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Page 8 The Portland Observer August 22, 1990
999 OPINION HIS
Crack Mothers II: No One Can Help You
Unless You Want to Help Yourself
The ’’Hers” side of the His/Hers Opinion Page has been
temporarilysuspended while the O t ^ r v c r ^ f e anew wrlte^
By Ullysses Tucker, Jr.
Though most advocates and
experts would agree that education and
prevention based programs are the best
way to enlighten women giving birth to
children born addicted to cocaine, some
states are not taking heed. To date, there
are cases pending in Ohio, South Caro
lina, and Massachusetts. Last summer,
Jennifer Johnson, a 23 year old mother
of two was the first mother convicted of
delivering drugs to her babies through
the umbilical cord. Johnson, who at
tempted to enter a drug treatment pro
gram and had two emergency room trips
before authorities became aware of her,
could have received up to seven years.
She received only probation and treat
ment.
In the state of Illinois, Gover
nor James Thompson signed a bill last
summer that changed the legal defini
tion of child neglect to include a new
born with any traces of controlled sub
stances. The second part of the bill
allows local prosecutors to ask juvenile
courts to intervene in cases involving
cocaine babies. Since most child abuse
statutes don’t cover fetuses, some dis
trict attorneys are attempting to use them
against drug abusing mothers. Prosecu
tion is necessary to inspire or motivate
mothers to get into treatment, not to lock
them up for long periods of time. The
goal should be to get the mother into
treatment, not scare her away or allow
her to continue using drugs. The Ameri
can Civil Liberties Union’s Reproduc
tive Freedom Project is on record sug
gesting that prosecution of crack abus
ing mothers open the door for new crimes
that harm the child, including smoking,
alcohol abuse, or standing too long.
So, prosecution is not the an
swer and opening more treatment cen
ters will aid many of the mothers seek
ing help. Besides the immense suffer
ing of the children born addicted to
cocaine, there is still a very heavy fi
nancial burden that just won’t go away
Letter from Nike Prez to Employees
Here is a letter from Philip
Knight and Richard Donahue to Nike
employees, that was sent out recently
to employees. Let’s hope they pull
through with some of these prom
ises, and that the letter wasn’t just
sent for the benefit of the press’ eyes.
"THE NIKE COMMITMENT"
Each year for the past four years,
every manager has received a memo
randum from us outlining our af
firmative action programs and re
minding them of our corporate com
mitment to cultural diversity.
For the first two years (1987,
1988), we made slow but steady prog
ress toward our goals. Slow because
we were laying off employees dur
ing that time, not hiring. Steady
becuase we know that our employ
ees share the goal of sustaining Nike’s
open, diverse and untraditional envi
ronment.
In the past two years, we have
been in ascendancy and our progress
towards our affirmative action goals
has been significant. We are hiring
aggressively now and it has given us
the opportunity to act on many of our
plans.
Since January of this year, Nike
has hired more than 1,039 new em
ployees. Twenty-one percent of those
have been minorities. Keep up the
good work. In total, our domestic
workforce if 14.4 percent minority.
In Portland, where most of our em
ployees are, we have a 7 percent
available minority workforce and we
employ 10 percent minority.
In order for Nike to be com
petitive around the world, we must
seek out the best talent. Talent
comes in every size, shape, race and
sex. All should be represented at
Nike.
Our business in the African-
American community is important.
We have increased the number of
African-Americna executives we have
and need to keep increasing il-in
finance, in production, in sales, in
marketing, in every department at
Nike. The same can be said of each
minority group in this country. His
panics, Asians, Native Americans:
all should be represented at Nike and
we have a commitment to that.
Frankly, our bigPfst disagreement
with PUSH is that they are focused
exclusively on African-Americans and
we have a broader vision of equal op
portunity than they do. They have
also specifically excluded women
from their goals. We cannot do that.
Our workforce is 51 percent female
and we are as committed to helping
women work their way into every
part of this company as we are to
minorities.
Cultural diversity is the key.
We do not believe in quotas but we
do believe in setting aggressive goals
for every facet of our business, so let
us share our own goals with you.
1) Within the next 12 months, we
will name a minority to Nike’s Board
of Directors.
2) Within the next 24 months, we
will name a minority Vice President.
3) Within the next 12 months, we
will increase our minority represen
tation at the department head level
by 10 percent.
In order to monitor these goals,
we will turn to two sourced. The first
will be internal. All employees should
share these goals and help us meet
them.
The second source will be an
outside community board we are nam
ing today to monitor our progress.
We have asked minority community
leaders to help us assemble that board.
We plan to include representatives
of m inority organ izations in the com
munities in which we work. This
board will review our progress each
six months.
Those are our goals.
As we review each department’s
business plans for our current year,
we see that you have already set your
own internal goals. Those include:
-T h e establishment of 10 minority
internships to begin this winter in
conjunction with the United Negro
College Fund.
—An increase of 20 percent in minor
ity candidates for professional, tech
nical and managerial positions by
naming a full-time Director of Mi
nority Recruiting and doubling rep
resentation at minority job fairs,
conventions and colleges.
-T h e creation of an internal com
mittee of minority employees to advise
on recruiting and training.
These are practical, achievable
goals set out for our fiscal year which
began on June 1,1990. On Decem
ber 1, 1990, we will review our six
month progress internally with every
department head and externally with
our new Community Board. We are
certain that we will see progress at
that time.
We cannot close this memo
randum without mentioning the cur
rent scrutiny we are under. We can
only say this: Nike believes in the
agressive pursuit of affirmative ac
tion and economic development
programs. We have many partners
in the minority community who have
let anyone tell you otherwise. Don’t
let anyone di vert you from our shared
goal of cultural diversity.
with treatment of the mother. The av
erage stay for a newborn, normal one
that is, runs about three days. On the
flip side, babies born addicted to co
caine average stay is about 42 days,
6 6 T llinois Governor James
1 Thompson signed a bill
last summer that changed the
legal definition of child ne
glect to include a newborn
with any traces of controlled
substances."
most of it in the intensive care unit.
According to the hospital surveyed, in
tensive care cost can run as low as $367
per day to as much as $1800 a day,
depending on the services/trcatmcnt the
child needs. During one stretch, a
Washington, D.C. hospital reported more
than $500,000 in cost/services for 10
boarder babies housed there. Another
D.C. hospital, Howard University, re
ported that one infant ran up a bill top
ping $250,000 for a 245 day stay. Most
of these boarder babies eventually go
back to their biological mothers, but
many of them end up in foster care or
with drug abusing/insensitive relatives.
The question still remains, who pays the
cost for these babies?
In most cases, the cost of car
ing for the babies bom addicted to co
caine falls on patients who arc covered
by health insurance and tax paying citi
zens who support public hospitals.
Everyone suffers when babies are bom
addicted
cocaine. Children’s
Service
auuiviuu to vuva.nv,
^ ...
Division (CSD) currently reports 25¡cases
monthly involving babies bom addicted
to cocaine; that’s 300 on an annual
basis. Though the numbers fall lower
than ones reported in cities like New
York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles,
and Chicago, the figures should be cause
for alarm. Oregon politicians need to
get busy. Last summer, the state of
Washington increased the price o f soft
drinks, liquor, and wine to help the state
pay for its $80 million war on drug/alco-
hol abuse.
Even if these babies survive
the hell of withdrawing from their
mother’s drug abuse, they still have to
be educated and understood by instruc
tors. Are instructors being prepared to
address the needs and problems of these
children? Who more than likely will
still live in poverty, be a part of a dys
functional family, face being around
crime, and drugs, and potentially be
come an abuser in the future. How is the
cycle broken? Many of these crack
babies will have serious health and de
velopment problems. The problems as
sociated with these cocaine babies have
been addressed and raised consistently
over the last three years. Now the nation
has a wave of these youngsters ready to
enroll in school. Is the city and the
nation a day late and $1 billion+ short?
While Congress and state gov
ernment can serve in a leadership capac
ity to rid society of this evil, especially
as it relates to babies bom on cocaine,
the bottom line is the mother knowing
right from wrong. Do these crack abus
ing mothers realize that they are de
stroying their child and their future? Do
they really care? Is the drug that power
ful? Mothers have to want help, stop de
nying the problem, and reach out to
people that can help. Institutions like
the black church, the Urban League, the
NAACP, Coalition of Black Men, The
Black Women’s Gathering, and the Black
United Front. If you need help, these
groups will make sure you get netp
help ana
and
**
of yourchild There are
includiRg
SAFE (Substance
Abuse and Family Evaluation) program
at the UOHSC and SD, willing to help.
If a woman is serious about getting some
health care and treatment, she has to
reach out also. If you do not want to help
yourself or child, no one can help her...
■ Portland Obsci w
CLASSIFIEDS
NOTICE OF INTENT
The Oregon Department of Transportation, Highway Division, is seeking pro
posals from qualified consultants to develop and implement a more effective
computer software package to perform computations involved in Cost Respon
sibility Studies for road user taxation. This contract will consist of two phases.
The first phase involves an evaluation of existing software, an investigation of
desirable changes, and the submission of a proposal identifying options and a
recommended course of action. Upon the approval of the Division of the rec
ommended course of action, the second phase will be initiated involving devel
opment and implementation of the software. The estimated cost for Phase 1 and
2 range from $80,000 to $100,000.
If you are interested in being considered, a Request for Proposal can be obtained
by calling or writing Bob Thompson, Consultant Liaison Engineer, 307 Trans
portation Building, Salem, OR 97310; telephone (503) 378-6563.
Proposals are due September 12,1990.
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
Remodel of Sally M c C rr^ e n Building (Athens Hotel)
Low Income H o using-ru,
Oregon
Bids Due: August 23, 1990 5:00 P.M.
For Plans, Call Sue McGregor, (503) 228-7177
P.O. Box 3989 • Portland, OR 97209
(503) 228-7177, FAX (503)
224-3638
We are an equal opportunity
employer and request sub-bids
from women and minority owned
business enterprises.
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
Silco Construction Company
Portland Community College Skill Center
Bid Date: August 28,1990 at 2:00 p.m.
Silco Construction Company
8614 N. Crawford St.
P.O. Box C3299
Portland, OR 97283-0299
Phone: 503/286-8155
Fax: 503/286-8079
We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from small
business, minority owned and disadvantage business enterprises.
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
OREGON M USEUM O F SCIEN CE & INDUSTRY
Portland, Oregon
Bid Date: August 29,1990 @ 3:00 PDT
ANDERSEN CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.
6712 N. Cutter Circle
Portland, OR 97217
(503) 283-6712
FAX: (503) 283-3607
""
We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from disadvan
taged, minority, women, and emerging small business enterprises.
Oregon Contractor’s Board Registration #630532
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
Oregon State Archives Building, Salem Oregon
Bid Date: August 28,1990 at 3:00 P.M.
MARION CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
General Contractors
P.O. Box 12218, Salem, Oregon 97309
1620 Oxford S.E., Salem, Oregon
PHONE:(503)581-1920 FAX:(503)399-0823
Construction Contractors Board Registration #48058
We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from small
business, minority-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises.
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
Portland Community College Skills Center
Portland, Oregon
Bid Date: August 28, 1990 2:00 p.m.
ITT
D A R R IT
C O N B T B U C T ID N
IN C
7601-C N.E. Hazel Dell Ave., Vancouver, WA 98661
(206)694-7802 (503)283-1187 FAX (503) 283-1696
CCB #62982
Ve are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bidsfrom small disad-
iqniaged business sub-contractors and minority business enterprises.
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
Project Name: State of Oregon Archives Building,
Salem, Oregon
Bid UatG August 28, 1990
Bid Time; 3=00 P.M.
C.C.B. #00377
SUB-BIDS REQUESTED
Oregon State Archives Building
Salem, Oregon
Bid Date: August 28, 1990 (5) 3:00 p.m.
L.D. Mattson, Inc.
P.O. Box 12335
Salem, Oregon 97309
(503) 585-7671 FAX (503) 585-4364
We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from women
and minority owned business enterprises.
1740 N.W. Flanders St.
Portland, OR 97209
_ ___
(503)226-3991
fax (503) 228-3019
Wc arc an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from small
business, minority-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises.
DRAKE
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«Advertising
9» Employment
Bids/Sub-Bids
SUB BIDS REQUESTED
State of Oregon Archives Building
Salem, OR
Bid Date: August 28, 1900 at 3pm
ELLIOTT-JOCHIMSEN CONSTRUCTION INC.
1740 22nd Ave., S.E. Salem, OR 97302
Phone (503) 362-1164 Fax (503) 399-9673
We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bidsfrom small business.
minority owned and disadvantage business enterprises.
Holladay Park Medical Center
■
1225 Northeast 2nd Avenue
(503) 233-4567
C om m itted to Career O pportunity f o r A f l Americans
24-Hour Job Line 239-3116
An Equal O pportunity Employer
SECRETARY
NORTHWEST NATURAL
GAS COMPANY
We are searching for individuals with
strong secretarial skills to work in a
variety of departments. Ideal candidates
will have a history of working success
fully in a multiple-task environment while
maintaining a professional and customer-
oriented image to other Company per
sonnel and the general public.
A minimum of 3 years secretarial back
ground will be preferred, including strong
P.C. skills; ideally using IBM PC with
Work-Perfect 5.0 and/or Macintosh.
Typing skills of 60 wpm, will be re
quired.
Starting salary is $1573/month and in
cludes a full benefit package.
Only those selected to be interviewed
will be contacted.
Please direct a resume/data sheet identi
fying skills, applicable background and
your interest in this position by August
24, 1990.
Northwest Natural Gas Co.
P.O. Box 3410
Portland, OR 97208-3410
FAX (503) 721-2506
Equal Opportunity Employer
JOB INFORMATION LINE:
(503)220-2434
A Legacy Member
BUDGET ANALYST, SR.
PUBLIC WORKS
($2,895-$3,517)
Provide technical guidance to division
managers and accounting staff in devel
opment, preparation, analysis and main
tenance of complex Public Works de
partmental budget. A Bachelor's degree
in accounting, business, finance or other
field directly related to professional
accounting work. PLUS, three (3) years
of professional accounting/finance ex
perience; OR, any combination of train
ing and/or experience that provides the
requu ed knowledge and abilities. W ash
ington State certification as a certified
public accountant may be substituted
for the required education. No resumes
accepted. To request applir-” ion by mail,
send self-addressed, stamped (25 cents)
legal envclc;" indicating job title. A
completed application must be returned
to Snohomish County Personnel, 1st
Floor A dm inistration Bldg., 3000
Rockefeller, Everett, WA 98201 by
closing date of 08/31/90. EOE
ARTISTS NEEDED
In Portland and surrounding areas, com
pleting drawing orders for local lients.
High earnings working in own stu
dio, employed or freelance. Prosand
amateurs call for free use of info,
video, 1-304-428-4031.