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O i l ober 16. 1996 «Tm P oru and Olisi rvi r
7
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I hank Yot F or R eading T he P ortland O bserv er
Recycling pioneer
speaks out
To the editor:
In 1968. I built the first known
redemption drop-box for pop and
beer containers. And it worked!
Then, in 19 7 1, we were so proud
when the Legislature approved our
idea for a Bottle B ill' We expected
it would encourage recycling. And
did it ever!
Now Measure 37 comes along.
Measure 37 w ill put a major crack
in the great Oregon Bottle Bill.
Why? Because Measure 37 takes
away from the recycling progress
we've made these last 25 years by
turning our grocery stores into re­
cycling centers, let me repeat; Mea­
sure 37 dumps even more stuff on
our grocery stores and away from
the recycling process.
Recycling at our curbs and in
bins and drop-boxes has progressed
and increased because o f the Ore­
gon Bottle B ill; it'd be a crying
shame if it now stopped because o f
it.
Join me. one o f the folks who
first worked to makeour Bottle B ill
law, in voting No on 37.
Sincerely, Keith Delaney
Yes on bottle bill
To the editor,
I'm writing to encourage every
Oregonian to vote yes on measure 37
to expand the bottle bill.
We all know the bottle bill works,
ye, every year 100 million single
serving containers litter our state and
fill up the landfills. Isn’t that the very
reason we have a bottle bill in the
first place?!
Opponents o f measure 37 seem to
want the people to think that they
would cover more containers had
they written the measure, but the fact
is that these are the same people who
tried to repeal our existing bottle bill
in the legislature last year.
A confused voter generally votes
’no’, so how ironic it is that the
oppositions flagship argument is that
the measure is confusing. The simple
fact is that this easy reading ballot
measure w ill increase recycling and
keep Oregon beautiful. Just ask G o v­
ernor Kitzhaber, Gordon Smith, the
League o f Women voters, or even
Mrs Tom M cCall
P a u l Becker, Portland, O R
Sabbatical in D.C.
To the Editor
I am in favor o f sending Mr
Smith to Washington
Washington State, maybe justto
ge, him out o f our hair Bu, certain­
ly not to Washington. D C as our
elected senator
We don’t need a senator who
mouths the platitudes of “Christian
family values' but espouses the Dar­
winian philosophy that “only the
strong survive", and who will do his
best to ensure that the “strong" are all
wealthy republicans like himself.
I support family values-the val­
ues o f tolerance, freedom o f choice,
equal opportunity and fair, wise
representation and I don’t see G or­
don Smith advocating any o f these
Send Mr. Smith to Washington,
D .C.? Never, never, never!
E rie R. Eckm an
Editorial Articles Do Not Necessarily
Reflect Or Represent The Views O f
(The ^Iortlatib ffibseruer
I
r
K ornbi . i I I , H is iorian
Jaxfax took on the issue of CIA
involvement in smuggling crack
into the U.S. in order to fund the
Contras. Historian Peter Kombluh
continues his analysis of this
very hot issue.
In 1989 a special Senate investi­
gation chaired by Senator John K er­
ry ( D-M A ) reported that drug smug­
glers had given money to certain
Contra groups; that drug pilots and
drug planes were used to ferry' arms
to the Contras; that CIA-Protected
landing strips used in the covert war
were also used by drug smugglers;
and that the State Department's N ic­
araguan Humanitarian Aid Office,
which was run behind the scenes by
OliverNorth, Elliot Abram sandCIA
task force director Alan Fiers, gave
more than $800 thousand to five trans­
port organizations known to federal
officials,obe involved indrugsm ug­
gling operations.
"In the name o f supporting the
contras," the Kerry Committee con­
cluded. U.S. officials "abandoned
the responsibil ity our government has
for protecting our citizens from all
threats to their security and well be-
/ 7i
e
More Revelations: Education In
The Village______
As I was saying last week, "t i me and
position" are extremely important con­
cepts in the understanding o f physics.
In fact, this applies to most of science
as so many students discover - and,
hopefully, most of the parents who are
being brought into the learning pro­
cess. This is true in mathematics as
well, though Secret'.
I introduced some ‘relevant' poetry
because through the years it has been
made quite clear to me that both young
children and older youth more quickly
comprehend the concepts o f motion,
mass, velocity - and space as the stage
on which these phenomena act - w hen
the performance is interpreted in lan­
guage that matches the reality (and the
student's mode o f cognition).
That is why you find that I cited so
many books on language and linguis­
tics as having paved my own learning
path, e g. searching for better ways to
teach mathematics and logic. Did I
omit “Chomsky, or Korzybski, or Lévi-
Strauss?" I didn’t mean to, but not to
worry. It was two weeks ago that I
described a busy preoccupation with
bv
K ie iii O rlando H it . ion
31
T \
( f
R jiuibj W
C
O
A
L I T I O
N
CIA, Contras & Crack
Illg.
Abandoning the responsibility to
protect our communities from a true
national security th reat-dru gs-is a,
the heart of,he spreading public out­
rage over the San Jose Mercury News
stories.
It is important to note that these
stories do not sav that the C IA spec i f-
ically targeted the African American
inner cities o f southern California for
crack cocaine distribution But they
do say that members o f the main
Contra group, the F D N , an organiza­
tion created b y-an d controlled b y -
the C IA , did come up with the orig­
inal strategy to transform cocaine
from a rich man’s drug into a mass
market product to be distributed on
the blighted streets o f Los Angeles
and San Francisco and elsewhere.
s
f
WMW
N A T IO N A L
Tt
/
e
the design and preparation o f related
texts, curriculum, C D -R O M . tapes and
educational toys. You won't have to
plow through my three rooms ofbooks
and files; just check my Web site and
order.
You know, this 'pedegogic' bag
was not always the principal thrust o f
my rather diverse interests ranging
from math and science at a very early
age to the reclaim­
ing o f black and
African history with
a decided emphasis
on tech no lo gy.
While I primarily
earned a living at
public and industry
accounting, as frequently as possible I
took jobs that allowed development
and provided resources in the other
areas; computers, electronics techni­
cian, teaching.
I his tactic found me teaching in the
Black Studies Department at Portland
State University when the “New Math"
blitz hit public education; academia
got right in line at the money trough. In
the early 1970's, the mathematics de­
partment engaged me to teach the New
and that profits were used in the
C I A ’s covert war in Central Am eri­
ca.
Even if cloak and dagger agents
weren't selling crack bags on inner
city streets, it is a scandal that U.S.
o fficials created an environment
where crim inals o f this sort could
operate with impunity, and tolerated
any connection between the narcot­
ics trade and the covert war It is
scandal enough that Norwin Meneses
and DaniIo Blandon, two Contra co­
caine traffickers, escaped prosecu­
tion all that tim e-and that the D E A
eventually put Blandon on its payroll
as a high-priced informant. And it is
a major scandal if they received pro­
tection due to their cover, activities,
as implied in the San Jose Mercury
News stories. If so, U.S. officials
t
must be held accountable for ob­
struction o f justice.
Representative Maxine Waters(D-
C A ) and other members o f the Black
Caucus demanded, and obtained, in­
ternal reviews in the C IA and the
justice Department. In order to have
a full and independent investigation,
however. President Clinton should
order his Intelligence O versight
Board to conduct its own review, and
issue a report that includes full dis­
closure of:
♦ declassified ( 7,4 documents on
the early years o f the Contra war;
* a ll D E A communications with
the 17.1 and the Reagan White House
on Contras and drug smuggling;
* a ll D E A records that might re­
veal any pressure from U.S. officials
to "keep hands o f f drug pushers;
♦ a ll D EA file s on Norwin Meneses
and D anilo Blandon, includingftles
on the decision to make Blandon a
high-paid informant
Finally, the town meetings, citi­
zen debates, and radio programs tak­
ing place across the country must
enjoin the larger debate over the role
o f the C IA and covert operations in
the 21st century.
r
/
Math" to some o f the district K I-1 2
teachers who had been ordered to “get
with it" most immediately.
Actually , every where in the Unit­
ed States the educational establish­
ment, from Washington D .C. to the
most remote rural school district
embraced this new (well-funded)
concept with a religious fervor. It
was going to be 'apocalypse now" for
------ 1 America if its hun-
dreds o f thousands
o f public school
By
teachers did not
Professor
immediately be­
Mckinley
come masters o f
Burt
“ sets, topology.
Boolean algebra"
and familiar with the terms "commu­
tative. associative, commutative, bi­
nary.”
I he 'New Math' revolution has long
since been forgotten but the point I
wished to make here was that at the
same time I was faced with scores of
teachers who hadn't a clue to how
number systems were constructed, I
also was engaged in two related en­
deavors which couldn't be dropped.
I his confluence of major math con-
e
s
cepts led to the long learning curve
described the past two weeks. “ In the
beginning was the word.”
I've detailed before the nature o f
my Montessori School “computer
boards" for teaching little ones deci­
sion trees and logic around this same
time — and I was still expanding and
developing that “The Dalles award­
winning" model for communication/
computer technology.” The gist of
the matter is that all three innovative
concepts came together for me in
comprehensible, workable form (just
too far ahead o f my time).
t oday I am very concerned that we
may again have on our hands another
new super-learning crusade that will
outstrip both the "New Math" and the
"Metric System” for sheer religious
fervor and the expenditure o f taxpayer
dollars.
Elie “ Information Superhighway-
the Net-Cyberspace” ... will they too
pass away'? W ill they, too, infinitely
expand and engage to conceal the fact
that there are many yet who cannot
count, read or write very well, in front
or behind some desks? Continued next
week.
Hilton: Higher Education
s always, this annual
S tate of the Campus
address is dedicated to
students of African descent en­
rolled in colleges and universi­
ties throughout the world.
This marks the ninth consecutive
year that I have written this column.
And each year I remind college stu­
dents that they are not alone.
There are mil I ions o f advocates and
other students worldwide who believe
in you and want you to succeed.
To my colleagues, who are co l­
lege officials, I say, "sometimes stu­
dents just need someone to talk to
during rough classroom periods."
Sometimes they need a "stern
voice" to keep them focused, and
yes, sometimes they are too cocky to
admit that they need help.
To this very day, it bothers me to
see cocky, arrogant students o f any
ethnicity . And I believe that parents
and educators need to let them know
when they are acting that way.
For example, just this summer a
recent college graduate o f highly-
touted I iberal arts col lege was at home
discussing his law school plans and
made a flip remark about state uni­
versities.
He said that he could never see
him self going to a state school for
graduate or law school because this
would be considered a step down
from his undergraduate institution.
Now that was arrogance mixed with
even more ignorance.
I reminded him that most people
have never heard o f this highly-rated
liberal arts college, but I am sure that
more people, including prospective
employers, have heard o f “ lowly”
state schools or even Rutgers Uni-
versity-the state university o f New
Jersey.
“ Rutgers University is a state uni­
versity,” he asked? To say the least,
he was a little embarrassed as I con­
tinued to click o ff other state colleg­
es, including Oregon State, Arizona
State and North Carolina State Uni­
versity.
“ And when you learned your
A B C s, you should have thanked the
California State University System,
because many, if not most teachers in
California go through that system at
one time or another," I reminded him.
I could see in the young man’s
eyes and voice that he was re-think­
ing his opinion about state schools.
You see, it is still possible to be a
confident, assertive and successful
student, while at the same time, dis­
playing humility
During thisacademic school year,
we will applaud every student who
goes through school with excellent
grades. We w ill also be 100 percent
supportive ofthose students who may
not get the best grades, but are doing
their best.
We won't give up on those stu­
dents who don t quite see the neces­
sity o f being academically serious or
cultural centered—yet. We have seen
a tew diamonds in the rough come
through and suspect that many more
w ill follow.
And finally and especially to A fri­
can-American, African Caribbean,
African Latino and continental A fri­
can students, I continue to say, “ Don’t
blow this opportunity to begin build­
ing lasting relationships.”
The Power of the Human Tongue
«» 1 J .ft t m
Mt i i i s B ll xkdo
bv
S tanton
here is a proverb from
the Congo that says “a
good tongue meeting
another good tongue will cause
happiness.” Do you have a good
tongue?
B y that I mean are your words
edify ing, encouraging, uplifting and
constructive? When you speak is your
intent to build up or destroy, inspire
o f offend? Are you even aware there
is power in the human tongue?
When we were younger we used
to sing the rhyme "sticks and stones
may break my bones but names w ill
never hurt me.” By now most o f us
are keenly aware that names and
words spoken with malicious intent
can do more psychic and emotional
damage than sticks or stones That is
why it is imperative for us to be
cognizant o f our words, what we say
to ourselves as well as to others
Our self-talk, that internal dia­
logue we hold in our minds is crucial
to our self-esteem, self-concept and
self-confidence. Are you thoughts
self-depreciating? Are you overly
critical o f yourself? Many time our
thoughts pass into our consciousness
seemingly out o f nowhere. However,
you are not a prisoner o f your
thoughts. When a negative thought
pops into your consciousness don’t
fight it. W restlingwithyourthoughts
only invigorates them giving them
more power. What you have to do is
consciously think about something
else. Since you cannot hold two sep­
arate thoughts at the same time, the
thought or image you conjure w ill
displace the one in your conscious
mind. In metaphysics this is known
as the Law o f Substitution. It is the
only way to bring about a change o f
consciousness, a change o f attitude
and a mental renewal
You have the power to control your
thinking and subsequently the power
to control your tongue A s for your
conversation with others, the same
rule applies - think before you speak!
Someone once said “make sure the
brian is engaged before starting the
mouth." Strive to have a good tongue.
Speak words o f empowerment, truth,
support, exhorts others to be their best
and greatest selves. Link up with like­
minded people who will re-enforce
your commitment to positivity.
If you know anything about hu­
man nature, the nay sayers, the scoff­
ers cynics and skeptics w ill not wan,
to be around you when you are up­
beat, positive and supportive. Birds
ofa feather flock together. They want
people who agree with them, people
who are like-minded. Misery loves
company. The nay sayers and critics
w ill attract each other. Trust me.
Don't worry about not having any
friends. The last time I checked, no
monuments or status have ever been
erected to nay sayers, critics or skep­
tics. Hooking up with like-minded
people, those who are upbeat and
positive w ill, as the proverb said.
bring happiness. It w ill bring happi
ness both to you and to those arouni
you. I don't know about you bu
when I'm forced to be around peopli
who are always down in the mouth
pessimistic and discouraging, I fee
drained. That's because I don’t will
ingly or knowingly associate w ill
people like that. I'd much rather b<
around positive proactive people th#f
negative “do-nothings.”
Be a person who sees the possibil­
ities for success and progress rathei
than one who is always tearing some­
one or something down. Aesop said
a crus, o f bread eaten in peace is
better than a banquet in contention.'
Lastly, we need to realize energy
follows,bought. Everything proceeds
from our thinking.
There is power in our speech
Determine to use your power for
good. Decide to create happiness
wherever you go. Be a good tongue
spreading happiness, the world is in
dire need o f this!