Portland observer., November 02, 1994, Page 3, Image 3

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T he P ortland O bserver • N ovember 2, 1994
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Gore Urges Voters To Turn Out On Election Day
Vice President Talks On
Morning Radio Show
Q u o tin g the w o rd s o f m any
;A fric a n -A m e ric a n le a d e rs d e ­
s c r ib in g the 1994 e le c tio n as “ the
m ost im p o rta n t e le c tio n in 100
y e a rs ,” V ice P re sid e n t Al G ore,
;in an in te rv ie w on th e “T om
iJo y n e r M o rn in g ” sh o w u rg ed
iv o te rs to turn out an d v ote on
T uesday.
T he o p p o sitio n is try in g to
g o b a c k to t r i c k l e d o w n
R e a g a n o m ic s,” the v ice p re s i­
d e n t said. G ore re m in d e d the lis­
te n e rs th a t the b ig g e st lo ss o f
jo b s in 10 y ears o c c u rre d in the
R e a g a n A d m in is tra tio n and
A m e ric a d ro p p e d fro m nu m b er
one to n u m b er 10 in w ag es d u r­
ing th a t tim e.
“L o w -in c o m e w o rk e rs and
p e o p le on the m a rg in s d id the
w o r s e , ” he s a id , w h ile th e
w e a lth ie st fared w ell.
In c o n tra st to th e R e p u b li­
can y e a rs, the vice p re sid e n t said
the C lin to n A d m in is tra tio n is
“c o n tin u in g the fig h t” fo r p ro ­
g re ssiv e le g isla tio n . He sa id p ro ­
gram s such as H ead S ta rt and
o th e rs are all “ at r is k ” if the
R e p u b lic a n s ex p a n d th e ir n u m ­
b ers in C o n g re ss, and he accu sed
th e o p p o sitio n o f try in g to lull
the b lack c o m m u n ity to sleep.
If R e p u b lic a n s gain c o n tro l
o f the S e n a te , B ob D ole w ould
b eco m e M a jo rity L e a d e r, Jesse
H elm s w o u ld lik e ly c h a ir the
S en a te F o re ig n R e la tio n s C o m ­
m itte e an d O rrin H atch w ould
lik ely c h a ir the Ju d ic ia ry C o m ­
m ittee.
“ T h e y w a n t to p u t J e s s e
H elm s in c h a rg e o f the F o reig n
R e la tio n s C o m m itte e ,” the vice
p re sid e n t said.
H elm s o p p o se d the re s to ra ­
tio n o f d e m o c ra tic a lly -e le c te d
p re sid e n t Je a n -B e rtra n d A ristid e
to H aiti and fa ile d to su p p o rt
N elso n M a n d e la in S outh A fri­
can , G o re said . P o in tin g to the
Ju d ic ia ry C o m m itte e , the vice
p re sid e n t said , “W h o se g o ing to
be d e c id in g the fu tu re o f civil
rig h ts la w s? ”
T he d e c id in g fa c to r in the
e le c tio n s m ay be “ w h e th e r alarm
b ells go o f f in A fric a n -A m e ri­
c a n c o m m u n itie s ,” th e V ic e
P re sid e n t said . “ F o lk s have got
to tu rn o u t to vote.
-i- 1 ‘ .
Vice President Al Gore met with the Pev. Jesse Jackson (right), other national leaders at the White House to discuss the importance of
exercising the right to vote.
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Converse Tries To Stop All-Star Trademark
M ichael W. Jo n es, a 3 3 -y ear-
o ld c re a tiv e A fric a n -A m e ric a n
e n tre p re n e u r, and his b u sin e ss,
All W o rld P ro p e rtie s, a W a sh ­
in g to n D .C .-b a se d p ro d u c t d e ­
v e lo p m e n t and lic e n se co m p an y ,
is b e in g c h a lle n g e d by C o n v erse,
Inc. fo r u sag e o f his R ap A ll-
S tars tra d e m a rk in c lo th in g and
fo o tw ear.
Jo n e s w ho is in v o lv e d in the
“h ip h o p ” an d “r a p ” e n te rta in ­
m ent m o v em en t, has been using
the tra d e m a rk for his c re a tiv e
c lo th in g and fo o tw e a r d esig n s
sin c e Jan 1991.
Jo n e s w as g ra n te d the tra d e ­
m ark in the e n te rta in m e n t and
e d u c a tio n c a te g o ry o f the U .S.
P aten t o ffic e in M ay 1992.
But Converse objects to the trade­
m ark being used in clothing and
footwear categories.
"T h is is ju s t a n o th e r attack
.on "ra p " and the b lack c o m m u ­
n ity ,” Jo n e s said . “C o n v e rse a p ­
p a re n tly d o es not w ant to be a s ­
so c ia te d w ith “ra p ” or an y th in g
b la c k -o rie n te d .”
Jones plans to call for a national
boycott of the shoe maker.
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William Pauli of Toyota and Dorothy Gilliam of the National Association of Black Journalists meet
entertainer Patti LaBelle, (left) the emcee at this year's Unity 94 in Altanta, Ga. The session marked the
first joint convention of journalism association's representing blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native
Americans.
Michael W. Jones and some of his merchandise under challenge
by Converse for trademark infringement.
Espy Called Best Agriculture Secretary Ever
Former U.S. Department of Ag­
riculture Secretary Mike Espy is being
described as the “best Agriculture
Secretary this nation has ever had.”
To some it may seem like an odd
declaration given E spy’s conflict of
interest questions that have him
finder investigation by a Department
o f Justice Special Counsel and has
triggered his sudden resignation. But
others point to his program initia­
tives and record of accomplishments.
Espy is not only the first African
American to serve as Secretary of
Agriculture, one of the most conser­
vative federal agencies, but he was the
first non-establishment person to be
appointed overseer of the multi-bil­
lion dollar agribusiness, farm, meat
and poultry industries regulated the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Espy was not the industry's
choice,” said one government offi­
cial speaking on the condition o f
anonymity. “He, first of all, was not
the choice of the old-line officials
form the agriculture trade associa­
tions and corporations representing
agribusiness, meat, poultry, cotton,
beef and sorghum He, of course was
not from the old boys’ network of
former and current state com m is­
sioners and land-grant colleges, like
Ole Miss, Auburn, the University of
G eorgia. Michigan State and the
University of Alabama
According to the official. Espy
did no, endear him self to the “USDA
~i~. : ■ ’ '
Mike Espy.
establishm ent" when he arrived and
announced he was em barking on a
campaign to change "the culture of
the Department of A griculture" with
emphasis on economic development,
food and nutrition, housing, pro­
grams o f vital importance to African
Americans and other minorities.
Espy him self cited the agency
for ranking near the bottom in the
hiring and promotion of women and
minorities.
E sp y 's record o f accom plish­
ments in two years at the USDA
include the following:
• He enhanced racial diversity
among the ranks o f USDA senior
executives by increasing black fe­
males from three to 10 and black
males from 17 to 26 and increased
overall minority employment
• He provided 75 scholarships
to minority students to study the
agricultural sciences at historically-
black colleges.
• Through the School Meals
Initiative for Healthy Children, he
has worked to ensure that 25 million
school children, including millions
of African Americans, receive school
lunches that promote health.
• He began working with the
Department of Housing and Urban
Development to increase the avail­
ability of supermarkets and other
f u ll-s e rv ic e g ro c e ry sto re s in
underserved urban and rural areas.
• Under his leadership, USDA
has awarded some $190 million on
contracts to sm all disadvantaged
businesses, an increase o f $52 m il­
lion over 1992.
• U SD A 's Rural Development
Administration has boosted the avail­
ability of loans to minority busi­
nesses.
• The USDA Rural Enterprise
Zone initiative will target $78 m il­
lion in 1995 to undeserved rural
areas that arc designated as enter­
prise zones and communities.
Espy was philosophical about
his recent fortunes.
“The pioneer gets the arrows,
Espy said with a smile. “I'v e done
my best and now it's time for me to
jus, move off and concentrate on my
personal problems and come back
stronger than ever."
Publishing Group’s Director Resigns
J. Corliss Jones, acting execu­
tive director of the National News­
paper Publishers Association Black
Press o f America has tendered his
resignation
During the interim. Bill Reid, direc-
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tor of communications for the associa­
tion and publisher of The Atlanta In­
quirer. will serve as acting director.
John B. Smith, second vice presi­
dent o f the organization said the
group will take a good, long look at
the character and qualifications of
the person chosen to fill the position.
“We all know the im portance of
this position, the heart, the soul and
the essential being needed for the
survival of NNPA,” Smith said.
f
It’s history.
It’s art.
It’s culture.
It’s dying.
For centuries, it has steered man
to safety. And now because of neglect,
vandalism and erosion, it’s endangered.
We are The Lighthouse Preservation
Society. And we're working to preserve
our lighthouse heritage.
Since 1984, we've been helping to
restore these landmarks, increase public
awareness, and document and interpret
their history.
And you can help. Contact The Light
house Preservation Society, Post Office
Box 736. Rockport, Massachusetts01966.
Or call us at (800) 727-BEAM.
And help us Keep It Shining.
t .-«:•* •. 'A
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$ ; • -f.V;
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a p tu n ^ i
A L ife tim e O f M em ories
Dunne Lewis, President
2SOS \ l Martin Luther King Blvd.
Portland. <Hegon 9721 I
( nil 503/284-826«
The Lighthouse Preservation Society
P O Box 736, Rockport. M A 01966
(800) 727-BEAM
Sto
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