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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1995)
A pril 19, 1995 • T he P ortland O bserver P age B ö Affirmative Action An Endangered Species? B i P rof . M l K inley B i rt I f s o , we are yet to h ear th o se c rie s o f sy m p a th e tic c o n c e rn or c a lls for im m ed iate im p le m e n ta tion o f " life -s u p p o rt” as w as the case w ith the n a tio n 's old fo r e sts, Stream Salm on and S p o tted O w ls. P erh ap s it is early on yet, but we have not seen in e ith e r high p la c e s or in g ro u n d sw e lls o f p u b lic o p in io n an e n th u s ia s tic d e fe n se o f a v alu ab le so c io -e c o nom ic tool that has at least m ade 's o m e ' in ro ad s into the c o u n tr y 's ra c ist and sex ist h irin g p ra c tic e s. W hat we do have early on is a flurry of media interrogations of gov ernment. state and industry officials that has produced a ‘G uiness Book of R ecords' num ber of “off-the- record” and "don't quote me” inter- v iews. From the President and W hite House to State Houses and Human Resource Managers, we have people whose commitments are wavering, bending and bowing in the winds of the right Wing attack on Affirmative Action like reeds in a shallow sea- vacillation is in style And as we identify the most shrill and active congressional opponents of Equal Opportunity laws, the Right W ing and Conservative Republicans who told the American public that "Term L im its' was about the most important of the Ten Commandments of their contract with America, we note that "Term Limits” is the 'o n ly ’ element of the contract they have reneged on. And what happened is that many now-frightened little hypo- crites (including some Democrats) got the feedback from home that they were gong to be called on the carpet for their treachery. In the age-old manner of politicians who wish to remain feeding at the public trough, they embraced the hottest card in A m erica’s political deck, "RACE’. "W illie Horton” won a presi dential election for George Bush didn’t he, they reasoned; why not jump on this Affirmative Action thing to divert the voters from a close in spection of the smoke and m irrors’ of our attacks on social programs. "The media is giving all possible coverage (impetus) to manipulation of white resentment to this 'reverse discrim ination’”, they further reason (much overstated by willing accom plices). "And look at the big erack in the wall in the NAACP. now is a good time for rolling back this ' racial diversity’ thing!" The more perceptive among us have long anticipated a counter at tack on a system that was designed to end the centuries-old patterns of ra cial dominance and ‘offered’ relief and hope to tens a o f millions of A m erica’s citizens who had long since given up hope o f having an equal opportunity in the land of their birth (not that his goal has been achieved yet). If anyone should hold "resent ment.” it should be the African Ameri can who for over a century has watched the newest European Immi grant enjoy a superior opportunity, in the job mart, in the finance and banking structures or in leasing, hous- mg and contracting - all of which the establishment unequivocally states to be an absolute prerequisite for the enjoyment of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Again, the "m ore perceptive among us" began to appraise the dangers of a ,'counter-insurgency’ long before publication of “the Bell Curve” . For many years I have used this column to warn that 'vigilance is the price of liberty’.and sure enough, they are now at the barricades in full cry for liberal scalps. As far back as 1974 I w as e m p h a siz in g such d a n g e rs in an " A ff ir m a tiv e A c tio n C la s s ” I tau g h t for som e y e a rs at P o rtla n d S tate U n iv e rsity (the first such u n iv e rsity -a c c re d ite d c la ss in the N o rth w est). In my class was not only the conventional student body but fed eral, state, county and city officials/ personnel managers, but the same profile o f human resource people from private industry-and a number o f fo reig n stu d e n ts, e sp e c ia lly women, who wanted to take the de tails of this American phenomenon to their homelands with the idea of implementation, Now, twenty years later, Hugh B. Price, President of the National Urban League puts the cri sis in these terms. "The black benefi ciaries of A ffirm ative Action are being positioned as the wedge issue of the 1996 election cam paign.” Next week we will get into the nitty gritty details of this uniquely American monument to "Equal O p portunity.” This Is One Time When Black Contractors Should Agree With A White Conservative by J ames P osey ew African-Americans j j are aware that in the C j i next few m onths the Supreme Court w ill decide a c o u rt challenge that could p o s s ib ly do away w ith all f e d e r a lly - m a n d a te d , disadvantage business set-a side programs on federally- funded projects. The case, known as “Adaran vs. Pena,” involves Adaran Construc tion, a white-owned Colorado firm, losing a bid to a com petitor because o f a minority' preference program. Upset because the com pany’s low bid was denied in favor o f the other company, which got points for using a minority subcontractor, Adaran filed suit against the Federal High way Administration. This case has broad implica tions for African-Am ericans far be yond the seemingly narrow focus o f Mark Mathabane who lived in South Africa under Apartheid will speak Monday at Benson High School. A Racial Division The YW CA presents author Mark Mathabane who will speak on "Healing the Racial Divide," M on day at 7:30 p.m. at the Benson High School Auditorium. In the best sellin g book K affir Boy, M ath ab an e te lls the h o rri fy in g true sto ry o f his c h ild h o o d in S outh A frican u n d er A part- h eid . H is o th e r books in clu d e L ove in B lack and W hite and A frican W om en. M ath ab an e will an sw er q u e stio n s and sign books a fte r his lecture. Contributions will help support the Y W CA ’s "Racial Equity W eek." Tickets arc $10 at Fastixx, at the YW CA and at the door. Yes On 26-26 For Our Community The metro area's parks, trails, streams and open spaces are an indispensable part of our quality of life. But over 500.000 new residents are coming in the next 20 years. Unless we protect some natural areas now. we will most certainly lose them forever. T hai’s why Measure 26-26 is so important to us: It is designed with neighborhoods in mind, protecting and improving sites right here. It will help insure that our neighborhood can keep a quality of life that is only a memory in other cities. Measure 26-26 will: Preserve and improve neighborhood open space for walking, hiking, biking, jogging and other recreation. Help protect water quality and improve access to livers, streams and creeks. Protect vital salmon, trout, steelhead and wildlife habitat. Pass on a legacy to our children and grandchildren. Get Involved - Volunteer! Please call the campaign at 227-4878 or drop by campaign headquarters at Room 426 Montgomery Park, 2701 N.W. Vaughn. W e’ll let you know how you can join your neighbors to protect open space, parks and streams! RIPE OLIVES disputing contractors. For example, it is I ikely to be the quintessential test case for new attacks against all races based preferential programs. In fact, it could be the biggest nail in the coffin, adding to other efforts to kill all affirm ative action as a matter o f public policy. I suppose there is a more tactful way o f saying it, but this is all about B lack p eo p le being co n tin u ally kicked in the butt. Some will say that I always try to make it a Black thing. But this time, it ain’t just this angry Black antagonist with a knack for blaming white folks. This same mes sage also comes from none other than arch conservative and national ly -k n o w n c o lu m n is t Ja m e s Kilpatrick. In a recent article in the Oregonian, he tells the story about how these set-a-side programs were originally designed and implement ed to address a specific condition o f discrimination against Blacks in the heyday o f the Civil Rights move- ment. And, during this period, dis crimination and racism against Afri can-Americans was well established and extensively documented. But even before this case sur faced, it’s clear that everybody and their brothers are benefiting form the current programs except African- Americans. For example, during the 93/94 construction season, African- Americans did not receive one major contract from the multi-million dol lars spent on federal aid projects in Oregon. Moreover, the pattern is es sentially the same national ly, regard less o f the prominence o f Blacks in urban population centers. Conversely, as a result o f legis lative change in 1986 involving a combining o f mandated goals, white females have become the main ben eficiaries ofdisadvantaged programs. But even before the advent o f white female dominance. Blacks as an eth nic group were not benefiting in rela tion to their acknowledged econom- Vkiban Jum bo P olio, M easles, D ip h th eria. W hooping Cough. Ifyour kids aren’t immunized for these childhood dis eases by age two, you're making a big mistake. Talk to your doctor or Health Department. Or call l -800- SAFENET. Oregon Preschool Immunization Consortium including Medicaid is sponsoring Immunization Day '95, Saturday, April 22. Free Immunization will be avail able at all of the following locations: Neighborhood Health Clinics, Inc. Northeast Health Center 5329 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 9 a.m. - noon North Portland Nurse Practitio ner Clinic, 5 3 11 N. Vancouver, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. St. Johns Community Center and McDonalds. 8427N.Central, 10a.m. - 2 p.m. M id C ounty H ealth C enter, 12710 S.E. Division St., I0 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. E ast P o rtlan d F am ily C are Clinic, 17214 S.E. Division, 10a.m. - 2 p.m. Oregon Nurses Association Im munization Clinic, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 4244 S.E. 91 st, 10 a.m. - 2. p.m. Neighborhood Health Clinics, Inc. Southeast Health Center, 3653 S.E. 34th Ave., 9 a.m. - noon. Eastm oreland Hospital, 2900 S.E. Steele St., 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Portland Indian Health Clinic, 2901 E. Burnside. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Hillsdale Community Church. 6948 S.W .Capitol Highway, 10a.m. 5.75 oz. - l& B V Oregon Health Sciences University, OldLibraiy, 10 a.m .-2 p.m. abric I THE LARGEST, MOST COMPLETE RETAIL FABRIC STORE IN THE WEST A p r il 18 th r o u g h M a y 2 ,1 9 9 5 3 0 % OFF •BRIDAL • SPECIAL OCCASION & COSTUME •CRAFTS QUILTER’S SALE 3 0 % OFF YUBAN For All C offee M akers mm • Calicos • Batting • Quilt B ooks • Q uilter’s N otions ■ ~ H 36 oz. png our ei 2Ö2 K IE N O W 'S C O U PO N W e Offer* KIENOW 'S LARGE • G o o d Starting Pay • G ood Opportunity.for GRADE AA 5 0 % OFF ALL ZWEIGART CARTON OF ONE DOZEN EGGS LIMIT ONE DOZEN EOOS PEN COUPON Limited to Stock On Hand PRICE W ITH O U T _C O U TO N __________________________________ _ C O U P p N E X P IR E J _ *P R IL .I2 J 2 £ S J BE SURF, TO CHECK OUR STORE FOR “MANAGER'S SPECIALS” \ •Discounts do noi jppl\ io special purchase or previoush discounted or marked down items 4 18 thru V2AJ5. Prices good Kpril 18 through Was 2,1995 7 1 84 W t RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES FOR YOUR NEAREST KIENOW’S STORE CALL: 889-5220 y / il Opportunity Employer HOME DELIVERY IS AVAILABLE CALL: 245-4595 I Mi > \IR I9i»l.im -‘»i»i|Wi M i l K im HKUm-'pin XI M i l l liiiil.u n "pin WIIOI ESAU 11(11 KX / S TO « HOUES WEEKDAYS 8 o.m. lo 9 p.m. SUNDAY 9 o.m. to 8 p m. R IIA II IIO I KX 1 Í i THE FRIENDLIEST STORES IN TOWN SINCE 1908 SPECIALS EFFECTIVE TUESDAY through SUNDAY APRIL 11 through APRIL 18, 1995 MEMBER OF UNITED GROCERS » Some Boo-Boos, A Kiss Can't Fix COFFEE OBERTI ic deprivation and historical discrim ination. Consequently, the case that Kilpatrick convincingly makes, and with which we must agree, is that these federally-mandated programs have been compromised. Kilpatrick knows that from the beginning these programs were de signed to fail. Affirmative action rep resented meager, half-heart attempts at fairness by white liberals. On the one hand, while conservative whites were initially tolerant, they worked tenaciously behind the scenes to sab otage the programs. Therefore, as far as African- Americans contractors are concerned, the notion of affirmative action has proven in many cases to be more harm ful than helpful. But contrary to the opinion o f the white conservatives, they are harmful for very different reasons. Nevertheless, there’s no ques tion that these programs must be cor rected and re-directed, based on legit imate need, or scraped altogether. stark S T R F fl ★ Ml »VI HI ‘ UltmA Kipin XVII K im nim,ini-Tpin XI XI m H mi.mi-ipni RETAIL-W HO LESALE Plenty of FREE PARKING CARS • BUSES • RVs 7 0 0 S.E. 122nd Ave Portland, OR 252-9530