Pag* 2 I he Portland Observer "November 21,1990
Budget Fight Had Some Positives
By Professor McKinley Burt
tio n o f urgency and need fo r m ore stru c
tured co m m itm e n t on the part o f black
males, the m ore w om en we can m o ti
vate, inspire and assist, the better.
Little People
Can Casfa
Big Shadow
I cannot help bu t re fle c t upon the
early careers and m a g n ific e n t accom
plishm ents o f black w om en s ix ty years
a g o - ’ ’ M adam e C.J. W a lk e r”
and
“ M adam M a lo n e ” . These wom en b u ilt
m u lti-m illio n d o lla r, n a tio n w id e b u si
W e ’ ll get into the “ shadow " thing
to w a rd the end o f th is a rtic le when 1 ta lk
about e xp a n d in g the com prehension o f
y o u r c h ild at an e a rly age. In the m ean
tim e le t us see i f this little person can
cast a b ig g e r shadow. F o r now I seem to
have been program m ed by readers in to
sort o f a co m m u n ic a
tio n and yo u -ca n -do -
itm o d e . I l ’ s a ll about
e d u ca tio n , r a l l y .
T h e m ost in
teresting phone ca ll ■
received in connec
tio n w ith the “ G ood
F a ith ’ ’ series was
fro m a w o m a n in
W a s h in g to n , D .C .
w hose d aughter in
P o rtla n d Faxed her
copies. A “ C h ristia n
F u n d a m e n ta list” on
the s ta ff o f a m a jo r
national black organi
za tio n , she has been
“ on the case o f the
m edia and personal appearances, estab
lish in g so lid bases o f real estate to house
m anu fa ctu rin g ,
tra in in g
and
service
ta in in g contacts was very d iffic u lt, but
o ver the years at least a th ird have ac
quired personal com puters and have e v
T h is prom pts m e to a com m en
tary on ‘ ‘ siste rs” as I see more and more
A fric a n A m e rica n w om en m oving in to
successful interfaces
ith the --------------
w o rld o f
- - - - - w
-----------
com m erce. I was m ild ly castigated d u r-
in g m y “ M in o ritie s in B usiness” series
fo r n o t c itin g m ore black fem ales. M y
excuse is that at the ve ry same tim e the
P ortland O bserver newspaper was h ig h
lig h tin g the successes o f a num ber o f
bla ck fem ale enterprises in Oregon.
Jackie W in te rs and her chain o f
pro sp e rin g restaurants; V iance Easter,
o w n e r o f “ M r. V ’ s B ar-B -que On
W h e e ls” ; V a le rie B. C u rrie , operator o f
Jeanne
H artzog, d irccto r/o w n cr “ Sylvan Learn
ing Center” ; Veronica and Clarice Banks,
“ W aves H a ir S alon” ; Peggy C. Ross,
o w n e r o f “ Express G raphics P rin tin g ”
(w in n e r o f 1990 S .B .A aw ard).
Z’
I w elcom e the o p p o rtu n ity to cite
these accom plishm ents because I, lik e
m any, realize how m uch o u r race w ill
need the p a rticip a tio n o f the A fric a n
A m e rica n w om an il we are to survive
th is tra u m a tic period (g ive n that she a l
ready has a heavy burden in m a in ta in in g
a re e lin g fa m ily structure). Pending
som e unforeseen change in the percep-
fa c ilitie s in the 20 m a jo r urban centers
o f b lack pop u la tio n in the U n ite d States.
One such center was the “ Poro
Beauty C o lle g e C o m p le x ” , a square
blo ck fa c ility in m y hom e tow n o f St.
L o u is , M o . Here, you fou n d beauty
tant positives.
O ne was the sim ple fa ct o f fin a lly
premises, and a great deal o f pride and
m uch respect fro m the c itiz e n ry . S urely,
we black males w ith a ll the modern
advantages in marketing, from electronic
advertising and com m unications to auto
lesson plans I have
d c v e lo p e d -a n d the
mated m a ilin g s, from electronic adver
tising and com m unications to automated
m a ilin g s, can do a m uch better jo b than
we are doing in econom ic developm ent.
I thought that "R e v e re n d S u lliv a n ”
pointed the w ay w ith his O p p o rtu n itie s
In dustrial programs.
N o w , the accom plishm ents o f
these black wom en emphasizes the k in d
o f interaction I had in m in d when w r it
ing the series, “ F am ily Reunions” (what
they need to b c/co u ld be). N o t to fear,
we
have
o f v com
energetic
— ----
* « a lo t vrx
u m petent,
p v iv ill, VliUIgCUC
and co m m itte d young people com ing to
the fore (the ones w ho d o n ’ t get the pub-
lic ity and m edia coverage” .
F o r in
stance at a 1980 fa m ily reunion o f m y
clan in St. L o u is o f o ve r 300 adults
alone, I met scores o f teachers and people
in technology am ong the “ s h irt-ta il”
relations.
A t firs t, n e tw o rkin g and m ain-
CREED OF THE BLACK PRESS
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national antagonisms when It accords to every person, regardless of race, color, or
creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black
Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all arc hurt as long as anyone
Is held back.
ÍRVER
(U S P S 959-680)
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
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The PORTLAND OBSERVER is
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mented statistics that e a rly on black
youngsters dem onstrate an e xtrem ely
high in te llig e n ce and re ce p tivity...a n d ,
then, m any lose this before getting past
the e a rly grades. T hough we w ill have
to exam ine this phenomenon m ore fu lly
at a later date, please, fo r c h ild ’s fu tu re ,
w o rk at d e veloping a love fo r the fa sci
nating w o rld o f story and verse as early
as you can. D eve lo p in g a person literate
enough to su rvive in the in fo rm a tio n age
m ay depend upon it. I f not ava ila b le at
your favorite bookstore, order from D avid
R. G odine, Publishers Inc. 300 Massa
chusetts A ve ., Boston, Mass. 02115,
$14.95 plus $3.00 U.P.S.
states to d istrib u te to parents and day
care providers.
W h ile considerably short o f the
broader federal program needed to en
sure that a ll ch ild re n have adequate care
in these days o f w o rk in g parents, the
program does lay the g ro u n d w o rk fo r
fu tu re im provem ents in c h ild care p o l
ic y .
cause they kn o w that the nation has to
invest in its future.
W e ’ ve neglected the education and
health o f o u r young people, and the sm all
steps taken by Congress in its clo sin g
days should be seen as a barely adequate
dow n paym ent on the future.
F unding fo r the c h ild care program , I
fo r exam ple, w ill a llo w o n ly a sm all 1
fra ctio n o f A m e ric a ’s 12 m illio n w o rk - 1
ing w om en w ith preschool-age ch ild re n I
to be served.
So more m ust be done, and it can be ’
done w ith o u t busting a budget that s till
contains lots o f w asteful expenditures
and s till leaves the m ilita ry budget at
astronom ical levels.
I t ’ s tim e to stop fin a n cin g m u lti
b illio n d o lla r C o ld W a r program s that
have long o u tliv e d th e ir usefulness and
to compete in a m odem econom y
T h a t’s thc key 10 national prosper-
ity , and its the route the next Congress
_Care'
should travel w ith the next budget.
,
and balance; reward or punishment based
on perform ance. T h is means to me that
everyone w ho comes in to c o n flic t w ith
o u r courts should receive a fa ir and
suitable punishm ent fo r the w ro n g d o in g
they have co m m itte d (I shall soon e x
p la in w h y I d o n ’ t see this happening,
although I im agine several o f y o u r o w n
ideas have already popped in to m in d ).
A d d itio n a lly , “ system ” seems to in fe r
that som ething is regulated in a consis
tent manner.
H ow ever, lik e e ve ryth in g else
in o u r society, o u r “ ju stice system ” is
apparently greatly affected by one’s rank
w ith in society, w h ich in tu m u n fa irly
alters the o b je ctive vie w judges and
ju ro rs should have. The firs t th in g that
comes to m in d is, o f course, the m atter
o f race. I d o n ’ t suspect I need to elabo
rate; w e ’re a ll aware o f the warped lik e
lih o o d o f an A fric a n A m e rica n o r H is
panic g o in g to ja il o ve r a w h ite , even i f
each com m itted the same crime. ( “ Y o u r
H o n o r, I fin d the defendant qu ite g u ilty ,
on the basis that his skin p igm ent annoys
m e .” )
S econdly, I th in k that the m at
te r o f race appears to be w eighed heav
ily w ith societal rank. Take, fo r in
stance, the exam ple o f M a rio n B arry.
Charge: taking ille g a l drugs. P unish
m ent for average hum an being:
B ig Bad
P unishm ent. W e w a n t to set an exam ple
fo r others doing drugs. Punishm ent fo r
hum an being in p u b lic o ffic e , w ith B ig
Im portant Friends in Big Important Places:
A h , w e ’ ll take i t easy on h im , even
though m illio n s o f ch ild re n (as w e ll as
adults) w ill hear about it via the
m e d ia ...w e ll, shoot there’ s no reason
w h y he ca n ’ t s till h old his p u b lic o ffic e ,
rig h t? D rugs o n ly a ffe ct a person’ s
B R A IN and apparently a clear head is
taken to co u rt on thc charge o f persuad
in g A m e ric a ’ s youth to run over and k ill
thousands o f people because th e ir leader
“ sto le ” some o il that w asn’ t yours in
the firs t place, w h ile you id ly s it around
fish in g . E unishm ent fo r average human
being; som ething m uch m ore heinous
than life im prisonm ent, perhaps som e
th in g cruel and unusual. P unishm ent fo r
person w ho designates salaries o f people
in ju s tic e system: charges dropped.
* * * * *
M y heart goes o u t to any p a r
ents or friends o f someone in fig h tin g in
the M id d le East, as w e ll as the soldiers
themselves: I ’ m sure this w ar N E V E R
leaves y o u r thoughts, and I ’ m sure it
w o n ’ t leave yo u r head fo r years a fte r
w ard (w ith thc exception o f those w ho
die fo r this). T h is is m ore compassion
than I see co m in g from m any so-called
“ u n in v o lv e d ” persons: some ca n ’ t w a it
fo r the m edia hype to go aw ay, fo r fear
not a stip u la tio n o f h o ld in g o ffic e .
it m ig h t puncture th e ir bubble o f o b liv
ion w ith g u ilt o r remorse.
* * * * *
M y th ird exam ple is, p u t y o u r
se lf in Bush’s position and imagine being
A n o th e r thought: I'd rather pay the high
price o f o il than the high price o f w ar
and death.
W. W. Freeman & Friends
The 2nd Annual
disproportionate am ount o f a lo w -in
Take some time
out for
"Yourself'
and
join us
for a
Gala Evening
o f Entertainment
and Fun!!!
Booths with Gifts for Everyone
"Inchuding Yourself! "
m ent o f Energy institutes the L E A P
Program every year. F o ra large num ber
o f the 2,000-plus people B P I serves
Men (Sc Women Apparel
Perfumes
Lingerie
Cosmetics
Holiday Baskets
Jewelry
Art
through the program , the energy assis
y
ending up at the shelter.
pays th e ir u tility b ills d ire c tly . F o r o th
ers, it reim burses them a certain p o rtio n
o f the u tility costs. B y the co m p le tio n o f
the program , B P I w ill have distributed
alm ost $400,000, helping to guarantee
o f v irtu a lly a ll e lig ib le ch ild re n by 1994.
Even in a tim e o f d e fic it re d u ctio n -
inspired austerity, lawm akers decided t o
in itia te o r expand those program s be
acuon to gradually extend M edicaid health
1 hSUra,nf e ^ ° lhat a11 P0 0 ' Children W in
uJumately be covered by subsidized health
come fa m ily ’s liv in g expenses, and could,
u ltim a te ly , cause homelessness due to
the added burden, the Federal D epart
F o r some lo w -in co m e clients
in the B u m s id c /D o w n to w n area, B P I
ch ild re n w ill be able to attend Head Start
classes next year, and Congress author-
ized future increases to a llo w e n ro llm e n t
use those resources i fo
an u
Urban
Marshall
u i r on
iu a ii iviarsnail
Plan that prepares disadvantaged people
.
open once again on D ecem ber first.
R ecognizing that u tility b ills eat up a
tance represents the d iffe re n ce between
them staying w arm and d ry and facing
u tility sh u t-o ffs, possible e victio n s and
J a c o b
A n o th e rste p fo rw a rd w a sC o n g re ss’
Burnside Project’s Low -Incom e
Energy Assistnace Program (L E A P ) w ill
T-
Photography
Information
that P o rtla n d ’s very p o o r w ill not risk
th e ir health and w e ll-b e in g and w ill be
able to liv e independently. R ecogniz
ing that the firs t w ay to solve homeless
ness is to prevent it, and that assistance
w ith u tility costs w ill a vo id the trauma
o f being forced on the streets, B P I stays
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KUUUCT'ON ,N W H0LE
gressmen that the tax cuts o f the 1980s
w ent m uch too fa r in slashing tax rates
fo r the a fflu e n t.
R ecently, I made a m ental
evaluation o f o u r so-called ju s tic e sys
tem here in A m e rica : m y con clu sio n
was that it should be called neither “ ju s
tic e ” nor “ system ” (th is is not to in fe r
that any other system is better than ours
here in the U .S., but assuredly that there
is ro o m fo r im p ro ve m e n t). In m y m in d ,
“ ju s tic e ” construes an idea o f e q u a lity
I return now to that “ S hadow ” I
alluded to at the beginning o f this a r
ticle. The poems in R obert L o u is Ste
I m sure that m any o f you are fa
m ilia r now w ith the th o ro u g h ly d o cu
A n d a fte r years o f try in g to get a
E.
F unding fo r Head Start was also
raised. A b o u t 4 0 percent o f a ll e lig ib le
...And Justice For All
The "Justice System": The Role of Rank
A tria l run begins d u rin g
T O C H IL D R E N .
on the A d m in is tra tio n and m ost C o n
to pay m ore fo r gas, beer and o ther item s.
B u t those excise tax hikes led to a
oughly experienced in
the education fie ld
w ho w o u ld operate evenings and w eek
ends in the b lack co m m u n ity, establish
ing rapport and trust fo r the d e live ry o f
“ re le v a n t’ ’ m a te ria ls -in c lu d in g educa
m ore so than “ M y S hadow ” , a tra d i
tional favorite for R E A D IN G O U T L O U D
e rty w o rk in g fa m ilie s that by private
health insurance fo r th e ir ch ild re n , and
fo r c h ild care costs.
taxes and nuisance taxes that h it m o d e r
ate incom e fa m ilie s w ho w ill no w have
sales force com posed
o f persons already in
v o lv e d and th o r
than a hundred years ago, and none
T o do that, the s illy ‘ ‘ no new T a xe s”
pledge had to be broken. It fin a lly dawned
The new bu d g e t’ s tax hikes are very
sm all-there’s good reason to support high
rates than the new 31 percent top on the
w e a lth y.
Less p o sitive were the array o f sin
new books I have w rit
ten. A group o f us
are lo o k in g ve ry hard
at d e v e lo p in g an
“ A vo n C a llin g ” type
venson’s “ A C h ild ’ s Garden o f V erse”
have been embraced by ch ild re n ever
since the b o o k ’ s firs t appearance m ore
dren. It w ill be available fo r b e lo w -p o v
Those cuts led to deep d e fic its , fo rc
ing cuts in essential program s. That was,
o f course, the hidden agenda behind the
Reagan tax cuts.
m arketing n e tw o rk
for the curriculum and
eventual franchising.
The earned incom e tax cre d it was
also the vehicle fo r h e lping p o o r c h il
p u ttin g a d e fic it red u ctio n program in
place, som ething that has not been done
in o ve r a decade.
oped is that I have
here the nucleus o f a
taurants, m eeting halls, and re ta il stores.
There was L A W A N D O R D E R on the
B u t Congress doesn’ t treat a ll poor
people alike,and the n o n -w o rk in g p oor
w o n ’ t b enefit fro m the tax c re d it p ro
gram .
o u r national problem s-had some im p o r
A n o th e r
th in g that has d e ve l
salons and schods, a m o vie theatre, res
excise taxes.
nearly good enough to e ffe c tiv e ly solve
yesterday and today. I, o f course, re cip
rocate when I encounter in fo rm a tio n re
la tin g to the p a rtic u la r interests o f others
in the netw ork. You can do these things
B la ck H is to ry M o n th . I f it flie s, w e ’ ll
try fo u r m a jo r citie s next fa ll; p ro je ctin g
and such fa m ilie s w ill stand to gain at
least as m uch as they ’ 11 have to pay out in
c o u n ta b ility and re
s p o n s ib ility in gove rn in g . In the end, the
budget that passed C ongress-w hile not
have o v e r a hundred people w h o ro u
tin e ly add to and upgrade m y data base
o f “ B la ck Inventors and S cientists” ,
tio n a l toys.
T h a t’ s a wage subsidy fo r w o rk in g
fa m ilie s w ith b e lo w -p o ve rty incom es,
by John E Jacob
generate address labels and m ailers o r
F A X transm issions (b y the w ay, m y
F A X num ber is 284-0484, dedicated
lin e , 24 hours). One be n e fit is that I now
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use o f him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow-
Not at all like proper children, which is always rather slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller, like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none o f him at all
He hasn't got a notion o f how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool o f me in every sort o f way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I ’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
ing poor.
operates, and angry
about the la ck o f ac
eryone else on a Hoppy d is k -b a s ic in
form ation from careers, training and avo
cations to business interests; a ll q u ic ly
Jo h n
real positive-expansion o f the earned
incom e tax credits available to the w o rk
the w ay governm ent
w ith y o u r ow n group.
b la ck m ale e xe cu tive s” o f the associa-
tio n , p o in tin g o u t the typ e o f m odem , e f
fe ctive co m m u n ica tio n and interaction
she experiences as a m em ber o f the
“ B illy G raham C rusade” . G o o d lu c k ,
dear, and d o n ’ t get fire d .
“ One on One Tax S e rv ic e ” ;
ness em pires when there was no elec
tro n ic m edia fo r m a rke tin g and co m m u
n ication. They b u ilt th e ir structures
through the e ffe c tiv e use o f the p rin t
By
The long federal budget
battle left a lot o f people
feeling disgusted about
c u rre n tly is paid o n ly about 75% o f the
cost to a d m in iste r the program , and has
m aintained its continued oepration
through the assistance o f friends and
su p p o rte r'
I f you w o u ld lik e more
in fo rm a tio n about L E A P , c a ll (503)
222-9362.
m
i s
®
(D.J. Tony)
Saturday, December 1, 1990
5:00 p.m. Until
......
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