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JAN. 20, 1999
Page A3
(Elje Portiani* (Observer
Forty Acres A nd A M ule; U.S.
D epartm ent O f A griculture Still
H olds The Dream, Part II o f II
Bv P r o f . M c K in l e y B urt
L a s t w e e k ’s f o llo w u p o n
r e c i t a l s o f th e A g r i c u l t u r e
D e p a rtm e n t’s r a c is t m is ­
d e e d s ( b y th e e s t a b l i s h m e n t
m e d i a ) d id n o t in a n y w a y
s p e a k to th e c o n d u c t o f th e
U .S . F o r e s t S e r v i c e , a s u b ­
s id ia ry a g e n c y .
As m any
rea d ers
are
a w a re , I s p e n t m o re th a n a
d ecad e (1 9 7 2 -1 9 8 3 ) c o n ­
t r a c t i n g w ith th e F o r e s t S e r ­
v ic e f o r th e d e v e l o p m e n t o f
A ffirm a tiv e
A c tio n
and
E q u a l E m p lo y m e n t O p p o r t u ­
n ity p r e s e n t a t i o n s a n d c u r ­
ric u la fo r th e ir p e rs o n n e l.
T h e r e w a s s o m e s u c c e s s in
r e m e d y in g a r a c i a l a n d g e n ­
d e r p r o file th a t fo r a ll p r a c ­
tic a l p u rp o s e s , w as e x c lu ­
s i v e l y w h ite m a le , h e r e in
th e N o r t h w e s t . I w a s o n P S U
f a c u l t y a t th e tim e .
H o w ev er, o u r re fe re n c e
w a s to t h e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
c o n d u c t, o f a g r ic u ltu r a l
a g e n ts e m p l o y e d b y th e p a r ­
e n t o p e r a t i o n to a id f a r m e r s
in th e e c o n o m i c a n d t e c h n i ­
c a l d e v e lo p m e n t o f th e ir
la n d s .
P a r t i c u l a r l y , th e
p re s e n t a d m in is tra tio n and
th e c o u r t s h a v e a d m i t t e d to
a lo n g - s t a n d i n g p r a c t i c e o f
d e n y i n g l o a n s to q u a l i f i e d
b la c k f a r m e r s ; e n s u rin g
lo s s e s w e re in e v ita b le , and
huge.
I can
\
u n d e rs ta n d
th e
p u z z le m e n t o f so m e re a d e rs
w h e n I c i t e d “ a n o t h e r 'b i g
l a n d - g r a b ” - “ w h ic h o n e o f
p e r h a p s d o z e n s ? ” , th e y m ig h t
v e r y w e ll s a y . I n f a c t , s e v e r a l
c a l l e r s h a v e t r i e d to a n t i c i ­
p a te m e , e i t h e r c i t i n g o n e o f
th e c o n t e m p o r a r y d i s p o s s e s ­
s io n s - o r a c l a s s i c h i s t o r i ­
cal in s ta n c e . S tra n g e ly , no
o n e h a s c ite d p la in o ld
n a i v e t y , o r th e f a i l u r e to e x ­
e r c i s e d u e v i g i l a n c e - in a
s y s te m b a s e d on u n f e tte r e d
c o m p e t i t i o n , a t th a t.
H o w e v e r , it is r e w a r d in g to
d i s c o v e r th a t w e d o h a v e a
n u m b e r o f ‘t h i n k i n g ’ v i l l a g ­
e r s h e r e in th e n o r t h e a s t , a n d
th a t in c l u d e s b o th w h ite a n d
b l a c k r e s i d e n t s . 1 h a d tw o
v i s i t o r s to a s k , h a d I “ n o tic e d
th a t ‘ L ig h t R a i l ’ m a y h a v e r e ­
p l a c e d th e n o w o u t d a t e d ‘U r ­
b a n R e n e w a l / R e m o v a l ’ a s th e
d e v e lo p e r ’s in s tru m e n t o f
c h o i c e ” . I s u r e d id - “ H e ll o ,
N o rth P o r tla n d .”
T h e r e a r e m o r e w a y s to a c ­
q u ire a p e a s a n t’s p ro p e rty
th a n w e r e a v a ila b le b a c k w h e n
th e K in g s ( a n d Q u e e n s ) w e re
f l i r t i n g w ith th e c o n c e p t o f
" e m i n e n t d o m a i n ” ( i t ’ s m in e
in th e f i r s t p l a c e , s u c k e r , so
t h e r e ! ) . A n d th e r e a r e a t h o u ­
s a n d e u p h e m is m s f o r th e o b ­
v io u s - an d p a in fu l. U rb a n
G r o w th v s U rb a n B o u n d a r i e s ;
p io n e e rin g L iv a b ility , S u b u r­
b a n M a la i s e , n a m e it.
W h a t h a s c o m e to m in d ,
s in c e c i t i n g th a t “ la n d g r a b ” ,
is th a t w ith B la c k H i s t o r y
M o n th so n e a r a t h a n d , I
w o u ld n o t h a v e th e tim e a n d
r e s o u r c e w h ic h m y o r i g i n a l
co n cep t d eserv ed - and re a d ­
e r s w o u ld e x p e c t . S o , le t m e
r e f e r e n c e it in th is m a n n e r .
D id y o u s e e th e m e d ia c o v ­
e ra g e o f p re s id e n t C lin to n ’ s
r e c e n t v a c a tio n on “ H ilto n
H ead I s la n d ” , a fa b u lo u s
p l a y g r o u n d f o r th e w e l l - a p ­
p o i n t e d a n d a n o i n t e d ? In
so m e s h o ts y o u m a y h a v e
s e e n p o o r o ld ‘ d i s a b l e d ’
“ B u d d y ” r o m p in g a r o u n d th e
g o l f c a r t a n d w a g g in g h is
ta il. P re v io u s ly , I h ad
p la n n e d to r e p r i s e m y 1 9 9 0
a c c o u n t o f th e s e “ S ea I s ­
l a n d s ” o f f th e c o a s t s o f th e
C a ro lin a s .
I h a d m u c h n e w m a te r ia l o n
a lo t o f th is la n d th a t w a s fo r
m e rly o w n e d b y b la c k s , an d
w h ic h , in th e 1 9 7 0 s, s o ld at
w e ll o v e r $ 1 ,0 0 0 a f r o n t
‘i n c h ’. B u t, w e w ill d o th a t
la te r , in th e S p rin g . F o r n o w I
h a v e so m e f a s c in a tin g r e v e la ­
tio n s c o n c e r n in g A fr ic a n an d
A f r ic a n A m e r ic a n c o n t r i b u
tio n s to th e w o r l d ’s lit e r a tu r e ,
la n g u a g e a n d c o m m u n ic a tio n s
Y o u d i d n ’t h e a r th is o n th e
“ G ra p e V in e .” M y in tr o d u c
to r y p r e f a c e to th is s e r ie s fo r
B la c k H is to r y M o n th b e g in s
J a n u a r y 2 7 , 1 999.
Minority high school seniors plan­
ning to major in chemistry or chemical
engineering are encouraged to apply for
scholarships from the Amencan Chemi­
cal Society, the world’s largest scien­
tific society, and funded in partnership
with PPG industries.
Under the ACS/PPG Scholarship
Plus Program, scholarships are awarded
to incoming college freshman enrolling
in four-year chemistry or chemical en­
gineering undergraduate programs and
are based on academic engineering un­
dergraduate programs and are based on
academic achievement financial need
and geographic location (see below).
A t their 16th Annual Ebony and Ivory Scholarship Benefit
P lease jo in us for an evening
w ith vocalist L in d a h o r n b u c k le
at the 16th A nnual E bony and ivory
S cholarship B enefit. T he O regon
C hapter o f the N atio n al B ar A sso­
c ia tio n (O C -N B A ) w ill a w a rd
scholarship to o u tstan d in g law stu ­
dents w ho excel in th eir studies
and plan to p rac tice law in O regon.
T he e v e n t’s featu re sp ecial guest
sp e a k e r w ill be C h i e f J u s t ic e
E d w in P e te r s o n o f th e fo rm er
C h ie f Ju stice o f the O regon Su­
prem e court.
T he E bony and Ivory S ch o lar­
ship B enefit w ill take place on S a t-
u r d a y , F e b r u a r y 27, 1999 at the
P o r tla n d A rt M u se u m in Sunken
E xhibition H all, 1219 S.W . Park
A venue, from 8:00 p.m . to 1:00
a.m . T his sem i-form al event w ill
feature live m usic and the vocal
talents o f M s. L in d a H o rn b u c k le ,
hors d ’oeuvres and no-host bar.
M u sic a l e n te rta in m e n t fo r th is
event is co-sp o n so red by the law
firm o f L a n e P o w e ll S p e a r s
L ubersky LLP.
T he prim ary o bjectives o f the
O regon C hapter o f the N ational
B ar A ssociatio n (O C -N B A ) are to
encourage and prom ote academ ic
r-
Science Scholarships Available
for Minority Students
An Evening With Chief Justice Edwin
Peterson and Vocalist Linda Hornbuckle
ex cellence am ong law stu d en ts o f
A frican d escen t, to increase re p ­
resen tatio n o f A frican -A m erican s
in the legal p ro fessio n in O regon,
and to pro m o te p ro fessio n al and
social in teractio n s b etw een m em ­
bers o f the O reg o n S tate Bar.
T ables (seatin g 10) are av a il­
able for $ 5 00.00, and in dividual
tickets are av ailab le for $50.00 or
tw o tick ets for $80.00. F or m ore
inform ation or to p u rch ase tic k ­
ets, p lease call M elvin O d en -O rr
at (503) 778-2198 or e-m ail the
O C -N B A at O reg o n .N B A @ ju n -
Scholarships will be granted for amounts
of up to $2,500a year and can be renewed.
I he program is designed to encourage
African-American, Hispanic and Amen­
can Indian students to pursue college
degrees and careers in the chemical sci­
ences. The goal of the scholarship pro­
gram is to aid in building awareness of the
value and rewards associated with ca­
reers in science and to assist students in
acquiring the skills and credentials needed
for success in these areas.
The deadline for applying for the
1999-2000 academic year scholarships
ts February 15,1999. Application forms
may be found on the Amencan Chemical
Society Web site at hop:./www.acs.org
pafgen minonty acs2.htm, or call toll
free 1-800-227-5558, ex t 6520, or via
e-mail to scholars(ri;acs.org.
Complete details o f the Society’s
Minonty Affairs programs can be found
athttp:/www.acs.org
Applications must be a high school
senior from one o f the following loca­
tions: Lake Charles. La
Natnum or New Martinsville, W .Va
Pittsburgh, Pa
Cleveland. Ohio
Shelby and Lexington. N.C.
Oak Creek, Wis.
Houston, Texas
Shelter Campaign Begins For Homeless
Sexual-Minority Youth
This m onth a cam paign is begin­
ning to recruit shelter parents to
house sexual m inority youth. It is a
first-tim e co llab o ratio n b etw een
two local nonprofit social service
and mental health resource agen­
cies - The Boys and G irls A id Soci­
ety o f O regon, and the N etw ork
Behavioral H ealth care’s Program
Roots and Branches. Identified in
recent reports by M etropolitan H u­
man Rights Com m ission, research
centers, and social service experts
as the largest segm ent o f the hom e­
less youth population in O regon,
sexual-m inority youth are also at
high risk for suicide, drug abuse,
prostitution, and sexually transm it­
ter care in Oregon. Network Behav­
ioral Healthcare, a nonprofit mental
health and addiction treatment agency,
operates Roots and Branches, a coun­
seling program o f com prehensive
treatment and case management ser­
vices for sexual-minority youth.
For more inform ation on the Shel­
ter Care Program , call E lizabeth
Cham bers at 222-9661.
n iK
BIRTHDAY IRIS
ted diseases.
The goal o f this cam paign is to
recruit, certify, and train shelter par­
ents to w ork w ith this specific popu­
lation. S h elte r p are n ts assist in
transitioning youth o ff the streets
and teach in g in d e p en d en t-liv in g
4 6 3 6 N .E .42 EVE
T Z 1
ONE BLOCK NORTH OF N X PRESCOTT
skills.
The Boys and Girls Aid Society o f
Oregon is a private, nonprofit agency
that provides short-term shelter care
for children and youth up to age 18. It
is the largest private provider o f shel-
M O N -S A T 9A .M . to 7 R M
SUN
NOON to 6 P.M.
o .c o m .
Katz W ork G roup Recommends
Steps To A chieve A "More Fareless''
Transit System
PO R T LA N D — Elim inating tran­
sit fares could significantly increase
ridership says a w ork group formed
by M ayor V era K atz. A nd to put
Portland on the road to having a
regional system th a t’s perceived as
m ore com petitive w ith the car, the
Fareless T ransit System Research
W ork G roup recom m ended several
steps to achieve a “m ore fareless
system .”
“1 com m end the m em bers o f the
W ork G roup o f taking a good hard
look at the realities o f our current
system and how w e m ight do bet­
ter,” said Katz. “In m y State o f the
City speech last year, I said that we
are not doing enough to build a trans­
portation system that connects us
and gets us out o f our cars. T hat is
still true today, even m ore so with
failure o f S/N on the N ovem ber bal­
lot. I look forw ard to continuing the
public conversation on w hat other
options w e have to expand and im­
prove our system , and to get m ore
people to use it.”
The report show ed that a com ­
pletely fareless transit system w ould
show ridership gains about 25 per­
cent during peak hours, 60-65 per­
cent during non-peak. T w o o f the
barriers to attracting riders, the re­
port said, are uncertainty and com ­
plexity.
“Until w e can put fare boxes in
cars, leaving the playing field am ong
the transportation choices that daily
confront people will require m ak­
ing transit services m ore attractive
W -
and transit fares less unattractive,”
the group wrote. For now, they b e­
lieve the solution is instead to pro­
vide both high-quality transit ser­
vice and m otivation to use it. .. a sys­
tem that attracts riders. “
T h e re fo re th e g ro u p re c o m ­
m ended steps to increase transit’s
com petitive advantage and create a
“m ore fareless system .” Central to
tw o o f the recom m endations is get­
ting transit passes into the hands o f
m ore people. O nce in hand, a transit
pass, in essence, m ake the system
fareless and increase the tendency
to ride Specifically, they recom ­
mend.
E x p an sio n o f P A S S p o rt p ro ­
g ra m : Tri-M et and local ju risd ic­
tions should expand participation in
the PASSpoort program by: 1) m odi­
fying the current program so em ­
ployees face increased prices only
w hen services is added, thus open­
ing avenues for Tri-m et to partner is
negotiated , targeted packages o f
service im provem ents and subsidies
for pass purchases, and ;2) running a
one tim e program in which all em ­
ployers would be eligible to receive
free three-m onth passes for all em ­
ployees.
F are sim p lifica tio n : T ri-M et
sh o u ld elim in a te th e zo n e fare
system and estab lish on e fare for
rid e s th ro u g h o u t th e sy stem to
red u c e co m p lex ity and co n fu sio n
for all.
Extend Sum m er Y outh Pass
Program : Tri-met and local juris­
dictions should m ake transit passes
more accessible to young people,
by expanding Tri-M ets discounted
Sum m er youth Pass program to year-
round. A full-year Y outh Pass pro­
gram w ould sharply reduce the cost
o f passes for young people during
the school year (from $29 per month
to under $15) and w ould encourage
school districts and local ju risd ic­
tions to w ork w ith T ri-m et for bulk
purchases.
R egional P a rk in g T ax : Financ­
ing investm ent to m ake transit more
com petitive, both by expanding ser­
vice quantity and quality and by m ak­
ing the fare system m ore com peti­
tive, is a m ajor challenge for the
region. W hile the w ork group rec­
ognized that adopting a regional
parking tax to pay for transit would
face both legal and adm inistrative
challenges, their report found that
the p ay o ff in livability for the region
should m otivate the city to keep at it
until it succeeds.
True C osts o f Auto Travel: Re­
search c o n d u c te d fo r th e W ork
G roup illustrated the difference be­
tw een the perceived costs o f auto­
m obile usage (for a 10-miIe trip,
usually 50 cents to $ 1) and the true
costs ($5-10). Society subsidizes
auto travel at 17 to 26 cents per
mile, the W ork G roup recom m ends
that local and regional governm ents
continue to exam ine the true costs
o f the autom obile and w ays to make
sure driving pays m ore o f its full
costs.
A-
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