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• aKe 2 -T h e Portland Observer- August 29, 1990
. • ■
•
By Professor McKinley Burt
and labor distribution data from various
departments. After analysis I would
code the infromation and convert it to
punched tape for transmission to the
remote mainframe computer in Los
Angeles. The following week there would
be a reversal of this procedure and my
machine would print out the 500 pay-
checks for distribution in our plant
Immediately following that edu­
cational project for The Dalles Junior
High School, management offerred me
the choice o f a promotion within the
his week we should recall the exper­ accounting departm ent-or assignment
to the electrical engineering department
iences detailed in the two most re­ as an “ Instrument Technician” . Now, I
cent columns, August 15 and 22; both
had no prior experience in this latter
have direct relevance to this piece. The field, but I suppose that after winning
first o f those columns cited the “ basic national recognition for a small Oregon
skills and industrial experience of the school district, it was assumed that I
youth o f my generation. ’ ’ And last week could do anything. It was known, how­
a successful small business enterprise ever, that I sponsored a “ Kids Science
was described-an equipment-oriented Club” in my neighborhood-and that I
operation which quite obviously would was forever obtaining ’ ‘electronic good­
heavily depend upon such skills. Today, ies” from the coin-operated amusement
I wish to expand this frame of reference device vendor across the street. It took
in order to further demonstrated that little time for me to decide to become a
basic skills are essential for economic “ technician” and expand my knowl­
and professional success.
edge base.
Now, back to the small town per­
An interesting consideration here
spective once again. When I wrote of my is that an Aluminum Company is a self-
award-winning “ Computer-Communi­ contained city that necessarily operates
cations Project” in The Dalles, Oregon, 24 hours a day, and has its own water and
the immediate spinoff was not described. sewage plants, street and maintenance
At the time, my position in the account­ departments, utilities, security, ambu-
ing department of this huge aluminum lances-and independent power source
plant involved computers and communi­ (in the particular case, straight from
cations. The first half of my shift re­ Bonneville Dam). The huge power house
quired that I use a golf cart to collect time
Be Prepared!
Even if You're
Not a Boy
Scout
T
USA TODAY/COUNTERPOINT
REV. TYRONE CRIDER,
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OPERATION PUSH
Across the years Operation PUSH,
in the non-violent tradition of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., has negotiated fair
and mutually beneficial economic re­
lationships with corporate America. We
use our consumerism and our labor as a
basis for seeking equitable and fair re­
lationships. We have done so with the
Ford Motor Company, the Burger King
Corporation, the Seven-Up Corpora­
tion, and nearly 25 others. Each of
these companies have come to the re­
alization that developing stronger eco­
nomic relationships with the minority
community makes good business sense.
We have always had honorable rela­
tionships, always sought parity not
charity, and reciprocity not generosity.
Ourprocess has always been above
board. We do research. We educate the
consumer. We sensitize the corporate
leadership. Then we negotiate. Only
then, if that process fails, do we boycott
as a last resort.
This year PUSH chose to focus on
the athletic shoe industry. Nike was the
first company with which we sought to
negotiate. Nike was chosen because
they are the leader in the industry.
We were in the midst o f good-faith
negotiations when Nike chose to attack
us by alleging collusion between PUSH
and Reebok. Not only is this untrue,
but Reebok is the next company with
which we will seek to negotiate. Faced
with this breakdown in negotiations
, with Nike, we had little choice but to
move forward in our process and to
launch our direct action campaign.
During this campaign we are ask­
ing our supporters to boycott and ‘ ‘black­
out” (place black tape over the Nike
name and emblem) because of what we
term the “ ZERO” factor. Nike has
ZERO African Americans on its board
of Directors; ZERO African american
Vice-Presidents; uses the services of
ZERO African American advertising
agencies; schedules ZERO advertising
with African American owned maga­
zines such as Jet Ebony, and Black En­
terprise; and schedules ZERO adver­
tising with African American owned
television and radio stations.
Our goal istoexpandprocurem cnt
opportunities for African American en­
trepreneurs including professional serv­
ice prov iders and to erase the ‘ ‘ZERO’ ’
factor (apartheid policies) in corporate
America beginning with Nike. Our boy­
cott and ‘ ‘blackout’ ’ has not ended, it
has expanded. Since Nike is the leader
in the industry, we believe they should
also lead the industry in developing a
reciprocal economic relationship with
the African American community.
ERVER
PORTI
(USPS 959-680)
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970
Alfred L. Henderson
Publisher
Joyce Washington
Operations Manager
Gary Ann Garnett
Business Manager
Leon Harris
Editorial Manager
The PORTLAND OBSERVER Is
published weekly by
Exle Publishing Company, Inc.
4747 N.E. M.L.K., Jr. Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97211
P.O. Box 3137
Portland, Oregon 97208
(503) 288-0033 (Office)
FAX#: (503) 288-0015
Deadlines for all submitted materials:
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POSTMASTER: S«nd
Changes to: Portland Observer, P.O. Box 3137,
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The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions Manuscripts and photo­
graphs should be clearly labled and will be returned it accompanied by a self addressed
envelope AM created design 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 the
general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad 1990
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The Portland O b s e rve r- Oregon's Oldest African-American Publication - is a member
of The National Newspaper Association - Founded in 1885, and The National Advertis­
ing Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc., New York, NY
Letter to the Editor
Award Lifts Carl
Elliot's Spirit
.¿.jihuL . lv.. h,
The courageous spirit of for-
mer Alabama Congressman Carl Elliot
handled an electrical load equal to that of Sr. has been “ rekindled” by the recog­
a city o f 100,000 people. The aluminum nition he has received since winning the
reduction process-from bauxite orc to first Profile in Courage award, accord­
ingot--required this type of electrical ing to a former aide who nominated him.
power, at 3000 amps and 600 volts. The
Congressman Elliot, whose
control room was exactly like that you support of the National Defense Educa­
saw in the movie, “ The China Syn­ tion Act of 1958, which opened new
drom e” . Part of my job was to serve a educational opportunities for minorities,
shift at the control board on alternate cost him his seat in Congress in 1964,
weeks.
had been living in poverty, unable to
The "Electronic Instrument Di­ walk and nearly blind, when he won the
vision” supervised the purchase, instal­ award, which included a $25,000 cash
lation and maintenance of the hundreds prize.
of instruments required for the operation
“ Since winning the award,”
of a modem industrial plant of this scope. Julian Buder told Parade magazine, which
I learned to service power meters, volt­ announced the award competition in
age and amperage meters and transformer February, “ Mr. Elliot has heard from
regulators, rectifiers, generators, pyrome­ friends all around the country. Students
ters, electronic scales, wind, humidity who did not know that they owed their
and other weather instruments, tempera­ education to him have been inspired to
ture and pressure guages, water flow write and thank him. There is interest in
meters, emission analyzers on rooftops, writing his biography and perhaps mak­
you name it. Calibrating the ’ ‘mas spec­ ing a film of his life. And people in the
trometer” was my acid test
community arc planning to fix up his
Again, it is indicated that our house so he can get around more easily.
youlh-or anyone else-m ust have those Best of all, the award has been a tonic to
basic skills of math and language, and a his spirit within him .”
good orientation in science that is begun
The Profile in Courage Award,
very early on. That is if they are to be sponsored by The John F. Kennedy
able to take advantage of opportunity
Library Foundation in memory of the
when presented. And it is strongly im­ late President, recognizes individuals
plied that such skills have become in­ who demonstrate the values of leader­
creasingly important now that there is ship and political courage President
growing emphasis on “ unsupervised per­ Kennedy admired.
formance” and maintenance of “ auto­
mated equipment” . More reason than
PORTLAND OBSERVER
ever for having “ Schools of Excellence”
The Eyes and Ears ol the CommunitY’
for our children.
UNITED WAY BEGINS
FUND RAISING DRIVE
Office (503) 288-0033
Fax # (503) 288-0015
Enjoy Discount
Days at the Fair
A community celebration on Wed­
nesday, Aug. 29, will mark the begin­
ning of United Way of the Columbia-
Willamette’s annual campaign to raise
The 1990 Oregon State Fair
money for area health and human serv­ has five discount days people should
ice agencies. This year’s goal is $19.5 lake advantage of.
million.
August 24, Oregon State Fair
Events will take place at the Amcri- Director’s Day, ride all the carnival rides
can Red Cross/Oregon Trail Chapter, free from 10 a.m. to noon.
3131 N. Vancouver Ave., from noon to
August 27, KATU Day, chil-
1:30 p.m. Participating in the festivities dren (age 6-12) gain free admission with
are Campaign Chairman Bruce Willi- a KATU coupon. With $8 and a KATU
son, Chairman of the board, First Inter- coupon you can ride the rides all day
state Bank of Oregon; Portland Mayor until 6 p.m. and gett 11 game tickets.
J.E. Bud Clark; Julianne Johnson, local Some games require more than one tickeL
actress, singer and member of the
August 28, Young at Heart Day,
Swingline Cubs; Mount Olivet Baptist all those who are 65 years and over gain
Children’s Choir; plus Ohno the Clown free admission,
and Smiling Eli.
Augsut 29, Pepsi-Cola Day,
Several local agencies also will dis- children gain free admission with a Pepsi-
play information on their services. The Cola coupon, with $7.50 and a Pepsi-
Red Cross will give away flashlights to Cola coupon you get 10 rides tickets, or
people who correctly answer a three- with $2.50 and a Pepsi-Cola coupon you
question quiz on being prepared for a get 10 rides tickets, or with $2.50 and a
disaster, and the YMCA will erect a 16- Pepsi-Cola coupon you 11 game tickets,
foot climbing wall for kids. United Way Some games reuirc more than one ticket,
funds nearly 200 agency programs lo-
Septem ber3,FranzBrcadDay,
cated in Clackamas, Multnomah and buy one adult admission and get the
Washington counties in Oregon and Clark second one free with an on-package
County on Washington.
coupon available on Franz Premium
n n /s ic h t I ik iiz a p c
White Bread packages. In th ecascofan
rn w d C U I L IN K A u t
adult and a child, the higher price must
Volunteers of all ages and skill lev- be paid.
els are invited to donate one day of their.
Also, get two-for-one carnival
time to help North/Northeast area seh- rides from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a Franz
iors with minor home repairs,
work sticker at the Franz Booth at the State
and interior/exterior paintipffCall Proj- Fair on September 3.
ect Linkage at 249-82J5f Project Link­
age is part of the Senior Opportunities
Division of Mqtfopolitan Family Serv­
ice, a non-profit agency.
Ebony Rose Ski Club
Annual Tennis
Tournament
The Ebony Rose Ski Club will hold
its annual tennis tournament SepL 5th-
9th. This is the 5th year ERSC, Inc. has
served as the sponsor for this fund-rais­
ing evenL
During this time the tournament has
grown from community event to one of
the premier tournaments in Oregon. This
year’s tournament includes an Unranked
Juniors Tournament and Open Division.
The juniors portion will start play at
5:00 p.m. on Sept. 5th and Sept. 6th with
Semi-Finals scheduled for Sunday, SepL
9th. All junior matches will be played at
the Portland Tennis Center, the Open
matches begin Friday, Sept. 7th at three
sites, Irving Park, Grant Park (Grant High
School) and the Portland Tennis Center.
Play continues at all sites thru Saturday
with Semi-Finals and Finals on Sunday
Sept. 9th. Cash Prizes for all Open events
and Men 40 and over. Prizes, trophies,
and gift certificates for all other catego­
ries. Entry deadline Saturday, Sept. 1st.
Entry forms available at Players Racquet
Shop,Courtside Tennis & Apparel, Port­
land Tennis Center and all Portland Area
Tennis & Racquet Clubs.
Money raised from this tournament
is donated to the ERSC, youth activity
program. For further information con­
tact Con Johnson, Tournament Director
at 281-4102.
». á*
‘
the controversial trial of Washington,
D.C. mayor Marion Barry with a per­
verse mixture of fascination and dis­
gust. Sex, drugs and public illegality al­
ways sell. The Barry trial had it all. Act­
ing as a legal pimp, the federal govern­
ment obtained the services o f Barry’s
cx-girlfriend, Rashccda Moore, to snag
its victim. Ample evidence was pre­
sented in the trial proving to most ob­
servers that Barry had been a casual user
of drugs for many years. Evidence of
government malfeasance was abundant
as well. Scores of Barry lieutenants and
confidants had been indicted and con­
victed of various crimes during the past
decade.
The political circus came to a
disappointing end, however, when the
jury found the mayor guilty of only one
m isdemeanor-possessing cocaine. It
acquitted him of one count, and couldn ’ t
agree on twelve additional charges. Barry
now claims that he was vindicated, and
has announced plans to run as an inde­
pendent for a D.C. Council Seat.
Marion Barry is surely guilty
of many things-dependencc on cocaine,
infidelity to his long-suffering and silent
wife, and most of all, political stupidity.
But htc Barry case makes no sense out­
side of its broader political and racial
context. The federal government’s en­
tire case rested on entrapment of the
Some Oregon State Penitentiary “ employees” haven’t lost their
home-training instilled during childhood. They prefer to see clean cafeteria
tables and floors and orderly lines, clean cells and clothes and bodies. In
reference to the latter, can you imagine our next governor being restricted to
only 2 showers per week? For sure, in between time, that governor would have
a few embarrassing press conferences. And suppose his or her colleagues,
equally steadfast workers, were granted unlimited shower days. W oukl that be
a case o f cruel double standard or discrimination?
As an OSP worker employed for three years, I am subjected to the
aforementioned treatment because I am not tagged a privileged employee.
The department where I work is considered below the beast s belly; eternally
vile and unthinkable--our Law Library. At least six of us are permanently
outlawed from taking an employee shower, down in the employee shower area,
on the following days; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. It s okay for us
employees to disrupt our busy schedules to take a hard-earned afternoon shower
on the yard and return to duty before the 4 o ’clock Count.
This less-than-perfect procedure is a nickel short of being a security
nightmare. Imagine 50 naked prisnoers standing backside to backside while the
first 50 naked prisoners growl at each other over only 5 yard showerheads, and
another 50 naked prisoners watching them watching the others. Very little ex­
aggeration in numbers but much substance in truth. Furthermore, “ privileged”
employees on the Inmate Management Floor and on the Education Department
Floor can shower Monday through Friday. I have tried to imagine what else
could be wron with Law Library employees. Do we excrete less healthy sweat
per hour? Do we use a far superior brand of all-seasonal deodorant that also
combats dirt and grime? Are we feared (thus psychologically tormented)
because we are more capable of using our collective intelligence, whereas
higher-rung management wished we would roll over and die and not smell?
I respect a consitently clean-smelling human body. Especially my
own. Especially my co-employees. Others here think soap and water are
contagious diseases to lickety-split from. I have taken over 4,000 illegal
showers during the past three years. Unless this discriminatory practice by man­
agement is curtailed in the near future, and to circumvent costly litigation, I will
continue to take illegal employee showers so I can maintain reproachless
hygiene.
Raymond Cornelius
(an outraged OSP ‘ ‘employee ’ ’)
j
■Letter to the Editor
It’s Like a Conviction Without a Trial
I wish to take this opportunity to express my thanks to Mr. Allen B.
DeSchweinitz, vice president, chief compliance officer, SAIF Corporation, for
his “ Patients as paw ns” letter to the editor which appeared the first week in
August. Captain Queeg could not have stated his point more eloquently.
Until the revelations contained within his letter, I have been somewhat
at a loss as to why the SAIF Corporation has targeted alternative avenues for
treatment o f injuries, namely chiropractic, with a zeal reminiscent of the holy
crusades of the dark ages.
Mr. DeSchweinitz has accused, tried and convicted 824 licensed chiro­
practors in the State of Oregon on charges ranging from chicanery, quackery, and
collusion to malice and theft; and, to save the taxpayer money, he has done this
i without the burdensome mess of trial by one‘speers. Mr. DeSchweinitz has fur­
ther accused, tried and convicted thousands of Oregon working men and women
of intent to steal from the State through fraudulent or overstated injury claims,
dullness of wit and malice toward their employers. This conviction was
especially easy since the thousands of workers plead guilty by virtue of seeking
help for their injuries from physicians other than medical doctors. Throw into
this assemblage of dishonest, socially disoriented group of malingerers an undis­
closed but significant number of ambulance-chasing attorneys who have also
been accused, tried and convicted by Mr. DeSchweinitz of excessive greed and
of advocating for all of the above mentioned crimes and misdemeanors.
We now begin to get a much clearer picture of why the SAIF Corpora­
tion has fallen into such dire straits thanks to this peek into the thought processes
of our public servant, Mr. DeSchweinitz.
There was little-tc-no public debate relative to the issues in Mr.
DeSchweinitz’ article. The only noise that was given any attention at all was that
of the accusations made by some of the SAIF corporate officers. I think a truly
open debate with all parties having access to the raw data relative to the costs and
effectiveness of chiropractic care as opposed to other forms of care for soft tis­
sue and skeletal injuries other than broken bones would be most interesting.
Since chiropractic is a totally drugless form of treatment, I would be
most interested to learn more about any close relationships that may exist be­
tween insurance companies and pharmaceutical interests; this and the AMA
lobby could possibly shed some light on why insurance companies do not flock
to the side of chiropractors as questioned by Mr. DeSchweinitz.
Personally I think that we, as taxpayers and working men and women
of Oregon, need to take a large tongue depressor and look right down the throat
° f/h is mismanaged nightmare called SAIF. Perhaps a large dose o f castor oil
might be in order. One never knows what might be flushed out
David A. Larson
jected disproportionately to surveillance
that Barry’s decision to enter a hotel
and harassment. Congressman John
room with his former lover was dictated
Conyers and other members of the Con­
by a desire for crack. Sex, not drugs,
gressional Black Caucus have investi­
motivated the mayor. Barry’s certainly
gated many instances of political har­
guilty of adultery, and his libido’s out of
assment aimed at blacks. The goal is to
control. His problems with alcohol and
reduce African-American political clout
cocaine certainly made him unfit to hold
within the system, and to intimidate
public office. But the authorities would
leaders to back away from the establish­
have been wiser to pressure Barry to
ment.
resign, in lieu of facing criminal charges
But the real tragedy of Marion
and a protracted and disruptive court
Barry lies not in his cocaine depend­
trial. Instead, they were dtermined to
ency, which he shares with literally
place the black Democrat on a federal
millions of white, Hispanic, and black
prison.
Americans. His tragedy is his inability
Barry’s central argument which
to place his community’s objective in­
attempted to justify his behavior was the
terests ahead of his own. by his series of
thesis that a pattern of FBI and judicial
errors
and criminal acts, Barry’s has
harassment exists against African-
undermined the drive for D.C. statehood
American civil rights leaders and elected
ofr years. His behavior provides justifi­
officials. The argument is certainly true,
cation for racists and political reaction­
based on the evidence over nearly half a
aries to undermine other African-Ameri­
century. In my own research on a politi­
can leaders. But his greatest tragedy
cal biography of black American leader
was Barry’s failure of vision. The great
Malcolm X, I have uncovered an exten­
strength of the black freedom struggle’s
sive pattern of illegal electronic surveil­
political tradition, from Frederick
lance, the opening of private mail with­
Douglass to Martin Luther King, Jr.,
out warrants, and political harassment
was the linkage between politics and
COINTELPRO, the FBI’s Counterin­
ethics. What was morally correct was
telligence Program in the sixties, plot­
also politically correct. Barry’s con­
ted the destruction of civil rights organi­
tempt lor the ethics of the black struggle,
zations, and led to the imprisonment of
his contempt lor his wife, children and
hundreds of black activists. In the 1980s,
constituents, could never be justified.
hundreds of black eloctcd officials, judges
Marion Barry’s only real service which
and other community leaders were sub­
he could perform would be to withdraw
permanently from public life.
I