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Page 2...The Portland Observer...August 12, 199^
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K I A I
n p r a r t p c t i v e s CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
P C ' & PJZJZJ' * V L
By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
V
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Strike For Freedom In South Africa
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No Spare Parts
(Save this series)
downtown o u tfit that doesn’t have hall
the financial resource o f several o f our
black organizations, but they don ’ t have
these kind o f problems. Il is incompre­
hensible; I see all these leaders, prime
movers and activists on television and
in the press, most w ith more degrees
than a thermometer and a resume longer
than your a rm -b u t it must be the case
that nobody can read or w rite.” That’ s
not really the problem. Too many na­
ively believe “ the man” educated them.
“ Ever try to get a tim ely and coher­
ent financial report or a well-structured
account o f current activities and pros­
pects (not a media release)?” This lady
was just getting started, but you gel the
picture. Readers note an increasing pres­
ence o f CO MF UTERS on the premises.
But apparently, there are no “ spread
sheets” programs or other matrixes for
gathering, analyzing and delivering
c ritic a l com m unity in fo rm a tio n to
Northeast residents-and to a newspa­
per like the “ Portland Observer.” Now,
that would be both p o litica lly and eco­
nom ically astute, w ouldn’ t it?
I had intended to conclude this
scries today w ith a description o f some
very viable M in ority Business modes
available, but that w ill be done next
week. Today ’ s comments indicate that,
first, we need to make some critical
adjustments to our operating systems
such that we can function effectively in
this modem world. So many o f the
black organizations are hungrily antici­
Now, that’ s the kind o f response
from readers I love; it was last week that
we began to really locus on this issue o f
M in o rity Business, albeit, from a view ­
point somewhat different from the con­
ventional. And therein lies another key
issue for a good 90 percent o f the re­
sponse was from whites--not an alto­
gether new phenomehon. We are all at
risk these days, but certainly some a lot
more than others.
These are critical times and there
shouldn’ t be a problem in our commu­
nicating. I f you misplace this article, I
am in the phone book (The last name is
Burt), and the first o f the tw o numbers
in my Fax, 284-0484, and the second
284-7080, is a regular telephone, an­
swering service and Voice M ail. The
office address is 1635 NE Alberta, Port­
land, OR 97211. A ll are 24 hour lines.
Several years ago readers began
sending photocopies o f my articles to
friends, relatives and relevant organi­
zations around the country, to Europe
and A frica M y series on “ The True
Source o f Aids ’ brought letters. Voice
M ail and I A X frutn 12 slates and five
foreign countries -all o f which I ac­
knowledged. 1 his brings us to another
area o f concei ns v oiced. A critical fa il­
ure in C O M M U N IC A T IO N S on the
part o f so many ot our A frican A m e ri­
can organizations, both business and
social delivery services (Including the
ones who are supposed to be develop­
ing M in ority Business).
Neither a correct analysis o f our
economics situation or the excellent
proposals fo r implementing the needed
economic development structure w ill
bear any fru it i f our organizations can­
not communicate w ith their constitu­
ency—or even with each other in any
coherent, disciplined manner. It is not
only d iffic u lt to secure new markets or
a grant under these circumstances, but
it is almost impossible to get a renewal
pating a possible w indfall o f social and
urban development money under a new
administration. 1 w ouldn’ t bet on it, nor
would 1 anticipate that national corpo­
rations, laying o ff by the m illio n w ill
continue theircontributionsatany where
o f a current grant alter the demonstra­
tion period i f you cannot competently
cite and delineate your accomplish­
ments and projections in a polished
technical report. The old days are gone-
-the competition for money is savage.
But management classes are open.
When I wrote about this failure last
year (furnishing sources fo r manuals,
library materials and seminars) one
reader really went o ff. “ I w ork fo r a
near current levels.
I Just got o ff a letter to the Black
Caucus o f the American Library Asso­
ciation, trying to get them interested in
a national program to address a situa­
tion for which Portland is a prime ex­
ample. For over twenty years I ’ ve been
going down to the Multnomah County
Library to retrieve critica l information
and the scenarios is always the same.
About the only blacks you sec in the
business, technical and periodical sec­
tions are Africans; West Indians and a
few students.
It is inexcusable, for may o f the
jokers drawing down our tax money
every month know that their “ skill is
n ih il” (Evidently they feel, “ w ell, I ’ m
dealing w ith black people like me).”
The few that stop by my office look
around incredulously at the books, manu­
als and guides w ithout which you cannot
hope to deal w ith the urban infrastruc­
ture in a technological world. The same
g u id e s and re fe re n ce s arc now
E Q U A LL Y AP PLIC A B LE whether one
is about developing business or deliver­
ing social services. Ever hired a carpen­
ter w ithout tools?
A llo fm y material is relevant, “ D ic­
tionary o f Occupational Titles, Stan­
dard Industrial Classification Manual,
For Profit and N onprofit Corporation
Guides, Directory o f Human Services,
Lovejoy College Guides, Oregon Edu­
cation Structure, Direct Marketing,Tele­
communication Services, A I & I Phone
Services and E quip m e nt M anuals,
Gale’ s Encyclopedia o f Organizations,
M ilita ry Occupation Manuals (to match
w ith c iv ilia n jobs). None Volumes ol
“ Books In Print and Papcrbound Books
in P r in t,” P ro p o sa l w r itin g and
Secretary’ s Handbooks, (science, legal
and medical). Computer Applications,
Foundations Guides.” Partial!
In the 1970’ s when I had a business
contracting w ith Model Cities, County
and Suite agencies to furnish accounting
and administrative services lor business
development and social delivery sys­
tems, I o f course had ten times this
amount o f relevant “ tools.’ Bui even
then, more than adequately 1 unded black
programmers were coming down to my
office wanting to BORROW my expen­
sive materials. I f you’ ve got money lo r
meetings, retreats and an incredible
amount o f T R A V E L , then you have
money for the tools to do your job
properly.
Next week wc w ill look at some
“ re a lity ” business developm ent we
should be doing-service manufactur­
ing and real estate, just like those A fr i­
cans in Ghana are doing in their “ No
Spare Parts" economy. I ’ m still ac­
quainted w ith some o f the while stu­
dents who took my business classes at
P.S.U. o f those who remain in business,
several did not have nearly the start up
capiuil as m inorities under lederal pro­
grams. I know because I was their first
accountant and advisory (try “ life
styles).”
Portland Observer encourages our readers to write letters
to the editor in response to any articles we publish.
tEip ^nrtlanh (©bseriier
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w. «
The leadership o f the African Na­
tional Congress once again has success­
fu lly demonstrated the ability to m obi­
lize effectively the masses o f the people
o f south A frica against the apartheid
regime.
In the wake o f one o f the largest
and most effective protest strikes in
history, Nelson Mandela and the AN C
have served the final notice that racist
apartheid must be dismantled com ­
pletely w ith dispatch and urgency.
Over five m illio n workers partici­
pated in the “ Strike for Freedom.” The
August 3-4,1992 labor strike and sub­
sequent massive “ March on Pretoria”
was a livin g testimony to the fact that
the organized and m obilized w ill ol the
people docs have the power to make a
difference.
Although there were numerous vio­
lent acts o f intim idation that attempted
to subvert the AN C call for the strike,
m illions o f South Africans responded
in unity and action. The Secretary Gen­
eral o f the A N C , C y ril Ramaphosa,
declared, “ The disenfranchised have
unmistakably voted w ith their feet for
democracy now through participation
in th is mass a c tio n .” M a n d e la ,
Ramaphosa and other leaders o f the
African National Congress have come
under heavy verbal attack from both De
K le rk and M o n g o s u th u G atsha
Buthelczi, the leader o f Inkatha.
It is a tragic shame that even in the
final hours o f apartheid, Buthelczi con­
tin u e s to p la y the ro le o f the
government’ s apologist. The negative
66
rhetoric from Inkatha against the AN C
has helped to fuel fratricide in South
Africa. For example, just before the
beginning o f the strike, Buthclezi en­
couraged his followers to act to prevent
the strike by actually saying that the
AN C “ should be shipped back to the
bargaining table and beaten into p o liti­
cal negotiation.” Pronouncements like
that w ill only serve the interests o f the
oppressive forces o f apartheid.
When truth is spoken through de­
monstrative action by the oppressed to
those who oppress, it sets the stage for
change to occur. This is the reason that
despite the diversionary actions o f per­
sons like Buthclezi, the struggle against
racism and economic exploitation in
south A frica w ill continue to acceler­
ate. Truth and history are on the side o f
the A frican national Congress and noth­
ing short o f a total dism antling o f apart­
heid w ill do.
Here in the United States, it is
important fo r the antiapartheid move­
ment to keep the pressure on during this
advent to the final moment o f victory.
Vigilance and strong acts o f solidarity
are s till necessary. We must not let our
sisters and brothers in south Africa strike
alone. We must act in concert with
them and do our part here to demand
freedom and justice in South A frica and
in America.
We have heard that De Klerk has
changed his previous opposition to the
establishment o f an “ interim coalition
government” toward a free and demo­
cratic South Africa. The success o f the
strike and recent demonstrations, at
least now, have caused a p olitical situ­
ation where De K le rk is w illin g to en­
tertain the idea o f negotiating the issue
o f the interim government before the
end o f this year. The interests o f free­
dom and justice should not be delayed.
There is no justifica tion fo r w aiting
until the end o f the year to negotiate an
interim governmental structure.
The lim e to act is now. Every day
secs more and more political murders
and violence in south A frica . The time
to establish and negotiate an interim
solution is now, not later. The people o f
south A frica have already endured a
holocaust o f genocide and unprecedent ,
exploitations. The time toend this mad­
ness is now.
The strike fo r freedom in south
A frica is a strike for freedom through­
out the world. As the w orld “ re-orders,”
let us make sure the suffering o f the
people o f South A frica is not forgotten.
Il is interesting that during the 1992
presidential campaign thus far, Africas
in general and South A frica in particu­
lar have not been issues o f debate and
concern.
Racism w ill not end itself. It has to
be struggled against in every place all
o f the time. We are thankful that our
sisters and brothers in South A frica
have not loss hope and are fighting on
w ith renewed determination. Apartheid
in South A frica w ill be broken down
fin ally by the m ight o f the people who
cry out fo r freedom and who w ill not
rest until victory is won.
A long T he C olor L ink ”
Blaming Victims In Los Angeles
BY DR. MANNING MARABLE
One hundred days have passed since
the Los Angeles racial uprising, the
most devastating and econom ically
destructive urban revolt in U.S. history.
Unfortunately, some Americans have
learned nothing new about the perva­
sive character o f racism in contempo­
rary society, or the factors which caused
this recent social explosion. In the weeks
since A m erica’ s second-largest city
burned, a motley crew o f conservatives
and reactionaries have advanced a
“ blame the victim s” thesis to explain
the recent “ rio t.”
The initia l response by conserva­
tives was the predictable outcry lo r
tougher law enforcement and cracking
down on urban “ crim inals.” Frustrated
former presidential candidate Patrick
Buchanan declared that local officials
didn’ t move quickly enough to arrest
the rioters, and called upon law en­
forcement officers to use “ whatever
force is needed to save innocent people
and private property.” Vice President
Dan Quay lc was quick to praise the Los
Angeles Police Department, and con­
demned the “ lawbreakers.” This posi
lion implies that by building more pris­
ons, imposing longer prison sentences
and by restoring the death penally, the
urban street unrest w ill disappear.
The second thesis by the Far Right
was that Black liberal politicians were
largely responsible for the “ rio t.” This
interpretation was advanced by the con­
servative journalists Rowland Evans
and Robert Novak. They criticized Los
Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley for his
condemnation o f the ju r y ’ s decision in
the brutal beating case o f Rodney King.
Evans and Novak attac ked Rep. Maxine
Waters for her accurate description o f
the recent unrest as an urban “ insurrec­
tion.” African-Am erican politicians and
c iv il rights leaders were wrong to give
“ rioters revolutionary status,” Evans and
Novak whined. “ They wandered from
one television channel to another de­
plo rin g w hat the K ing verdict had
brought, but they were not seen on the
streets im ploring the mob to go home.”
The third conservative reaction to
the Los Angeles uprising was the effort
to place blame on the so-called absence
o f“ m orality” and“ fam ilyvalucs” among
inncrcity African-Am ericans. The ch ie f
architec t o f this pscudosociological the­
sis was conservative intellectual W il­
liam Bennett, who has presidential aspi­
rations. Bennett claimed that the “ rio t­
ous behavior and murder” in Los Ange­
les were caused by “ a shattered moral
order” among Blacks. “ The road to d i­
saster has been paved by a corrosive
popular culture, educational failure,
moral and spiritual depletion and the
breakdown o f our most critica l institu­
tion -the fam ily.” Bennett opposed any
increases in federal spending to create
jobs for the unemployed, and rejected
out o f hand suggestions that poverty
contributed to our urban crisis. “ C u l­
tural problems,” Bennett insisted, “ de­
mand cultural solutions.”
American conservatives love sim ­
plistic slogans, rather than facing hard
truths. Republican social policy “ ex­
p erts”, journalists and politicians aren’ t
w illin g or able to acknowledge the basic
realities behind the massive socioeco­
nom ic destruction o f this n a tio n ’ s
innercitics. The “ American Dream” for
m illions o f Hispanics, A frica n-A m eri­
cans, the unemployed and homeless is a
nightmare o f substandard housing, infe­
rior schools, drugs, hunger, and random
violence.
The key reason fo r today’ s urban
unrest is the loss o f jobs and economic
opportunity. Sociologist W illia m Julius
W ilson observes in his research that
backin 1950,inChicago’ spoorestBlack
neighborhoods, there were 70 w orking
males fo r every 100 women. B y 1980,
even before the neglect o f Reagan’ s
urban policies, the figure in Chicago’ s
poorest Black communities fe ll to 23
employed males per 100 women. Few
families can survive w ithout steady in ­
come. T ru ly desperate, undereducated
and unemployed people w ill often re­
sort to crime to survive.
In South-Central Los Angeles and
neighboring areas, 70,000 higher-pay­
ing manufacturing jobs were lost be­
tween 1978 and 1982 alone. Black adult
unemployment clim bed to 9 percent,
with B lack teenagers having jobless rates
44 percent. According to the Los Ange­
les Times, between 1973 and 1986, the
average yearly income o f A fric a n -
American high school graduates in the
city fell 44 percent. Am ong Latinos in
the same years, average income de­
clined 35 percent. This is part o f the
reason that more Latinos were arrested
during the social chaos in Los Angeles
than Blacks. People o f color were pro­
testing not just the Rodney K ing verdict,
but the conditions o f poverty, violence
and frequent police harassment which
arc at the center o f ghetto life. I f we were
truly serious about ending urban v io ­
lence, we would do more to address the
fundamental social and economic prob­
lems o f these communities, rather than
“ blaming the victim s.’
Office Of International Programs At Pacific
University Accepting Applications For
Oregon-Japan Fellowships For Educators
The O ffice o f International Pro-
gramsatPacific University isaccepling
applications for 1993 Oregon-Japan Fel­
lowships for Educators. The Fellow ­
ships cover all expenses lo r a 15-day
summer study program in Japan. Fel­
lows w ill travel extensively throughout
Japan. The Fellowship program, in its
fourth year, is sponsored by Matsushita
Electric Industrial Company o f Japan.
The purpose o f the Fellowship is to
encourage and enhance teaching units
on Japan. Classroom teachers and ad­
ministrators at elementary schools in
Oregon, and Japanese language teach­
ers in Oregon and SW Washinglon at all
levels arc encouraged to apply. The
Fellowships arc open to both the public
and private schools.
Applications w ill be accepted from
educators who have not been in Japan
* « •
during the last two years. Participants
w ill be chosen from two categories:
Oregon elementary teachers and
administrators from the same school,
who apply as a team. The classroom
teacher presents a teaching unit pro­
posal for his or her classroom and the
administrator presents a complemen­
tary project proposal for involving the
building/school. Four teams w ill be
chosen.
Japanese language teachers in O r­
egon and Southwest W ashington.
Teachers present a proposal for lan­
guage unit. Four teachers w ill be cho­
sen.
Application deadline is November
2, 1992 Finalists w ill be chosen and
interviewed in January and the selec­
tion o f Fellows w ill be announced Feb­
ruary I Fellows w ill attend preparatory
seminars at Pacific University in March,
A p ril and June and w ill leave for Japan
on June 18 and return on July 3. A fter
they return, fellow s w ill prepare cur­
riculum units on Japan which w ill be­
come part o f the education curriculum
library at Pacific U niversity, where they
w ill be available fo r use by teachers
throughout the area.
Additional details and applications
may be obtained from:
Pacific U niversity
O ffice O f International Programs
2043 College Way
Forest Grove, OR 97116
or by calling Joy H ills, adm inistra­
tive assistant or Louis Payne, program
director, at 357-6151, ext. 2620, be­
tween the hours o f 8 am & 10 am
Monday through Thursday, or leave a
message on the answering machine.