A pril 7, 1993 • T he P ori land O bserver
P age B ö
A Special Note To All Young People
____
Attn: All Young People And 1 heir
Families
I am a young man who has been
involved with drugs lor the last 5
years. Unlike most of my peers 1 have
made it near adulthood and 1 have
finally realized what life is about,
although many of my close friends
have passed away or have become
institutionalized by constant incar
ceration. 1 have devoted my life to help
parents of young gang members, and
members themselves make a change.
1 hope by reading this letter, it will
shed some light on our growing gang
population and how to stop your chil
dren from getting involved. And if
your children are already involved I
can shed some light on how to help
them out of the gang.
First of all to help young gang
members you have to understand them.
How can you solve a problem without
understanding what the problem is?
Manv gang
eane members ieci
m isu n u er-
Many
» u o d V y X members
u n n d p u r feel
e u t o misunder-
d p m fe ,
arrest record: as it to say he deserved
to die.
Now we hit on a very sensitive
problem our youth are experiencing
with the police. Many of you have seen
the Rodney King beatings and have
been amazed because someone had a
camera. Everyday Portland youth ex
perience some sort of harassment or
brutality from the police, but unfortu
nately there aren’t enough cameras
around. Have you ever slopped to think
would police have gotten away with
berating Rodney King if there wouldn’t
have been a video tape. Well the an
swer is already known, because even
with the tape the justice system failed.
And did you ever stop to notice every
little thing King did was nation wide
news. “Rodney King-Jailed after a
fight with girlfriend-King stopped for
reckless driving”. The media tried its
best to slander his name. If he would
have spit on the sidewalk, it would
have made the front pag e.'r he police
2n“ " t o ” t o ° ga^U = sWTo .hen,
There Is a new law here in Port-
it’s like a family When a fellow gang land that has fueled much fire. The
member is blown away in the streets uninsured motorist law gives police
it’s like killing their brother. If your the nght to seize uninsured cares. A
brother was m trdercd and justice was major argument for this law was to cut
not served you would feel an urge of "
vengeance which is the source of many
gang related deaths, “vengeance”.
Many of you would leave a murder to
the police, but to them the police are
the
an a a friend
irienaw
nosenuusc
the enemy,
enemy. th
I had
whose
house
was shot up and his 10 year old brother
was hit when the police came to in-
vestigate they arrested the people who
lived in the victims household, in-
stead of taking down complaints. Now
think back to when you heard about
!he last gang killing The first thing
that they^aylbout the victim is that he
down on gang related drive-bys, since
the law has been in effect they have
seized many gang related vehicles,
but here the gasoline element rises,
gang related shootings are at an all
time high. Most youngsters feel op-
pressed by these laws, which are the
stem of their anger and the growing
number of incidents proves that they
are lashing out against society. Many
feel hopeless. They just don’t care.
Their life means nothing to them; so
how can you expect them to spare
someone else when a problem of gang
was a “gang member” with a long
conflict occurs. These youngsters are
Church Of Scientology Publishes
800-Page “What Is Scientology?”
M ost p eo p le have heard o f
Sciemology It has been in the news
over the years for its fearless fights for
reform in many areas of society.
Mostnotably, the technologies of
Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard
in the areas of drug rehabilitation and
education reform have become known
for their effectiveness
for their eltecuveness.
In response to huge public and
m ed ia d e m a n d , th e C h u rch o f
Scientology recently released a 800-
pag e v o lu m e e n title
w n a i is
pag e v o lu m e e n title “ W h at Is
Scientology’’” The book is the defini-
tjw T and com prehensive reference
■■ multi
■'
work on the subject of ■ this
faceted religion.
“W hat Is Scientology?” contains
the facts on the philosophy, history,
practices, activities, organizations,
m em bership,com m unity programs
and much more.
The by book
all M
services
offered
te C h describes
u re h c s and
ìssìots
j __ i’ _
of Scientology, the uses and applica
tions of the religion, and how apply
ing Scientology principles has im
proved the lives of millions of people
around the world.
Num erous charts and graphs
show dem ographics and statistics
Th«».:.»
These victim
victims s and
and aearessors
aggressors are
are the
the
young generation of members that
are from Portland, not California,
they are your kids and they were the
roots of your problem back in 1986-
87. So learn from your mistakes. Put
more emphasis on your children-the
future generation Stop it at the roots!
How do you do this?
First stop spending so much
money on more jail beds, and more
police and put it w here it counts in the
school sy stem. Forevery dass(school)
of 30 you cut, you might as well open
20 beds in a correctional facility cause
you’re going to need them, budget
more teachers and counselors and
less prison guards. Make classes
smaller so students can get more one-
on-one attention from teachers. Start
after school programs that keep kids
off the streets. Start more school pro
grams for at risk kids and those not
quite making the grade. In high school
start more Career Development, and
programs like P.I.C. I noticed that
while I was attending P.I.C. they had
a case load of students wanting job
training skills. That tells you that
there are teens who are trying to
better their lives. Don’t run them
down. Give them an extra hand.
In Juvenile corrections start more
Community Based Programs to take
offenders before they need JDH or
MacClaren. Juvenile should be the
last resort in Juvenile Correctional
Why? Because young offenders tend
to learn criminal ways from older
offenders. Making them go from bad
to worse. I heard a statistic that 85%
ofM acClaren level offenders go on to
prison. Stop them before they reach
85% and get them on the right track.
Police-first stop hiring more; re
train your police;get more commu
nity based officers ad less “Bust’em
“Project Unity” Seeks
Better Relations
Between Police And
N.E. Youth
about Scientology, such as the aver-
age age (31 to 40); number of social
bettermentand reform activitiesof the
Church; community activities partici-
paled in by Scientologists and their
children; and education level of
Scientologists.
One of the most interesting stalls-
tics about Scientologists has to do
may
Scientology is an all-denominauonal
religious philosophy that an individual
Project U n ity-a newly formed
learns and applies to cad a hw lthier.
happierand more productive life while coal ition of Northeast Portland youth,
community groups and police-will
maintaining his own earlier religiou
a ffilia tio n s . B ecau se app ying sponsor a community meeting today,
Scientology enhances spi
y, April 7th at 6:30pm at the Urban
many people report that their rel - League of Portland, 10 N Russell St.,
gious beliefs are strengthened and their to search for ways to improv e relations
understanding of lheir own relauon- between at-risk youth and the police.
religion in the world that can boast of ship with the Supreme Being is clari- Anyone interested is invited to attend
The goal of Project Unity is to
a 100% drug-free membership. Ac- fied.
cording to the book, 61.8% had taken
Why the Church has lead the way improve relations and reduce tension
street drugs prior to their involvement for religious freedom, and what it has betw een the police and youth in North
with Scientology. while .00% report h. offer ihosc who wrsh to » p ro v e and Northeast Portland "Misunder
drug-free lives now, after participat society, arc subjects covered in “What standings on both sides are causing
many youth—African-American males
Is Scientology?”
ing in Scientology services.
“With
accurate
information
can
in particular—to have their first scrape
Religion plays a vital role in cre
come
real
understanding,”
said
Rev
with the law,” says Joann Rosev ear of
ating an ethical and civilized society,
erend
Heber
C.
Jentzsch,
president
of
the Urban League's Male Responsi
with freedom of belief of major impor
die
Church
of
Scientology
Interna
bility Program. “And once a youth has
tance in all societies. “W hat Is
Scientology?” shows the history of the tional. “And with understanding can a criminal record, more arrests seem
Church of Scientology as a leading come trust and cooperation in achiev to follow.
advocate o f religious' 'freedom in die ing mutually held g o a l, This is why
Project Unity formed a Police
C htlVC
W hat IS Youth Council to reduce initial con
we
h av e DubllSnCQ
p u b lish e d
United Ctntzvc
States ortrl
and irniind
around thp
the wnrlfl
world. W
frontations and improve communica
The church has borne the burden, Scientology?
For information on how to obtain tion between police and youth. The
many times alone, for defending the
right o f all religious to function in a copy o f "What Is Scientology?” Council will work to teach youth to
society , and this story is told in the contact the Church o f Scientology avoid behavior police perceive as
Celebrity Center Portland at
threatening and will also help police
book.
(503)
228-0116.
learn to distinguish between teenage
The book clearly shows how
horseplay and fashion styles and real
gang jOVUIllJ.
activity
! S ubscribe
(The ^ c rtla n b (©bseruer Î
(USPS 959-680)
OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established In 1970 by Alfred L. Henderson
Joyce Washington
Publisher
The PORTLAND OBSERVER Is located at
4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97211
503-288-0033 • Fax 288-0015
Deadline for all submitted materials:
Articles: Monday, 5:00 pm—Ads: Tuesday, noon
POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Portland Observer, P.O.
Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208. Second class postage paid at Portland
Oregon.
The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts
and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if
accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads
become the sole property of the newspaper and can not be used in other
publications or personal usage, without the written ognsent of the general
manager, unless the client has purchasea the composition of such ad. ©
1993 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,
REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS
PROHIBITED.
Subscriptions. $30.00 per year.
The Portland Observer-Oregon’s Oldest African-American Publicatlon-
is a me
r of the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885,
and The national Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers,
Inc., New York, NY. and The West Coast Black Publishers Association •
Serving Portland and Vancouver
..
year old friend dead shot 5 times was
a far off distant nightmare. Now its
changed so much We used to get in
deep As we got deeper into our con
versations we came up with some
solutions to this Gang/Drug prob
lem But most of you will never know
what we came up with cause we are
viewed as animals, not to be commu
nicated w ith. Well I feel that 1 owe it
to the younger generation to give you
adults some real solutions because
it's obvious your “lockem-up, beateni-
dow ii’solution is not working. Be
cause even with more police, stiff
sentencing, and more jail beds, the
Gang/Drug problem is still at an all
time high So what I’m going to do is
offer you some solutions for the in
side It’s up to you as parents and
politicians to honor them because the
way y ou’re going now, it’sonly mak
ing it worse.
First of all the gangs are like
weeds in a law n. You don’t kill weeds
by chopping off the tops, cause in a
week they’ll be back. Your policy
o f youngeter, who h » g 0», 0» run», until now lock all gang offenders up
for as long as possible, hoping to
com ers and sell crack and do drive
scare other members out of the gang.
bys at night We a ren o t an'™ ls’
And from the results here in Portland
are a g ro u p o f nClgh^ r“
'dJ ^
most often we are your kids. M osto u you know this policy is not working
have done the same thing as you did as You have to pull gangs up by their
a child, played football in the streets; roots, or future members. I can re
went to the Salvation Army to play member w hen this gang thing started
hoop. It’s just that through the years some where around 1988. The law
we have become close brother like. makers did a big crack down on the
W e’ve done some of the same
wild problem, giving longer sentence to
„„„.¡„nnr
members, and by 1989 most of the
stuff you did aschiktren.excep
Original Gangsters were locked up.
world today there s no more
mg in the streets, it s a war and with- But you forgot about the younger
out a gun you could end up dead! generation who looked up to these
“OlG’s” and they grew into a greater
Sometimes me and my
problems than the original members!
just sit back and talk.
Remembering the old days when in 1992 it took an all time high when
we used to go to Sunday School and gang shootings were at least 10 a
week and it is still climbing in 1993.
church. W hen thethought ot yom
like walking time bombs. You've al
ready seen the damage done by these
bombs in L.A. By these examples
what I’m try ing to gel you to sec as
parents and community leaders is the
anguish imbedded in the minds ol
these so called “Gang Members .
Many have seen their friends die at a
young age. They see crack heads on
comers. Innocent victims shot or killed
and homeless dying in the streets. I
can remember someuines being on
the edge of going crazy. The people
willing to talk to me was my gang
homics. Most people don’t realize how
close gang involved youths really be
come. It’s like the gang is your family.
They speak the same language as you,
while many times your dialect may
seem like French to your parents. To
me, I never could understand why the
young boys I hung around with were
called “Gang Bangers” they weren’t
“Gang Bangers” they were my broth
ers, and when they died it killed . a part
,
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
(9AJCE AGAIN IT'S ON,
pOKTLAMV'S NIGHT
A T THF
"APOLLO"
SATURDAY, A P R IL 1 7 th
AT THE ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL
TICKETS ARE $ 1 3 .0 0 IN ADVANCE
AND $ 1 5 .0 0 AT THE DOOR
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT "J"-M A C K
(5 0 3 )2 2 4 -2 6 1 6
TIC K E TS AVAILABLE AT
ONE STOP RECORDS, PEARL'S MUSIC SHOP, GENEVA'S
D IR E C T IO N 'S H A IR SALON, & THE_ALBE_RTA S T . MARKET
; MST/xxr?-" RedMsyer
2 *™ **
PEACE, GOD BLESS, AND SEE YOU AT THE APOLLO!!
'
Army Coll©é® Fund Increases
i n d i a n i » (© b e eru e r |
The Army today announced it is
The $30,000 am ount, like its guaranteed funding for college.
A soldier who successfully com
increasing to $30.000 the maximum $25,200 predecessor, is a special in
T he P ortland
plete
a four-year enlistment with the
O bserver can be sent amount of money for college av ailable centive which is created by combining money for college option would have
to qualified applicants who enlist for money from the Montgomery GI Bill
DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME
the Army College Fund (ACF).
($13,200) with a $1,200 contribution $833.88 per month for each of four
Thisboostfromthcpreciousmaxi- from the soldier, and the remaining years of college, based on a nine-month
FOR ONLY $30.00 PER
mum of $25,200 for a four-year enlist- $15,600 provided by the ACF Similar academic year The money may also be
YEAR.
mentwas initiated, with Congressional increase have been made for a three- used for any schooling approved by the
approval, to help restore the fund's year enlistment providing $25,000 for V eteran’s Administration.
P lease fill o ut ,
To qualify for the Montgomery GI
buying power to its fiscal year 1985 college tuition, and a two-year enlist-
ENCLOSE CHECK OR
Bill and the Army College Fund an
origination level College money is a ment providing $20,000.
MONEY ORDER,
potent enlistment incentive for the
As college expenses have in- applicant must have a high school
Army in attracting higher-quality re- creased, so has the importance of a diploma, achieve a score of at least 50
and M ail to :
emits. Last fiscal year 100 percent of college education to success in many on the entrance aptitude test, enlist in
new Armv recruits were high school career fields. At the same time, sources a designated critical job skill, have no
graduates. while 78 percent scored in for funding college educations have prior military service, and meet the
ubscriptions
the top half of the entrance aptitude declined The ACF prov ides qualified other enlistment eligibility require-
T he P ortland O bserver
tcst
individuals opportunities to obtain
—.
PO Box 3137
P ortland , O regon 97208 | L
drugs or hypnosis. Some are given person may have the potential ofbeing
Letter To The editor
a sex offender and if so, then stop him
I
Reports of psy chiatrists sexually electric shock to erase the memory of
before he starts A concept they have
I assaulting their patients have been the abuse:
A Glendale, California woman failed with in their own profession.
I increasing over the 1st few years. This
Name
These psychiatrists should not be
I w idespread abuse has existed for de sued her psy chiatrist, charging he had allowed
to treat anyone on sex of
nasomygauivui«-vuB...l.w..
~ ...........- her
- to have sexual intcr-
only gained recognition convinced
I cades but has
fenses
as
they have the highest offense
problem with the last few course under the guise of psychiatric
I as a serious
rate
The
schools need to be educated,
s
therapy” and then admitted her to a
I ' ^ O n c of every hundred patients hospital for electric shock treatments the clergy needs to be educated, par
Address
I sexually assaulted by their thcra- to erase her memory of the matter
ents need to be educated
Recently psychratri,,, have been
I “ » L t o five ever t o action
The psychiatric industry cannot
city, State
I against their perpetrators Only half working to infiltrate rchgions and c o n tro l th e ir
ow n
sexual
I of the victims arc aware that it is schoolsby providing sex offendci treat- p e n ersions.therefore they should not
zip-code
I ,1|cg;,l and/or against the ethics codes ment to members of the dergy and be allowed near the children or the
clergy
I
ofm cntal health prole,,,onals Some
T hank Y ou F or R eading
Alicia Olson
I victims arc sexually abused while ruentrs prevcnlton . These pwchra
T he P ortland O bserver I under Ihe mtluence of psychiatric rn s t, actually wan, to deternwne if a
Southeast Portland
S
41
>44
¿¿lets’*’
< •
> . , y..»
.
up, shootem
shootem down
down Steven Segal
up,
cops. Get the community back on the
police’s side Realize police are out
there tocut down on crime not babysit,
but they can still do their jobs effec
tive enough without brutality.
Another thing that is important
to teens is bordem, give these young
people something to do whether it be
midnight basketball or clubs that co
operate with community policies, this
is another way to get police and
young people back together, have
them coach midnight basketball and
other outside activities. Open more
recreation centers w here young
people can get off of the streets and
get counseling or job training or just
shoot a game of pool. If you don’t
give these kids something positive to
do they will definitely find some
thing else to get into, not always
positive. The need for somewhere to
go is desperate. If you can remember
when you were a teenager, and you
and some friends were bored and had
nothing to do you got into some
trouble. Maybe it was just staying out
late or ripping and running through
the neighborhood. Well, now the
neighborhood is a war zone and kids
are getting killed every day , so keep
your kids off of the streets give them
somewhere to go and something to
do positive.
Last, stop alienating your chil
dren that have become involved with
a gang-talk to them. Learn how they
feel and w hat’s going on in their
lives. If you see them doing wrong
don’t pass judgement, point them in
the right directions. Remember these
arc neighborhood children dying in
our streets. Their blood is on our
hands
May God Have Mercy on us all.
Miguel L. Tavlor
« • *