Page 2...The Portland ()bserver...Septen her 18,1991
When Is A Wheel Not A Wheel?
Demanding Conversion To A Peace
Economy In The U.S.
The Cold War is over. The Soviet
Union can no longer be conveniently
used as a target and rationale for a huge
military/war budget. The end of the
Cold War was supposed to result in a
“ peace dividend” to be used to tackle
domestic problems here in the U.S. But
there is no peace dividend in sight.
Though a modest reduction in military
spending is being projected, there is no
meaningful effort to redirect national
resources to meet the overwhelming
demands which are emanating from the
tragic State of Emergency gripping the
poor and disadvantaged is this country.
Monies are being diverted to the
budget deficit, the S&L bail-out, the
FDIC bail-out and now there is talk of
$3-5 billion (from the military budget)
to bail-out an ailing Soviet Union. In
the meantime, the casualty reports
continue to come in from the desolate
and desperate war zones in America’s
inner-cities -suffering children, wasted
minds, drugs, crime, violence, wounded
and murdered human beings. There is
no justice in a nation which continues
to bail-out the rich, fuel a bloated mili­
tary budget, and send scarce resources
abroad when millions of people are
dying from neglect and spiritual de­
spair in the U.S.
Up from the depths of this death
and despair must come a strident de­
mand that this nation’s economy be
transformed for a war and injustice
economy to a peace and justice econ­
omy. A peace economy can only be
achieved with aconversion from waste­
ful military/war spending to civilian/
domestic spending. Peace and security
must come to mean justice, peace and
security in every community and every
neighborhood right here in the U.S. To
accomplish that goal the U.S. must
redefine it’s role on the world scene.
Mayor Clark Contacts
Pillay Family
Pillay Family Tragedy Is Our Trag­
edy - Mayor Clark contacted Mr. George
Pillay by phone this week following
word that his Portland home had been
spray painted and vandalized by rac­
ists. Mr. Pillay, who recently moved
his family to Portland from South Af­
rica, told the Mayor that he planned on
staying in Portland but will move his
family to a different location. Mayor
Clark conveyed his deep disgust and
regret for the hateful, racist acts against
the Pillay family and offered the help
of the Gang Graffiti Team. The Graffiti
Team is a community resource avail­
able through the Youth Gangs Out­
reach Program (Telephone: 823-4112).
Team members will expertly paint over
unwanted gang and racist graffiti.
The U.S. cannot be the policeman of
the world, intervening in the affairs of
other countries simply to protect the
“ vital interest” of U.S. corporations.
The crises of human misery in this
country dictates that U.S. public and
private capital and resources be directed
towards solving domestic problems in
this country. The defense/war budget
m ust be reduced by at least 50% and the
resulting peace dividend used to invest
in human needs and human develop­
ment here in the U.S.
Needless to say translating the
demand for conversion to a peace econ­
omy into reality will not be an easy
task. But it is an essential task which
poor and working people and the disad­
vantaged must undertake as a life and
death proposition. Starting at the local
and state levels a grassroots movement
for conversion must be initiated. Com­
munity based organizations, civil rights
groups and labor must lobby school
boards, city councils, mayors, county
cimmissioners, and members of state
legislatures to adopt resolutions calling
on the federal government to drasti­
cally reduce military spending in favor
of civilian/domestic spending. All of
these political jurisdictions which are
reeling under the impact of budget cuts
must be neighborhood of the wisdom of
conversion to a peace economy.
Elected officials at the local and
state level must come to see that it is
simply impossible to manage the mess
created by Reaganomics and the Re­
agan Revolution. There is no “ humane
way to cut aid for the homeless and
funds for housing when the number of
homeless people is increasing; reduce
allocations for public education when
the public schools are already pushing
out millions of functional illiterates;
reduce or eliminate general relief/wel-
Urban League names
Marketing and
Development Director
The Urban League of Portland has
announced the appointment of Michael
Pullen as director of marketing and
development. Pullen was formerly with
International Film and Video of Port­
land. He has also held public relations
positions with Royal Viking Line of
Coral Gables, Florida and the Ameri­
can Academy of Ophthalmology in San
Francisco.
The Urban League of Portland is a
private, non-profit community service
agency serving and advocating for
African-Americans and others in the
metropolitan Portland area.
pOCTlflUBt^ERVER
(USPS 959-680)
OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970
Alfred L. Henderson
Publisher
fare when the unemployment rate is
already at depression levels for poor
and working people and the disadvan­
taged; watch helplessly as hospitals
and health care centers close when the
drug crisis and the AIDS epidemic is
escalating.
Public officials must be actively
pressed to emulate the example of
Baltimore’s Mayor Curt Schmoke.
Based on an initiative launched by the
Jobs with Peace Campaign, which was
backed by community based organiza­
tions, civil rights organizations and labor,
Mayor Schmoke is leading a march on
Washington from Baltimore in mid-
October to demand that funds be cut
from the military budget to support
human needs.
The conversion to a peace econ­
omy is indeed a matter of life and death
for poor and working people and the
disadvantaged in the U.S. Therefore
poor and working people must be deadly
serious about this mission. People power
must be in evidence in the streets and at
the ballot box. Those elected officials
who are willing to join the initiative to
convert to a peace economy should
cam some consideration in terms of
continued support in their elective of­
fices. But those who fail to fight for the
conversion to an economy which will
meet the human needs of the dispos­
sessed must be met at the ballot box
and defeated.
Ending militarism and ushering in
a peace economy may well be the most
urgent task confronting those of us who
want a more humane society in the U.S.
We must fight to seize the peace divi­
dend from the military-industrial com­
plex and use that dividend to lay the
groundwork for a peace economy.
Otherwise there will be no peace in this
land. No justice - No Peace!
Letter to Mr. Tucker
That question may not be as non­
sensical as it sounds. Where, as sug­
gested last week, some individuals or
groups may have been endlessly “ spin­
ning their wheels,” keep in mind that
wheels can be “ attached” to a vehicle
(program) that is really GOING SOME­
WHERE -- going on to reveal new
scenes and possibilities, effective ac­
tion and application of resources.
Following my lead, a number of
parents have successfully implemented
some initial elements of such an ap­
proach (see front page article on edu­
cation, “ Parents Face School Daze” ).
Now, in addition to the underutilized
corporate and governmental resources
I have consistently cited as available
for the asking, there is the often-ne­
glected community and neighborhood
support opportunities. Here, I would
emphasize how important it is to have
a convenient site available for meet­
ings or other activities - especially one
whose facilities and environs are com­
patible with the project.
For example, the parent group that
obtained thousands of dollars in re­
sources on their own initiative this
summer (“ School Daze” article, 9/11/
91), found their activities expedited no
end by having a regular place to con­
vene and plan on a scheduled basis. In
Northeast you might consider contact­
ing Jeff Parks, owner of “ Texas No.
II” at 1708 N.E. Alberta St. (280-9115
after 11 a.m.). This frequent contribu­
tor to community programs has avail­
able, just off the main restaurant, a
banquet room that can seat 12 to 16
people. However, there is available in
the 1600 block on the opposite side of
the street a very modem public facility
with every imaginable amenity, and
which can handle up to TWO
HUNDRED PERSONS.
Either of those two locations are
very close to my office and I am always
available for any input or developmen­
tal strategy that may prove helpful.
Further, I would remind parents of other
-
Dear Mr. Tucker,
I am writing to you to address why
“ sisters” gel upset when they see
“ brothers” with white women. This
past fourth of July, I went to a barbecue
where there were 1 5 -2 0 young broth­
ers. Not a one came with a black fe­
male. Brothers have told me “ they”
are nicer. As far as I am concerned it is
another very serious form of brain
washing. I see too many black persons
(male & female with no racial pride). I
have seen black men desert their black
families. Don’t quote statistics on how
many sisters will never marry. I am
sick of this garbage. Quoting statistics
is like playing god and people manipu­
late statistics to reflect what they want.
Let’s get real here. The white folks
have just as many serious problems in
their community, contrary to what the
utopia, a lot of blacks folks think they
live in. We need to nurture our own,
spiritually and emotionally. Something
is seriously wrong in our community.
Thank you,
A concerned “ sister”
Brenda
United Airlines
PORTLA
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Community
Crime and Punishment
by P r o f f e s s o r M c K i n l e y B u r t
“ Stop the merry go round’ ’ the
nation cries, “ I want to get o ff.”
But few, if any, wish to address the
real nature of an agonizing problem
that has put our nation at risk;
WESTERN CIVILIZATION IS
FUNDEMENTALLY VIOLENT!
Already, at the end of the third
quarter, statistics indicate that crime
against both people and property
will substantially increase this year.
At the same time we are informed
that A. There are not enough law
enforcement personnel to properly
investigate and bring the perpetra­
tors to justice. B. If they were caught,
tried and convicted, the facilities
are not available to house them all-
-hence the “ revolving door syn-
drone” that leaves most male fac­
tors on the street. C. The concept of
“ rehabilitation” has been buried
under the weight of a failing, un­
derfunded ‘system’ of “ Criminal
Justice (?)”
It is increasingly apparent that
at the current and accelerating rate
of lawlessness in this republic it
will be impossible to fund an effec­
There’s only
one way to
come out ahead
of the pack.
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MENDED ELSEW HERE BECAUSE
HE DOES NOT HAVE A DOCTOR­
ATE IN EITHER SCIENCE, EDU­
CATION OR HISTORY.”
Now, we understand what that is
all about, and it is not that much of a
problem to ME! After all, my book,
“ Black Inventors of America’ ’ is used
in schools across the country - and
still selling overseas. And I still get
requests from corporate and public
agencies to make presentations to their
personnel to acquaint them with the
documented abilities of minorities and
women in science and technology. And
I am asked to consult with their staffs
on strategies to expedite their involve­
ment and integration in the workforce-
much of that recognition based on
acheivements ranging from a National
Science Association award to being
asked by a top, nationally-recognized
scientist to provide a math-learning
methodology to a school with which
he was involved. Not to mention teach­
ing at a state university for ten years
with classes accredited in four sepa­
rate disciplines during that period.
No, not that much of a problem to
ME! But, what about the school chil­
dren who are not to find out who they
really are -- who are not to gain a
realistic self-image and who are not to
be motivated to learn or to say “ no”
to drugs because “ lam somebody and
I do have a future." WE HAVE
PEOPLE IN THE EDUCATIONAL
ESTABLISHMENT WHO ARE RE­
CRUITING GANG MEMBERS IN
THEIR OWN SPECIAL RACIST
WAY!
I emphatically urge you parents
to implement the suggestions I have
made here the past weeks instead of
“ going with the flow.” Though I have
encouraged more participation at the
school level, it is obvious that mean­
ingful intervention is going to have to
come from parents who must organize
independently of a rather treacherous
system. Continued next week.
îÿ£&x::
Joyce Washington
Operations Manager
Gary Ann Garnett
Business Manager
undertuilized resources that many ne­
glect.
P articularly,
THEIR
WORKPLACE, where the corpora­
tion or public agency may or may not
ALREADY be in the role of providing
education assistance to “ classrooms.”
The point here is such assistance may
not be reaching your school, and that is
something which parents must deter­
mine - and follow up on. And if a
parent's employer is not a participant
in an outreach/mentorship program in
support of the schools, then THE
PARENTS SHOULD TAKE THE
INITIATIVE AND REQUEST SUCH
INTERACTION!
We are speaking of any and eve­
rything from providing ethnic or fe­
male role models from the plant staff
for classroom visits (motiviation and
career orientation), toproviding physi­
cal resources and hardware, particu­
larly that which is relevant to technol­
ogy and communication. Also, it is a
fact that all of us know of excellent
role models right in our community -
people who are not brought in to inter­
face with our children, but who have
tremendous skills as evidenced by the
fact that their corporate and public
employers have placed them in key
positions indicative of their talents.
While there are a few exceptions to
this attitude in our community’s schools,
an overall “ design” may be inferred.
Try the following on for size!
Where earlier in the year I made a
series of successful presentations to
the student body of an area school,
generating over a hundred responses
from students of all races to the effect
that their eyes had been opened to the
magnificent (and nation-building) con­
tributions of African American scien­
tists and inventors - and that the knowl­
edge would certainly make a differ­
ence in their attitudes and perspectives
in respect to all minorities, NEVER­
THELESS THE SCHOOL STAFF HAS
DECIDEDTHAT“ MR.BURTCAN-
NOT RETURN OR BE RECOM-
- • -
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tive system of jurisprudence - let
alone afford the facilities to house,
feed and supervise an evergrowing
population that may approach one
tenth of our citizenry by the year
2000. But, while we ring our hands
and find ourselves overwhelmed
by the media reports and polemics
on our immorality and culpability-
-and by the many sermons on our
departure from the ways of right­
eousness-som e are as King, “ is
there really anything new about all
of this?”
Of course there is nothing new
here, whether one views things in
either a religious or a secular con­
text. For many of us the “ Bible”
provides our concepts of justice,
morality, fairness, legality and other
codified prescriptions for ethical
relationships. And at the same time
there arc described terrible times of
complete breakdowns in law and
order as a whole as well as in inter
personal relationships. But always
these conditions arc followed on by
equally violent periods of “ punish­
ment for sins” leading to eventual
redemption and restoration of right­
eousness.
And the secular-minded are able
to go back 2000 years further is his­
tory to find their models in African
history - Egypt and Ethiopia, where
between dynasties are found the
same catastrophic losses and resur­
rection of justice and nobility in the
culture. Too, one need look no fur­
ther than the cities of 18th century
England to find exact counter points
to America’s urban traumas -- from
‘crime-in-the-street’ to corruption
in government So, perhaps, the only
distinguishing factor in the con­
temporary scene is DRUGS!
This leads to a pretty obvious
conclusion. Unless the problem of
drugs in America is dealt with im­
mediately and vigorously, none of
the convcntial solutions being re­
trieved from history will be of any
avail. “ No” must be said not only
by the ‘little people’ but by every
element of the body politic from
congress to the white house - and
mean it for a change or we all
perish.
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