Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1995)
P age J anuary A2 1 : ... ! 7 i? \ ) ■ S Governor Pete Wilson and the California Republican Party are al ready acting to put an initiative on the 1996 California primary or general election ballot to make affirmative action illegal. It is also quite likely that the vast majority of Democrats, including the President, will not adequately de fend affirmative action. [If the Pres ident will not defend his own wife after she is called a bitch by the Speaker of the House, what makes you think he will defend affirmative action?] What is affirmative action any way ? It has been called a lot of things -- e.g.. reverse discrimination, an at tack on the merit system, etc. It is none of these. Affirmative action is not reparations (repair for damage done), but a conservative remedy to offset historic negative action Affir mative Action Is Equal Opportunity! After 250 years of slavery. an other 100 years of apartheid, the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which established the legal principle of "equal protec tion under the law" for All Ameri cans. overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which established the "sepa- NATIONAL1 C O A L IT IO N Affirmative Action rate but equal" legal doctrine. Following Brown, "equal pro tection" Laws were passed outlaw ing discrimination — e.g., 1964 Civil rights Act. the 1965 Voting Rights Act. the 1968 Opening Housing Act. In one sense, however, these "you can’t discriminate any more" laws were Neutral. They did nothing to overcome the Legacy of racial and gender discrimination or ongoing Institutional discrimination. Affirmative action meant "go ing out of y our way to include people locked out historically" -e.g.. adver tising in minority and women’s me dia. recruiting on historically Black college campuses, etc. All affirmative action does is Get One In The Pool Of consider ation So That every one Has An Equal Opportunity Of Being Chosen for the job or admitted to the university'. Affirmative action does not get you tne job or admitted to school-and you have to be qualified (or qualifiable) to even be in the pool. The qualifica tions must be job or function related - i.e., no college degrees required for street sweepers. If those who have been locked out historically get in the pool and, over time, do not get chosen, then one knows that discrimination is continuing, because everyone was in the pool and had an equal op portunity o f being chosen. If two people are equally qualified, be cause o f historic discrimination, race and gender can be used as A factor, and could tip the scales in favor of the minority or woman. What happens if you d o n ’t meet the goals and tim etable and som eone takes you (a company or school) to court? The courts, through case histories, have es tablished criteria that determ ine w hether som eone has m ade a “Good Faith E ffort’” to reach the goal and tim etable. If they have, then one can renew even more diligent efforts to meet the goal within another time frame. However, if the courts deter mine that you have not made a good faith effort, they can impose Sanc tions - i.e., fines, penalties and quo tas). Inherent in the C onstitution, the D eclaration o f Independence and the ideals and idealism o f the Am erican prom ise is a certain equality and egalitarianism — if not a guaranteed equal result, certainly a guaranteed equal o p p o rtu n ity . B ut -- u n less one agrees with the racism inherent in C harles M urray’s Bell Curve - - since we are all the same as human beings, if each o f us gen uinely has equal opportunity, then the results too will be equal. C er tainly, God has not given ju st one group, one race, one gender, or one side o f town a m onopoly on genius, ideas, econom ic and political power. T h u s, w h en P r e s id e n t C linton, quoting from the D LC ’s (D em o cratic L ead er C o u n cil) New O rleans D eclaration, says that he believes in equal o p p o r tunity, but not equal results, he is operating o ff o f a racist prem ise - i.e., that genuine equal o p p o r tunity is not epough for some people (or groups). He seems to be saying, some groups are in herently inferior and, therefore, require som ething more than a truly equal opportunity to achieve an equal result. Civil Rights Journal Declaring War On Our Children by B ernice P owell J ackson t ’s “ open season on c h ild r e n ,” says DeWayne W ickham , USA Today colum nist. “ Not since slavery have our children faced greater threats from in s id e or o u ts id e our community to their safety, well being and futures,” says Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund. It's as if our children, like the c h ild re n of B o snia or Chechnya, are under siege and trapped in the political cross fire. 31 Z Those are strong words. But they are aroused by the steamroller tactics now being employed in Washington by Republican Congressional lead ers, with a few Democrats helping them out. They are aroused by a so- called Contract with America and a so-called Balanced Budget Amend ment. They are aroused because 1 am frightened for our children and our community. « <. ' < I». /A • >• ’ ; • ; - r » Let's look at the Balanced Bud get Amendment now being debated in Washington. A balanced budget is good, anyone who balances their own checkbook knows that. A balanced budget amendment is another thing, however. It sounds good, requiring the government to balance its own checkbook by the year 2002, which seems far enough away to make it seem painless. But if defense spend ing and Social Security are not touched and taxes are not raised when w e are forced to balance the budget, then it is estimated that all other government programs will face a 30 percent cut in funds. If veterans ben efits are also exempted, then all other government programs will face ap proximately a40 percent cut in funds. And if military and civil service pen sions are added to the exemption list, then all other government programs will face a 50 percent cut in funds. Such cuts would have devastat ing impact on the most vulnerable of our society, our children. Proven pro grams like Head Start and feeding programs for women and infant chil dren would be jeopardized. The med ical safety net for our nation’s poor est children would also be snatched away by Medicaid cuts and cuts in newly-provided immunization pro grams. What most Americans do not realize is that not only the poor will be adversely impacted by the Bal anced Budget Amendment. Such drastic cost-cutting would be neces sary that such things as mortgage interest deductions for federal in come tax w ould be in jeopardy since they would be a source of some S50 billion in new revenues. College ed ucation would also be adversely im pacted as dollars would have to be drastically cut. One o f the most frightening things about the Contract with Amer ica and its Balanced Budget Amend ment is the lightning speed which the Republican leadership is trying to enact it. It almost seems that they don’t want to give the American pub lic time to examine the legislation and decide whether or not they really favor it. But there is a way to stop this train. We can write our senators and tell them we oppose the Balanced Budget Amendment. Whether they are Republican or Democrat they need to hear from y<5u. We can get ourneighbors, membersofourchurch or mosque, our sorority or fraternity, our card club or bowling league to write our senators and let them know we support our children and pro grams that help them. School chil dren can write letters. The elderly can write letters. Prisoners can write letters. Even if they only say, “I am against the Contract with America and the Balanced Budget Amend ment,” that will tell them you did not vote for the contract. We also can call the offices of our senators and we can even ask to meet with them or their staff. Every senator and congressperson has of fices back home. They're our offices and our elected representatives and they have a duty to listen to us. (Note: Writetoyoursenatorsat the U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510.) Vantage Point i Can Jesse Jackson Revive The Rainbow Coalition? bv R on D aniels ne of the g re a te st tragedies to befall the __ progressive movement in recent times was the failure of Jesse L. Jackson to organize the National Rainbow Coalition into a viable independent third force in American politics. © Against the wishes and advice of many of the liberal-progressive activist who constituted the back bone of his '84 and 88 campaigns. Jesse Jackson elected to position him self inside the Democratic Party, he demobilized the Rainbow Coalition as a mass based membership organi zation opting instead for a top down campaign type structure. As a result of these fateful decisions there was widespread demoralization, disaffec tion and defections among the rank and file activist who were the heart and soul of the budding Rainbow Coalition Though remnants of the Rain bow remain in some states, and Jack- son has appointed his son Jesse Jack- son Jr. to the position of Field Coor dinator. in reality Rainbow Coalition is largely non-existent The annual Rainbow Conferences which Jesse Jackson stages, though useful as a medium for networking and infor mation exchange, are little more than political dog and pony shows which give the illusion that there is a real Rainbow Coalition. Unfortunately, the energy, enthusiasm and work in vested in Jackson's '84 and '88 cam paigns resulted in great strides but loss opportunity Nothing illustrates the need for a real Rainbow Coalition more than the Republican sweep to power in congress, the rise to hegemony of the radical right and the drive by Newt Gingrich and company to enact the reactionary contract w ith America; a contract whose appeal is rooted in subtle and not so subtle appeals to racism, sexism, homophobia and anti- immigrationism If only we had a real Rainbow Coalition in place the task of challenging and countering the right would be much easier We need a real Rainbow Coalition and it would be wonderful if Jesse Jackson acknowledged the errors of his ways and rededicated himself to reviving building a real Rainbow Coalition - a mass based, democratic, independent, progressive political movement for fundamental change I have suggested that the way to revive the Rainbow is for Jesse Jack- son to make a decisive break with the Democratic Party crusade would energize millions of non-voters, par ticularly among those constituencies that will be most adversely affected by the Contract with America. An independent crusade would also re activate thousands of liberal-progres sive activists who have been waiting for Jackson to break with the Demo crats. No one is better suited than Jesse Lewis Jackson to challenge the con tract with America. No one is more gifted at articulating the liberal-pro gressive vision of a new America than Jesse Lewis Jackson. No one is more capable of firing the imagina tion of the disenfranchised and the dispossessed and galvanizing the locked out and left out to act than Jesse Lewis Jackson. Having learned the lessons from his past mistakes. Jesse Jackson could utilize and inde pendent presidential campaign to shake up America and fundamental ly change the political equations in the electoral political process An independent presidential crusade would afford Jesse Jackson a chance to redeem himself by forging a real fighting Rainbow Coalition that could contest for power into the 21 st Cen tury. Will Jesse Jackson run as an independent? Will Jesse Jackson re vive the Rainbow Coalition for real? Frankly, no matter how much I wish it were so, it is extremely unlikely that Jesse Jackson will break with the Democrats and build a real Rainbow Coalition. My suspicion is that the lucrative grants which Jackson re ceives to do his voter registration, get out the vote for the Democrats ritual every two years is a major source of revenue for what remains of his Rain bow. Breaking with the Democrats would cut off this source of revenue. And, finally, by his own admission, Jesse Jackson is a "tree shaker, not a jelly maker." What the progressive movement needs is some “jam ” - a real Rainbow Coalition. What this means is that the chal lenge of building a real Rainbow Coalition is a task which must be assumed by liberal-progressive ac tivist and organizers and a lot of ordinary people. I am convinced that we cannot and must no, depend on Jesse Lewis Jackson to undertake this vital endeavor. We must decide to do it ourselves. "We are the lead ers we've been looking for “ p e r s j. e c t t r e s Blacks On The Way Out? Could It Happen Here? Ill ‘¡¡k t first, that possibility seemed to remote for consideration among my friends and associates, but subsequent inquiries of their own seem to have produced more than a little food for thought. In itia lly , they were com fortable in the conclusion that, unlike Los An geles. there was “no obvious pressure on jobs or housing from other ethnics. Really? What about disgrun tled white males in an era of eco nomic downturn? Also, a key pa rameter of evaluation of either a system or group centers on its vital ity - that is, its ability to regenerate itself. If there is not a constant flow of new ideas and energies -- no recharging of the batteries — then, such a system or group will not survive in a recognizable or desir able form. Recently, I was remind ed of a group of black males who several years ago lunched a “busi ness" organization that would "bring about change!” To date, I am told these quite mature gentlemen have provided numerous dances - no enterprises. Now, I have written here in detail of earlier days in the Black community when young men like myself had the inspirational role models that are necessary to moti vate the youth or ‘seed’ which sup posedly constantly regenerates the system. Fifty years ago there was no dearth of middle-aged blackmen who pooled their resources to pro vide housing, business enterprise and other urban infrastructure nec essary to the viability of neighbor hoods. Of course, we must consider the fact that these ethnic environs were established and maintained with restrictive covenants and other racial barriers just as real as in M ississippi or South A frica (Bantustans). I can attest to this fact (and others) without refutation for included in my accounting practice were not only the aforementioned black entrepreneurs, but several of the white middle class, business men, realtors, investors. One of the greatest farces in the American University' system is the fact that on the shelves of the "Urban Studies Programs”, there is not a single text’ writ- ten by an African American. Some By instructors attempt Professor to fill this gap with Mckinley “suggested read Burt ings”, or by bring ing in controver sial' presenters from the communi ties. Occasionally, I am heartened by reports on the activities of inno vative entrepreneurs like "Roy J ", and I have been made aware that the recent influx of out-of-staters has included several very talented blacks, however readers often re mind me of the content ofthose very realistic "Black Economics” cours es I taught at the University years ago. I led with the premise that be ginning with the critical decade just before the turn-of-the-century and lasting until World War II, at least half of the admired, respected and emulated African American leader ship came from the ranks of success ful businessmen, industrialists and inventors. Not bureaucrats. This is why I so often quote from that book o f startling and well docum ented) revelations: “ Evidences o f Progress Among The Colored People.” by E. G Richings. My own realistic ex periences being from business and industry, I tried m ightily to reach a g en eratio n o f young blacks who had been shaped, bam boozled and exploited ( as many o f us still are) by the so cial engineers and program m ers - the social Sciences elite who never m anufactured a product grew a crop or invented a ma chine. So they never told us who we were or what we could do. Now, we all must strenuously strive to reach this generation before we lose it com pletely. To be concluded -1 <&etter ‘Cd Che (SLïïiter Send your letters to the Editor to: Editor, PO Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208 I want to thank Michael Grice and Ken Berry and all their helpers for their dedication to the continua tion of the annual Martin Luther King Day celebration. Thank you for your perseverance and selfless energy. It is an inspiration to listen to the speakers challenge us. It is heartening to watch the young peo ple - our hope for the future - with their enthusiasm, talent and possi bilities, be involved in positive ac tivities. It is encouraging to learn of the many adults who are actively giving of themselves to influence and direct the lives of others, espe cially young people. Each year as I attend the MLK recognition day, I am caused to look at myself, to look within at what I am doing to contribute to our community and what I am doing to give o f m yself for the betterm ent of life. It puts a bal ance in my perspective o f w hat’s going on in our society. We all need that. We need to see the power o f the forces o f good against evil or the negative. It was last year's program that moved me to volunteer at Beau mont School once a week during my lunch our to work with a 6th grade boy who needed extra atten tion. I hope that many others hear the message of the life of Martin Luther King - that of being of ser vice and making a difference - some difference - small or great. Velma Heckman íjfíartlatth (Obstruer (USPS 959-680) OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION Established in 1970 by Alfred L. Henderson Joyce Washington Publisher The PO R TLA ND OBSERVER is located at 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Portland, Oregon 97211« 4503-288-0033 • Fax 503-288-0015 Deadline for all submitted materials: Articles Friday, 5:00 pm Ads Monday Noon POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Portland Observer, P.O. Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208. Second Class postage p a id at Portland, Oregon The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions Manuscripts and photo graphs should be clearly labeled and 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 THE P O R T LA N D O BSERVER A L L RIG HTS RESERVED, R EPR O D U C TIO N IN W H O LE OR IN PART W IT H O U T PER M ISSIO N IS P R O H IB IT E D Subscriptions $30.00 per year The Portland O bserver-O regon’s Oldest African-Am erican Publication--is a member o f the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, N Y , and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver ; «ft#. P ortland O bserver \ d . / j fter “ law and order,” “ b u s in g ,” “ w e lfa re q u e e n ” and ‘ W illie Horton,” it is quite likely that the Republicans will choose a ffirm a tive action as th e ir “ wedge issue" to divide the electorate (and the country) in the 1996 elections. 25, 1995 • 1 he .
