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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1998)
. .j / •. * • . * -i Page A4 JUNE10, 1998 ffljr IJortlanb (©bscruer Editorial Articles Do Not Necessarily Reflect Or Represent The Views O f (Elie ^Jortlanb ODbserucr Attention Readers! Please lake a minute to send us vour comments. W e're always try ing to gis eyou a better paper and we can't do it without your help. Tell us what you like and what needs improvement... any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. We take criticism well! Get your powerful pens out NOW and address your letters to: Editor, Reader R esp onse, P.O . Box 3137, Portland, O R 97208. <ni|c ^lortlanh (DbserUer (I SPS 959-680) Established in 1970 Charles Washington Publisher & Editor Mark Washington Distsribution Manager Gary Ann Taylor Business Manager Larry J. Jackson, Sr. Director o f Operation Tony Washington Assistant Editor lesha Williams Graphic Design Contributing Writers: Professor McKinley Burt, Lee Perlman, Neil Heilpern Joy Ramos 4747 NF. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97211 503-288-0033 • Fax 503-288-0015 Email: Pdxobserv@aol.com Deadline for all submitted materials: Articles:Friday, 5:00pm Ads: Monday, ¡2:00pm POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes To: Portland Observer, P.O. Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Subscriptions : $60.00 per year The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manu scripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned ifaccompanied by a selfaddressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 1996 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITH OUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observ er—Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publica tion—is a member of the National Newspaper Association—Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. S U B S C R IB E T O £ljc |lo r tla n b OObserurr The Portland Observer can be sent directly to your home for only S60.00 per year Please fill out, enclose check or money order, and mail to: S ubscriptions T he P ortland O bserver ; PO B ox 3137 P or i land , O regon 97208 Name: Address: City, State: Zip-Code: T iia n k V o i F or R eading T he . P ortland O bserver p e r s p e c t i v e s ‘Supper Table Input’; What Was It? What Now? II B y P rof . M c K inley B ert It is in striking relevance to our “Supper Table” thesis that the De cember 18, 1996 issue o f the Port land Observer featured two power ful and sensitive social reports - side by side, as though to support each other. That week’s “Family Living’ sec tion was read and commented upon by many community residents, and by other citizens as well. The first report was authored by that devoted and indefatigable ombudsman for our nation’schildren, Marion Wright Edelman, “Childwatch: House par ties allow everyone to help black children” (A suitable multicultrual model). As Edelm an described it, “KCMC” (Karing for Children Is Our Main Concern), a wonderful child care center in Kansas City, Mo., was 'one' of the 270 African American groups across the country who hosted house parties to support a “Black Crusade for Children.” These inspired and energetic hu manitarians ranged from neighbor hood people and grassroots activ ists to such celebrities as Bill Cosby, Iman, Whoopie Goldberg, Oprah, Et Cetera. The principal thrust was to come to the aid o f the detached and alien ated children and youth such as I have described in this series as hav ing been deprived of such basic so cialization processes (once consid ered the norm) as occur around the family dinner table - one is informed, directed. The second relevant article, “Grandparents Raising Grandchil dren” described a study by the “Cen ter On Aging” at Bradley Univer sity, on a research grant from the National Institute On Aging. The Grandparent study is intended to “fill an important knowledge gap by providing information about the challenges and rewards’ of grand parents who are raising a child.” I am given to a wry grin (like many ofour readers) as the research ers describe a specific lack of infor mation on the new roles of these grandparents - “a need to identify those who are struggling socially, emotionally or financially.” Like you readers, I can supply a real-time observation from many points of our social infrastructure, including a personal one. The interaction with the child or youth is a sort ofvirtual reality’, true enough, if you are not the actual grandparent in an interaction with the child or youth, but the insights of joy or pain, gratitude or humility are all there. Your relationship to such a ‘family’ may be as a friend, neigh bor or relative - or in a professional role, teacher, counselor, social worker, coach, criminal justice, ac countant, health care. But in so many instances all o f us have been forced to marvel at the strength and commitment these‘vet erans’ in the raising ofchildren have brought to their surrogate role. Mat ters o f finance, health, housing, per sonal safety and social mores are more difficult, now. In the very first article o f this series (5/27/98), I described my household as being headed by a grandfather. A role model nonpa reil, his standards for morality, hu man relations and a search for jus tice are with me today as with yes terday. This, though I was only eleven when he died - and the ‘ fam- ily ’ split up very soon afterwards. This left me to be raised by a mother who had difficult coping and before long; I had dropped out of high school. But grandpa has always ‘been there.’ Those who have had this experi ence and the “Supper Table” expe rience will understand; the inquiries and the discipline about school and home work, about the character of your peers and associates, about your ambitions, about your chores’ and your bedtime. There was no televi sion but you can bet your reading material was censored. A child ran nothing but his mouth, but was given more reign as his maturity indicated. What else? And given that dinner time in formation exchange and data bank. I, like millions o f others of similar circumstance, passed college en trance exams with no difficulty at all. I could remember grandpa dis cussing his mortgages, deeds and giving me the installment book and interest tables for a math lesson. So when I got to Northwestern Law School (Portland), I hooked this right up with my early reading of Robin Hood: you know, the Sheriff o f Nottingham, the ‘Spring Assizes’ when the traveling ‘Circuit Judge’ made his court appearance, the King’s ‘Eminent Domain’ a piece o f cake! Next week - Lot of guns in house. Greatest Threat to Security Since Cuban Missile Crisis T he a n n o u n c e m e n t th a t P a k is ta n d e to n a te d fiv e n u c le a r d e v ic e s , s u rre n d e rin g to th e te m p ta tio n o f bom b for bom b, ey e fo r ey e, is the g re a te s t th re a t to in te rn a tio n a l s e c u rity s in c e the C uban M is s ile C ris is . T h e o p p o r t u n i t y fo r an arm s ra ce b etw e en In d ia and P a k is ta n and th e s p e c te r o f C h in a ’s re sp o n se d e s ta b iliz e s th e e n tire w o rld . T he in t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n ity m u st c o m e to g e th e r , sp e a k w ith o n e c le a r v o ic e , d e n o u n c e th is gam e o f “ n u c le a r c h ic k e n ,” and sto p th is im p e n d in g arm s ra c e . A lth o u g h P a k is ta n , In d ia an d o th e rs claim th at n u c le a r w e ap o n s have a d e te rre n t 4 better Tfe Tfdie (Süfîitcr Send your letters to the Editor to: Editor, PO Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208 Dear Editor, I have watched TV and read newspapers articles, about two Portland public schools, Humboldt and Jefferson. What 1 haven’t heard is anyone taking the blame for the poor academic failure o f our children, and the dismal future they all face. Jefferson High School has always been blamed for the failure o f the School Board and its Superintendent, for the poorjobs they’ve done. In our negotiation the School Board promised the Community Coalition for School integration, equity and quality education for all children in the Eighties. That was over eighteen years ago, in most cases we are worse off now than we were then. The Hierarchy at the top is still blaming the low people at the bottom o f the totem pole. They knew there were a lot o f deficiency in most o f the teachers who were placed in the Albina area schools. At that time there were not too many good qualified teachers, the best ones were sent to the white area schools and the worse ones over here. Some did not have degrees and most o f them were not even certified. I fyou could manage to keep some control in your classroom, (most o f this was done by letting the students have their way) you had a job. The school district has waited almost twenty years before they decide to clean the house, unfortunately for our children the damage has already been done. The price we suffer for this is having so many o f our people on crack cocaine, or other drugs. Also, a lot o f our young people are being in the State Jail system, for either selling or using drugs. You don’t have to be smart; in fact the dumber you are the better those rich men who set up the drug houses like it. They know if you are dumb, you w on’t have sense to tell. Students attend eight years o f school, Elementary and Middle school before they enter into Jefferson or any other high school The School Board must thing that Jefferson’s staff and teacher is Jesus Christ, M iracle doctors who should be able to perform surgery on a brain that has been dead or on ice for eight years without proper food to keep it operating. Something is wrong with this picture that I have presented to your. Those at the TOP MUST BEAR TH E BIGGEST PORTION OF THE BLAME. It is up to them to stop blaming the staff, the parents, and the students; they all have been out on the playing field, was too long. The Superintendents both State and City, Governors, past and present Legislators, The Board o f Education, past and present and everyone who is considered A LEADER. We can pass laws like measures to rid ourselves o f the problem that we have created by gross neglect. W hen a person’s skill level in math and reading is at a 3rd to 5th grade level, the persons mind has only been developed up to a nine year old. What kind o f job can that person expect to obtain? We can continue to build nice jails to lock up our uneducated people. But when will we all start sharing some o f the blame, after all we are our brothers keepers. Sincerely, lesia DeWeese Loving c o m p o n e n t, th e re ca n be no co m fo rt in “ m u tu a lly a ssu re d d e s tr u c tio n ” b e c a u s e th e o p e ra tiv e w o rd is d e s tru c tio n . T he w o rld id e n tifie d w ith In d ia in its lo n g and g lo rio u s s tr u g g le fo r in d e p e n d e n c e from c o lo n ia l ru le , and c o n tin u e s to h e ra ld th e g re a t and s p iritu a l le g a c y o f G a n d h i. T he te s tin g o f n u c le a r b o m b s r e t a l i a t i o n a n d r e v iv a l o f m e a n in g fu l d ia lo g u e o v e r r e je c tio n . We m ust c h o o se h e a lin g and h o p e o v e r fe a r and h y s te ria . T ra g e d y in S p r i n g f i e l d ; C u ltu re in C ris is T h e T ra g e d y in S p r in g - fie ld , OR d e m a n d s th a t we e x a m in e how o u r c u ltu re is f a c ilita tin g and e x a c e r b a tin g A4/JMBOHfPU$H C O A L IT IO N is a ste p b a c k w a rd fo r th is p ro u d n a tio n - th e w o r ld ’s larg e st d e m o c ra c y . M ore than th a t, it is a m o ral d is s e rv ic e to th e hu m an ra c e . I n d ia 's g o v e rn m e n t sh o w e d n u c le a r p o w e r o r n u c le a r fo rc e , but it d id not sh o w w h at th e I n d i an s call S a ty a g ra h a o r “ so u l f o r c e .” B oth In d ia and P a k is ta n h a v e c h e r is h e d t r a d i t i o n s , so m e o f th e w o r ld ’s m o st t a l e n te d p e o p le , y e t, so m e o f th e w o r l d ’s p o o r e s t. T h e y sh o u ld be ra c in g to e ra d ic a te p o v e rty , to p ro v id e u n iv e r s a l e d u c a t i o n , to e n d th e s c o u rg e o f d is e a s e an d to lift th e liv in g s ta n d a r d o f th e com m on p e o p le . A n u c le a r arm s te s tin g race is a step in th e w ro n g d ir e c tio n . W e u rg e th e le a d e rs from In d ia and P ak ista n to c h o o s e r e c o n c ilia tio n o v e r o u r d y sfu n c tio n . O u r sc h o o ls , w h ich sh o u ld be s a fe h a v e n s fo r o ur c h ild re n , are s u d d e n ly s h o o tin g g a l l e r i e s . S o m e th in g is d e s p e ra te ly w ro n g in a s o c ie ty w h e re c h ild re n k ill c h ild re n . S p rin g fie ld , OR is o n ly th e la te s t c o m m u n ity s h a k e n by th is tra u m a . S p r in g f ie ld is A n y to w n , U SA . T h e re is a S p rin g fie ld in e v e ry s ta te . W e are d ro w n in g in a c u ltu re o f v io le n c e fed by a c o n s ta n t b a rra g e o f TV m u rd e rs w h e re th e lin e b etw een n ew s and e n te rta in m e n t is b lu rre d o r r e m o v ed e n tire ly . T urn O ff th e T e le v is io n fo r th re e h o u rs e v e ry n ig h t In s te a d o f s u b je c tin g o u r k id s to th e m in d le s s sex and v io le n c e th a t is so o fte n g lo rifie d on T V , tu rn th e TV o ff. T alk w ith o u r k id s. R ead w ith y o u r k id s. As R ev. J a c k s o n s a id , “ As p a re n ts , o u r c h a rg e is to m ake o u r c h ild re n s m a rt, p ro v id e th em w ith o p p o rtu n ity , g iv e th em c h a r a c te r , and in s till in th em a s e n s e o f f a it h .” If we do th e s e fo u r th in g s , our c h ild re n w ill be p ro d u c tiv e m e m b e rs o f s o c ie ty . T r a g ic a lly , h o w e v e r, th e lo v e and c a re p a re n ts g iv e to th e ir c h ild r e n is s o m e tim e s n o t e n o u g h w h en o u r c u ltu re se ts ro a d b lo c k s b e tw e e n o u r c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r m e ta l, e m o tio n a l, and s p ir itu a l g ro w th . G un C u ltu r e i s t h e P rim a ry C u lp rit This is not fundam entally a public policy issue. It is a moral issue. O regon has laws in place that seek to keep guns out o f our k id ’ hands. A lthough Oregon, could enact stricter sanctions and m ore com prehensive ju v e nile gun law s, legislation p ro b ably w ould not have prevented the tragedy in Springfield. We need to teach our children by our w ords and acts that violence is not a solution. Our so c ie ty ’s gun cu lture is largely to blam e for the trag edies in S pringfield, Jonesboro and Peducah. The NRA is m ar keting to o ur children. T heir “ E ddie E ag le” program is to guns as “Joe C am el” is to cig a rettes. We have to reevaluate our p ri o ritie s . Do we c o n tin u e to blindly defend our rights to own guns or do we exercise som e degree o f restraint, and think first o f our children? Northeast Health Center We Are Accepting New Clients We offer a full array of family health care services • Pediatrics • Adult Care • Family Planning • Prenatal To Make New Client Appointments Call first for a financial screening appointment that includes referrals to the Oregon Health Plan. 248-3333