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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1994)
M ay 4,1994 • T he P ortland O bserver ib i® r s efficient procedure than, say, the infa EEDS O F C H A N G E , C O N T ’ D: C O N T R O L L IN G PLA N TS FOR mous “ TusKeegee Experiment” where blacks w ith syphilis were deliberately left untreated. Y O U R B O D Y O R A U T O M O B IL E Y o u m ig h t say that last w e e k ’ s M any readers a rtic le “ sowed some seeds” o f appre were unaware that it is possible to get a hension on ve ry fe rtile g ro u n d —as w e ll i t should have. A fte r a ll, it revealed v ita l in fo rm a tio n co n ce rn in g the “ fierce battles fo r c o n tro l o f hum an, p la n t and liv e s to c k genes.” One reader says he hopes this series o f mine gets the same type o f widespread Let me add an important not here. Last week I recommended the relevant W hite M an’ s Burden” ), Sugar (“ Sugar and the Slave Trade"), Tea (“ Tea and the book, “ Seeds o f Change” by Kenny Ausbel (Harpers, San Francisco, 1994). Destruction o f China” ), Cotton (“ Cotton Please add to your library an eye open say, roses, it was possible. However, it was not lost on anyone that there were grave im plica and the American South” ), Potato (“ The Potato, Ireland and the United States” ). ing little paperback Professor Hobhouse exhibits the same high level comprehension o f the b y the S A M E N A M E , “ Seeds o f logistics o f food supply as the multina tional corporation: described last week C hange: F iv e (and the W orld Bank): “ Sugar cane, Plants That Trans formed Mankind” , Henry Hobhouse (Harper & Row, 1986, taken by the white man to the West Indies at the time o f the Renaissance and patent on a new plant variety, while some were aware that in the case o f s V most committed ecologists and environ mentalists brought up short by a new recognition o f just how greedy the cor porate interests (and W all Street) can be. U n til very lately, most have been beating cultivated on plantations by black slaves the drum for “ Ethanol” seeing this gaso line additive made from com as a key element fo r building an environmentally has been resurrected). However, other more cautious pa trons o f the “ Green Revolution” have noted that the huge international grain and seed company, A rthur Daniel M id land Company, is spending m illions on television advertising in beating its own drum for the use o f “ Ethanol” to refor sustainable economy and eliminating the pollution caused by use o f fossil fuels. The “ Institute fo r Local Self-Reli mulate gasoline. “ H old it” , th* > cry. This corporation is one o f the ke\ players ance” describes a “ C a rb o h yd ra te Economy” , clean, sustainable and based w o rld ’ s plant gene bank. “ What car. they be up to? Certainly not about diver- sity” ~W hat w ill be the relationship to in the global game o f controlling the onlocallygrow nplantm atter. Theynote an absolutely fascinating history o f Eu ropean colonization and control o f the was the cause o f the infamous transatlan tic slave trade, which made the Carib bean black rather than red. A ll this for tics made from cornstarch, biodiesel and the genetics o f the com we eat? And to the pesticide parameters set up by the w orld as it is an important introduction specialized lubricants made from cania chemical companies w ith interlocking be controlled through the proprietary sake o f a product which is w holly super fluous in the diet, a luxury when expen sive and a menacing drug when cheap.” directorates? O r todrug firm s who make liv e s to c k and hum an horm ones? before a virus can be deliberately pro hybrids, there w ill be no source but the to the dynamics o f food supply. There is a superb bibliography and several maps; The chapters are as fo l and other seed oils, food processing waste evaluation o f the target population (race) interests o f huge multinational corpora tions. Once most crops are reduced to LIC. This 1 ILLa lddlOi 1V grammed for genocide. is afar 111U more “ w»*i^»***j company store. dissemination (national) as m y Jan. 8, 1992 articles, “ The O rig in and Spread o f A ID S Is Finally Revealed.” W e were later informed o f aconnection to “ genes” , fo r there is a requirement fo r a genetic tions, indeed, i f your meat and potatoes, bread and salad and other food could all 1987). This remarkable text is as much lows, a. Q uinine (“ Q uinine and the that such items as soy-based inks, plas and wheat are all entering the market place. (Sounds as i f the great black The w orld itself is becoming more menacing everyday, as we find even the Monsanto, Cib-Geigy). More next week. chemist, Dr. George Washington Carver, THIS WAY FOR BLACK EMPOWERMENT: The New Populism J| - O F A C T IV IS T IN D E P E N D E N T S B la c k , w h ite and L a tin o - and professional bureaucrats and p ro R ig h ts adopted and the franchise e x p o p u lism dead. They have buried it fessional p o liticia n s. O f course, the fessional “ experts.” It owes its name to the People’ s (P opulist) Party, w h ich tended beyond the circle s o f the very ric h . I t is to be found in the w o rk o f o ve r and o ve r again. T hey have to ld P opulists’ re fo rm planks were soon le ft behind by the professionals when never even s it in the same room to gether not o n ly s it dow n and ta lk was founded in 1892 by o rd in a ry A m ericans (B la c k and w h ite ) and F re d e rick D ouglas and o th e r B la ck leaders w h o fo u g h t slavery in the firs t c a l” and “ apathetic.” B u t ju s t when the professionals had succeeded in independent p o litic s , but go out in to w h ich presented the Dem ocrats and d riv in g vo te r p a rticip a tio n to an a ll- tim e lo w , the A m erican people stood have witnessed a tru ly extraordinary p o litic a l process. W e have seen people A M O N E O F HUNDREDS w hom the p o litic a l pundits said w o u ld w ho have been w o rk in g in te n tly o ve r the us the A m e rica n people are “ a p o liti they entered the sm o ke -fille d back room s o f party w heeling and dealing. Secondly, the Populists flo u n last six m o n th s to ina u gu ra te a new n a tio n a l in d ependent p a rty capable each o th e r’ s co m m u n itie s and w o rk R epublicans w ith the m ost serious h a lf o f the 19th century, and i t was w ith the a b o litio n ists and “ free sol together to organize. I f this new party’ w e ’ re b u ild in g is to prove capable o f leading A m e rica ders” w h o united to fou n d the Repub up and said: W e w ill have term lim its ! o f se rio u sly c h a lle n g in g the co rru p t and g rid lo c k e d tw o -p a rty m o n o p o ly challenge so fa r to th e ir professional lic a n Party in 1854. P o p u lism , in short, is the deter- W e w ill support and independent fo r A m erican p o litic a l thought goes back even fu rth e r. I t is the b e lie f th a t “ a ll m ination to make the A m erican dream o f “ life , lib e rty and the p u rsu it o f cluded as fu ll and equal partners ripped the party apart. The issue o f o u t o f crisis and in to econom ic, social p o liticia n s o u t o f the business o f g o v e rn in g A m e rica ! I have o fte n reflected on the fate B la ck inclusion and black leadership rem ains the c u ttin g edge issue fo r o f the o ld P o p u list P arty. There are tw o basic reasons w h y it fa ile d in its A m erican populism today. th a t co n tro ls p o litic s in th is c o u n try. T h is p a rty -b u ild in g process be gan tw o years ago w hen 20 m illio n o rd in a ry A m e ric a n s re b e lle d against p o litics-a s-u su a l b y v o tin g fo r Ross Perotand other independents fo rp re s i- d e n t o f the U n ite d States. S ince then A m e rica n s fro m a ll w a lk s o f life , and p o litic a l developm ent, it m ust be party that listens to the voice o f o rd i nary A m ericans. It m ust be a p o p u lis t p a rty, a broad, in clu sive party o f c it i zen-activists, o rd in a ry A m ericans o f a ll colors and re lig io n s united by th e ir rule. B u t p o p u lism as a c u rre n t in men (and w om en) are created equal.” happiness” real fo r a ll A m ericans, It is the c o m m itm e n t to “ W e , the regardless o f th e ir econom ic status, People” as the ultim ate source o f pow er th e ir race, th e ir re lig io n , th e ir sex, o r th e ir sexual preference. It is the b e lie f o f society. P opulism is to be fou n d in the president! W e w ant the professional that o rd in a ry A m e rica n s can and m ocracy to A m erica. F irst, it re lie d too h e a vily on program m atics. W hen patriots w h o massed along the road fro m across the tra d itio n a l p o litic a l com m on co m m itm e n t to governm ent “ o f the people, b y the people and fo r fro m L e xin g to n to C oncord more than 200 years ago. I t is to be fou n d am ong the insurgents o f the Shay and W h is the D em ocratic Party adopted some o f the P o p u lists’ demands as p la tfo rm spectrum have been w o rk in g to con so lidate that v o te r re b e llio n in to a the people.” P o p u lism - w h ic h predates the the p o w e r to set social, p o litic a l and econom ic p o lic y we w o u ld do a h e ll o f a lo t better at the jo b o f lo o k in g a fte r p o litic a l p a rty th a t can w re st p o w e r fro m the p ro fe ssio n a l p o litic ia n s and categories o f “ le ft” and “ rig h t” in A m e ric a — is the stubborn b e lie f that key R ebellions w h ic h fo llo w e d inde planks, m any pa rty members were w illin g to g ive up th e ir independence. re tu rn i t to the people. O v e r the la st year and a h a lf w e o rd in a ry A m e rica n s should run the co u n try , not professional p o litic ia n s pendence. It is to be fou n d in the struggle o f Thom as Jefferson and his A n ti-F e d e ra lists to have the B ill o f clusion. The fig h t o ve r w hether o rn o t A fric a n A m ericans were to be in T h e o n ly w a y n o t to re p e a t the m is ta k e s o f h is to ry is to le a rn fr o m th e m . W e ha ve an e x tr a o r d i m ission to b rin g about greater de should ru n A m erica; that i f we had fro m a ll e th n ic and ra c ia l groups, and dered on the issue o f racism and in ourselves and our lo ve d ones — n o t to m ention the country and the w o rld - than the professional p o litic ia n s do. The dem ocratic a c tiv ity o f b u ild in g the P o p u list party was g ive n up in T he professionals have declared exchange fo r a prom ise fro m the p ro n a ry o p p o r tu n ity o v e r the n e x t fe w years to open up the A m e r i can p o lit ic a l p ro ce ss, to re ig n ite th ro u g h p e a c e fu l m eans th e A m e ric a n R e v o lu tio n , to m a ke re a l the A m e ric a n p ro m is e o f l i b e rty and ju s tic e fo r a ll. L e t’ s go fo r it. p, Send your letters to the Editor to: Editor, PO Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208 A R E L Y DOES T H E P U B L IC H A V E A N O P P O R T U N IT Y TO V O T E F O R A N O F F IC E S E E K E R W H O IS A L R E A D Y Q U A L I F I E D o f M r. M ig g in s ’ talents through m any years o f personal and professional association. M y o w n background and experience as an A u d it D ire c to r re in fo rce s m y c o n fid e n c e a b o u t M r. T O D O T H E JO B . A n elected o ffic ia l that can h it the g ro u n d ru n n in g e ffe c tiv e ly and e ffic ie n tly isa ra re o c c u rre n c e in p o li M ig g in s q u a lific a tio n s . I o ffe r the fo llo w in g a d d ition a l tics. M r. H a n k M ig g in s , M e tro A u d i to r can d ida te , is th a t rare exception. I can m ake th is statem ent w ith firm based on these c ritic a l facts: F o r o ve r fo rty years, led p rim a r ily b y the A m e ric a n In stitu te o f C e r c o n v ic tio n as I am p ersonally aware tifie d P u b lic A ccountants (A IC P A ), in fo rm a tio n and recom m end y o u r papers endorsem ent o f H ank M ig g in s J.L. Lawn Service Black America Should Rally Around Ben Chavis accounting and a u d itin g standard set ting and professional ce rtific a tio n was dom inated by priva te sector interests - governm ental interests ta kin g a back seat. T hree events that s ig n ifi ca n tly increased the awareness o f Pager 940-7721 S ELE C TE D DR. B E N J A M IN F . C H A V IS AS E X E C U T IV E D IR E C T O R A W A V E O F O P T IM IS M A N D EXPECTANCY SW EPT BLACK governm ental a cco u n tin g and a u d it ing changed a ll th is and increased the A M E R IC A . B la ck people were lo o kin g fo ra awareness and im portance o f the g o v ernm ental accountant and a u d ito r. new d ire c tio n fo r the N A A C P . D r. C havis has not disappointed. He im m e d ia te ly set the tone fo r his ad Those three events were: (1) the es- ta b lis h m e n to f the G overnm ental A c co u n tin g Standards Board, (2 ) the passage o f the S in g le A u d it A c t, and (3 ) the establishm ent o f the C P A des ig n a tio n , “ A c c re d ite d G overnm ental A u d itin g Spec ia lis t. ” T he la tte r event was A IC P A ’ s acknow ledgem ent o f the c o m p le x ity o f m odem govern m ental a cco u n tin g pra ctice and the Phone (503) 288-4906 HEN TH E N A A C P in cre a sin g ly in v o lv e d accounting and a u d itin g rules, c o u rt decisions, and governm ent sp e cific regulations. The A IC P A also acknow ledged that its R odney K in g beating tria l. He has been a m a jo r in sp ira tio n fo r the Urban Peace M o ve m e n t w h ich is tio n a lis t, p a n -a frica n ist and pro g re s sive leaders. Hosted b y the 50,000 m em ber D e tro it branch o f the N A A C P m e e tin g w o rk in g to end the fra tric id e fueled by gangs in B la c k c o m m u n itie s (the largest branch in the A sso cia tio n ), am ong those a ttending th is h is across the nation. Indeed, the crisis to r ic m e e tin g w e re : D r. C o n ra d a fric a n is t and progressi ves are par tic u la rly troublesom e to his detrac to rs in s id e and o u ts id e o f the o f B la ck youth had become a m a jo r W o r r ill, C h a irm a n o f the N a tio n a l focus fo r the N A A C P . The struggle B la c k fo r “ econom ic dem ocracy” has also M itc h e ll, C o-C hairperson o f the N a tio n a l A llia n c e A g a in st R acism and c ritic o f D r. C h a vis, described the P o litic a l R epression, D r. M aulana K arcnga, C h a irm a n o f the US O rg a the S u m m it as an “ extrem e m ove and labeled the leaders w h o attended the D e tro it m eeting as a group o f m illio n F a ir Share A g reem ent w ith dard setting fo r both the governm ent and p riva te sector was g iv in g p rim a ry the D e n n y ’ s co rp o ra tio n . B u t perhaps the m ost im p o rta n t d im ension o f the d yn a m ic new d i (U S PS 9 59-680) OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION ing Standards B oard (G A S B ). B y its actions, the A IC P A cle a rly sectors o f the N a tio n a l A fric a n A m e rica n C o m m u n ity . G ive n the in d ica tes th a t in d iv id u a ls (C P A s) massive c ris is rip p in g at the ve ry fa b ric o f B la ck life in our co m m u n i 4 747 N E M a r tin L u th e r K in g , J r. B lvd. P o rtla n d , O regon 97211 503-2 8 8 -0 0 3 3 * F a x 503-288-0015 Deadline for all submitted materials: A rtic les: M o n d a y , 5 :0 0 p m A d s : Tuesday N oon in the priva te sector are not q u a lifie d to practice in the p u b lic sector unless specialized tra in in g and expertise has been demonstrated. T he g o ve rn m e n ta l accountant and a u d ito r has a lw a ys required a broad specialized level o f know ledge, P O S T M A S T E R : Send Address Changes to: P o rtla n d O bserver, s k ills , and ju d g m e n ta l de cisio n -m a k P .O . Box 3137, P o rtla n d , O R 97208. ing techniques unique to the p u b lic sector. M r. M ig g in s co u ld not have S econd C lass postage p a id a t P o rtla n d , O regon. The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeledand w ill be returned. I f accompanied by a self addressed envelope. A ll created design display ads become the sole property o f the newspaper and can not be used in other publications or personal usage, w ithout the written consent o f the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition o f such ad. © 1994 T H E PORT L A N D O BSERVER. A L L RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN W H O L E OR IN P AR T W IT H O U T PERMISSION IS PRO HIBITED. S u b scrip tio n s:$ 3 0 .0 0 p e r year. The Portland O bserver-O regon’ s Oldest African-American Publication--« a member o f the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New Y ork, N Y . and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver achieved his past m anagerial account ing and a u d itin g successes in go ve rn m ent la ckin g such kn ow ledge and s k ills . It is fo r these reasons I strongly recommend and support your endorse m ent o f H ank M ig g in s . T he P u b lic can be assured that M r. M ig g in s ’ C e rtifie d In te rn a l A u d ito r d e sig na tio n , coupled w ith his board base o f experience in govern m ental accounting and au d iting q u a li fies him fo r the M e tro A u d ito r p o si tio n . S incerely, Robert H. S trickland, M P A .C F E , m edia, p a rtic u la rly the N e w Y o rk T im e s, have been severely c ritic a l o f D r. C h a vis in an o b vio us attem pt to d is c re d it h im and his top associates. D r. C h a v is ’ s refusal to distance h im s e lf fro m Farrakhan and the D e tro it B oard (G A S B ), charged w ith stan p ra c tic in g a cco u n tin g and a u d itin g S u m m it. M o s t re ce n tly, D r. C havis to o k the new d ire c tio n charted by D r. C havis. A n d certain elem ents o f the p rom ote u n ity in the B la ck co m m u n ity by co n ve n in g a m eeting o f na re ctio n set b y D r. C havis has been a new openness to reaching o u t to a ll Joyce W ashington Publisher T h e P O R T L A N D O B S E R V E R is located at w ith o u t d iffic u ltie s , how ever. Some w ith in the N A A C P w h o were/are co m fo rta b le w ith the old N A A C P have consistently resisted “ h o o d ” in S outh C e n tra l Lo s A n g e les to a w a it the v e rd ic t in the second m ent o f the G ove rn m e n ta l A c c o u n t E stablished in 1970 by A lfre d L . Henderson u n ifie d approach to s o lvin g the crises a fflic tin g the B la c k c o m m u n ity . D r. C h a vis made i t cle a r that M in is te r Farrakhan w o u ld be in clu d e d in the tenure at the h e lm has n o t been another b o ld step in his cam paign to S ta n d a rd s focus and interest to the p riva te sec tor. T h is changed w ith the establish new lo o k at the N A A C P . M ore than 60% o f these new N A A C P m e m b e rs are under 30 years o ld . D r. C h a vis’ s m in is tra tio n by g o ing d ire c tly to the been in te n sified as D r. C havis scored a m ilestone v ic to ry b y sig n in g a $50 F in a n c ia l A c c o u n tin g M uham m ad a ffa ir. R efusing to buckle to outside pressure (as m any B la ck leaders d id ), D r. C havis courageously called fo ra B la c k L c a d e rs h ip S u m m it conference to discuss and agenda and U n it e d F r o n t, C h a rle n e n iza tio n and the creator o f K w anzaa, C ornel W est, V ice . C hairm an, D em o cratic S o cia list o f A m e rica , G w en Patton, D ire c to r, Southern R ainbow Education P roject, A d jo a A iy e to ro , D ire c to r, N a tio n a l C o n fe re n ce o f B la c k L a w y e rs and D r. L e o n a rd Jeffries, C hairm an o f the B la ck S tu d w it h n a tio n a lis t, p a n - N A A C P . Joe M adison, a board m em ber w h o has emerged as a m a jo r in clu sio n o f Farrakhan in the c a ll fo r “ washed up radicals fro m the past. Indeed, the D e tro it m e e tin g has caused such concern am ong some o f the B oard m em bers that D r. C havis m ay be in serious jeopardy. F ro m m y vantage p o in t, as a life tim e m em ber o f N A A C P , its tim e to R a lly A ro u n d Ben C havis! T o o ties D r. C h a vis has p rio ritiz e d cre a t ing greater u n ity am ong the various ies D ept. at C U N Y . The m eeting was an o v e rw h e lm ing success. I t is a trib u te to the lead leaders, o rg a n iza tio n s and c o n s titu encies in o u r c o m m u n itie s D r. ership o f D r. C havis that leaders w h o w o u ld not have com e to a m eeting C h a v is has p r io r itiz e d c re a tin g greater u n ity among the various lead convened by the N A A C P a year ago sat around the table together to d is cuss w ays and means o f w o rk in g c o l people have fa lle n prey to forces e xternal to the B la ck co m m u n ity and th e ir a p o log ists inside the B la ck m any B la c k leaders w h o have had the courage to stand up fo r B la ck co m m u n ity . B la ck A m e rica should la b o ra tive ly to cope w ith the crisis in n o t fo rg e t that no less a personage than W .E .B . D u B o is was run o u t o f A m e rica w atched w ith great satis the B la ck c o m m u n ity. B la ck leaders the N A A C P . A ll to often the B la ck fa ctio n as D r. C h a vis p a rticip a te d in w h o in some cases had serious d iffe r masses a p a th e tica lly w atch as co u a n a tio n a lly televised U n ity Forum convened by C ong. K w csi M fu m c , C h a irm a n o f the C o n g re s s io n a l ences w it h each o th e r a g re e d to rageous B la ck leaders are cu t dow n. set a sid e th e ir d iffe r e n c e s to e x p lo re c re a tin g o p e ra tio n a l u n ity fo r th e sake o f th e g re a te r g o o d o f Ben C h a vis should not become a v ic tim o f o u r apathy and inaction The voice o f the masses o f B la ck the B la c k N a tio n . It has been th is k in d o f new d ire c tio n and b o ld new leadership w h ich people needs to be heard in a rin g in g endorsem ent fo r the new leadership ers, o rg a n iza tio n s and co n stitu e n cies in the B la c k co m m u n ity. B la ck B la ck Caucus. The new E xecutive D ire c to r o f N A A C P stood on the same p la tfo rm w ith Jesse Jackson, M a xin e W aters and M in is te r L o u is Farrakhan and entered in to a c o v enant to advance the struggle fo r has been lik e a breath o f fresh a ir and new d ire c tio n o f the N A A C P W ith o u t o u r support Ben C h a vis and the new d ire c tio n he has blazed m ay ju stice fo r B la ck people. A n d , the re v ita liz in g o u r o ld e st and largest c iv il rig h ts o rg a n iza tio n . D u rin g the masses o f B la ck people beamed w ith last ye a r the m e m b e rsh ip o f the enorm ous p rid e w hen D r. C h a vis N A A C P d ra m a tica lly increased from refused to break the C ovenant w ith 490,(XX) to 650,000 as B la ck people to support D r. C h a vis and his new d ire ctio n fo r N A A C P should c a ll the M in is te r Farrakhan o v e r the K h a lid fro m across the n a tio n have taken a n a tional o ffic e : 410-486-9100. be in danger. Persons interested in w o rk in g I ■»M