political move
ment which has grown up in the
shadow o f the murderously racist,
anti-poor administration o f Mayor
Ed Koch. This new movement is the
future o f progressive politics in New
York. The immediate beneficiary o f
the new movement is M r. Dinkins
and the rest o f the c ity ’ s Democratic
Party reformers. That’ s alright. The
new movement needs them--for now.
But if the new movement remains in
dependent, and I am committed heart
and soul to making sure that it does,
it w ill someday soon take over from
the reform ers-the parasites who live
o ff the righteous anger o f our people.
I ran as an independent candidate
for mayor in case Dinkins lost the
primary. Now 1 am urging New York
voters to pull the lever for Dinkins in
Novembcr-and the independent New
Alliance Party candidates who with
M r. Dinkins make up the Dump Koch
slate in this year’ s election.
I t ’ s an unusual situation. I am on
the ballot, at the top o f the NAP line.
But I am using my independent can
didacy, as I have all along, to support
M r. Dinkins. I have neither w ith
drawn my name-doing so would only
lose votes for the other NAP candi
dates who are running-nor reneged
on my promise to work for D inkins’
election i f he won his party’s nom i
nation. I know that my refusal to play
by the rigid “ either you’re in or
you’re o ut” rules o f the electoral
game w ill annoy the hell out o f many
people-from Democratic Party in
siders to those who believe that the
only principled position to have is on
the outside, looking in. But my sup
port, as an independent candidate,
REAGANISM
for M r. Dinkins, the Democratic
nominee, is the essence o f N A P ’ s
hallmark “ inside--outside” tactic.
Dinkins must win. L ike it or not,
this dyed-in-the-wool Democrat is
the Dump Koch candidate of the Black
and Puerto Rican working class
communities in this election. But the
die-hard Democrats who are running
by Ron Daniels
w ith him have nothing to do with
dumping Ed Koch-these fake re
Over the past decade Reaganism
formers don’t deserve the time o f and Rcagonomics,as much as any
day, let alone the votes, o f our people.
thing have been responsible fo r the
On election day we need to vote rise o f racism in America.However
Dump Koch all the way-which means the roots o f racism run deep w ithin
pulling the lever fo r Dinkins in the the American character. H istorically
Democratic column, then crossing racism has been utilized by the white
over the N AP column and voting ruling elite o f America in a sinister
independent. We need to make it strategy to divide the masses o f poor
very, very clear to Dinkins and the and working people and to exploit
Democrats that he is beholden to the those divisions in the interest o f the
black and Puerto Rican working class further enrichment and empowerment
communities which have been the o f that ruling elite. Because African-
base o f the Dump Koch movement Americans have been the explicit
since 1981.
object and target o f racism the white
New York;s Democratic Party re population in general has benefited
formers, Black and white, have al from the suppression and exploita
ways been the beneficiaries o f the tion o f African-Americans.
Black and Puerto Rican-led inde
A t the psychological level the
pendent political movement. Over “ W H IT E O N L Y ” access to public
the years, the reformers (Dinkins facilities, transportation, water foun
among them) have used the intense tains, toilets, cemeteries, schools
Anti-Koch sentiment boiling over in neighborhoods and positions o f power
the Black and Puerto Rican working was a mean p illar in the structure o f
class communities to w in votes away white supremacy. Howeverold “ Jim
from regular Democrats, only to shake Crow ’ ’ as the symbol o f segregation
hands and make up w ith the machine and discrimination was not just a
the morning after election day-w hile psychological bird. The system o f
our people are left holding the bag o f segregation in the U.S., as is the case
police brutality , o ffic ia l corruption, w ith apartheid in South A frica, was
designed to yield substantial benefits
and poverty. This year is differenL
I plan to accept every invitation to to the oppressor. Though those at the
debate with the other candidates, to top benefited most, whites at all lev
speak as a candidate, and to be inter els, not only had the warped psycho
viewed as a candidate.And I ’ ll use logical satisfaction that comes w ith a
every opportunity to campaign for a
“ r iv a l." But I have never used my
independent candidacies just to get
votes. I am building an independent
political movement, a movement to
empower our people, the Black work
ing class, and our disempowercd sisters
and brothers in the Latino commu
nity, the Native American commu
nity, the Asian American commu
nity, the lesbian and gay community,
and the progressive white commu
nity. It can’ t be done playing the
Democrats’ game by the Democrats’
ru le s -ju s t as it can’ t be done the
Republicans’ way. We have to make
up our own rules, and play to win.
P O R TLA N
ERVER
OREGON LOTTERY SPORTS ACTION
OFFICIAL PROGRAM
Evera Dates: OCTOBER 8-9.1989
Pacific
Time
Selection
Sun 10/8
Turn to page 2 for Official Program
Information on this week's Sports Action Game!
FAVORITE
IQ ttk m
1 Buffalo
10-ÖOem
3 PHILADELPHIA
10:00am
5 Cincinnati
,000cm
7 Cleveland
1000am
9 MINNESOTA
LJJ ' a '.' z J i
11 H ooton
1 1000am 1 13 GREEN BAY
J J • a C'SÛ □ 15 CNOOOO
t
IQQpm 1 17 WASHINGTON
1:00pm
19 ANAHEIM
100pm
21 DENVER
lW p m
23 SEATTLE
lOOpm
2£> San Francisco
PO RT LfiWtJ'OBSERVER
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970
A lfr e d L H«nd«reon/Pubiisher
Laon HarrlS/Qeneral Managet
O *ry Ann Gamatt
Joyce Washington
Sales/Ma/keting Director
PORTLAND OBSERVER
• pubUahed weekly by
Erie PuNKhmg Company. Inc
S2S N X KJDngswonh St
Portend. Oregon 97211
P.O. Bos 3137
Portend. Oregon 97206
(503) 288-0033 (Office)
Deadlines lor all submitted materials:
Articles Monday, 5 p m ; Ads Tuesday, 5 p m.
TW WJRTLMW oeacavia
Issswtu a r ia aroparty oi th a r «aa p a p a , and can not ba c a d in other p ubteatron, or personal usage Without
P * wd a e a a a a a a rt at the ganarat m anager unta«« the clan t haa purchased the composition ot such ad ig g g
PORTIMO OMERVER ALL R O H T S R E S E R V E D R E P R O D U C T IO N IN W H O LE O R IN PA R T W IT H O U T
RERitteeiON a h w siteo
snloom as Irw U m c« lu b m itn o c t M snuscrpls and photograph* should ba daarty
y O ria S a a a r i b a rabanad d ao o o n p a n a d by a ta d -a d d ra tM d anvalopa Ail created designed display ada
W 0 .0 0 par year m the T r,C o u n t, area
» OeeCRVCR ■■ Oregon s oldest
A inoin Amancan PubJtcatton- is a m a n p a , ol The N ato o si
* - Eeundad in ISAS Tha Oregon Newspaper Pubtrshers Association, and Tha Natasnat
t Pubtahers Inc N ew Von,
8 MIAMI
1 0 D etro t
12 NEW ENGLAND
14 Dellas
16 TAMPA
18 Phoenix
20 A tlanta
22 S anD leao
24 Koreas City
26NEWORLËANS
♦4
♦b
had raided tbc Irish « . Ah t a i grown
up w ith the fam ily; he loved Mary and
♦6
she had refused him. Note that African
sea-rovers used to raid the British Isles
♦TO
for loot and slaves until late in the 18th
♦11
centruy (see p. 10, Rogers, Your His
tory).
♦6
This type o f northern European
♦6
_______ ___ _____ _
1Iin 3VV111
interaction with Africans docs not seem
CZHI î J à J
at all unusual ify o u consider the home-
1 600pm | 27 NEW YORK
Í 26 Los Angeles
♦3
base o f these peripatetic navigators.
From as early on as 2000 B.C Africans
Home teoms are in CAPITAL letters
•lith e learn you select b e a n ot ties trie other le a rn 1» soots after odefino the were sailing to Britain and Spain and
'Point Spreod* to the underdog's score, your (election k a winner.
establishing tin mines; the metal was
Oregon lottery Sports Action Is n o to s s o d a te d v4th. authorized by. or
n
Sports Action is not associated with,
sponsored by, or authorized by the
National Football League.
UNDERDOG
2 INDIANAPOLIS
4 N ew jersey
6 htTSBURGH
U n d e rd o g
Point
S p re ad *
♦1
♦3
nomic hard times. In hard times some
white people may be inclined to want
the economic benefits o f racism to
pay off. On the other hand during
times o f prosperity overt racism and
racial antagonism seem to recede.
The historic struggle o f African-
Americans for c iv il rights and hu
man rights which climaxed w ith the
“ gains” o f the sixties and seventies
wiped out many o f the laws which
gave legal sanction to segregation.
Indeed the increased access to the
ballot provided African-Americans
w ith an important tool to employ to
project and protect their interest. The
movement o f the sixties and seven
ties also rendered overt racism un
popular as a publicly sanctioned
ingredient in the American charac
ter. It became impolite to be or seem
to be racist to engage in racist activ
ity. Racism was forced underground.
The great ‘ ‘gains” o f the sixties also
took place within a period o f enormous
prosperity and growth w ithin the
American economy; growth which
spread the materia! benefits o f the
“ good life ” widely virtually every
sector o f the American populace. It
was as if America could “ afford”
racial progress.
The reality is however, that ra
cism remained just below the surface
in the American consciousness.
Though few would argue that there
have not been gains in race relations,
racism has been loo deeply ingrained
in the culture o f America and its
institutions for it to die an easy death.
The American system is s till an
exploitive system which thrives on
the exploitation o f labor and working
people both at home and abroad. The
sense o f racial superiority, they bene power elite in America, in the final
analysis, could care less about race,
fited materially.
When while skin color is used as color, nationality or ethnicity. The
the badge to get a mob and other rich and the super-rich care most
services and privileges in society, about money and maximum profita
white people in general benefit. Over b ility , and when racism can be used
the years there were instances when to advance their cause they w ill use it
some jobs were for W HITES O N LY , w ithout conscience or concern. And
and other instances when whites when the American economy fa l
automatically received much higher tered in the late seventies under the
wages for doing exactly the same weight o f high inflation and heavy
job. Hence whites developed both unemployment (stagflation) and de
psychological and material stake in clining, corporate pro fitab ility, the
the preservation and perpetration o f stage was set for racism to rear its
racism, segregation and discrimina head anew.
tion. Pul more bluntly, being racist
And so it was w ith that the neo
could be profitable!
conservative forces siezed upon these
To be sure, rich whites arc never circumstances to bring Reagan into
w illin g to pay Black or white w ork the presidency, racist images, code
ers the fu ll wages they are entitled to words, and attacks on affirm ative
for their work. But by giving white action and Black interest were used
people a psychological and material for a right wing faction o f the Am eri
incentive to perpetuate racism, the can power elite to ascend to power.
whites at the top conveniently and The subtle and not so subtle image
profitably can exploit both the Blacks portrayed was that o f an America
and whites lodged at the bottom o f sinking under the burden o f welfare
the economic pyramid. Racial an cheats, food stamps chiselers and
tagonism, therefore, is often most lawless elemcnts-all o f whom were
acute when Blacks and whites com Black o f course. The tactics were
pete for jobs and other opportunity virulent and vicious, and they played
benefits eg. education, housing, rec to the fears o f white poor and w ork
reation etc. The level o f racial an ing people, and the interests o f big
tagonism is usually exacerbated and business (a sad old refrain). Patriot
i ” »®nsified during periods o f eco- ism, salvation o f country and the red,
sponsored by the National Football League.
needed to alloy w ith copper to create
their magnificent bronze statues. At
the other end o f them time spectrum
very ancient times up until the 19th
we have it from Dumond (History O f
centruy.
by M cKinley Burt
Now, this is indeed odd because, North Afncan ruiers o f Morocco alei-
Sorry about that folks, I was wrong; usually, blacks are seen to rig h tfu lly Crs, T rip oli and tunis, "collected’large
The Portland Observer's 'M in o rity
complain that only their naughty deeds
from a„ nalions
Business Issue' w ill be published at a
accomplishment;
are
i
g
n
o
^
S
o
why
M
Jd
ll^rranean -Great Britain paid
later date. In the meantime let me take
.
P
. ®
. y annual tribute to these Africans, and
you on a little excursion. Today, we are
aftergainingindependencetheUnited
going to speak o f pirates. You heard
States continued to pay tribute."
right, 'PIRATES'!
lopers in the EmeralJ Isles o f Ireland
In 1815 Thomas Jefferson launched
Once upon a Halloween my mother
and the Bonnie braes o f Scotland? As
an undeclared war and sent a fleet to
bought me a pirate's costume - and
usual, the answer is found w ithin the
A frica to secure the safety o f American
much later, in high school, I learned
context o f racism - tnere arc reams o f
prisoners.
We w ill note that in the
that in the West Indies, those Carib
documented interaction w ith 'M r.
customary vein o f racist European
bean Isles that produced so many A fr i
Charlies genes'.
writers, these A frican' sailors arc never
can greats (from Audubon to Napolcan's
In paraticular, let us cite one very
revealed
as such. But they are dubbed
generals), many o f the most fearsome
determined A frica n ,' A 1 i Krussa', a sea-
"B
arba
ry
Pirates", while the British
and notorious buccaneers were A fri
rover who in 1631 attacked baltimeere
.
.
.
„
.
.
nayy
which
inflicted infinite piracy
can. What I didn't leam at the time was
Castle, Ireland and carried o ff Mary, „ n.i inklim „ „ ; , ; „ „ _ ..
,
,
j
.
.
r
■
«
-
.
.
.
ant
mhumanitics
upon the seafarers o f
that for centuries the most feared raidrs
daughter o f sir fineen O Driscoll. All aii nalinn„
»
. . .
k
.
.....
a nations (including America) is never
and exploders o f the northern Euro v
Krussa had becncapturcdasachild by
.
r .
her
father
when
A
lt’s
uncle
Nudda
SUCh 3 dcn,8rat,"8 f a t
pean coasLs' were also African- from
her lather when AH s uncle, Nudda, ,on. "H ail the British Lion, Mistress o f
Get current Sports Action Information by cattng 1-900646-5666
<Toi cal-60 cents per minute.)
PERSPECTIVES
Scas. upon whose
the sun never sets.”
From the well-documented research
o f J.A Rogers we have it that "The
Scottish people trace their ancestry to
the ancient Egyptians who used lo visit
the British Isles long before the Chris-
tian Era (thr°ugh Scota', asughter o f
thc EEyPlian Pharaoh whose people
?6tt 6d f i r s lS p a i n and dlen in Scot‘
a° d ' 17,686 Plcts and Scots> as they
WCF5 know’ proved very troublesome
„ Riornans’ two o f whose emper-
ers, Hadrian and Antonine, b uilt great
walls to keep them out o f England. As
late as the 14th century large portions
o f the population o f Scotland were
Black and many Scotch people still
showtf,eir Negro ancestry in their color
thcir hair ”
A |, Qf
tQ f .(
* ' lh recorded history. For instance, in
the o fficial register o f the Roman
administrative system (notitia Digni
latum), we find listed among the A fr i
can troops that Emperor Hadrian brought
to Britain, the Numerous Maurorum
Aurclianorum' division o f Moors from
North Africa. And several weeks ago I
described the African faces appearing
upon the shields and the CcaLs-of-Arms
o f Scottish families - and throughout
Europe.
This revealing sei ics w ill continue
next week (Barbary Pirates indeed).