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Page 2...The Portland Observer...December 23, 1992
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Too Legit To Quit
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b y Ja m e s L . P o s e y
M ost folk are familiar with this
case o f a Black man who, in spite of
attacks from the Oregon Liquor C on
trol Com m ission and the police depart
m ent, is determ ined to keep hisclub and
restaurant business open. But this is
much more than just this one instance of
concentrated harassment against one
Black businessman. The G abi’s case
clearly points out the horrible reality of
how the government and so called B lack
leaders have in fact collaborated to
hang out a Black business to dry.
W hile the full story o f G abi’s plight
has yet to be told, one thing is clear. The
O LCC, certain police offic ials and some
black leaders are out to get the ow ner,
Cordell Blockston. But the question is
why? W hy can’t Black leaders see that
this whole thing is a more sophisticated
version o f the coon incident that hap
pened several years ago at the Burger
Bam. I guess throwing a coon in front-
o f a restaurant door has given way to
more subtle forms o f harassment. This
cunning attitude can be accepted by the
very same group of Black people who
hollered and screamed about the coon
incident. W hat’s interesting about this
whole issue is what appears to be a lack
o f appreciation for w hat Blacks and
other minority businesses have experi
enced in order to develop and survive in
this country, and particularly in this
state.
Most real people know that if the
police had to set up surveillance and
build a case against G abi’s, then the
business m ust have been operating
pretty cleanly in the fiist place. But the
point is, regardless of how cleanly Black
businesses operate today, historically
more than a few of these businesses
have had to operate on the fringes o f the
law. Blacks didn’t invent this situation.
No one would dispute that whites have
for years used illegal methods to fi
nance their legitimate business ven
tures and gain a decided advantage in
more competitive markets. One won
ders how many self-righteous local,
white-owned businesses have laundered
drug money as the principal capital to
establish their businesses. This is not to
suggest that any particular business is
involved in this type of activity or that
it is the right thing to do. But it docs
make you wonder if Portland does have
a mafia connection!
W ell, if the notion of a “connec
tion” is a bit far fetched, than think
about this. W hat happens to Blacks in
getting business licenses is not too dif
ferent than what happens in em ploy
ment discrimination. State, city and
other government agencies have long
denied Black people employment op
portunities based on race. Likewise,
these same agencies have historically
raised barriers and frustrated Blacks’
efforts to get licenses to do business.
W hat’s important to understand is that
African-Americans from the very be
ginning have been remarkably adaptive
and resourceful in combating these
forces. Older Blacks can remember the
days o f after-hours joints, and bootleg
liquor and taxi cabs, etc.: an entire
economy that had to operate under
ground because Blacks couldn’t get
licenses to operate legitimately.
Today in Oregon things have not
changed very much. 1 personally can
talk about negative experiences with
the Public Utilities Commission. Many
are aware that even if you have the
money, it is virtually impossible for
Blacks to gel a federal communications
license to operate a radio station. And
it’s not ju st Blacks either. Look at what
is happening to the Siletz Indians and
their attempts to open a casino in the
state. It ’ s ok for the state to make money
off a wide range of gaming and gam
bling activities. However, the clear
message here is that after years of ex
ploitation, Native Americans should
stay in their place and remain depen
dent on the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Blacks need to understand that
whites have climbed the economic tree
using these agencies and have for years
been eating the bountiful fruit. But the
ladder has been pulled up by creating a
body o f law s and ordinances that will
keep others from climbing the same
tree. It’s not just by chance that it’s
nearly impossible for anyone to operate
a new business in this state. Most in
formed people know that new busi-i
nesses have a high failure rate regard
less of race. But few will admit that it’s
even tougher for Blacks because of the
inherent racism in agencies that control
the critical elements of business devel
opment. For example, many can under
stand to some degree why a lending
institution would not advance capital
for expansion o f a nightclub/rcstaurant
business in drug, gang-invested north
east Portland. But most would not un
derstand why a newly established, Black
electrical contractor in that community
would have the same problem.
So when you look at the G abi’s/
Cordell Blockston case, you can begin
Unappreciated what he is going through.
At the very least, he deserves the ben
efit of the doubt. In other words, B lacks
should help this man in his innocence
until he is proven guilty. In fact, we
ought to lilt him upas a hero regardless
of how his case comes out. How many
Black men in this town have the guts to
challenge the system when it counts.
We should support Cordell if for no
other reason than the fact that he has the
courage to be “ too legit to quit.”
James Posey is a local, small
business ow ner with a background in
social work and community activism.
The Portland Observer encourages our readers to write
letters to the editor in response to any articles we publish
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D a vid P om erantz
Dear Editor,
With the holiday season upon us,
there are many festivities and activities
to be involved in the I w anted to take
this opportunity to stress the impor
tance of celebrating with out the use of
drugs.
One of the goals of Scientology is
to eradicate the problems that are hin
drances to human survival. Drugs come
up at the top o f the list as a key area to
handle.
Here locally. Scientologists have
been involved in providing information
^ o rila n h (©bseriier
(USPS 959-680)
OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970 by Alfred L. Henderson
Joyce Washington
Publisher
on the dangers o f drugs in order to raise
public awareness.
As the local coordinator for “Lead
the Way to a Drug Free USA” cam
paign which is sponsored by the Com
munity Outreach program of the Church
of Scientology I want to take this oppor
tunity to stress the importance to all of
having a drug and alcohol free holiday
this year.
Sincerely,
Vicki Scherer
Church o f Scientology
o f Portland
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T hank Y ou F or R eading
T he P ortland O bserver
b y Professor M cK inley B u rt
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Can We Close The
Education Gap? We Must!
Docs that sound like a “realistic”
directive for black parents, coming from
someone who has always maintained
that all of our efforts m ust be in a
context of reality? I’ll take refuge in the
statement that “we have no choice:”
And this, though we are looking at Gov.
Barbara Roberts proposed S520 million
worth of cuts to primary and secondary
education if no new revenue comes in (a
10 percent cut).
We know that, already, there are
many, many individual citizens both
black and white (as well as community
groups) who have been working like
“Trojans” to secure and enhance the
educational process for the children.
And, equally as well, we arc aware that
these new shortfalls and financial trau
mas loom as straws that could severely
bend if not break “the camels back.”
But let us be “realistic:” there are hun
dreds of other people in the community
who have not contributed their time,
effort skills and com m itm ent to “the
cause.” Their participation would com
prise a significant start toward closing
the gap.
,
S c h o o l s u p e rin te n d e n t Ja c k
Bierwirth, assisted by District lobbyist
Frank M acnamara, has conducted the
first training session for the “citizen
troops” who will later march on Salem
to demand more school funds. Partici
pant Claudia McDuffie, a dedicated
veteran teacher, reiterated her belief in
public education. McDuffie is drug and
alcohol program coordinator at C leve
land High School and a member o f
“Parent/SiudcntCom m unity Alliance:,
an African American School advocacy
group. Keep in mind that there is noth
ing preventing you individual citizens
from lobbying for a decent educational
structure-by phone, mail, pony express
or whatever it takes to keep the pressure
on that state legislature.
There are some good vibes coming
th rough-for instance Portland teachers
have ratified the contract agreement
with the Portland School District. Now,
a teacher’s strike was certainly a dis
ruption we did not need. The two-year
contract was a com prom ise between a
original demand for three years and the
district’s offer o f a one-year contract—
a built-in disaster, and as reported in the
Dec. 2 edition o f the “O bserver,” the
Boise-Eliot Elementary School 1985
fifth-graders who are now high school
seniors met to reenforce their com m it
ment to Eugene L ang’s “I Have A
Dream ” program.
O f particular significance was a
reference to B oise-E liot’s “Jeanette
Crawley Scholarship Fund” that will
provide Funds to help students locate
resources to continue their education
and training in “O regon” public col
leges, universities and technical Pro
grams. I say this because a while back
a lady who is very active in the “H istori
cally Black College” support group took
umbrage when 1 cited certain financial
problems at a number of these schools.
Why else would Congressman Gray
give up a most prom ising political ca
reer to take over funding?
There is no one in Portland who has
written more in depth and more favor
able articles on the traditional black
colleg e-fro m their inception after the
Civil W ar up until today. In fact, it was
a more recent article in which I high
lighted the fact that it was a young
A fric a n A m e ric a n g ra d u a te o f
“Tuskeegce” who supervised the in
stallation o f the new “Com puter Sys
tems” at both Nike and the Oregonian
Newspaper. I could hardly have pre
sented a finer testim onial to the educa
tional capabilities o f a classic black
institution, and there were other articles
that cited the efficacy o f these schools
and the vital role they have played in the
development of African Americans.
On the other side o f the coin, I will
repeat my contention that given today’s
economic conditions and the intense
nation-wide competition for scholar
ships to attend the best of these black
institutions, fewer than 15 percent of
Portland’s African American parents
will be able to send their children to
these schools. This year I renewed my
relationships with Clark Atlanta U ni
versity (32 engineering programs in
conjunction with G eorgia Tech) and
Valuable job experience, educa
tional advancem ent and the opportunity
for community improvement await O r
egon young people selected to partici
pation the Community Service Corps.
Selection will target high school drop
outs ages 16-24, with most projects set
to begin in January.
Six projects will receive funds to
taling $250,000 The Community Ser
vice Corps, one of two programs of the
Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, is
m ade po ssib le through the s ta te ’s
Amusement Device Taxes paid by op
erators of video games, video poker
machines and jukeboxes. The Corps is
administered through the Oregon C om
munity Children and Youth Services
Commission, the state’s largest advo
cacy group serving young people.
“Because we require a 50-50 match
in funds to support these projects, the
state’s contribution will be doubled to
bencfilO rcgon’syouth who participate,”
said Becky Eklund, Program Director.
“We are heartened at the community
support for this program which provides
great jobs plus excellent academic o p
portunities.” Projects selected are:
M ultn o m ah C ounty: along the
Columbia Slough Basin, a 10-membcr
youth crew will clean up streams, re
store natural vegetation, and prevent
erosion. The youth will also be enrolled
in new courses in environmental resto
ration as part of Roosevelt High School’s
restructured career pathways curricu
lum. Roosevelt High will recruit stu
dents at-risk of dropping out. The project
will be coordinated through the Delaunay
Mental Health Center, a non-prof it com
munity center providing services to youth
and families in North and Northeast
Portland.
State Funds: $46,499
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Community Service Corps Receives
$250,000 To Employ Oregon Young People;
High School Dropouts Targeted, Six
Projects Selected
Jackson County: Southof Ashland,
in the Hamilton Creek watershed, a 9-
m ember crew will build a fuelbreak
along the city line plus work on conser
vation projects including landslide pre
vention and stream bank enhancement.
The crew will also build bird boxes, a
footbridge and trail signs. Phoenix High
School in Medford will provide the aca
demic curriculum with and emphasis on
forestry management. The project will
be coordinated through The Job Council
in Jackson County, with a focus on
youth ages 16-19.
State Funds: 53,299
W allow a C ounty: Duties of the 5-
m em ber crew will entail working from
a jet boat to access jo b sites along the
Snake River. W orking with the U.S.
Forest Service, crew members will build
trails, improve wildlife habitat, develop
and reforest recreation areas. The project
is aim ed at participants 18-24. Indi
vidual academic curriculum will be pro
vided by Blue Mountain Community
College. The project will be coordinated
by the Training and Em ploym ent C on
sortium in E nterprise. State Funds:
$13,915
D ouglas C o u n ty : The c o u n ty ’s
“BatteredPerson Advocacy Project” will
get help from an 18-m cm bcr youth crew
which will restore one of three houses
donated by the City of Roseburg for
emergency shelter. The crew will also
work in Ramp Canyon to develop an
outdoor learning center at an 850-acre
u n d istu rb e d w a te rsh e d o u tsid e o f
Roseburg near Eastwood School. Addi
tionally, the crew will provide low-cost
firewood for low income residents and
design and build handicap-access ramps
for business and child care facilities.
The educational curriculum will be pro
vided through Phoenix School, an alter-
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several other schools in the Atlanta
area.
This school with its 42 majors in
the humanities and sciences requires
grades, grades, grades to get in -a n d
monies. It is the base school for the
famed “ Atlanta Dual Degree Program ”-
-a five year program awarding degrees
in both science and the hum anities in
affiliation with the Atlanta University
center and seven other noted black
schools. I met the head o f the Dual
Degree Program in the early seventies
and it was he who persuaded the Martin
Luther King M emorial Center (then in
building) to reserve a good part o f the
second floor for me to have a “ Black
In v e n to r’s M useum .” N eg o tiatio n s
broke off when I insisted that “a ground
floor location was a m ust” because I had
already successfully solicited several
railroads for two older railway engines
and c a rs-T h e railroads for two older
railway engines and c a rs-T h e railroads
represented the most fertile area o f black
invention and technology.
Nothing lost however, for the in
dustries I ’m working with now on my
major science education proposal think
it is a great idea w hose tim e has come.
But, to return to Portland and the form i
dable odds against m any black high
school graduates attending top out-of-
state schools o f any cultural persuasion;
time and again I have em phasized the
necessity for well-planned courses at a
tw o-year, local institution while pre
paring economically and scholastically
for a realistic and carefully selected
continuation at a four-year institution.
I would say, too, that black parents
have made a sizeable contribution to
O regon’s education system with their
tax Dollars. Further, a community de
pends upon it’s viability and progress
by retaining it’s greatest asset, the youth-
-at least as much of it as possible. W e
need to work hard in assessing and
enhancing the “Com m unity College”
route to an attainable (and employable)
future for us all. And we need to insist
on a better reception for African A m eri
can at the University o f Oregon and
Oregon State.
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native education program in Roseburg,
which is also coordinating the project.
State Funds: $41,225
Lincoln County: In Newport, a 10
member crew, ages 16-19, will plan and
build a greenhouse to grow plants for
city beautification; construct recycling
shelters; construct a boardw alk at the
Oregon Coast Aquarium and work on
other construction projects at the site;
build a trail and fence at Yaquina L ight
house. Crew members will also visit
elementary schools to present inform a
tion about recycl ing and receive training
as interpretive tidepool guides, assisting
in tours for school children. Crew m em
bers will receive high school credit for
their participation through the Lincoln
County School District and Oregon Coast
Com m unity College. The project is b e
ing coordinated by the Com m unity Ser
vices Consortium.
State Funds: $38,292
W ash in g to n C ounty: 50 young
people, ages 16-18, will work at a variety
o f sites: arboretum enhancem ent in For
est G ro v e ; park im p ro v e m e n ts in
Sherwood; trail building and erosion
control in the Tillam ook State Forest;
plus fcc-for-service work forpublic agen
cies throughout the county. High schools
providing academic curriculum to sup
port the program are: Banks, Forest
Grove, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard-
Tualatin and Sherwood. Youth will earn
a full semester o f academ ic credit to
ward high school graduation through
their participation in the program. P ri
vate businesses and civic organizations,
including Stimson Lumber, Kiwanis, JC
Penney and the ForestG rovcC ham m ber
of Com m erce, support the corps by pro
viding funding, internships, and sup
plies.
State Funds: $59,210
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