N ovember 03, 1993 • T he P ortland O bserver
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The Black Family Under Siege
Am ericans was down to 64 per
ce nt and s lip p in g . T oday i t ’ s
around 39 p e rcen t.” The most
im m ediate question is w hat was
so m agical about that benchm ark
year o f 1970? No one seems to
F a m ilie s .”
T h is b la ck, syn dicated c o l rem em berany single,catastrophic
The
s o c io lo g is t ,
u m n is t fo r the respected W ash e v e n t.
in g to n Post makes m uch o f the B illin g s le y , is q u o te d , “ T w o
th ing s happened; the loss o f jobs
s ta tis tic s fo u n d in the w id e ly
praised book by a noted U n iv e r and the c ru m b lin g o f black in s ti
s ity o f M a ry la n d S o c io lo g is t, tu tio n s .” He fu rthe r cites the tech
n o lo g ic a l changes in the 1950s
A n d re w B illin g s le y , " C lim b in g
Jacob’ s L a d d e r.” W h a t Raspberry and 1960s, “ then autom ation and
fin d s “ S ta r tlin g ” is th a t in 1890, d e clin e in m a n u fa c tu rin g jobs
80 p e rce n t o f b la c k A m e rica n made d ra m a tic changes in t he
house-holds w ere husband and w o rk fo rce . 1 he im pact h it blacks
w ife fa m ilie s -- and that fo r the hardest because the lost jobs were
la rg e ly in t ce ntral c itie s .”
f o l lo w in g d e c a d e s , th ro u g h
W e ll, that is one explanation
b o o m tim e s or depressions, these
and
it is ‘ p o litic a lly c o rre c t’ in
fig u re s rem ained a p p ro x im a te ly
terms o f conventional wisdom and
the same.
T hat is u n til 1970. “ T hat year, the pronouncem ent o f academics
the percentage ot h usb an d-w ife and the social engineers. We w ill
note, h o w e v e r, th a t w hen D r.
h o u s e h o ld s a m o n g A f r ic a n
I f you saved last F rid a y ’ s e d i
tio n o f the O regonian N ewspaper
(1 0 /2 9 /9 3 ), check o u t W illia m
R a sp b e rry’ sco lu m n on p a g e C l 1;
“ Job Losses Spur D ecline O f Black
B illin g s le y is asked "w h y there
was not a s im ila r d is in te g ra tio n
o f the black fa m ily d urin g the
great depression o f the 1930s” ,
he adm its to not having any an
sw er. T h is is a c ru c ia l p o in t and
none o f our many S o ciolo gists
seem able to p ro vid e an explan a
tio n - if , indeed, they are even
w illin g to address th is anom aly.
M r R a s p b e rry and D r.
B illin g s le y p ro vid e fu rth e r c o n
v e ntio na l w isdom (n o t in s ig h t)
when they cite the tired fa m ilia r
usually o ffe re d to explain the c u l
tu ra l breakdow ns that became so
v is ib le in the seventies; School
in te g ra tio n , flig h t o f the black
m iddleclass to the suburbs, in
creasing re s id e n tia l desegrega
tio n and loss o f ‘ neighborhoods ,
w h ite flig h t and loss o f the tax
base that supported urban ser
vices. A ll these factors com bined
w ith the jo b losses m entioned ear
p lo it the b la c k m a rk e t place.
and g ra n d -p a re n ts w ere neve r
tu rn e d o u t. A n d th ere w as an O u r fir m s fa ile d .
T h is s o p h is tic a te d and d i
e c o n o m ic c o u n te rp a rt to th is
v
is
iv
e o p e ra tio n was c o n c e iv e d
s u p p o rt s y s te m , w ith in fa m i
and
im
p le m e n te d b y s h re w d , i f
lie s and th ro u g h b la c k -o w n e d
ures o f 1970.
u
n
th
in
k
in g , b la c k m a rk e tm e n as
W h e n s o c ia l in s titu tio n s fa il r e ta il, s e rv ic e and fin a n c ia l in
they
ca
lle
d them selves. T he c o n
so c a ta s tro p h ic a lly , th o u g h it s titu tio n s . W e had m u c h o f w h a t
t
in
u
it
y
o
f b la c k in s titu tio n s ,
K o re a n s and V ie tn a m e s e n ow
is the case th a t in the past th e y
b o th e c o n o m ic and fa m ilia l w as
have w ith s to o d w o rs e , w e d o d e m o n s tra te .
T h e re a d e r, i f at a ll fa m ilia r fa ta lly d is lo c a te d fo r it is th a t
ind ee d need to m ake fu rth e r in
‘ N E X T G E N E R A T IO N ’ w h ic h
q u ir y . W h a t, e x a c tly , d id d is w ith m y w ritin g s , s h o u ld have
keeps
a p e o p le v ita l and p ro
s o lv e the ‘ g e n e ra tio n a l g lu e ' a g o o d ide a o f m y v ie w s on the
g
re
s
s
iv
e . S o, in s te a d o f th e
w h ic h p e rm itte d A fric a n A m e r i p rin c ip a l fo rc e th a t “ d is s o lv e d
‘
n
a
tu
ra
l’ d e v e lo p m e n t th a t has
cans to m a in ta in the fa m ily and the g e n e ra tio n a l g lu e ” . M y se
o
c
c
u
rre
d
w ith a ll o th e r races o f
e ro tic a l in s titu tio n s d u r in g the rie s on “ E v id e n c e s o f Progress
p
e
o
p
le
,
here
and a b roa d, the
A m o n g c o lo re d p e o p le ” c o n
m o s t tra u m a tic o f tim e s ? T h e
A
fric
a
n
A
m
e
ric
a n has lo s t the
c lu d e s h e re , and I have g iv e n
‘ C o n s a n g u in e ” o r b lo o d - lin e
m
o
s
t
p
re
c
io
u
s
asset
o f a ll, h is
in fra s tru c tu re o f the b la c k e x c o n v in c in g “ e v id e n c e ” o f m y
‘
b
lo
o
d
lin
e
!’
Perhaps
the s o c i
tended fa m ily h e ld f ir m in e v o w n — th a t w ith in c re a s in g
o
lo
g
is
ts
lik
e
D
r.
B
illin
g
s le y can
e ry a c id te st, decade, a fte r d e m o m e n tu m a fte r W o r ld W a r II,
n
o
t
a
nsw
er
the
q
u
e
s
tio
n o f how
cade — fro m the C i v il w a r to the m o s t ta le n te d and h ig h ly
th
is
happened
because
it is so
w e ll a fte r W o r ld W a r I I . B u t e d u c a te d sons and d au g h te rs
d
if
f
ic
u
lt
to
m
ake
the
a
d
m
is s io n
f in a lly it began to g iv e , th a t w ere s ip h o n e d o f f fro m the e x
th a t Pogo d id , “ W e have fo u n d
te
nd
ed
fa
m
ily
and
p
ut
to
w
o
rk
w o n d e rfu l in s titu tio n w h ic h saw
the enem y and it is us.”
to it th a t o rp h a n s w e re ta k e n in , e n a b lin g w h ite in d u s try to e x -
lie r are usually given as the lorces
w hich drove the black c u lture d i
saster to a c ritic a l mass c o in c id
ing w ith the reve aling census f ig
(WW)
by James L. Posey
An Open Letter:
I f you really want to effectively
contribute to more economic imbal
ance along racial lines, continue to
pick on M ayor Katz. To her credit and
to some people’s dismay, she is at
tempting to nudge aiong a slight
change in the economic status quo in
this town in favor o f economically
oppressed people o f color. So why are
you trying to belittle her efforts?
She has been in office less than a
year and you seem to want to down
grade her performance for efforts to
fin ally bring government down to
earth, by demanding accountability
to citizens, and by championing the
rights and needs o f those traditionally
leftouL As one who has supported the
W W point o f view in many instances,
this time you need to know you’re
barking up the wrong tree. Y our Oc
tober 14th article, “ A ll Pumped Up”
made some critical observations of
Katz which appear to be misguided.
A fter listing a few o f the Mayor Katz ’ w
accomplishments: h irin g Charles
Moose, crafting a m inority contract
ing plan, and creating a customer
response program: you said, “ No
where is there the sense that Katz is
putting the important issues on the
c ity ’ s agenda or demonstrating the
kind o f leadership that has people
thinking about what counts.”
Rachel, you need go back to New
Y ork or wherever you came from with
that kind o f snide assessment o f what
counts or what is important for people
in this region. Suggesting that m inor
ity contracting issues are less impor
tant or inferring that attention to is
sues in Northeast Portland are some-
One Church, One Church
Dear Fam ily;
this end we constantly work to ensure
D id you know that: 1/2 Black middle that young African American foster
class in gov’t work.
childrenw illnotscethetragiclifestylc
70% Black families are offered by the drug and culture as
headed by women
their only option. We offer these chil-
66% Out o f wedlock j ren a loving, nurturing, understand-
births.
¡ng fam ily w ith whom they can learn
As you know, a generation o f dis- and grow through adoption and Ex-
enchanted children from broken tended Fam ily Care.
homes are ravaging our communi-
The O.C.O.C. program recruits
ties. We see the drug and gang culture families o f color to adopt children o f
in our community; we sec the chil- coior and Give Us This Day is ccrti-
dren being incarcerated; we see the f,ed by the state as an adoptive place-
children k illin g each other; and we ment agency. We need your help, our
hear the gunfire and the sirens that children need your help. There arc
plague the lives o f our children.
many children o f color who can no
We also see the need to rebuild the longer live w ith thcirbiological fami-
sense o ffa m ily in our communitv ’’’
lies and they need our traditional
how less substantial than issues like
regional growth is rather asinine. But
more than that, it demonstrates how
the so called “ white liberal press” can
be more insidiously destructive to at
tempts to establish race equity than
any white supremist group could ever
hope to be. One would like to think
your remarks are unconscious and
unintentional, but, be-as-it-may, they
nonetheless add fuel to the fire that
inflames racial hatred and disparity,
which ultimately results in racial con
flict. A t a time when the state o f rac ial
harmony in America is so fragile, few
commentaries from the media can be
more damaging than suggesting that
issues affecting people o f color, don’ t
count.
The W W and every other media
outlet ought to give the Mayor high
marks for her efforts to pay more
Extended Fam ily to come to their
rescue.
Here’s how you can help: come to
an informational meeting to learn
more about adoption and Extended
Family Homes; host an adoption in
formation party in your home and
invite your friends over to learn about
adoption; become an Extended Fam
ily parent; get trained to care for drug-
affected babies; tellotherfriends about
the need for families; make a dona
tion o f your time; make a monthly
financial investment in the recruit
ment o f families for the children who
wait.
No matter who you arc or what
your circumstances, you have some-
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m ent responsive and re fle c tiv e o f
the needs, ideas and desires o f its
c itiz e n s . N o s m a ll fe a t in
a nyb od y’ s book.
The W W should continue to
focus a c ritic a l eye on the antics
ol governm ent o ltic ia ls , but there
must be some reasonable, com
m on sense accom m odation ap
p lie d to the scru tin y. No body is
gonna p ro tect K atz i f she screws
up, b ut she deserves a honest
chance to ca rry o u t her plans to
im prove this c ity w ith o u t being
dogged every step o f the way.
I f you w ant to sic the dogs on
someone, maybe a more w orthy
o b je c t o f your continued attention
is Barbara R oberts. She’ s has se
rio us problem s, b ut you need to
stop try in g to prem aturely maul
K atz fo r doing the r ig h t th in g .
C ontact: Susan Davis or Nancy Thompson, 823-3660
W ho: Metro Performing Arts is a C ity Arts program o f Portland Parks and
Recreation, offering a wide variety o f performing arts classes throughout
the city for all ages and levels.
W hat: Performing Arts Classes, starting November 1st
Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced levels available
Preschool Dance. Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Morris Dance,
Highland, Aerobic Dance, Creative Dramatics, Play Production,
Introduction to Music, Artworks, Watercolors
W here: Metro Performing Arts studios at MPA/Rice School, 6433 NE
Tillam ook, Portland, OR 97213; M PA/Laurclhurst Park, 3756 SE Oak,
Portland, OR 97215
W hen: Classes arc beginning the week o f November 1st. Students may
register now. Class sizes arc lim ited so early registration is advised.
How: Students may register by phone or with a charge card, by mail or in
person at either site.
T e ll I t To T h e J u d g e
992 Arguments
J
•
DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME
thing to offer our children who have
no permanent fam ily. Can you find
room in our home or in your heart to
help these children who wait?
Please call us today and let us
know that you care about the future o f
A fric a n -A m e ric a n ch ild re n. The
numbers are:
One Church, One C hild A t 285-7634
or,
Give Us This Day, Inc. A t 288-4335.
From: The Dircctors/Staff/and V o l
unteers o f O.C.O.C. and G.U.T.D.
A Collaborative Partnership in the
best interestof our children and fa m i
lies.
I
I
(Dl|c 3}LnTluui> (D h ocrU cr ¡j
It is also a great accomplishment
for the mayor, and to soqje extend
Charlie Hales, to throw the rascals
out. They should get rid o f every one
o f those contemptuous arrogant bu
reaucrats in city hall who have tried to
use their positions and olficesas some
sortof kingdom, an ivory tower, inac
cessible and uncomfortable to c iti
zens who pay their salaries. Like the
Berlin W all, Katz seems to want to
crumble the partition which divides
us. One reason this is such a great
accomplishment is because it begins
to destroy die motive for such initia
tive as Measure 5. Such in itia tiv e s
are in part a reaction to the sort o f
c o n d itio n the M ayo r is try in g to
roo t out. A t th is p o in t i t seems the
m ayor is la y in g the ground w ork
and establish the fo un da tio n fo r
what prom ises to be a govern-
Metro Performing Arts
(Open Letter To The Afrlcan-Amelcan Community)
A
©jje ^portianit ©bseriier
attention to areas and issues that have
been long neglected. It ’s refreshing
and reassuring toknow thatour mayor
has the common sense to recognize
that what a society does for the least ol
it’ scitizenswill ultimately benefit the
entue society. People in Portland
should be assured if the mayor first is
w illing to address the problems o f
people who need it most, then the rest
o f Portland’s citizen w ill undoubt
edly also be well served. In contrast to
her predecessors, recognized more
for their half-hearted attempts and
tendency to lip service, Mayor Katz
has make real progress. To buck the
trend in favor o f politically weak con
stituents is a courageous act. It is a
sign o f genuine leadership based on
the right thing to do, rather than the
self-serving, compromising actions
many politicians are noted for.
by Judge Leslie Isaiah Gaines
“ Would you both please check
your calendars’ to see what date you
w ill be available to k ill each other?”
They had been married for seven
teen years. They had successfully
raised five wonderful children. Yet,
their marriage had the characteristics
o f a dry martini..., on the rocks.
The police officers knew them on
a first name basis and the police cruiser
could practically guide itse lf to their
door. The routine weekend domestic
d'sturbance runs to their home were
regular enough for the neighbors to
set their clocks by.
As many o f us old-fashion-hus-
bands have been trained and pro
grammed to do, he had already given
his w ife his paycheck. From what I
could understand from the confusing
evidence, he was already intoxicated.
Argument992 started because his wife
would not give him anymore money to
buy more alcohol.
Did she pul him out o f the house?
Did he put her out o f the house? Did
they pul each other out o f the house?
After an hour o f mixed-up testimony
and a legal pad fu ll o f notes, who
knows?
The one thing that was clear to
me after hearing all o f the verbal
“ crossfire” was that the poor police
officers were the true victims in this
case.
One police officer almost testi
fied w ith his head in his hands, about
the numerous runs that they had made
to break the couples’ on-going-lovers-
quarrels.
To see a police sergeant, with
years o f experience, almost pull his
hair out, over the back and forth, he-
said, she-said testimony, made my
heart go out to hint.
The police officer said she had a
bump on her head; she said she didn’t
have one. They wanted to lock him up;
she did not want to sec him go to jail.
The police officers filed charges
against him; she didn’ t want to sec
him in trouble. The police officers
said she wanted to prosecute; she said
the police threatened to lock her up, if
she d id n ’ t.
A fte r my neck got sore from turn
ing my head trying to follow the evi
dence, that was more back and forth
than a ping-pong match, I stopped the
case.
I found the husband “ Not G u ilty”
on the reasonable doubt that fhxxled
the courtroom floor, but both o f them
had to suffer a stem tongue-lashing
from me for the suffering that they had
put those poor police officers through.
“ How soon do you both plan to
k ill each other? The real crime in this
case is the way you both have killed
these officers time, by having them
run back and forth to your house, for
nothing. I wish I could lock both o f
you up for murder, the way you both
have killed these officers time.”
A fte r my cruel and unusual
tongue-lashing, both o f them ex
pressed what appeared to be genuine
shame for their conduct and vowed to
seek counseling and solutions for their
problems that would not involve the
police. They stated how much they
loved each other and how they would
never do anything to hurt each other.
They thanked me for my harsh, yet
compassionate words and assured me
that I would never sec them in court
again.
W ill there be a Part II to this
story? The jury is still out.
Think About It.
Write:
Tell It To The Judge
Judge Leslie Isaiah Gaines
l(XX) Main Street, Room 270
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202