P age A 2
b \
B ersk
C jíf
C
J
e
P o w e ll J ackson
wncre mere are also ju millionaires
and few, if any, poor whites, while
most African Americans are poor.
Well. Tunica County is changing,
it’s not changing because industry
has moved there. It’s changing be­
cause casino gambling has moved
there Mississippi has become a casi­
no-friendly state, with the lowest tax
rates on casino gambling in the coun­
try, much lower licensing fees and a
free market ph ilosophy when it comes
to regulation o f casinos Indeed, Tu­
nica County now has half the casino
floor space o f Atlantic City and the
casinos earn $60 million a month.
There are good results from casi­
no gambling in Tunica County, to be
sure. The percentage o f residents re­
ceiving food stamps has dropped and
the collection child support payments
has increased. But the reality is that
most o f the casino jobs have gone to
people from outside the county and
the county’s unemployment rate is
comparable to what it was in 1991.
The reality is that almost every
white child in Túnica County attends
private school and virtually
every
------------ j
do not consider myself a
religious fundamentalist
In any sense of th a t
phrase. So I didn’t understand
the little nagging feeling of dis­
comfort which was there as I
began to think about gambling
and whether I believe It is right or
wrong.
I didn't understand what was both­
ering me until I read a recent article
in Atlantic Monthly magazine which
focussed on fuñica County, MS, the
poorest county in the poorest state in
the country. You remember Tunica
County - the place which Jesse Jack-
son brought to the nation’s attention
following his 1984 campaign. The
place he called “America’s Ethio­
pia” and which had the eighth high­
est infant mortality rate in the nation,
the fourth highest rate o f births to
teenaged mothers and the highest
percentage o f people living in pover­
ty. The county where 70 percent o f
the adults had no high school diplo­
ma and a quarter o f the houses had no
indoor plumbing. Tunica County,
V a n ta g e P o in t:
HV R o >N
n M
D A
im
N ic i c
e r
Moving Beyond The Contract On America
_________ - l
ecent polls indicate that
a strong negative read­
tion is beginning to set
in against the Republican Con­
trac t on America.
The Republican drive to balance
the budget on the backs o f poor and
working people and the struggling
middle class through drastic reduc­
tions in social programs, increased
military spending and a tax cut for
the wealthy, is leaving a bitter taste in
the mouth o f growing numbers with­
in the American electorate. As the
negative ratings for the Republicans
climb, the approval ratings for Will­
iam Jefferson Clinton have steadily
improved. With some new advisors
and campaign strategists at his side,
the President has skillfully positioned
him self as the defender o f the elder­
ly, the poor and disadvantaged and
the middle class. Increasingly, Clin­
ton’s brand o f moderate conserva­
tism looks reasonable in comparison
to the more extreme conservatism o f
the radical right.
Though the President still faces a
stiff fight, particularly in terms o f
garnering the necessary electoral
votes, it now appears likely that he
will be re-elected. There is even a
possibility that the Democrats will
African American child attends the
many o f these reservations the casi­
public schools and the county has
nos are the only employer o f note for
been resistant to using casino gener­
their people and casino-generated
ated funds to improve the public
taxes allow the tribal councils to im­
schools.
prove the reservations with educa­
Or take the case o f Back Bay
tional institutions and human service
Mission, located in Biloxi, MS. Back
agencies.
Bay is a church-affiliated mission
It seems to me that the poorest of
society which has ministered to the
the poor have been forced to invite
poor o f B i lox i for 70 years. W ith the
casino gambling intotheircommuni-
onset o f casino gambling, Back Bay
ties in order to survive. It’s the only
Mission has seen its buildings, which
business our poorest communities
were located next to the casinos,
can find willing to invest in them.
taken over by the city and razed in
And while casinos have positive ef­
order to widen the streets for the
fects on communities, they have neg­
casinos.
ative ones as well.
Or take the case o f East St. Louis,
It seems to me ihat we as a nation
II., a city which is 98 percent African
need to address the question o f how
American and more than half o f the
to develop jobs for the poor, the
population is officially unemployed.
poorly educated, the victims o f rac­
A city which has 3,000 abandoned
ism and economic injustice. Casino
buildings and where more than half
gambling should no, be the only
o f the children have elevated levels
choice a community can make for
o f lead poisoning. A city where the
life.
casinos generate som ething like
The question o f casino gambling
$500,000 a month for the city’s tax
is a complex one, with no easy an­
coffers.
swers. But some o f us need to begin
And what about gambling on na­
to ask the questions and grapple with
tive
American
w m
u v i i v a i i i reservations?
c a t i v a u u n s r r For
or
rinaing
finding some solutions.
r,
.
regain some seats in the Senate and
crises and what policy prescriptions
the House o f Representatives. Th is is
might iead to a more healthy and
good news for those who believe that
wholesome community o f human
a rise in the fortunes o f Clinton and
beings in this society.
the Democratic Party will translate
The reality is that while the stock
into a major shift in the policy direc­
market continues to shoot through
tion o f the nation and thereby im­
the roof, m ore and m ore U.S.
prove the fortunes of the million o f
tra n sn a tio n a l c o rp o ra tio n s are
people who are taking the brunt o f
downsizing in the name o f global
the Contract on America.
competition. As a result million o f
I for one am not convinced that the
American workers are being hurled
re-election o f Clinton and the re­
into the ranks ofthe unemployed and
bound o f the Democrats will make
underemployed. AT&T recently an­
more than an incremental, marginal
nounced that it is permanently fur­
difference in the lives o f poor and
loughing 41,000 workers, many o f
working people and the struggling
whom are middle level managers and
middle class in this country. This is
white collar workers. While stock­
because the right wing conservatives
holders and bondholders are elated
have successfully defined the terms
with the benefits o f the current bull
and nature o f the debate. The strug­
market, millions o f American dream
gle being waged between the Demo­
evaporate before their very eyes.j
crats and the Republicans over the
The rich are getting richer and the
budget and related issues, is being
poor are getting poorer in U.S. soci­
fought on a battlefield stake out by
ety. One percent o f the people in this
the right. Hence the debate and fight
country, the super-rich now control
is about how far to go down the same
ninety percent o f the total wealth o f
road, not about whether another path
this land. The U.S. now has the great­
would be better. It is like two physi­
est level o f inequality o f any western
cians debating whether to amputate a
industrialized nation. And, while the
leg above the knee or below the knee
gap between the rich and poor in­
rather than discussing alternatives
creases, both Republicans and Dem­
that might save the leg altogether.
ocrats are signing off on shrinking
Indeed, there is virtually no discus­
government and the public sector
sion about root causes o f the current
and the shredd i ng o f an al ready
v u u ; frayed
u u jv u
and tattered “safety net,” in favor of
the mythical magic o f the “free mar­
ket.” As a consequence those who
have been locked out o f the current
binge o f profit taking and prosperity
face an uncertain future They will be
unable to turn to a compassionate
public sector to provide assistance in
a time o f dire need.
T he re -e le c tio n o f W illiam
Jefferson Clinton will not fundamen­
tally alter the public policy direction
of the country, or transform the des­
perate plight of poor and working
people. This is precisely because
Clinton, who campaigned on health
care reform, and economic stimulus
package and striker replacement leg­
islation, quickly accommodated and
capitulated to the agenda o f the right.
Deficit reduction and proposals to
satisfy Wall Street were prioritized
while the stimulus package to create
jobs for poor and working people,
health care reform and progressive
labor legislation were ultimately
abandoned. It is useful to remember
that Clinton is a self-styled “new
democrat” molded by his affiliation
with the moderate-conservative Dem­
ocratic Leadership Council. He is in
essence a Republicrat, who differs
from Gingrich-Dole and company in
u
t g i v t I not
I U I 111
IIU .
degree
in M kind
Statement On The Death Of Former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan
DNC G e n e r a l C h a ir m a n
C h r is D o d o a n d N a t io n a l
C h a ir m a n D on F o w ler
* h® D em o c ra tic Party
by
iJ
mourns the loss today of
one of the nation’s pre
mier public servants, former Con­
gresswoman Barbara Jordan of
Texas. Known for her eloquent
oratorical skills, Congresswom­
an Jordan was one of the First
A frican A m erican law m akers
elected to Congress from the
South since Reconstruction.”
‘Her service to the Democratic
Party was faithful and undying, be­
ginning in I960 in the Kennedy-
Johnson campaign where she licked
stamps and addressed envelopes. She
championed the interests not just o f
Texans but ofall Americans from the
state legislature to the halls o f Con­
gress.”
“Congresswoman Jordan never
failed to inspire; her unshakable faith
in the Constitution raised the con­
science o f the nation during the
Watergate hearings when she de-
clared My faith in the constitution is
whole, it is complete it is total.’
“Congresswoman Jordan, the gen­
tle lady from Texas, was a moral
compass to our nation, a powerful
embodiment o f our greatest tradi­
tions and our deepest aspirations.
Her powerful presence and towering
intellect made a lasting impression
on all o f us. Who can forget her
stirring keynote address at the 1976
Democratic National Convention and
her repeat performance some sixteen
years later when she challenged del-
Send your letters to the Editor to:
3137, Portland, OR 97208
EditorLPO Box
egates and the nation: “ We need to
change the decaying inner cities from
decay to places where hope lives.’
“ L a te r this year, D em ocrats
w ill g a th e r in C h icag o to re d e d i­
cate o u rselv es to the p u rp o ses o f
ju s tic e to w hich B arbara Jordan
d ed icated h e rse lf thro u g h o u t her
life. There w ill be an em pty spot
in the U ntied C enter w here C o n ­
gressw om an Jordan should be,
but a fullness in our h earts be­
cause here m em ory is alw ays with
us.
Thanks so much fo r the ad in the 10 January
Martin Luther King, Jr. Special Editon. Your
support over the years means a great deal
to the commission and to me personally.
Sincerely, Charles Stoudamire
70 Year Old Blackman Beaten By Los Angeles Police Appeals For Hein
31
t is difficult for anyone to
ever begin to imagine the
humiliation, the feeling
of helplessness and despair ex­
perienced, to be kicked like a
dog by a racist policeman and
called a Nigger.
As a result o f being assaulted, lam
hereby submitting this communica-
tion with a view o f encroaching upon
your hospitality forpublishingofthis
letter pertaining to my ordeal with
reference to the assault inflicted upon
me by a member o f the Los Angeles
Police Department only because I
am a black man
The issue surrounding this unfor­
tunate incident are as follows, as a
result o f being assaulted by police
officer Michael Shea a member o f
the Los Angeles Police Department,
I filed a Federal Civil Rights lawsuit
against the policeman involved and
the City o f Los Angeles. The police­
man and the city are being defended
by City Attorney Mr. James Hahn,
Assistant City Attorney Mr. G. Daniel
---------
Woodward and -------------
Deputy City
Attor­
ney Mr. Gary G. Geuss.
I am not represented by a lawyer
because I cannot afford the retainer
fees o f from $1000.00 to $5,000.00
requested by many lawyers that I
have talked with, I am forwarding
this communication with a view of
requesting
if ■ »nw
the possibility
exist
” 1----- ■ ■© that ■
i V
AI31
o f publishing this letter pertaining to
this case where by an attorney after
reading o f my plight may agree to
represent me with this litigation, or
maybe yon or one o f your readers arc
able to organize a fund raising bene­
fit on my behalf, in this my hour of
crisis, in the seekingofjustice forthe
brutality inflicted upon me by a mem­
ber o f the Los Angeles Police De­
partment, please do so.
In my particular case I accidental­
ly stumbled upon a crime scene in
Los A n g e le s, c o n se q u e n tly I
w as.choked, punched, kicked, phys­
ically abused, thrown head first into
a tree and called ‘a troublesome
N igger' by Police Officer Michael
Shea, a member o f the Los Angeles
Police Department, Hollywood Di­
vision. The crime that I committed
were ‘I Did Not Walk Fast Enough
When Told To Leave The Scene’ I
was wearing a Yarmulka (skull cap)
as is the custom o f all Caribbean and
Ethiopian Jews & I was referred to
Antisemitically As A Nigger Jew.
May I take this opportunity of
thanking you in advance for your
cooperation, courtesy and prompt
action.
It is difficult for anyone to ever
begin to imagine the humiliation, the
feeling o f helplessness and despair
experienced, to be kicked like a dog
by a racist policeman and to be cal led
a nigger only because I am a black
man. Members o f the Los Angeles
PoliceCommission, The Police Chief
o fth e City o f Los Angeles, Captain
Glen Ackerman, the Commanding
Officer o f the policeman who com­
mitted the assault, in conforming with
the police department's code o f si­
lence, have all denied that the assault
ncip
ever took place since, according to
them, I cannot produce a video tape
o f the beating that I endured. Please
Assist.
On a daily basis I can be contacted
at 11012 Crenshaw Blvd. #204, Los
Angeles California 90010, and may
the good Lord bless you,h)0*0*0*r
assisting me in this my hour o f crisis
and if there are any questions, please
do not hesitate in contacting me ac­
cordingly by calling ( 2 13) 930-2027.
The Services O f An Attorney Or
Attorneys In This Case Are Urgently
Needed.
In the spirit o f fighting against
injustice and racism, please respond
by return mail, because as a 70 year
old man, I could not fight back, yet
without justification I was beaten. I
am a retired Commander o f Police
and I am a former Chairman o f the
Los Angeles Police Department Ac­
tion Committee.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ernesto Moshe Montgomery'
A Yictim o f Police Indiscretion
t
p e r s p ec / / r e s
Prelude To Black History Month:
“Things Aint What They Used To Be!”
Are "they" anticipating “us” this
year? The first page o f the forum
I sectionofSunday’sOregonian news­
cultural and economic global net­
work that controls and administrates
the affairs o f the planet displays no |
paper featured a huge photo collage
o f a being’ of some kind or other -
this was in support o f along, less-
than-cohesive article, “ Different
Shades O f White: Some whites want
to shed that label and create new
| identities through their varied ances-
I try ”
O ne reader
called me Sun­
day morning as
soonashegothis
| paper, “ Duke
face other than (pardon the expres­
sion) “white.” One day in the library
in 1975 allowed me to cite 78 refer­
rals to 'The first white man to do this
or that’: climb Mt. Everest, sail the |
oceans, etc.
And if Mr. McGillivray would go
down to the public
Library and consult
“G ale’s Encyclo-I
By
pedia of Associa­
Professor
tions”, he will find
Mckinley
that not only his
Burt
clan, but hundreds [
Ellington was de­
cades ahead o f
o f other Ethnic or­
his time with that saxophone solo by
ganizations with European roots are
Johnny Hodges, Things Aint What
listed there. I have written before in
They Used To Be’. The past few
this column o f the massive daily trans
years the whole world has been chang­
Atlantic Traffic that originates with
ing right before our eyes, and not for
the membership o f these organiza­
the better. A lot o f fundamental things
tions. Not only the sponsored and
have disappeared forever. And, now.
casual excursions and visits to the |
White Folks Have Gotten Up And
“homeland", but the highly struc­
Walked Away.” He wondered who’s
tured and sophisticated interaction
left to be responsible for the world's
on both sides o f the Atlantic that
ills. Who indeed, dear readers?
produces trillions o f dollars in com-1
Anotherreaderf white female) ob­
merce.
served. “ I knew it was coming after
Being privy to a “white face” is not I
seeing all those white males on tele­
an advantage most participants would
vision, sitting around their campfires
be willing to give up; what do you
hall-naked, beating on drums and
think? Another thing intrigues me
I screaming, primeval chants and oaths
about our Scottish clansman and oth­
I to release our repressed manhood'.
ers of European descent when they
Those Indians who have not perished
wax eloquent about ethnicity; they
from one fomi oranotherofgenocide
seem toomitsom uchofthat “cultural
will surely die in the throes o f hyster­
richness’ which they would have us
ical laughter.”
think is so important to them.
Others have said, “the novel,
In the past I have quoted here)
Roots’ started all this stuff - made
quite extensively from a book by
white folksjealous, not withstanding
British scholar, Peter Fryer, “Stay­
the whips and chains. Most o f them
ing Power: the History O f Black
do seem to belong to an undifferenti­
People In Britain.” In this text we
ated mass o f ’colorless non-individ­
learned that the Africans were the
uality’.” The latter statement was
choreographers and drummers for
made with a perfectly straight face
the Scottish marching bands. The I
The United States commissioner
Shrove Tuesday festivities o f the)
for the “Clan McGillivray” is quoted
year 1505 isgiyen as a typical occa­
in that Oregonian article as follows:
sion (The King himself taking part, I
“Calling people white is only a way
playing both the lute and the clavi­
o f describing skin color...vague...
chord. On other occasions at the i
when someone is cal led white, whats
turn ofthe sixteenth-century, we are L
lacking is cultural richness. There are
told of the beautiful black women o f
things in the heritage o f European
Edinburgh who participated in the[
people that unite them with other
tournaments o f the Knights - King
ethnic and racial groups. Many o f the
James IV selecting the most comely
people who came to this country
of all to play op p o site in anf
experienced oppression in Europe.”
Edinburgh festival.
We certainly need to thank “Mr.
Are these documented histories I
Bruce P. McGillivray, 48, Portland,
what whites want in their search for |
who traces his roots to Scotland” -
cultural richness”? The great Scot­
for making it perfectly clear what the
tish Poet, William Dunbarthoughtso I
term “white” signifies in America
when he wrote so eloquently o f Afri­
today (and yesterday). The master
can women.
I
Wlje |Llortlaitb (Obscrticr
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