Page 2—The Portland Observer-July 17, 1991
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By Professor McKinley Burt
In The Beginning Was The W ord, Part II
BY PROFESSOR MCKINLEY BURT
(This is going to be an experience)
Lei us follow on from last week’s
references io summer reading that can
be quite informative as well as in a
lighter mode than usual. We left off with
an introduction to "Biblical Literature’’—
or to be more exact, its antecedents as
indicated below (Ethiopia, Sudan and
Egypt).
“ The npe social and moral devel­
opment of mankind in the Nile Valley
which is 3000 years older than that of
the Hebrews, contributed essentially to
the formation of Hebrew literature. Our
moral heritage therefore derives from a
wider human past enormously older than
the Hebrews, and it has come to us
rather through the Hebrews than from
them.” (J.H. Breasted, History of Egypt)
Coincidentally, I just received a
package of catalogs in the mail from
“ ECA ASSOCIATES,” Book Publish­
ers, accompanied by a ‘thank you’ letter
for citing several of their publications in
a recent article. They are quite relevant
to this series and were JUST ORDERED
BY THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY
LIBR.AR Y. 1 am delighted that they will
be available to you. They are fairly
expensive (S20 each) volumes, often
quoted by the world’s leading African
historians (Book of the Beginnings, by
Gerald Massey, 1881; Anacalypsis by
Godfrey Higgins, 1836). The address of
ECA Associates is P.O. Box 15004,
Great Bridge Station, Chesapeake, Vir­
ginia 23320; (804) 547-5542. Write for
a catalog.
There follows a few stanzas from
AKHENATON’S “ HYMN TO THE
ATON,” fervid and noble lines that re­
veal the heights to which Egyptian lyric
poetry could rise (a quote from “ An­
cient Egypt, ’ ’ Time-Life Books, 1965).
As has often been pointed out, these
verses are close in spirit to the “ 104th
PSALM.”
And, again, we quote J.A. Rogers
who writes of the first human being to
found a religion based upon a SINGLE
GOD!
“ Psalms that read like those of the
Bible were written by a Pharaoh,
Amenophis IV, better known as
“ Akhenaton, the Heretic King,” 1300
B.C. or more than 400 years before
David was bom. Akhenaton, who was
the father of Tut-Ankh-Amen, was
extremely Negro in type. He is called
“ the most remarkable of the Pharaohs.”
HY MN TO THE ATON (The sun):
“ All beasts are content with their
pasturage;
Trees and plants are flourishing.
The birds which fly from their nests,
Their wings are stretched out in
praise to thee.
All beasts spring upon their feet
Whatever flies and alights,
They live when thou hast risen for
them.
The ships are sailing north and
south as well,
For every way is open at thy ap­
pearance.
The fish in the river dart before thy
face;
Thy rays are in the midst of the
great green sea.
How manifold it is, what thou hast
made!
They are hidden from the face of
man.
O sole god, like whom there is no
other;
Thou didst create the world ac­
cording to thy desire.
Whilst thou wert alone:
All men, cattle and wild beasts,
Whatever is on earth, going upon
its feet.
And what is on high, flying with its
wings.”
(Compare these excerpts to the
104th and other Psalms)
This type of documentation, chis­
eled in ancient stone and written on
papyri, should enable you to deal most
adequately with the ugly racists who,
bereft of soul themselves, will within
the same paragraph be forced to admit
greatness-and, then, feverishly deny
it: “ It is clear from the foregoing that
the Egyptians had a literature both in
verse and in prose, which they appreci­
ated at its true value; and that its value
is undeniable. What remains of it should
not be made to appear insignificant
through being compared to Greek lit­
erature. Egypt had no writers to equal
Homer, Pindar, Sophocles, or Herio-
dotus. There is no flow of inspiration,
the narrative is almost always perfunc­
tory and the style bare.” (That stupid
pejorative is from MonteL Eternal Egypt,
pp.220,221,1964)
The record of the depth and pas­
sion of this noble man of ancient Africa
has been deliberately hidden from u s -
except for the most determined and
committed reader who has come upon
the documentation in some fortuitous
Oregon Triggers Off Federal
Extended Benefits
V.’
Oregon has triggered off federal
extended unemployment insurance bene­
fits as of the week ending July 6,1991
according to Oregon Employment Di­
vision officials.
The federal extended benefits pro­
gram, which triggered on the week of
April 7, is triggering off now because
the state insured unemployment rate -
which had been rising during the win­
ter months - dropped and stabilized
during the spring, according to Em­
ploym ent Division Adm inistrator
Pamela Mattson.
Federal extended benefits are trig­
gered on when the ratio of those receiv­
ing unemployment benefits to the num­
ber of workers covered by unemploy­
ment insurance law averages 5 percent
or more for 13 weeks.
The federal extended benefits pro­
gram is designed to provide additional
unemployment benefits during periods
of high unemployment. Oregon was in
the extended benefit period for the mini-
mum 13 weeks required by law.
Mattson said it is unlikely that any
further extensions will be available under
the federal extended benefit program
or the state additional benefits program
unless Oregon’s economy takes acriti-
cal turn for the worse. A state-funded
additional benefit program, that Ore­
gon went into in February, ended when
federal extended benefits were trig­
gered in April.
The maximum unemployment
benefit generally available now is 26
weeks.
During the 13 weeks that federal
extended benefits were available in
Oregon, approximately 12,000 people
took advantage of the program, bring­
ing about $12 million into local com­
munities. Federal extended benefits are
paid by both the state and federal gov­
ernment on a fifty/fifty basis.
The last time Oregon triggered on
to federal extended benefits was in
1983, for a total of 13 weeks.
-V
DMV Grounds
Juvenile
Offenders
A total of 970 Oregonians aged 13
to 17 were denied driver licenses in the
first six months of 1991 because of
drug - or alcohol-related crimes. Ann
Snyder with the state Motor Vehicles
Division says more than 840 denials
were for possession of alcohol or drugs,
while 73 were for driving under the
influence of intoxicants.
SNYDER- ALMOST ALL OF THE
TEENAGERS CITED WERE MALES.
BOYS SEEM TO MAKE UP THE
BULK OF THE TEENAGERS IN­
VOLVED WITH ALCOHOL OR
DRUGS ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER
OF GIRLS IS STARTING TO RISE.
(:09)
Snyder says first offenders are
denied driver licenses for one year or
until the youth reaches 18.
Synder says young people need to
realize that driving privileges may be
denied even when the offenses are not
related to driving a motor vehicle.
manner. Really, you surely would not
expect to be told by the missionaries
who opened up Africa “ to save the
heathens” -o r by the slave masters who
reaped that grim harvest by the mil­
lions; though they have always circu­
lated the information AMONG THEM­
SELVES! Now, a bit more on the man
who long before “ Bibical Days’,
founded a “ New Jeryselem,” renounced
wars, sacrifices, burnt offerings and
idols-and a thousand years before
Moses wrote the Second Command­
ment banishing “ GRAVEN IMAGES
OF GOD” ! And chiseled in stone,
“ The Kingdom of God is within you.”
Several of the leading Eygptolo-
gists have spoken in highest praise of
him. Breasted calls him “ the most re­
markable of the Pharaohs,” with whom
“ there died a spirit such as the world
had never seen before...a brave soul
undauntedly facing the momentum of
immemorial tradition, and thereby step­
ping out from the long line of conven­
tional and colorless Pharaohs that he
might disseminate ideas far beyond
and above the capacity of his age to
understand...the modem world has yet
adequately to value or even acquaint
itself with this man who in an age so re­
mote and conditions so remote became
the world’s first idealist.”
“ No such grand theology had ever
before appeared in the world so far as
we know,” says Petrie.
Arthur Weigall says:
“ When the world reverberated with
the noise of war he preached the first
known doctrine of peace; when the
glory of martial power swelled the
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Oregon Citizens
Alliance Has
Requested A Meeting
With Police Chief
Oregon Citizens Alliance has re­
quested a meeting with Portland Police
Chief Potter regarding his position on
the hiring of homosexuals to the Port­
land Police Department
OCA will be addressing the issue
of voluntary hiring quotas for homo­
sexuals in the Portland Department, as
well as discussing new information that
has come to OCA since the develop­
ment of this controversy.
In a related development, OCA
Chairman, Lon Mabon has filed a
complaint with the Portland Police De­
partment regarding a death threat made
by a man who may be a member of the
militant homosexual group, “ Queer Na­
tion” , on the set of the AM Northwest
following the television talk show at
KATU-TV on July 9, 1991.
While initially minimizing the
danger posed by the threat against his
life, subsequent threatening calls to the
OCA’s Wilsonville office, including a
bomb threat on July 10th, have caused
Mr. Mabon to reconsider the serious­
ness of the threat and report i t
OCA has retained the services of a
security consulting firm, and has re­
ceived assurance from the Clackamas
county Sheriff’s department that addi­
tional patrols will be scheduled in the
vicinity of the OCA office.
<
United Airlines
PORTL
Are • The • Proud • Sponsors • Of
Reinvestments
Community
“ Boyz N The Hood” Opens To Nationwide Violence:
Director Cries “ Artistic Racism”
Many say this was to be expected
as a determined breed o f young, black
moviemakers invaded Holly wood with
a cluster o f hard hitting ‘entertain­
ment’ products. The prediction was
based upon the fact that over 30% o f
American moviegoers are black, and
that whatever the intention o f the di-
rector/writers, the predominate themes
o f violence and despair are what a
mostly young audience w ill relate to.
And the gory reception accorded “ New
Jack C ity ” is given as a case in point.
The mounting to ll o f dead and
critically injured at the nation’s cine­
mas (all victims to date have been
black) has provoked an unprecedented
level o f debate throughout the print
and television media--in public places
and in the homes. Opinions have been
solicited from the criminal justice sys­
tem, social agencies, parent groups,
teenagers; and o f course from the
movie's director/writer, 23-year-old,
black John Singleton. "T h e movie
promotes peace-the growing cancel­
lations represent ‘ artistic racism.’ ”
That statement in itself has sparked
fierce debate. Also, ii occurs io wonder
if the “ concern” o f the media should
be held suspect. Many fee! it has been
more exploitive than concerned about
black violence.
The Portland Observer would like
to bear the readers’ viewpoints and
opinions on this growing nationwide
controversy. Wc believe it would be
very helpful if ihe residents o f this
community-especially parents, grand­
parents, and social workers and stu­
dents were to share their opinions on a
matter o f such serious import. While to
date we do not know of any local reper­
cussions, it would surely be wise to be
prepared i f this trend in “ entertain­
ment’ ’ continues. W rite us at 4747 N.E.
Martin Luther King Blvd. Portland,OR
97211.
We are certainly being supplied
with a lot o f issues for consideration.
Mr. Singleton, the director and pro­
ducer says “ there is a need to separate
the movie from reality.” What does he
mean? Can teenagers do trial? What is
reality for a gang member? He also said
on network television, “ I visited sev­
eral theatres and I saw LO V E --I wasn’t
afraid to venture.” It would seem that
he picked his flicks. A mother o f three
teenagers asked me, “ Can a man that
young really assess the social and psy­
chological impact o f the m ovie-not
only on the youngsters, but on a society
that already believes the worst in most
cases?
But on the other hand. Dr. A lvin
Pousissant, the noted black psychiatrist
on the staff of Harvard University had
this to say: “ Very positive-not about
gangs, but about fam ily. I recommend
it! Theatres should simply increase
security like they did for New Jack
City. Some kids got excited, caught up
in it and stood up and cheered." So,
evidently there are a number o f view­
points and there w ill be many more.
Let's hear yours. Certainly, things prom-
ise to get more interesting all the lime;
the newest black Hollywood mogul is
only 19 years o f age, M atty Rich,
“ Straight Oat of Brooklyn.”
There is, o f course, another ap­
proach to this situation. We could all
suggest the many wonderful themes o f
black accomplishment, adventure,
romance, literature and science which
could be made into movies that would
entertain and inspire Americans o f all
races and from all walks o f life. Can
you imagine blacks reprising their origi­
nal roles in the w orld’ s religions, in
technology, in the seminal formation o f
civilization-clearly documented7
We could draw wonderful scripts
from Hannibal’ s defeats o f the Roman
legions, from the adventures o f black
buccaneers o f the 17th century who
sailed to Scotland and Ireland to con­
quer. There is the life o f Alexander
Dumas who wrote the “ Three Musket­
eers," “ The Count o f Monte C risto,”
and “ Camille,” the novel that was made
into great operas by our most famed
composers. The lives o f many o f the
great black inventors and scientists would
provide equally as interesting scripts.
What about a film on the life o f the top
neuro- surgeon in America, young A f­
rican American Dr. Ben Carson o f Johns
Hopkins; from housing project to w orld-
wide recognition?
One could go on and on, but the
point is made. There may be a " w in ­
dow o f opportunity’ ’ here i f wc but
sieze the moment. W ill we? L e t’ s talk
about i t
"Reinvestments in the Community" is a weekly column appearing
in API publications through out the USA
J
Lt ft ’ ¿ *
oracles, no stage effects, no tricks of
priest-craft to terrify the ignorant
"H e gave,” says Breasted, “ the
fust signal of the religion that the West
upholds today.”
His bust in the Louvre shows a face
of extraordinary sweetness, gentleness
and refinement. It strongly resembles
Toussaint L ’Ourverture’s seen in pro­
file.
Judged by prevailing standards,
Akhenaton was not handsome. His skull,
which has been preserved, is what
some scientists call that of a typical
Negro. The jaw is exceedingly
prognathous. His lips, as seen in pro­
file, are so thick that they seem swollen.
His father, Amenophis was Negroid,
and his mother, Tiyi, a full-blooded
African. That his wife, Nefertiti, was
Negro, cannot be denied.
Howard Carter, discoverer of the
tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen, says that he
was especially struck by the resem­
blance that Tut-Ankh-Amen bore to
Akhenaton, and the latter’s mother,
Queen Tiyi. Several leading Egyptolo­
gists are inclined to believe that Tut-
Ankn-Amen, whose earlier name was
Tut-Ankh-Aton, was both the son and
the son-in-law of Akhenaton. Tut-Ankh-
Amen addressed him as “ father.”
Mercy! How beautiful were our
forebearers-they set the standards for
all the world to follow. The preceding
paragraphs were taken from Volume II
of J. A. Rogers, “ World’s Great Men of
Color,” pp. 12 to 20. Next week. The
Proverbs and foundations of ‘EURO­
PEAN,’ literature, plays, operas and
folktales.
Portland Observer encourages our readers to write
letters to the editor in response to any articles
we publish.
BY P R O F E S S O R M C K IN LEY BU R T
PORTI
hearts of his subjects, he deliberately
turned his back upon heroics. He was
the first man to preach simplicity, hon­
estly, frankness, and sincerity, and he
preached it from a throne.
“ He was the first Pharaoh to be a
humanitarian, the first man in whose
heart there was no trace of barbarism.
He has given us an example three thou­
sand years ago that might be followed at
the present d ay -an example of what a
husband and father should be; of what
an honest man should be; of what a poet
should feel; of what a preacher should
teach; of what a scientist should be­
lieve; of what a philosopher should think.
“ Like all other great teachers, he
sacrificed all to his principles and his
life plainly shows, alas! the impracti-
cality of his doctrine; yet there can be no
question that his ideals will hold good
‘till the swan turns black, and the cow
turns white, ‘till the hills rise up to
travel, and the deeps rush into the riv­
ers.”
And, descending the Nile, built the
beautiful city of Akhenaton (now Tell-
el-Amama)—acity “ great in loveliness,
mistress of pleasant ceremonies... At the
sight of her beauty there is rejoicing.
She is lovely and beautiful; when one
sees her, it is like a glimpse of heaven. ’ ’
Here he erected beautiful temples
dedicated to religion, art, and music. He
taught his poets to write what they felt,
and his artists to paint what they saw.
The temples of his new God were unlike
any that had been built before. In the
place of gloomy, mystifying, terror-in-
spiring structures, he constructed halls,
resplendent with light and beauty. No
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