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J uly 12, 1995 • T he P ortland O bserver
Editorial Articles Do Not Necessarily
Reflect Or Represent The Views Oj
The Jlo rtla n h ffibserucr
he progressive com
munity is under attack,
especially people of
color. The wedge issue being
used to drive a much broader
rs g re s s iv e an re p res s iv e
agenda is a affirmative action.
The extreme right-w ing has had
u ; under the gun before, yet we have
s ill made progress and won. The
P eagan and Bush Adm inistrations at-
ti mpted to turn the clock back on civ il
r ghts, and in some ways succeeded.
> et, even under their administrations,
v e passed 24 c iv il rights laws w ith the
s ipport o f 85% o f the House and Sen-
a e, including strengthening the V o t
ing Rights A ct by: (1 ) adding the bilin -
g ual dimension; (2) preserving the “ re-
s jlts ” versus “ intent” standards o f
proof; and ( 3 )extending it for 25 years.
W hat
RAW W
C O A L IT IO N
Action
We can w in again i f we fig h t
back W hat we need is affirm a tive
action A c tio n ! here’ s what to look
fo r and where to act:
The President. The courts made
a ffirm a tive action more d iffic u lt and
more costly, but they did not close
the door. Therefore, the outcome o f
affirm ative action w ill be decided
more in the p o litic a l arena (executive
and legislative action o r inaction)
than in the courts. President C lin to n
must teach and lead, not ju s t referee
and review.
The House. Reps. Canady (R-
FL-12)and F a w e ll(R -IL -13) w ill soon
introduce legislation to outlaw all fed
eral affirm ative action programs.
The Senate. Jesse Helms (R -
D k . M anning M arabi . e
he difficulty in assess
ing the political and
ideological debate over
* affirmative action” is that there
i i no coherent definition within
t i e public discourse on what
t ie term actually means.
Reforms w hich may be described
b y liberals as “ goals and tim etables”
f ir the achievem ent o f gender and
r icia l d ive rsity are characterized by
conservatives as “ quotas.” In gener
al, most w h ite Am ericans s till want
t i be perceived as being “ fa ir” to-
v ard racial m in o ritie s and women on
issues o f d iscrim in a tio n . A c c o rd in g ,
t i t h e M arch 17-19, 1995 U SA T o
ri a y/C N N /G a llu p p o ll, when asked,
“ Do you fa vo r o r oppose a ffirm a tive
a ctio n p rogram s,” 53 percent o f
v hites p o lle d expressed support,
com pared to o n ly 36 percent op-
p osed. N o t su rp ris in g ly , A fric a n -
A m ericans expressed much stronger
s jp p o rt, 72 percent fo r a ffirm a tive
action program s to o n ly 21 percent
against. Despite widespread rhetoric
t <at the vast m a jo rity o f w hite males
b ave supposedly lost jo b s and oppor-
t u nties due to a ffirm a tiv e action
f olicies, the p o ll indicated that o n ly
15 percent o f all w hite males believe
t 'a t “ th e y ’ ve lost a jo b because o f
a ffirm a tiv e action p o licie s.”
action when one focuses more nar
ro w ly on specific steps o r remedies
addressing discrim in a tio n . For ex
a m p le , th e U S A T o d a y /C N N /
G A L L U P p o ll indicates that o n ly 30
percent o f whites fa vo r the establish
ment o f gender and racial “ quotas” in
businesses, w ith 68 percent opposed.
women on this issue. W hite women
num erically have been overw helm
ingly the prim ary beneficiaries o f
a ffirm a tive action. M illio n s o f w hite
women have gained access to educa
tional and em ploym ent o pportuni
problem. Phil G ram m (R -T X ) has
threatened to attach a n ti-a ffirm a tive
action amendments to legislation. We
should be especially w atchful o f such
1994.
B e a u tifu lly
written in a narra
tive, yet sequen
tia l
fo r
the
“ C hronicle” pre
amendments being attached to one or
more o f the 13 appropriations bills.
and w hite A m erican s till liv e in tw o
d istin ct racial universes.
It is not surprising that “ angry
w hite men” form the core o f those
w ho are against a ffirm a tiv e action.
W hat is s trikin g , how ever, is the gen
eral orientation o f w hite Am erican
transform ing the status o f white w om
The N o ve m b e r 8, 1994 election
w lich propelled the radical right into
pi iw er was view ed by G in g rich -D o le
and th e ir conservative allies as a
mandate to imposes the racist and
rc actionary C ontract on A m erica. In
re a lity , how ever the R epublicans
h ive a very shallow mandate. O n ly
2 )% o f the e lig ib le voters actually
p irticip a te d in that election. Nonc-
tl cless, the election did in fact give
tl e radical rig h t the reins o f power in
tl e Congress o f the U nited States.
T iis m in o rity regime now has the
ci pacify to make laws, remake laws,
u ido laws and press fo r the enact-
rre n t o f the agenda o f the radical
lig h t.
R e grettably vast num bers o f
v iters, most o f w hom w ill be affect-
ci I by the C ontract on Am erica, sat on
tl e sidelines in the last election. In
m any respects what we really have in
tl e U.S. is the illu sio n o f democracy.
Some 65 m illio n A m ericans are not
e 'en registered to vote, and the U.S
has the low est level o f voter p a rtic i
pation o f any western democracy.
W idespread disaffection, alienation,
apathy and a sense o f powerlessness
permeates much o f the electorate.
T h is feeling o f powerlessness is re
enforced by the know ledge that big
money controls both p o litic a l parties
and the electoral p o litic a l process.
Hence we have a kind o f “ democracy
fo r the fe w ," a fake democracy w hich
plays in to the hands o f the big m on
eyed interests w ho use the electoral
p o litic a l process to le g itim ize their
position o f wealth and p rivile g e in
this country. The pow er elite has a
very sim ple creed: "the business o f
governm ent is business.”
For all o f the victo rie s we have
educational structure that w ill only
C N N /G a llu p p o ll, o n ly 8 percent o f
all w hite women stated that their
women held nearly 40 percent o f all
m idd le management positions W h i le
ago from the Looking Glass Book
store at 3 18 S. W. Taylor, I have not
“ colleagues at w ork or school p ri
their median incomes lag behind those
o f w hite males, over the past tw enty
missed a single day o f marveling at
its scope and seeking to establish
years w hite women have gained far
point-to-point correspondence (and
verification) w ith my own decades-
gressions o f a few “ welfare queens
ment o r outlawed in the courts. For
example, in the same U S A T oday/
vately questioned” their q u a lifica
tions due to a ffirm a tive action, com
pared to 19 percent o f black women
and 28 percent o f black men. Less
than one in five w nite women polled
defined w orkplace discrim ination as
a “ m ajor problem ,” compared to 41
percent o f blacks and 38 percent o f
Latinos. Forty percent o f the w hite
women polled described jo b d iscrim
ination as “ not being a p ro b le m " at
all. These survey results may help to
explain why m iddle class-oriented,
liberal fem inist leaders and constitu
encies have been re la tive ly less vo
greater ground in terms o f real earn
levels in this land.
The legions o f non-voters who
are sitting on the sidelines, however,
w ill not respond to politics/business
as usual. They must feel that their
participation w ill not be betrayed by
tw o establishment parties dominated
by the same moneyed interests; es
tablishment parties w hich are both
going in the same direction but argue
over how far to go in that direction.
The Dem ocratic party, the party o f
F ranklin D. Roosevelt and the New
Deal is increasingly becoming what
one liberal dem ocratic stalwart de
have opted out o f the electoral p o lit
choice between e v il and the “ lesser
est and most effective anti-violence
programs for inner-city youth in the
Board o f Education o r C ity H a ll)
country. For the last decade the A ll
Stars youth, from the country’ s poor
gets to p ic k the next chancellor. Sur
p ris in g ly , an issue that is ignored in
all this is how to transform N ew Y o rk
est communities, have produced a high
ly successful and cost-effective alter
the safety o f our young people But,
w hoever w ins the debate over school
security o r w ho should be the new
chancellor, the question to ask is,
t al issue in the current debate among
“ H o w do we support our young peo-
4
native to violence; they are the ticket
sellers, the stage hands, the emcees,
the security and, o f course, the per
formers. In the 1994-95 season the A ll
Stars involved 30,000 youth in New
York, Newark, Philadelphia, Boston
and M iam i in a developmental activity
that supports them to be leaders and
learners. And all this without a penny
o f government money.
altar o f truth. Recent media protesta
tions o f “ essential revision” to o rig i
nal material still harp on the “ sheer
fantasy” o f Egyptian gliders. That’ s
like the racists who harp on the trans
photos and other data.
taxpayers for hundreds o f billions.
Jn this context, c iv il rights advo
cates and tra d itio n a l defenders o f
a ffirm a tive action must ask them
selves whether the m a jo rity o f w hite
1 also wish to compare the mate
rial w ith the “ Penguin Guide To A n
cient Egypt", Dr. W illia m J. Mumane,
1983. That book, considered by many
Am erican women actually perceive
their material interests to be tied w ith
the battles fo r income equity and
as a sort o f “ bible” , is cited by the
author.
This chronicle ofan A frica n his
have long since w orn thin. F ortu
a ffirm a tive action w hich most blacks
tory whose ancient contributors ante
tations o f both A frica n and A frica n
and Latinos, women and men alike,
continue to fig h t for.
dated all the rest o f the w orld in
Am erican contributions to science
structuring its language, mathemat
ics, astronomy and architecture w ill
prove invaluable not only to the gen
and mathematics are being incorpo
free the electoral p o litica l system
from the dictatorship o f private m on
ey. The struggle fo r real democracy
must include a number o f pro-de
mocracy reforms: p u b licly financed
elections; equitable access to media
fo r all candidates; fa ir m in im u m bal
lot access requirements to a llo w in
dependent parties and independent
candidates to compete on a level
playing fie ld ; and proportional rep
resentation.
U ltim a te ly, we need a fig h tin g
new independent progressive party
This book has no fear o f showing that
the ancient Egyptians looked Iil^e the
1975 Jefferson High student body!
N o mistake about it, racists are
racists and their “ L ib e ra l” facades
nately, m y o riginal research and c i
rated into C D -R om and other elec
tro n ic presentations by tw o o f the
eral reader, but to the many students
nation’ s largest software m anufac
and practitioners o f both the Chris
tian and Judaic religions. Many w ill
turers. Y ou w ill be able to get the
truth from industry i f not educa
tors’ this w inter. Scientists ought to
know !
be interested in correlating the so
journs o f Joseph and his fam ily and
tHije ^ o rtla n b (Obseruer
(USPS 959-680)
O R E G O N ’S O L D E S T A F R IC A N A M E R IC A N P U B L IC A T IO N
Established in 1970 by Alfred L . H enderson
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T h e P O R T L A N D O B S E R V E R is located at
4747 N E M a r tin L u th e r K in g , J r. B lvd .
that w ill uncom prom isingly stand up
fo r the rights o f people o f color, poor
and w o rkin g people and the strug
g lin g m iddle class. The new A m erica
P o rtla n d , O re g o n 97211
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Deadline fo r all submitted materials:
A r tic le s :F r id a y , 5 :0 0 p m
Ads: M o n d a y N oon
w hich must become w ill be fash
ioned ou, o f the dreams and aspira
P O S T M A S T E R : Send A d d re ss Changes to : P o rtla n d O b s e rv e r,
P.O . Box 3137, P o rtla n d , O R 97208.
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The days o f the radical rig h t w ith
their ideology o f w hite supremacy
and w hite male dom ination are num
bered. We w ill Break the C ontract on
A m erica and a visionary indepen
dent p o litica l movement w ill forge a
new covenant fo r a new society.
ple to become learners? H ow do we
dragged kicking and screaming to the
while corporate welfare bleeds the
T o achieve this vision wc must
create environments in w hich growth
-- not safety - is the prim ary issue?”
I have helped to found the A ll
Stars Talent Show network, which is
w idely recognized as one o f the larg
district’ s “ Baseline Essay Process” .
But it is d iffic u lt to deal w ith an
o f mine had “ made the cut” when I
was a contractor to the Portland School
long assembly o f articles, quotes,
fig h t fo r real democracy in the U.S.
The illu sio n o f democracy or democ
racy fo r the few must end. The elec
toral p o litica l process must be opened
up so that the A m erican electorate no
longer has to choose between tw id
dle dee and tw id d le dum. We must
cans and the Democrats.
o f greatness look down upon you.
I wish that and sim ilar citations
ings than black o r Hispanic males in
the labor force.
ticip a tio n to give the radical right the
reins o f power by default. The u p
surge o f active resistance w hich is
sweeping the country must congeal
in to a pow erful force to sweep the
radical right and their conservative
allies from positions o f pow er at all
« cuntry, p a rticu la rly in our in n e rc it-
i ;s, continues to decline
N ow here is this m ore true than
N e w Y o rk C ity. H ow ever, the ccn-
before the Great Pyramid at Gizeh
and told his tropps: “ Forty centuries
admit that Egypt is in A fric a when
tions and the energies o f those w ho
have been most affected by oppres
sion and exp lo itatio n in U.S. society.
A s a developm ental psycholo
gist, I am profoundly concerned about
stand Napoleon’ s awe when he stood
the book sells fo r $29.95 and is
e v il,” a choice between the R epubli
front, most experts agree that the
« u a.ity o f p u b lic schooling in this
there is a w ell-justified urge to make
quite a fuss. Certainly, i f not con
vinced before, one can now under
well worth it.
Since obtaining this book a week
but we must also engage the forces o f
reaction at the ballot box. W e cannot
allow alienation and apathy/non-par-
C ity 's schools into institutions where
ch ild re n can learn and develop.
sensationalism usually accorded A f
rica and its rightful place in history,
ever, women now constitute about
40 percent o f the total w o rkfo rce
overall. A s o fth e 19 9 0 Census, w hite
ical process w ill not be inspired by a
' von over the years on the education
place o f so much o fth e tabloid-type
the International Review o f Ancient
A rt and Archaeology.”
massive demonstrations, strikes, bo y
cotts, c iv il disobedience, disruption,
C ortines has resigned (e ffe ctive in
O ctober), the latest p o litic a l fo o tb a ll
is w hich adm inistrative body (the
fied and respectful manner.
When one is furnished such a
scholarly and well-structured treat in
all senior managerial positions at the
rank o f vice president or above. H o w
scribed as a "kin d e r, gentler version
o f the Republicans.” The people who
schools to ensure the safety o f the
students. A n d no w th a t R am on
e tc.:
D jo s e r,
A k h e n a te n ,
Tutankhamun, Ramesses the Great -
- Hatshepsut, N e fe rtiti, Cleopatra.
P eter A . C la y to n is an
ligious and other
cultural icons are
treated in a d ig n i
ment: w hile constituting o n ly 29 per
cent o f the n a tio n ’ s total w orkforce,
white males com prise 95 percent o f
As we struggle to Break the
C ontract on A m erica we must en
gage the radical rig h t in the streets -
M a yo r G iu lia n i, School C hancellor
Ramon C ortines and the Board o f
Education has been whether o r not to
introduce p o lic e o ffice rs in to the
this part o f ancient A frica. There are
datafiies for each pharaoh listing key
information such as royal titles, place
o f burial, and fam ily relationships,
that type o f sup
port is needed. Re
p o litic a l perspectives o f A fric a n -
THIS WAY FOR BLACK EMPOWERMENT
Development Is The Issue In
.America’s Schools
i i D r . L enora F vlani
ince the United States
Supreme Court's land-
mark decision Brown
’ *• Board of Education more
1 ban forty years ago, America's
t chool system has been a battle
ground w here issues like
«'segregation, funding, and
• ommunity control have been
I otly contested.
sents biographical
portraits o f each
pharaoh built into a comprehensive
and immensely readable history o f
Professor
Mckinley
Burt
the upper ranks o f senior manage
en in the labor force. It is certainly
Vantage Point: Independent Politics Needed To Defeat Radical Right
B' R on D anii ls
By
o f geography and
economics are tak
en up w h e re ve r
true that w hite males s till dominate
sue, nor do they perceive their own
p rin cip le interests to be at risk i f
a ffirm a tive action programs were to
be abandoned by the Federal govern
m enting governm ent-supported in i
tiatives fo r social equality, most black
A quarter century o f a ffirm a tive
action programs, goals and tim eta
bles has been clearly e ffective in
ings, stelae, sarcophagi, furniture
jew elry and other artifacts. Also, there
are useful maps, family trees and oth
er charts indicating significant con
sanguinity-important considerations
most o f them clearly do not share the
can-Americans expressed support for
“ quotas” in business em ploym ent,
w ith on ly 30 percent opposed. When
asked w hether quotas should be cre
ated “ that require schools to adm it a
governm ent programs that included
h irin g quotas.” On issues o f im ple
cal in the m o b iliza tio n to defend af
firm ative action.
Dynasties o f Ancient Egypt,” Peter
A. Clayton, Thames And Hudson,
easily achieved.
There is no want o f excellent
color photographs o f the statues, bu i Id-
ties through the im plem entation and
enforcement o f such policies. But
Americans and Hispanics on this is
en and m in o ritie s i f there were not
We have ju st that in “ Chronicle
matching the times o f Moses and the
Exodus w ith the reigns o f particular
Pharaohs. B iblical cross-reference is
Egyptologist, archaeologist and nu-
m ism atistof international repute who
has excavated at sites in both A frica
and Egypt. He is a member o f a
number o f related professional soci
eties and is the editor o f “ minerva:
C onversely, tw o -th ird s o f all A fr i
certain num ber o f m in o ritie s and
w om en,” 61 percent o f the whites
were opposed, w ith 35 percent in
favor. A m a jo rity o f w hites w ould
also reject p olicies w hich “ require
private businesses to set up specific
goals and tim etables fo r h irin g w o m
ell, how about a factual
and non-racist book
that accurately traces
the timelines and dynasties of
170 E gyp tian P haraohs,
African Kings and Queens?
O f The Pharaohs: The Reign-By-
Reign Record O f The Rulers And
Action Really Means; Part two
H ow ever there is a severe ero
sion o f w hite support fo r affirm a tive
How Good Can It Get? More Inspiring Reading
NC) has already introduced legisla
tion to elim inate a ll federal a ffirm a
tive action programs. Robert D ole
(R -K S ) is increasingly becom ing a
“Alon£ ____________
The Color Line”
--------O
__
bv
p e r s p e c li res
I also helped found the Barbara
T a ylo r School, a seven-year-old in
dependent la b o ra to ry sch o o l in
B ro o kly, N ew Y o rk for grades K -8,
where the focus is e ntirely on the
and photographs should be clearly labeled and w ill be returned. I f
accompanied by a s e lf addressed envelope. A ll created design display
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general manager, unless the clie n t has purchased the com position o f
such ad. © 1994 T H E P O R T L A N D O B S E R V E R . A L L R IG H T S
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O U T P E R M IS S IO N IS P R O H IB IT E D .
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tio n - is a mem ber o f the N ational Newspaper A sso cia tio n -F o u n d e d in
1885, and The N ational A d ve rtisin g Representative Am algam ated
Publishers, Inc, N ew Y o rk, N Y , and The West Coast B lack Publishers
A ssociation • Serving Portland and Vancouver
continuous development o f children
as learners -- rather than m erely as
good question-answers, test-takers,
report-w riters o r problem -solvers.
it doesn’t heip our kids to sim
p ly defend school adm inistrators who
we th in k are ‘ p ro g re ssive ,’ like
C ortines in N ew Y o rk, o r a n g rily
denounce p o liticians who th in k edu
cation should be the first line item on
the c h o p p in g b lo ck, lik e M a y o r
G iu lia n i. W c need to take every' op
p o rtu n ity to have an open and far-
ranging discussion on how to best
invest our education budget in devel
opmental teaching approaches and
programs that work.
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