Page 2...The Portland Observer ...January 1,1992
p e r s p e c tiv e s
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by Professor M c K in le y B u rt
Blazers Looking Forward To 1992
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by
Nostalgia: One More Once!
I d id n ’t realize how many younger
disappeared into the technology o f jet
readers were interested enough in the
cargo planes. From the turn o f the cen­
“ old d ay s” to call and ask about par­
tury to shortly alter W orld W ar II, all
ticular aspects o f that experience (some
fast passenger trains included a MAIL
older folks, too). Several kids said it is
CAR. On board these specially designed
unfair to indict them for today’s fail­
coaches were perform ed the very same
ures since it is obvious that they are not
activities you see perform ed in the post
getting either the education or guid­
office today. They ran between the big
ance that w asavailable SIXTY YEARS
urban cities. These clerks stood before
A G O (Actually even before then).
long rows of sorting bins, classifying
Since this is the holiday season,
letters according to the cities that would
le t’s com m ent on how they used to be.
be passed. Bags of mail put on board at
In one sense things were much as they
the city o f origin would be sorted on
are now , except that in the neighbor­
route into other bags for those new
hoods kids organized a lot o f the C hrist­
cities-t/irown off the speeding train which
m as caroling on their ow n—we would
never stopped, while at the same time a
go from area to area singing our lungs
hook mechanism grabbed new bags of
out, not always on key. One thing was
unsorted mail; at sixty miles an hour.
m arkedly different; if anyone had heard
My grandfather was gone three days
o f a constitutional prohibition against
and at home the next three. I can ’t
celebrations of Christm as or Easter on
remember his exact route but I know it
school grounds it was pointedly ig­
stretched from St. L o u r
New O r­
nored (separation o f church and State.
leans, with Chatanooga and Memphis
It w as the same in the Jewish neighbor­
in between. W hat a joyous time it was
hoods).
whenever he returned from a run, like
Pupils, teachers, staff and parents
100 holidays a year. I would rush up to
spent weeks preparing for these festive
his room , knowing that he had a present
events. All sorts o f decorations and
for me and a fascinating story. This
religious icons were to be found in
room itself was a fascinating place, filled
classroom s, hallways and outside on
with books and sheet music, and with
the grounds (and old pagan Santa Claus
his mandolin and rifle from the Spanish
did his thing). Com peting schools out­
American War on the wall. There was
did themselves in vying for aw ards for
the traditional roll top desk and there
the best exhibits or performance of
was what had to be the first “ Lazy-
religious plays. On Christmas Day we
B oy” reclining chair, a device which
kids would carry gifts out to both the
could enchant any small boy, all shiny
“ Colored O rphan’s H om e” and the
black leather. Press a button and you
“ Colored Old Folk’s Home.” Both these
w ent into ecstasy.
institutions were supported partially by
This is where I would go for my
the state and partially by the black
tutoring and reviews o f my schoolwork.
community: Masons, Elks, Fraternities,
It is amazing how focused and clear a
Sororities and other social or business
rebellious and m ischievous mind can
organizations.
become under the direction o f a hickory
Back to my grandfather whom I
stick. He was a combination o f kindness
can see (and respect) as clearly today as
and discipline that prepared me to sur­
yesterday. He was a railway m ail clerk
vive in a treacherous world. There is no
on the “ Wabash L ine,” a job that has
one who has more respect than I for the
Martin Luther King Jr.
Award Luncheon
On January 9, Dr. Darryl S. Tukufu, President and CEO, Urban
League of Portland will be one of many distinguished speakers
honoring the extraordinary work and memory of Dr. King. The
annual luncheon sponsored by the Portland Federal Executive
Board will be held at the Oregon Convention Center, 111 NE MLK
Jr. Boulevard from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $ 15 each or
$150 for a table of ten. Mail check or money order to: Portland
Federal Executive Board, Rm 1776, Federal Building, 1220 SW
Third Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 (Contact 326-3010 for ticket
information no later than January 2, 1992).
many women who successfully raise
children while alone, underpaid and
undervalued. This, o f course, became
my m other’s role in lime, but that e s­
sential early foundation had been laid.
A humorus note; I once overheard
grandpa and his cronies talking about
sex. It seemed that when they were
young men they would gather at the
streetcar stop to watch the women board
the high platforms. Though their skirts
reached to the top o f their button-up
high shoes, nevertheless, the ladies had
to hike up those skirts to a considerable
height-exposing a great deal o f calf.
Since they claimed this would “ make
their day,” I am led to wonder what
would happen if they were around to­
day’s miniskirts'! Cardiac arrest?
One thing has not changed. There
were dirty old men and flirty old men
hanging around the elem entary school
grounds; the first group to sell us kids
sexually explicit “ comic books,” and
the second attempting to entice little
boys and girls into their cars. W hen
caught they could be assured o f several
severe, sometimes fatal beatings; first
by the school janitor, then by the police
and finally by other prisoners wherever
they were incarcerated. And in those
days automobile doors opened toward
the front, making the day for bug-eyed
males who watched for ladies making
reckless exits in a flurry o f skirts, thighs
and undies.
W ell, so much for human nature.
There was much else, but I would have
to write a b o o k -a n d probably will.
There were the little crystal radios we
built in cigar boxes (the first transisi-
tors), and there were our first store-
bought portables; weighed 20 pounds
and had 6 foot aerials. And a Kelloggs
box top and one dollar would bring a
baby alligator THROUGH THE MAIL.
Nostalgia!
Christmas Tree
Recycling to Benefit
House of Uumoja
H ere’s a chance to recycle your
Christmas tree while helping to support
special community efforts. On two
Saturdays, January 4th and 11th, from
9:00 am to 4:00 pm, trees will be ac­
cepted at St. Andrews Church, 806 NE
Alberta.There will be a drop-off charge
for handling and processing your tree
o f $2 at the site. If you live within a
designated area, home pickups can be
pre-arranged by calling 288-8612. A
S4 pick-up fee will be charged. In
Northeast Portland, the collection area
boundaries are Portland Blvd. to the
North, the Banfield to the south, the
river to the west, and 57th street to the
east. All decorations must be removed.
Flocked trees are not accepted.
This fundraiser is sponsored by the
Colum bia-W illam ette Greens, House
o f Umoja and St. Andrews Church.
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YOUR HOME ONLY
Sauveur Pierre, 31, a form er H ai­
tian boat person, working on behalf of
migrant farmworkers in South Florida
and Abubacar Sultan, 28, the national
director o f Save the Children Federa­
tion, an organization that helps form er
children soldiers o f Mozambique deal
with the trauma of civil war, were among
the four young activist who recently
received the 1991 Reebok Human Rights
Award.
In a highly em otional ceremony,
attended by former President Jimmy
Carter, internationally acclaim ed hu­
man rights activists and celebrities such
as actors: Alfre W oodard, Holly R obin­
son, Esai Morales, C.C.H. Pounder,
Paul W infield, and Sinbad, the recipi­
ents were honored for their efforts to
advance the cause o f human rights
worldwide.
“ W e are celebrating today the
pow er o f the human spirit, said Paul
Fireman, chairman of the advisory board
and chairman of Reebok International,
in addressing the audience. And added:
“ Each of our winners this year repre­
sent the grim reality o f the victims of
recent political upheavals. The Reebok
Human Rights Award is sending a
message to governments around the
world that human rights abuse will not
be tolerated and will be exposed.”
“ No one could participate in a
ceremony like this without a sober re­
assessm ent of our own personal obliga­
tion to address human rights and the
suffering associated with it,” said Presi­
dent Carter in a powerful keynote ad­
dress. He added, “ It is not enough just
to come to a ceremony like this once a
year and bask in our own freedom, our
own security, our own influence and
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Pro Trainer Treats
Football Injuries, Scores
With Motivation
to :
(NUI) - W hen the M innesota
V ikings thunder onto the football
f ie ld , p h y s ic a l th e r a p is t F re d
Z am bcrletti is there on the sid e ­
lines to help them do their best.
T he 59-ycar-old Z am bcrletti has
been head tra in e r and p h y sic a l
therapist for the Vikings for three
decades, longer than most coaches
have been in the National Football
League.
He estimated that he has seen
more than 700 preseason, regular
se a so n a n d p o s ts e a s o n g a m e s,
including the four Super Bowls the
Vikings lost.
“ I ’m not sure it’s not a little
bit o f an addiction,” Z am bcrletti
said. “ It’s also a situation w here
y o u ’re with young people all the
tim e and it seem s that you d o n ’t
age until you look into the mirror.”
In addition to his work with
the V ik in g s , Z a m b c rle tti is in
p riv a te p ra c tic e as a p a rtn e r in
C c n tc rT h c ra p y In c ., w h e re he
serves mainly as a consultant.
For in fo rm a tio n a b o u t p h y ­
sical therapists in private practice,
contact the Private Practice Section
of the American Physical Therapy
Association, 1101 17th St., N.W .,
W ashington, DC 21X136, or phone
1-202-457-1115.
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high scoring games, but here in the
Rose City the fans are yelling for
DEFENSE.
Rebounding has been another area
of vast improvement. It is a welcome
fact that the Trail Blazers are on the top
of the NBA list in the rebounding per­
centage rankings. Miami’s Rony Seikaly
one o f the best rebounders in the NBA
at 12.2 per game, gladly left town with
only seven Rebs. The recent rebound­
ing dominance started in Portland’s 98-
87 victory over Seattle on Dec. 22,
although the Blazers have out rebounded
their opponent in seven of the last eight
contests. The Blazers exploded in the
second half against the Sonics; outre-
bounding the N BA ’s best rebounding
team 25-12 down the stretch. Portland
sports a league-leading .528 rebound­
ing percentage and trails only New York
(.712) in defensive retrieve percentage
with a .698 worksheet. In the last nine
games, the Blazers have outrebounded
the opposition by a 331-227 margin.
The Blazers have had a short break
since Dec. 29th, when they com pleted
their 15th consecutive month with a
winning mark (9-4). They suit up Thurs­
day at Utah. The Blazers’ next appear­
ance at the Coliseum comes next week
against the Philadelphia on Jan 6th.
Orlando will be in town for the Jan. 6th
game.
Portland and the Blazers are look­
ing forward to a happy New Year.
Sultan’s program helps these children
to express their feelings and talk about
their families.
“ On behalf of the children, I ap­
peal to the United States to help stop
the war in M ozam bique,” said Sultan
in one o f the cerem ony’s more poign­
ant moments. He beseeched world
powers to: ‘ ‘help us build a better world
for our children.”
Each recipient will receive $25,000,
which will go directly to the human
rights organization of their choice. Pierre
and Sultan shared awards with: Carlos
Toledo, 24, a G uatemalan street educa­
tor with Casa Alianza (Covenant House),
who has protected more than 5,000
street children against police brutality
and serves as an advocate for the rights
of homeless children, and Mirtala Lopez,
22, sho has been arrested, tortured and
imprisoned for championing the rights
o f the displaced people of El Salvador.
Two special awards were also presented
at the ceremony. The parents of three
Russian citizens who lost their lives
defending the Russian Parliament on
the night of A ugust 20, 1991 received
posthumous awards and Ashley Black,
11, received the “ Youth In A ction”
award for spearheading the drive to ban
hate video gam es in M arlboro, New
Jersey.
The Reebok Human Rights Award
is given annually to young people who,
early in their lives and against great
odds, have significantly raised aw are­
ness of human rights. Now in its fourth
year, the award is one of only three
established human rights awards in the
world. It is the only one honoring young
people and the only private sector ini­
tiative.
then ignore human rights the rest o f the
year. It’s the pow erful and secure like
us on whom rest the fate o f those who
are weak and vulnerable.”
Sauveur Pierre has experienced first
hand the brutal exploitation in the sugar
cane fields of South Florida. In 1980,
he cam e to the U.S. with thousands of
other Haitian refugees who made the
perilous voyage to escape the D uvalier
regime. Paid far less than the minimum
wage by employers who knew the lan­
guage barrier and fear o f deportation
would prevent opposition, Pierre vowed
to purse justice for him self and his
fellow workers. A fter teaching him self
English, Pierre was hired by the Farm ­
workers Justice Fund of W ashington,
D.C. as a paralegal/investigator to as­
sist in that orgaination’s lawsuits against
Florida sugar cane growers. In this
position he was able to secure inform a­
tion that helped the courts expose vio­
lations. Presently, Mr. Pierre identifies
important legal problem s facing clients
and assists in devising appropriate le­
gal strategies for the Florida Rural Legal
Services.
In accepting his aware, the soft
spoken yetdeterm ined Pierre said, “ the
sugar cane (field) ow ners know w hat’s
going on but they close their eyes...Well,
I will not close my eyes. I will never
forget.”
Abubacar Sultan has created a
special program that helps former sol­
diers, ages 6-13 years old who were
forced into w ar due to civil war in
Mozambique. Many o f the 200,000
orphans were forced to watch as their
parents were slaughtered by guerrillas
and then forced into military service.
By creating a sense of community.
THIS IS HOW A DESPERATE
DIIK ADDICT SEES YODD CHILD.
PER YEAR.
PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED.
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has been another concern. Lately they
are really making things happen. For
instance, in Sunday’s game, they
outscored the H eat’s reserves by a 59-
35 margin. During the first half they
went on a tear, humiliating their counter­
parts with a 21-0 run. Most o f the team
will admit that even if the high shoot­
ing percentage hasn’t always been there,
they have been over-achievers in other
areas o f their game.
They have been playing some
excellent defense. After Saturday’s
win over the Lakers, C liff Robinson hit
the nail on the head when he described
the Blazer’s tough defensive strategy.
“ W e did a very good job o f rotating to
the shooter and double-teaming the
ball.” It must be working. Portland
has held Seattle, Dallas, and the LA
Lakers to fewer than 90 points in the
last three contests, before allowing
Miami a generous 96 points. It is the
first time in franchise history that the
Blazers have limited more than two
consecutive opponents to fewer than
90 points. The Blazers are 10-0 when
they have held their opponent to fewer
than 100 points. Adding that to last
year’s mark of 23-2 and the previous
season’s record o f 24-0, Portland has
won 57 of its last 59 games when the
opposition has failed to reach the cen­
tury mark. That is an am azing .966
winning percentage. Every fan who
follows the NBA loves to watch those
Reebok Human Rights Award Shines Light
On Haitian Refugees In South Florida
And Children Of War In Mozambique
3137, Portland, OR 97208. Second class postage paid at Portland Oregon.
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In a post-game interview, Terry
Porter made two things known. He is
going to become a new father, and even
at 19-10, the Portland Trail Blazers
haven’t even hit their stride yet.
The Blazers have been winners of
the last four straight games. The team
had an unaccustomed Christm as vaca­
tion. You know what some people say
about vacations: “ It’s nice to have the
time off to relax and to have the chance
to reflect but you’re usually worked
extra hard when you go back to the
jo b .” When the Blazers cam e back to
work, they did the jo b , winning four
games in three nights. In last Sunday’s
129-96 win over the Miami Heat, the
Blazers extended their winning streak
against the four recent expansion teams
to 19. They also own a 34-1 mark
against that group and that is the best in
the NBA. That victory also m oved the
Blazers to within a half game o f the
Pacific Division leader Golden State
and gave them the fifth best record in
the league.
There has been a lot of concent
among Portland fans about the incon­
sistency o f the shooting percentage.
Sometimes the players must feel like
someone has strung chicken w ire over
the hoop. The home team finished the
year off right, hitting 56.8 from the
field. M aking 50 o f 88 was a season
high record that they hope to take into
1992 in a big way. The bench strength
B ill
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