Editorial Articles Do Not Necessarily
Reflect Or Represent The Views O f
The JJortlanh ©bseruer
■7^
s R ev eren d Jackso n
leaves today for his 10-
day trip to Japan and In­
donesia, It seems an appropriate
tim e to discuss money, wages,
and greed.
This coming week, Jackson w ill
be meeting with high-level M itsubishi
officials in Japan, tocontinue discus­
sions about sexual harassment and
auto dealership inclusion. He w ill
also meet w ith o f f ic ia ls o f
Bridgestone/Firestone and the New
Otani Hotel in lo k y o , in an attempt
to resolve ongoing labor disputes.
Jackson w ill then journey to Indo­
nesia, where he w ill try to visit a
couple o f offshore “sweatshops”
sites-low -w age garment and sneak-
C O A L IT IO N
Money Can’t Buy You Love
er factories, producing for export to
the American market.
JaxFax thought a few facts about
worldwide wage rates might be o f
interest this week:*The Senate, fol­
lowing months o f delay instigated by
the Republican leadership, finally
voted this week to raise the minimum
wage in the U.S. by 90 cents an hour,
up to $5.15 per hour.Jax Fax would
like to stress that this minimum wage
increase, which we also wrote about
on 5/23/96, is progressive, populist,
and popular! By siding with the mass
of working people against the inter­
ests o f a narrow economic elite, the
Democrats were able to put Gingrich.
Dole, Lott, and Armey completely
on the defensive, seize the agenda,
and win. Words to the wise. . * Not
every one worries about the minimum
wage. According to our friend, Sam
Pizzigati, editor o f the new “Too
Much” newsletter (call Share the
Wealth at 617-423-2148 for more
details), in 1995 C E O compensation
at large corporations leaped 23%--to
an average o f $4.37 million. That's
$2,100 an hour, or 183 times the
average worker's 1995 hourly earn­
ings o f $11.46—and 408 times the
new minimum wage o f $5.15 per
hour.
Risky Business,
An Environmental Justice Story
J\(
B n t M f »
B
e R.MC E
P < tV L L I
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P o w i l l,
( » / ‘ ■ /c n tl
K S ()\
____________11 »
mental precautions. Wastes were
he picture of laughing
placed in an unlined landfill, an un­
children sliding down a
lined containment pond and unla­
hill is marred by the
beled drums. B y the 1980's, when
knowledge th a t the hill is com­
the extent o f the contamination be­
posed of dirt contam inated by
came obvious, the company went
dioxin, pentachlorophenol and
bankrupt and abandoned the site.
creosote compounds.
Nearly a thousand people live within
The children have climbed through
one-quarter ofa mile ofthis site, with
one o f the two holes in the fence
five day care centers, one hospital
which was put up to keep people out
and three public schoolsclose-by. For
o f this Environm ental Protection
nearly a decade the site went untreat­
Agency (E P A ) clean-up site. C h il­
ed while near-by residents increas­
dren being children and, in the pro­
ingly became sick. Suddenly, in 19 9 1
cess, endangering their health.
the E P A designated the site as an
That’s the story o f one African
Emergency Removal Program and
American community in Pensacola,
hired a contractor to excavate nearly
F L where not one, buttwocontaminat-
260,000 cubic yards o f highly con­
ed sites are located. Environmental
taminated soil to create what res­
racism, when the two companies which
idents call Mt. D ioxin, anenourmous
contaminated this community aban­
mountainofhighly contaminated soil.
doned theirplants. Environmental rac­
The excavation also created a huge
ism, when local government has turned
hole with a 40-foot drop from the
its back on these residents. Environ­
yards bordering it. Residents then
mental racism, when the E P A chose a
found themselves even more exposed
precipitous course o f action in its ini­
to the toxins.
tial clean-up activities.
Nearby is another toxic waste site
For nearly 40 years, the Escambia
where the A grico Chemical Com pa­
Treating Company operated its wood
ny was once located This plant man­
treatment plant, taking few environ-
ufactured sulfuric acid at the turn o f
«
readers were pleased
v
with the honor accord­
ed Alma Reeves Woods when
the new city library in W atts.
California was named for her. A
number were quite surprised:
“A librarian? Im ag in e th a t!
They ’re about the most impor­
tant but unappreciated people
we com e in c o n ta c t w ith
j throughout our lives.”
A frican Am erican teacher w hof
though ‘Black English' might be "a
necessary way to go in some cases”,
I cite the following black organiza­
tion whose membersh ip is adamant­
ly opposed; "The National Black I
Association for Speech, Language |
and Hearing". These speech spe­
cialists have performed yeoman ef­
forts in developing language en­
hancing curriculum for minorities.
Contact Prof. Gio-1
ria W eddington,
San Jo se Statel
By
Univ., C A .
Professor
Next week I will
Mckinley
describe some im­
Burt
portant and experi­
ence-based struc­
tures for early-childhood (and later)
enhancement o f language skills. In
the interim I cite the follow ing
uncontroverted documentation ofthe |
African Origins o f language struc­
tures and writing. As usual, there is
some outcries o f rage at the African
attribution. Pierre Montet is the Dean I
of Modem Egyptologists, Univ. o fl
Pennsylvania.
Other read-
I ers were amiss
over the pro­
nunciation o f
“ L o q u e n d i” .
You had it right.
When you put
the two togeth­
er it just rolls o ff the tongue. "N or­
the century and later produced agri­
C A T E declared that no one would
ma Lo-kwen-dee” (the ’common
cultural chemicals. It closed in 1975,
move unless everyone could The
speech’
o f the people). O f course,
leaving behind many toxic wastes.
E P A has been holding meetings with
we
were
advised
not to get too “com­
Although placed on the E P A Nation­
local residents and plans to issue a
mon”
.
I
referred
to
those who would
al Priorities List in 1989, it wasn't
final report with recommendations
I “abandon phonetics” or formulate
even enclosed by a fence until 1993.
at the end o f June.
a "B lack English” as “ barbarians”
Excavation ofthe surface contam­
This Pensacola community has the
and in no uncertain terms. I could
inants began in 1995, despite the
potential o f becoming the largest en­
have added the “ se e -B ob -run ”
oppostition ofthe community, which
vironmental relocation ever—even
school o f illiteracy.
believed their health was so at risk
larger than the infamous Love Canal
Today I meet young adults who
"Shashank /, Osorkon I. and I
that they wanted to be relocated rath­
in New Yo rk. Indeed, it is “probably
20 or 25 years ago were being edu­
Osorkon II also sen! the kinds o fl
er than have this site cleaned-up.
more contaminated by a broad range
cated as small children at the Black
By bios oftheir day statues o f them- f
In 1992, desperate to stop the d ig­
ofcarcinogenic chemicals that threat­
EducationCenteron N E 17th. I was
selves
(a present which cost them [
ging at the Escambia site, the resi­
en people living immediately next
occasionally availed as a resource
comparatively little), and in each I
dents o f this twice-contaminated
door to the site than any other con­
person and can emphatically attest
case, the king had an alphabetical
com m unity began to meet. The
taminated site in the county,” said
that there was no such nonsense
inscript ion in Phoenician engra ved
homeowners, tenants, former work­
Joel Hirschhom, an expert on haz­
taught at th is very except ional com­
round the cartouches The relations I
ers and other concerned people
ardous waste clean-up.
munity school for the early grades.
between the two countries were not
formed Citizens Against T o xic E x ­
Many people o f color in this na­
And today, the cultural and eco­
o f a purely economic nature, but
posure (C A T E ).
tion feel that our lives are worth less
nomic benefits o f the phonetic, lan-
extended also to political and m ili-[
A retired teacher who grew up in
to our country than those o f Europe­
I guage-is-a-code curriculum are
tary
matters The Pharaohs of the
community next to the Excam bia
an American background But at the
readily apparent even in a brief
New
Kingdom
who sent their armies I
plant became the president. “ We
heart o f the environmental justice
encounter after all these years.
and
messengers
into Syria counted
agreed as a group to stay together to
movement is the beliefthat all people
Facility with language has not
on
the
support
ofthe
kings o f By bios
make sure that j ustice was ach ieved,”
are o f value and have a right to
only enhanced their learning skills
Shashank
¡.
fo
r
instance,
was helped
said Margaret W illiam s.
healthy, sustainable communities.
and acquisition o f knowledge for
/>
>
’
the
kind
o
f
Bybtos
in
his Pates- f
And stay together they have. When
That's what the people o f the C it­
the balance o f their educatjonal
tinian campaign. Regular cozj/ac/
E P A issued a preliminary report ear- • iz e n s A g a in st T o x ic Exp o su re
track-but, that same correct early
with the Egyptians brought morel
tier this year proposing that only 66
( C A T E ) in Pensacola, F L believe.
childhood encounter with sister
than one advantage to the people of\
o f the 358 households be relocated,
I hat's what they are fighting for.
“Norma Loquendi” proves to have
By bios They learned the language [
improved their economic situation
and script o f the Egyptians and
beyond the average. W e’re talking
were inspired by their example to f
acceptance and upward mobility
create a form o f writing o f their |
here.
own. which was still rather compli­
A few people (two) bristled at
cated in its initial stage hut eventu- 1
my use o f the term “barbarians” .
ally emerged as the alphabet, the I
There are times when I have said
simple and perfect system o f writ­
worse after seeing or reading o f
ing of their own. which was .«////1
Democratic member from Detroit,
Waters were directly aimed at the
teenage victims o f vio len ce-kids
rather
complicated in its initial stage [
heralded the unprecedented coming
Christian Coalition which over the
who were never empowered with
together o f conservatives and liber­
but
eventually
emerged as the al­
last decade has emerged as one o f the
I those linguistic and other cultural
als, Dem ocrats and Republicans
phabet,
the
simple
and perfect sys­
major pillars ofthe radical right in
skills that would have “ improved
tem
o
f
writing
which
spread from I
around the church burnings issue.
the U.S. and a key proponent o f the
their economic situation” or facili­
Later in the hearing, however, Cong.
the
shores
o
f
Phoenicia
to all other |
Republican Contract on America.
tated entrance into better peer
nat
ions.
Their
art
and
all
their prod­
Conyers pointedly alluded to those
A few weeks prior to the hearing,
groups and job situations.
ucts
showed
the
effects
ofthe
Egyp­
forces that now condemn the “drop­
the Christian Coalition made a high­
To those few such people I say,
tian
influence.
Having
accepted
the
ping o f the match” who fed the c li­
ly publicized announcement that the
I yes, I ’ve read “Growth And Form"
association
between
Hathorandthe
mate that led to the epidemic ofchurch
organization was putting upa$25,OOO
by the noted D 'A rc y Thompson
Lady o f By bios, they felt obliged to
burnings,” Cong. Maxine Waters,
reward for information leading to
l(w
ho says that actually the olde
portray
the latter, on their o w
Democrat from Los Angeles, in her
convictions in the burnings o f Black
English forms “ I be going” or “ I be
monuments,
with the form and the
own inimitable way, came directly to
churches.
listening” are grammatically cor­
attributes
ofthe
Egyptian goddess.
the point. She suggested that "any­
In recent weeks the Christian C o ­
rect. In Scotland?). And that in an­
—p.110,
III
“
Eternal Egypt”,|
one can be against church burnings,"
alition has also pledged to raise $ I
other place (p.24) he quotes the
Pierre
Montet.
but that some who were pledging to
million to help rebuild Black Church­
[ colloquialism s o f English country
And we keep it in mind that L
help the affected pastors and congre­
es. A number o f civ il rights, reli­
folk, “A good big ‘un is better than
“
Homer
was the last ofGreek tribal/
gations are responsible for leading
gious and political leaders are justi­
a good little ‘un” . Whatever ratio
auditory
authors”, e g. Oral Tradi­
the assault against B lack progress.
fiably suspicious o f the motives o f
and proportion isassessed(sm iles).
tion, "illiterate). Marshall Mcl.uhan. I
The remarks o f Cong. Conyers and
the Christian Coalition.
The fact is, we live here.
author o f “The Gutenberg G alaxy”
I believe, however that I have
and “The Medium Is the Message” .
Civil Right Journal
PV
Children Language And Norma Loquendi
31 *m so glad th a t so many made my point, and for the one
I
I
J
I
I
V Q iif a g e P o in t
eware The Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing”
m
ix D w i e i . s
m m
R on
he Black church burnings
issue seems to be evok­
ing sympathy and sup­
port from some very strange plac­
es.
Even rightwing politicians, and
ultra conservative religious organi­
zations, most notable the Christian
Coalition, are springing into action
to identify with this issue. One is
forced to wonder whether the inter­
est ofthis strange array o f would-be
allies is sincere or whether there are
some ulterior motives involved
At the House Judiciary Com m it­
tee hearing on the church burnings
held in May, Chairman Henry Hyde,
conservative Republican from C h i­
cago, waxed eloquently about the
utter shame o f houses o f religion
beingtouched. Hecalled onall Am er­
icans to denounce these heinous
deeds. It is interesting to note that
Chairman Hyde invited the Christian
Coalition and Southern Baptist con­
vention to testify at the hearing while
pointedly excluding representatives
from the National Council ofChurch-
es, the Center for Democratic Re­
newal and the Center for Constitu­
tional R ights, the organizations spear-
heading the effort to bring the church
burnings issue to national attention.
There was certainly the appearance
that Chairman Hyde was using the
hearing to provide legitimacy for right
wing groups like the Christian C o a li­
tion.
Cong. John Conyers, the ranking
1
“Don’t Fence Oregon”-N o on Measure 3
'T i’*
liX
ast w eek's deadline for
the filing of ballot initia­
tives resulted in a flurry
of last minute filings.
With about two dozen initiatives
filed with Secretary o f State's office,
the ballot is certain to be crowded this
Fall There is one proposed initiative
that I would like to bring to your
attention because o f the extreme con­
sequences it wou id have for the state of
*
Oregon.
Ballot Measure would result in
the fencing in o f almost every body
of water in Oregon. Prohibiting live­
stock near virtual ly al I bodies o f water
would have disastrous consequences
for family farms and the Oregon dairy
industry . The measure would result
in unlimited lawsuits, more regula­
tion, and an end to the cooperative
efforts underway around the state to
improve watersheds.
This measure does not have the
support o f mainstream groups or the
leaders o f this state. In fact, Oregon
Governor John Kitzhaber has already
said he does not support it. In an inter­
view with the La Grande Observer,
Governor Kitzhaber said, “ I support
clean streams. I don't support the ini­
tiative." He said the ballot initiative
creates to solving Oregon's problems.
The groups opposed to this measure
cover a broad spectrum from the Ore­
gon Farm Bureau to the Association o f
Oregon Counties.
For your information, enclosed is
a packet o f information about this
ballot measure. Ifyou have any ques­
tions about the measure or would I ike
to discuss the measure with some­
one. C all me at (503) 224-5650.
Sincerely, Julia Brim-Edwards
A Thanks From Fransiscan Enterprise
s the new Executive Di­
rector at Franciscan En­
terprise, I want to take
this opportunity to thank the
board, the staff, the volunteers,
and all of our hundreds of donuts
for your in c re d ib le s u p p o rt
throughout this last year.
Franciscan has experienced tre­
mendous growth and many changes
in 1995 and 1996 as we struggle to
continue to provide affordable hous­
ing for low income families in our
community. Special thanks to Jerry
Lindsay and Tom Del Salio for their
continued support and assistance
throughout the transition.
F ra n sisca n has several new
projects in progress, including some
new construction. The most chal­
lenging and exciting project is the
renovation o f an entire block on NF.
Alberta Street. This project includes
renovating the store fronts ot the
lexas Lounge, which are occupied
by a C D store, and an old restaurant.
This project w ill add an additional
10-20 affordable housing units and
include the renovations ofthe exist­
ing store fronts. We have been meet­
ing with neighborhood residents and
businesses, as well as funders and
potential tenants to determine the
best use and design for these build­
ings located in the heart o f the Alber­
ta Corridor We w ill be moving our
offices to this site sometime in the
fall this year.
Franc iscan Enterprise has recieved
a $50,000 challenge grant from the
John I leinz Neighborhood Develop­
ment Fund for the Alberta Street
Project
In ordertorecieve the full $50,000
we need to raise $ 12,000 locally by
August o f this year. We are about a
third o f the way to our goal and need
your help to get us all the way there!
A donation o f $10. $25, $100, or
b e tte r
$500 would be great. We are asking
each o f our supporters to send what
they can afford so that we can recieve
the entire $50.000 grant.
I am looking forward to working
with you over the next year as we
continue to “build community one
porch at a time.” Thanks again for
your hard work and support, we could
not do it without you!
Sincerely, Karen A. I'oiss, Exec­
utive Director, Franciscan Enter­
prise.
(3Lfiitor
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