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Volum n XXIII. Number 32
“Serving the community through cultural diversity.’
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NAACP Statement On
Rodney King Beating
Dr Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., execu
tive director of the NAACP said: "These
sentences display a wanton disparity,
discrimination and inequity, based on
race. Once again a double standard of
justice in the United State's legal sys
tem has been exemplified The sen
tences represent not only a violation of
Rodney K ing’s civil and human rights,
but also a violation of the civil and
human rights of all Americans.
See related story on Page A 3.
Hatfield Votes No On
Budget Package
Senator Hatfield issued the follow
ing statement after the Senates’ vote on
the Budget Reconciliation Bill: "The
problem I have with this package is that
it simply doesn’t really address the
deficit and it fails to deal with a massive
problem that makes up the biggest part
of the budget entitlement spending.”
See related storv-M ctro Section B.
President Of
Homebuilding
To Speak
Habitat for Humanity, president
Millard Fuller, a millionaire business
man by age 29 who divested himself of
his wealth in exchange for his health,
marriage and integrity nearly 20 years
ago, created the successful grass roots
organization that’s the stuff dreams are
made of. Each Habitat project enables
people from diverse cultural, economic
and religious backgrounds to work to
gether toward a common goal.
See related story on Page B 4.
St. Louis Still Battling
Perceptions
To set the record straight for trav
elers, the St. Louis Convention & Visi
tors Commission is answering ques
tions about flood on its toll free visitor
information number. We have great
sympathy for people affected by the
flood, but visitors shouldn’t compound
this problem by staying away for no
reason.
See related story on Page A 2.
Tandy Corporation
In announcing their decision to
locate thei r Computer C ity SupcrCentcr
in the Portland/Vancouvcr trade area at
Jantzcn Beach Center, Computer presi
dent. Alan Bush said. "The reposition
ing and re-merchandising of Jantzcn
Beach Center makes it an excellent
location to attract customers from the
entire Portland/Vancouvcr trade area.”
Computer City features name brands in
personal computer products at the low
est retail prices in the market.
See related story on Page A 6.
Two images from Somalia have been
seared into our memories in recent months.
The first is that of starving Somalians, as they
held out their hands and implored for help
with their silent, sunken eyes. The second is
that of civilians spraw led dead on the streets,
killed by United nations gunfire.
Between these two images is a third: the
arrival of American troops promising to bring
food and peace, bristling with so much hope
that the mission itself was proclaimed to the
world as Operation Restore Hope.
What troubles me is that the third image.
A merica’s military intervention in Somalia, is
what linked the first image to the second. As
an A frican-A m erican 1 am particularly
troubled-indced anguished-by the spectacle
of United Nation troops, as part of a U S.
supported operation, shooting and killing
unarmed African civilians and of American
warplanes bombing in ways that are certain
despite the best intentions and precaution, to
wound and kill more Africans. Would the
U N. hav e ever killed Somalians had America
not wrapped itself around the w hole opera
tion? I think not.
The killing of Africans in Somalia is
partly America’s fault Thus there must be a
lesson for us in this. It is that America must
become much more cautious and much more
reluctant than it has been in getting military
involved ov erseas. In the cold War. obv iously,
it was easy to get involved and just as easy to
justify it-a n d to justify the casualties and
pain. At almost every dot on the globe we
potentially were standing up to a deadly Soviet
enemy. I was glad and proud that we did so.
And I understand that what then was at risk
was American security’.
With the Cold War over, we must realize
as we did for most of our history, that we
simply do not know enough about remote
reaches of the world to send American troops
or support the involvement of other forces
(like the U N.). If we do. the result almost
surely will be more of our own dead and of
dead among those w hom we wanted to help
And help is what we wanted to bring
young lives-a unique opportunity to see the
land of their ancestors while serving their
home, the U S A. 1 had been irritated, as had
others, that our government seemed obsessed
with the tragedy in white Bosnia while blind
to that in black Somalia. Our mission to
Somalia was no, conceived in evil. Nor was it
executed with anything but the kind of profes
sionalism that makes Americans proud of our
military.
The problem was that our mission was
conceived in ignorance, unavoidable igno
rance Our government did not-and could not-
-know enough about Somalia to intervene
effectively. I do not pretend to know enough
Bu, it is clear to me that we are bound to make
tragic mistakes when we land our troops far
from our shores, pick sides, favor one violent
warlord over another, attempt to mediate in
ternal politics whose dynamic stretches back
centuries, and pretend to know enough to
separate the good guys from the bad.
In retrospect the U.S. military mission
to Somalia was a serious mistake. It was,
firs, of all, a mistake because African civilians
Child at communal kitchen supplied by AFSC - Mogadishu
Somalia. As an African-American, in fact. I African-American men and women doing
cheered the dispatch of our troops to secure something so honorable and constructiv e w ith
the port and the capital and country side so that their lives, as opposed to falling prey to the
food could be distributed to the stan in g Soma many vices of our inner cities. For most, this
lians. 1 was particularly proud to see y oung will be the most fulfilling experience of their
every day to live with some dignity under
what may be the world’s harshest conditions,
without the U.S. and U N. adding to the
violence and killing. And it was a mistake
because we took lives and risked lives when
no American interest was at stake. Let’s
not make these kinds of mistakes again. If
we want to help Africans and others ov erseas,
we must do so without killing them in the
process.
The world looks to America for moral
leadership Consequently, we have a moral
obligation to promote the values that have
made us the moral beacon of the w orld; but our
first obligation is to advance these values
directly for the sake o f our own citizenry.
American lives should be committed stingily.
Considering that the Soviet Union has col
lapsed. our foreign military entanglements
must be directly’ connected to the National
Security of our country. In Somalia, this was
not the case.
Towing For No Insurance Grace Period Ends
Insured motorists cited and towed for
driv ing without carry ing proof of insurance
will no longer have their towing costs reim
bursed by the City of Portland, as the grace
period for the towing for no insurance ordi
nance ends on Saturday, August 7. Starting
Sunday , August 8, motorists cited for driving
w ithout proof of insurance will be towed at the
motorists’ expense
City Council adopted an ordi nance allow
ing police to tow the vehicles of motorists who
are cited for driv ing with no proof of liability who have insurance but were not carry ing it at
insurance in November 1992.
the time they were stopped by police. Towing
Police began enforcing the ordinance on and storage costs were reimbursed by the city,
February 8, 1993. For the first six months, the but will no longer be reimbursed after August
city reimbursed towing and storage cost when Seventh.
an insured vehicle was towed. This courtesy
"This means that insured motorists need
was limited to one time per vehicle and one to be more careful to remember to carry proof
time per household or business
of insurance with them when they drive, as the
Police Bureau statistics show that about state law requires,” said Chief Charles Moose
700 vehicles are towed for no insurance each
Year To Date By Precinct
month. About 100 ofthose belong to motorists • 867 or 20.82% o f the vehicles were towed
Spacer A trtufaib fn SarScp CfuMood Centers
Openings for fall are still available • Humboldt ECEC - Grades PK-5
4915 N Gantenbein St., 97217
in many of Portland Public Schools' seven
281-8797
early childhood education centers (ECECs)
serving 4-and 5-year-olds whose families • Irvington ECEC - Grades PK-5
1320 NE Braz.ee St , 97212
live within school district boundaries.
280-6456
Half-day prekindergarten and full-day
kindergarten programs operate five days a • King EEC - Grades PK-5
4906 NE 6th Ave , 97211
week at the centers, which draw Grant and
280-6456
Jefferson high-school-area children and
transfer students from other Portland School • Sabin ECEC - Grades PK-5
4013 NE 18th Ave., 97212
District neighborhoods. Transportation is
280-6482
prov ided from most neighborhoods
Lower staff-student ratios and a variety • Vernon ECEC - Grades PK-5
2044 NE Killingsworth
of enrichment programs including comput
280-6415
ers, math, science and cultural studies are
•
Woodlawn ECEC - Grades PK-5
available at the centers.
7200 NE 11th Ave.. 97211
ECEC offers reopen Aug 23 for regis
280-6282
tration Parents should bring proof of birth,
For further information, please contact
address and immunization records w hen reg
Marjorie Kerr, communication specialist,
istering their children.
P ortland School D istrict E C E C s are: Portland Public Schools. 249-2000, Est. 4563
or Jefferson Cluster Director of Instruction
• Boise-Eliot ECEC - Grades PK-5
Office
620 N Fremont St., 97227, 280-6171
IVA
* ’
by Traffic Division Officers.
660 or 15.85% o f the vehicles were towed
by Central Precinct Officers.
I,323or31.77%ofthe vehicles were towed
by East Precinct Officers.
1, I52 or 27,67%ofthe vehicles were towed
by North Precinct Officers.
161 or 3.86% o f the vehicles were classi
fied as being towed from other or un-
Continued on page A2
Oregon
Convention and Visitor Seruices Network Inc.*
C le g g Reward Fund
A press conference w ill be held on Saturday, August 14 at 1pm at Irv ing Park, NE 7th
& Fremont to announce the results of the special reward fund and to turn over the proceeds
to the Portland Police Crimestopper Unit.
The reward fund which was started by Portland businessmen. Roy Jay, President of
Oregon Convention & Visitor Services Network and Celebrity Limousine. Harold Wil
liams, President of CH2 A & Associates and Bernie Foster has generated a positiv e response
from community residents and businesses from throughout Portland Oregon and as far
away as California.
The message is very clear "You C an’, Get By With Murder In Portland Oregon This
is a small attempt to make sure that we keep our city safe for our citizens as well as visitors
and conventions that arc coming to Portland
Jay said that the community is upset by the senseless murder of a Headstart employee
and mother of three and have contributed to the reward fund in hopes of leading to the
identity and arrest of the suspects inv olv ed
The press conference will include attendance by Portland Police Chief Charles Moose
as well as other business owners & community residents The total amount of contributions
will be announced a, the press conference.
The Entire Citv Communitv Is Hereby Inv ited To Attend This Brief Presentation.
General News
Sports
Food & Nutrition
M e t r o L ife
The O verlooked G em
Bacon, Eggs, Pizza: Breakfast
A m erican Style
Motorcyclists Will G ather In
Nevada
Needless Deaths In Our
Com m unity Continue
Delores Dillard a form er retail clerk is
now in a position to help people o f color
to receive fellowships at Warner Pacific
“It’s better to eat anything, rather than
nothing at all."
Riders will be competing fo r the
prize purse worth a minimum o f
$25,000.
Law enforcement agencies can not solve
this crime by themselves.
College.
25i
B Section
PageB3
Page B 6
EDITORIAL
RELIGION
FOOD
AUTOMOTIVE
A2
B5
B6
A3
SPORTS
B3
Page A 4
ENTERTAINMENT
CLASSIFIEDS
B2
B8
t