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EDITORIAL
p e r s p e c t i v e s
A Recap Of Black History Month For 1993
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mented history, or just attuned to the black student body and one sent me a from phone companies and steel mills
photocopy of the request she had put to Nike and Tektronix or three to four Gresham--the old man was still liv­
quick, easy and popular.
ing. We reminisced until the wee
Where such is the case, it is very in for my appearance without result. employee comer firms. I may no
Contrary to one teacher’s sugges­ longer be the only black, Coast Indus­ hours and even the fascinated great-
regrettable for never in our history
grand kids stayed up I spent the
here “in the wilds of North America" tion 1 am not about to embark on a tries may be in.
night, not yet realizing the impact of
An
interesting
chain
of
events
led
has there been such a need to inspire possible path to paranoia, speculating
this
chain of events.
to
this
opportunity
to
further
develop
and motivate our on who-is-up-to-what, and if there is
To make along story short, dur­
my
delivery
sy
stem
for
disseminating
tro u b le d youth some ‘blocking” going on by those
ing
the
next six weeks I was booked as
the
history
of
blacks
in
science
and
with citations of little groups who occasionally get the
keynote
speaker at two Lion Clubs and
technology
(My
research
and
docu­
our many magnifi­ idea that they are the ones who are the
a
school
assembly. And what usual
mentations
are
now
the
largest
in
the
cent contributions only proper determinets of who and
fascinating
subject did 1 talk about-
nation
and
this
time
I
have
major”
in science, math­ what is good for Portland’s African
"Black inventors and scientists" and
publishers
for
this
fall
and
winter
American
community.
I
was
engaged
em atics, inven­
how “you businessmen and educa­
tions and technol­ by several white organizations to make including overseas). What has hap­
tors” can help me in developing my
pened
is
that
during
one
meeting
of
presentations,
including
a
federal
ogy. In the same
program for motivating and training
Portlands
“Water
Quality
Commit­
agency;
also
by
an
outlying
school
c o n te x t, it is
tee” of which I am a member, I en­ minority youth in technology. By this
equally regrettable with a 99% white student body.
Before “seeking dark shadow s on countered among the public in atten­ past January, I had been referred to a
that there should be omitted the docu­
good dozen firms and organizations,
mented accounts of early black role the wall”, I will first try an intense dance two gentlemen who were curi­
most of whom were members of
ous
about
the
name
plate
before
my
models, men and women, in the cre­ marketing and public relation pro­
the
“Associated Oregon Industries '
place
on
the
rostrum.
gram to see if that will remedy the
ation of large, nationwide business.
T
he
m an agem ent at one firm ,
They
w
anted
to
know
if
I
was
the
It is interesting that two local situation. In respect to increasing the
dedicated
workers in the Democratic
same
“McKinley
Burt”
who
had
been
high school teachers have called this dissemination and documentation of
Party,
had
staff put together a package
the
accountant
for
their
father’s
car
past week to state that for the first time black history in technology and sci­
o
f
my
references
and citations in
dealership
on
Union
Avenue
back
in
in many a year they had not heard of ence, I mentioned several months ago
my
chosen
field--from
the 1966
1950,
and
who
had
set
up
the
“Union
my making any presentations in the that after thirty years I had rejoined
Avenue Finance Company” foragroup Dalles Oregon Science & Communi­
“AssociatedOregon
Industries”
.
This
schools or appearing on any of the
of the used car dealers? Since I surely cations Prize W inning Program ”
community television shows “though is
Oregon’s largest organization of was the very same, there was no end to to last year’s “Forest Service Diversity
allegedly they are runbyblacks”. Both
the excitement and after the meeting Program ” —and sent the material
teach at schools with a considerable the state’s industry, large and small,
Not too shabby! And Portland
newspapers, black and white, did a
better job than they have ever done I
am especially proud of the key presen­
tations o f tlie “Portland Observer”,
the staff outdid itself with its coverage
o f m ajor A frican
American contribu­
tions in the arts, sci­
ences, hum anities,
government, educa­
tion, and the m ili­
tary.
In the Feb. 10
edition I wrote an
article, “ Is Black
History Month All
It Should Be?” And in a key p ara­
graph I made the statement, “Africans
and African Americans have not been
exclusive about suffering, marching,
and being lynched or assassinated,"
obviously , that was a deliberate dig at
the number o f local “accom m odation'
blacks who wTite or make presenta­
tions only upon those o f us who "suf­
fered” or were made martyrs. Readers
have variously suggested that these
celebrants are either “frightened of
the man”, doubtful of our own docu-
.
by Dr. Manning Marble
A long the C olor L ine :
had gross annual incom es above
$50,000. Second, the average black
households spends about $ 19,130 an­
nually on consumer times, about 35
percent less than the $29,500 spent by
the typical white household. How­
ever, when the spending of all Afri­
can-American families is added to­
gether, the total comes to $270 billion
per year. If African-American con­
sumers were a separate country in
terms of the goods and services they
purchase, they would represent/four-
teenth most powerful economic unit
on earth. The Latino consumer mar­
ket is nearly as large, representing
about $200 billion annually.
L atin o ,A asian-A m erican and
African-American consumers are also
frequently ignored because of flawed
data-collection techniques for mar­
keting. In a typical random dialing
sample done by corporations, the yield
of blacks who are contacted is usually
In the year 2000, fully one-third
of A m erica's total population will
consist of people of color-L atinos,
Asian-Americans, Pacific Americans.
American Indians, and African Ameri­
cans The fastest growing groups in
this country are people of color. How­
ever, m anyofthe leadersof A m erica's
largest corporations still frequently
perceive African-Americans and other
minorities as marginal to the eco­
nomic development o f the country.
Racial and ethnic stereotypes about
people of color still influence corpo­
rate marketing behavior.
The first stereotype is the attitude
that the vast majority of black and
Latino house-holds are poor or low
income, and that they have relatively
few resources compared to families in
the white suburbs. While its true that
one-third of all African-Americans
live below the pov erty level, about one
out of seven black households in 1990
6 to 8 percent, well below the actual
percentage of African Americans in
the general populations. Blacks and
Latinos living in urban areas, and
especially in low-to-moderate income
neighborhoods, are rarely if ever con­
tacted directly . White marketing re­
searchers as a rule avoid black urban
housing projects.
There’s also the crucial factor
of culture, w hich much o f white
corporate America does not under­
stand It’s the simple observation
that people who possess different
ethnic heritages, customs and social
backgrounds will also have divergent
preferences, tastes and choices. We
may all be Americans, but we don't
all eat the same foods. A blue collar
Polish-American family in Chicago
w on’t prepare the same meals as
a middle class Mexican-American
family in the San Antonio suburbs.
In a recent issue of the Wall Street
to
President
C linton's
Science
President
Clinton
s Science
ai and
Education advisors
I did wish to remark further, in
th at context “ Is B lack H istory
Month All It Can Be?”, I meant ex­
actly what I said last week in “Per­
spectives”. There is no doubt what
soever in my mind that many, many
African Americans would have a
trem endous u p liftin g o f sp irit
and much better self-image if they
were aware that their forefathers
fought valiantly and massively against
the American Slavemasters during
the Colonial Period. Are we to be
the only people on G od’s earth
that alleged “historians” are permit­
ted to defam e and degrade as
meek, turn-the-other-cheek chattel
slaves who never had the guts to
revolt?
Be certain to get a copy of Peter
Fryer’s book, with its massive notes
and impressive documentation; “Stay­
ing Power: The History of Black
People inBritain”, Humanities Press,
1984. The Looking Glass Bookstore
can obtain itfory ou very quickly.They
are at 318 SW Taylor, 227-4760 (and
of course Daltons, Etc ).
Multicultural Economics: Minority
Consumers And White Corporate America
Journal, data on consumer spending
patterns showed that black families
spend much more for certain items
each year than w hites. In the category
of food, the average black household
spends $23.84 per year for hot
dogs, about 20.2 p ercen t more
than the $ 19.83 spent by white house­
holds. A frican A m ericans spend
35.5 percent m ore than w hites
for fresh fish ($52.71 vs $38.91);
they allocate 43.5 percent more for
bacon ($28.99 vs. $20.20). The aver­
age black household spends 47.7
percent more than whites for sausage,
53.5 p e rc e n t m ore for su gar,
23.3 percent more for flour, and 25.6
percent more for baby food. African
Americans not only buy 44.7 percent
more noncarbonated fruit flavored
d rin k s th a n w h ite s--th e y have
distinctly different preferences in taste.
A bout o n e -th ird o f all arrange
flavored carbonated sodas, for in­
stance, are consumed by blacks.
Clothing manufacturers should
observe that their profit margins
are largely determined by the actions
of black consumers. The typical Afri­
can American household spends 28.2
percent more than its white counter
party for boys’ sweaters, 8 1 8 percent
more for boys’ suits, sports coats and
vests, 94.4 percent more for infant
accessories, 128.8 percent more for
boys’ sox, 139.4 percent more for
boys’ underwear; and a whopping
194.7 percent more for boys’ pants.
Companies which rent household
items such as washers, dryers and
VCRs also depend on the African
American consumer market. The Wall
Street Journal noted that the average
black household spends 76 percent
more than the white household for the
rentals of VCRs, radios and music-
related equipment; they spend 219.8
percent more than whites to rent tele­
visions.
Civil rights organizations should
become more aware of these patterns
of African American and Latino con­
sumer spending. They should con­
sider targeting white corporations
which have heavy shares of minority
consumer markets, but which have
done little or nothing to promote mi­
nority hiring or joint v entures. A rea­
sonable share of such profits must be
ploughed back into Hispanic and black
communities, and the managerial
ranks of such firms must reflect ethnic
and gender diversity. If such compa­
nies refuse to negotiate, the economic
clout of minorities should be used to
reward our genuine friends, and to
punish our enemies.
This is the strategy of “economic
multiculturalism,” utilizing minority
economic clout to achieve our larger
goals of social justice and economic
development.
This Way for BlackEmpowerment
Black Representation Is Not Black Leadership
.
.
Some people are saying th at
things are better than ever for African
Americans. We have 38 members of
Congress, an increase of 52% over the
last session, we have high level Black
Cabinet appointees, we have mayors
in major cities around the country. But
Black representation is not the same
thing as Black leadership And while
we might have an abundance of repre­
sentation, we are suffering from very
serious lack of leadership.
W hat is the difference'.’ Leader­
ship means engaging how America
works-and doesn’t work-in areas of
fo reig n policy, w elfare an d th e
economy. Leadership means c o n ­
stantly involving ordinary people in
the process of evaluating social, eco­
nomic and cultural policy and making
determinations about whether they add
up to something positive for African
Americans and for all Americans.
We might have an increase in
Black representation But we also have
__________,vnm pn
„ « d th e n o w er of
many instances of misleadership that
have negatively im pacted on our
people. One such situation is the crisis
in the central African country ofZaire.
The early ’60s was the height of
the anti-colonial independence move­
ment which swept Africa. Patrice
Lumumba, the much belov ed, demo­
cratically elected prime minister of
what was then the Congo, had a vision
for economic and social dev elopment
based on the needs of the Congolese
people and not on the interests of the
U S. and European m ulti-national
corporations who sought to exploit
Africa in a variety of post-colonial
a rra n g e m e n ts. For th a t v isio n .
Lumumba was ceaselessly red-baited
by the U S. and finally assassinated-
by the CIA and his successor, Mobutu
Sese Seko, in 1961.
Since then, Mobutu, under the
guise of a pseudo-nationalist called
for African “authenticity " has butch­
ered the Congolese people, raped Con­
Mobutu for a public accounting and some books by white people,
golese women and used the power of Mobutu for a public accounting and
his self-appointed position of Presi- the Tshisekedi government has to be
dent-for-Life to steal government given the support that it needs to
money and resources to make himself consolidate its position and set Zaire
the third richest man in the world. on the road to recovery.
Here’s what some of our Black
Zaire is now among the poorest of
elected
officials said to me: We agree
countries, in spite of the great wealth
with
you,
Dr. Fulani, but we have to
of its natural resources. And the de­
work
behind
the scenes. W e’re speak­
mocracy movement, led by Etienne
ing
with
Clinton
and he’s assured us
Tshisekedi wa Mulumba, currently
that
something
will
be done. If we put
the prime minister of the democrati­
heat
on
him,
it’s
going
to backfire on
cally elected transitional government,
has been under siege politically and us. He’ll cut funds to our local pro­
militarily for the last several weeks by grams Oh, Dr. Fulani. you’re naive,
you don’t know how politics works.
the tyrannical Mobutu regime
Here’s what I said to them: Con­
It was under these circumstances
that I went to speak to our representa­ gressman, I don’t want to tell you your
tives in the Congressional Black Cau­ business. You are, after all. a member
of Congress, and I am just the chair-
cus Now is the time, I told them, that
person of a minor political party. But
public pressure has to be brought to
w ith all due respect, brother, it strikes
bear on President Clinton. There has
me that it is you who doesn't know
to be a public break with the policy of
anything
about how politics works,
the last thirty years. Mobutu has to be
Congressman,
maybe you only read
remov cd. His assets have to be frozen.
books
by
Black
people, but I've read
The United Nations has to summon
Capitol Gains
Congress’s pay has gone up
again-without even a vote. T h ats
because our law makers, who re­
ceived 39-pcrcent pay hike from
1989 to 1991, have their own "en­
titlement program," which pays au­
tomatic cost-of-living increases ev­
ery year. Except for six in leadership
positions who get more, members of
Congress now make $133,644, up
$4144 from last year.
But there’s paycheck gold in
Capitol Hill for many others, too.
Today, according to the Cato Insti­
tute. more than 1000Congressional
aides pull down over $80,000 a year.
Those staffers also share some
wonderful perks. They often take
"fact-finding" junkets to resorts
where they arc entertained by Lob­
L e tt e r s to
To The Editor:
Professor Burt has. as always,
done it again! The scries was very
informative and contained numerous
historical facts His timely critique
has encouraged me to purchase the
Ixxik
Sincerely,
J Allen
Portland, OR
Letter To The Editor
Once again I am writing to you
with concerns arising out of the or­
dered support on the above referenced
case.
My original complaint was not
addressed, as the Risk Management
Department found I should have filed
a complaint prior to the two year
limitation I have adjusted to that loss,
but am now concerned about this case
once again
In November, 1992 I contacted
M ilo’s Barbcquc to speak to Mr
Lindsey, Only to be told that he
was now employed at the Red Robin
byists.
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and
I’ve
Africa
are the
same
as I’ve
those Africa
whicl are the same as those which
some
books
by white
people,
and
studied how white elected officials get have sy stematically underdeveloped
things for their communities. They Harlem The Export-Import Bank-a
play power politics. And you need to major international banking institu-
do the same. You need to put some tion-has redlined African countries,
just as U S banks practice redlining
public heat on Bill Clinton.
The Jewish community demands in our communities You can't get a
support for Israel and for Jewish inter- mortgage or a home improvement loan
ests here. Why don’t Black people get just like Mozambique can’t get a loan
this deal? Isn’t that what the Black to upgrade its agricultural sector. It is
Caucus is supposed to do for us? Isn’t these policies as a whole which must
it the case that the more demands that be challenged
we make as a people, the more we get9
The basic priorities which dictate
The CBC explains its inaction on international economic policy favor
Zaire by saying that its proper concern white countries over nations of people
is with domestic issues; that it should of color white people over Black people
be putting its energies into domestic and rich white people over poor white
economic and social opportunities people. There is really no such thing
which benefit African Americans But as a program for domestic improve­
I think that the economic and political ment for Black communities here that
development of African Americans is doesn’t also address economic condi­
inextricably tied to that of people of tions internationally These priorities
must be changed-in theirentirely And
color around the world.
The patterns of investment which it’s going to take Black leadership, not
have systematically underdeveloped Black representation to do it.
t L
in Eugene I im m ediately called
him at th a t b u sin e ss to verify
that indeed he was employed there,
then called the Eugene SED office
to give them that information
Several months passed, 1 once
again called the Eugene SED office
to inquire as to why I had not received
any support since Sept or Oct. and
w as told th a t the S tate d id n 't
know w here M r L in d sey was
employed. I then called Mr Lindsey
once again at the Red Robin, then
re-called the Eugene SED office
to once agai n verify that indeed he was
employ ed there
E J i t o
We now come to March 1993
and when I contacted the Eugene
SED office several weeks ago. they
told me there was some problem
with the zip code on the notice to
the Red Robin, and nobody had
been served I once again called
Mr Lindsey at the Red Robin, spoke
with him and re-called the Eugene
SED office to report that indeed Mr
Lindsey was employed at that restau­
rant.
If I were not a somew hat reason­
able adult. I would begin to think that
there is a BIG note in the computer file
on this case that says “do not follow
up". Possibly circumstance or just
irony have dictated the events sur­
rounding my receiving child support,
but when the Obligor is full time
employed and the State somehow just
cannot figure out a way to obtain the
ordered withholding I view that as a
problem What must I do to ensure
that some justice is carried out in this
matter Do I now file a Tort Claim so
it will be within the two year limit or
wait to hear from somebody in your
office
Please advise
Sincerely,
Jeanne Lindsey