Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, November 25, 1992, Page 8, Image 8

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Page 8...The Portland Observer...November 25, 1992
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Vendors • Entertainment • Food
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Even Bernie Foster 's daily jogging routine did not interfere with his presenting a sizeable donation to the Hiram Walker Foundation on behalf of the
West Coast Black Publishers, of which he is President. Accepting the check is Bob Thomas, Vice President Cultural Markets, Hiram Walker & Sons,
Inc. (center) and Walter Wheat, Canadian club Whisky Business manager in Northern California, (left).
The Hiram Walker Foundation was established to support minority education in the food service management and retail industries. It is designed to
recognize and ensure the continuation of culinary excellence by investing in the future talent of the hospitality industry by encouraging and supporting
minorities to enter and develop professional careers in the culinary field.
betters t&iÊL
To The Editor:
Black women and black children,
are being enslaved by C.S.D. Children
Services Division. The present system is
autonom ous, this establishm ent has the
authority to take custody o f your chil­
dren, when ever they see fit to do so.
M ost poor people who sign up for
welfare do not know the full ramification
or power that they are giving to this
system when they sign those hundreds of
papers, They do not know that they are
selling themselves and children in to
slavery for a few dollars. M ost are preg­
nant arc left with small children to take
care of without any financial support.
Most of the young women have a li mited
amount of education; they are not aw are
that the system is like drugs you can
become dependent on it; you can lose
your will pow er to want a better life.
M ost do not realize how much o f them
selves they have given away until some
thing happens. Then your children are
snatched away from you and you have
nothing to say about it. They are placing
children in homes of sex offenders, ab u ­
sive child care providers whose only
concern is the money they get for foster
care.
O ver the years I have talked with
many children who grew up in foster
hom es who were abused in many ways,
mostly mentally, which most time is a
lasting factor for trouble in later life.
A welfare m other’s perform ance is
measured on a different scale than m ar­
ried or single m others who have their
own jobs.
If a ch ild ’s whose parents are only
welfare the child has any kind o f abuse,
they m ust give an account o f how it
happen and m ost times they are not
believed. Then C.S.D . is called in and
will som etim es take your child or chil-
dren away from you if they d o n ’t like
your explanation. The working m other’s
story o f what happen is more easily
accepted. I feel as a parent this kind o f
treatment is slavery in it worst form.
I feel the state system allows un­
trained, or even those who are trained,
counselors or social workers who have
not proven to make sound and valid
decision some time. I am not for any
form of abuse o f children and older
people; nothing makes me angrier than
this.
1 think the system accepts the opin­
ion of one person based only on their
judgem ent, which it should be deterred
by more people.
There are too many black children
being taken from their families and put
in foster care or given up for adoption. I
feel these matters should be thoroughly
investigated on behalf of poor mothers
and children, especially black parents.
This system is saying to us that they
know better how to raise our children
than we do.
I am also appalled at the attitude o f
some o f these social workers who feel
they can play G od with peoples lives.
As one social worker said to me, as
long as we have the carrot dangling in
front o f the m other’s eyes, which is the
legal custody of her child, she will have
to dance to her music if she wants her
children back. W hat an altitude.
A n o th e r o n e , a M r. M a rtin
McMahon who I talked to said the judges
do not make the decision, that he makes
the decision, and his opinion is what
counts. I think he was pretty brass and
brazen with this kind of altitude after all
my tax dollars help pay his salary. I can
see how these young women are afraid
because o f domination and fear which
make them sink into despair.
I know a lot of the young women
have made poor choices which the w el­
fare system helps to perpetrate by sit­
ting on their stools instead o f evaluating
the recipient with goal to their perfor­
mance as a parent which could be en­
hanced by mandatory parenting classes,
goals and time frame to help them get
off welfare and get employment.
I am not condoning the conduct of
young men and women who apt to have
children without the means to take care
o f them.
My motto is don’t plant a crop
unless you are able to harvest it, which
means sex out side of marriage is out,
but if you do make a mistake, take
responsibility for your action and take
care of your own children; other than
this, you will never be able to control
your destiny. W hen you are told w hat to
eat because there is a limited amount of
food stamps, where to live because of
the small check you gel each month,
harassed and talked down to, it makes
you feel worthless. I hope the com m u­
nity can come together on this and ask
for an investigation and boards to study
some o f the problems.
I am asking Governor Roberts to
look into this along with our district
representative.
After working five years to help
make changes in the school system and
the police departm ent and other things,
I had planed to address this issue.
I had decided to hang up my com­
mitm ent to my com m unity, but I have
decided there are to many problem s left
unsolved for me to rest and be con­
tented. I am looking forward to 1993 to
start my changes. In other words, Vesia
is back!
Sincerely
Vesia Loving
Dear Dr. Tukufu;
It seems to m e that we, African-
Americans, have forgotten the struggles
our people w ent though during the Civil
Rights M ovement. The lives that were
lost to gain the rights to eat where we
choose, sit where we choose, and most
of all, the right to speak out and make
changes, changes in the unjust.
It disturbs me that when A ct III
decided not to show Malcolm X. (which
is the same decision they make with all
controversial black films), we were slow
to act, calling for a boycott that will
basically be ineffective due to the lack
dollar, living their lives with no pur­
pose (and we know life without a pur­
pose is a life without a cause). W hy?
B ecause they have b ro u g h t in to
society’s stereo-types that they can
never live that “A merican D ream ”
because no one has fought for their
right to the best education available;
because they are lacking in selfesteem
and self-worth; because the only as­
pect o f their life that is addressed is the
negative.
Where arc the black history classes
in our schools that would help bring
out pride in our youth? Why do Port­
land Public Schools have the lowest
standards in education? W hy has it
become more of a daycare facility
rather than a learning facility?
It disturbs me that an issue o f
unfair hiring practices within Nike was
foughtforby the Chicago-based PUSH.
W here were the African-Am ericans of
Portland? W here was the Urban League
or Black United Front? W hy did they
not raise the issues and push for a
change? O nce again, Portland was
caught sitting on her hands.
The problem with the Act III the­
aters is a small part of a much larger
issue, equality and opportunities for all
African-Americans.,
It is time that we educate our
people in their rights and powers. It is
time that we unit and fight for changes
in our education and welfare system. It
is time to raise up our young people to
be future leaders.
The key to bringing about change
is UNITY. Not only among the citi­
zens but also among the organizations.
W e can no longer look at it as “Urban
League, Self-Enhancem ent or Black
United Front.” We must look at it as
the A frican-A m erican com m unity
fighting for change. It must be done for
the good of the community not for the
gaining of recognition.
I write this letter in the hope that
giant steps may be taken to make
changes. 1 am willing, ready and deter­
mined to fight but, as I said, it cannot
be done by one person alone. There
must be Unity.
Sincerely,
Tracy A. Cunningham
o f unity.
It is planned that the Urban League
will be showing the movie at the Fox
Theater. Is this not owned by A ct III?
Does this not defeat the purpose of the
boycott on Act III theaters? W hen the
boycott is over and a statem ent has been
made, w hat happens then? Do we return
to the usual com plaining with no ac­
tion?
It disturbs me that our young people
are spending their time attem pting to
figure out where they can get their next
Portland Observer encourages our readers to write letters
to the editor in response to any articles we publish.
I.
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Santa and
Helpers to Visit
Walnut Park
Branch of First
Interstate
Baby Boy
R oland A ndrew H embry
October 12, 1992
Parents
F reddy A ndrew H embry
First Interstate Bank again high­
lights the Christmas season with a spe­
cial appearance from Santa and his
helpers. To celebrate the happy occa­
sion, we are inviting children to come
meet Santa and have a picture taken
with him. Pepperm int candy canes will
t c given to all children, and h e’s sure to
listen to their Christmas list.
Date: December 17, 1992
Time: 10:00 - 2:00
Place: F irst Interstate Bank o f
Oregon
W alnut Park Branch
5730 NE Union Avenue
225-3543
A licia E ileen H embry
Weighing 9 lbs 6 oz, Height 21 1/4".
G randparents Leon Marietta Hembry
and Kathleen Baker and George
Baker, Sister Damaris Hembry.
L ost
My
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