Septem ber 13, 2000
Page A 4
(Tfye ^lortlanò (ßhsvruer
® Opinion
Uortlonà
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necessarily reflect or
represent the views of
(Tlje P o r t la n b (D bsertirr
Another look at juvenile (in) justice
(Lite
P o rtla u b
© bsvruer
s A HO.NAI s h k e t a b s i o
USPS 959-680
Established 1 9 7 0
STAFF
E
d it o r
C
in
h ie f
,
P U B L IS H E R
C harles H. W ashington
E d
i T o
r
L a rry J. Jackson, Sr.
B
usiN E Ss
M
a n a g e r
G a ry A n n T a y lo r
A sst . P ublisher
R es , J esse J a (
kson
Forty-six years after desegregation
ofour nation's public schools, stating
data shows that African American
stu d e n ts
have
su ffe re d
disproportionately from suspension,
expulsions and corral punishment in
U.S. classrooms.
Writes Dr. Leroy Purnell, dean o f law
at Northern Illinois University: “While
the disciplinary process in a public
school is not a criminal trail, it is one
in which the possible sanctions
justifies a significant level o f due
process protection.” In other words:
Black kids are being introduced early
to a c rim in a l p ro c e ss as ja il
intervention, rather than education
intervention, becomes the norm in
American’s school discipline process.
It is no leap o f imagination to surmise
that students who are pushed out of
schools without an education safety
net are more likely to indulge in
antisocial behavior, which can lead
to arrests and m ore unw anted
pregnancies which can lead to fewer
life options.
B ecau se o f d ra c o n ia n drue
sentencing laws and the nasty residue
o f the U.S. “w ar on drug users,” 13
percent o f black men, compared to
just 2 percent o f white men, are
disenfranchised from the right to vote
thanks to a tag o f “convicted felon.”
Even more disturbing is that nearly
one in three A frican American males
in age group 20-29 is under criminal
justice supervision on any given day,
including being in prisoner jail, on
probation or parole. The stats for
female inmates, most o f whom are
also first time, non-violent offenders
are equally disturbing.
Today, the 1965 Voting Rights Act
cannot protect our youth from losing
voting privileges because o f felony
convictions, not like skin color that
disenfranchised their grandfathers
two generations before them. Who
needs a poll tax, when you’ve got rap
sheets? A new Columbia University
study, “ The Color o f justice,” now
reveals that African American youths
are more than twice as likely as their
white counterparts to be transferred
out o f a juvenile justice system and
tried as adults. Said the co-author, “
the imbalances this study reveals are
stark, vast and deeply disturbing,”
com m ented Dan M acallair, the
associate director o f Colum bia’s
Center for Violence Research and
prevention.” ... There is a double
On the separation of
Church and State
standard: throw kids o f color behind
bars, but rehabilitate white kids who
commit comparable crimes.”
It should be noted that in Downer’s
Grove, IL just last week, Caucasian
students twice took a bomb to school
and still avoidedjail. The judge said
he was “troubled... but posed no
threat to other students.” In Decatur,
six boys were expelled for two years,
without the option o f alternative
schooling, because o f 16-second fist
fight. They will be prosecuted this
year for their alleged participation.
B efore o f R e v .Je sse Ja c k so n
intervened, these boys were kicked
into the streets to sink or swim while
they served their: sentence.
InCalifomia, Proposition 21 is another
example ofdraconian juvenile policy
attempting to become law. Ifapproved
by voters this March, the measure
would allow prosecutors, instead of
judges, to decide whether a juvenile
be tried as an adult for a violent crime.
Said Jackson, “It’s hard to avoid the
conclusion that the U.S. system of
punishment isn’t about crime or
justice, but rather is about social
co n tro l... The hum an costs are
incalculable. Young people arrested
for drugs are brutalized once in jail.
Prison becomes their university. Its
lessons are not uplifting
This nation touts itself as being leader
among all industrialized counties. It
w ill now lead the w o rld in
incarcerations when by Valentine’s
D ay, an estim ated tw o m illion
American will be locked behind bars,
500,000 more than in China. This
number o f majority black and brown
people, join an estimated five million
other U.S citizens who are now on
probation.
FRESH
Taste
th e
Tradition
Buy fresh salmon and other fish Tuesdays thru Sundays until m id -S ep tem b er,
at sites along the Columbia. For a fr e e b ro c h u re with sales locations and a
Salmon Heritage Trails map and guide: 1-888-289-1855 o r w w w .critfc.org.
Bring ice and a cooler to keep your fish fresh
Most sales are cash only • Ask fo r a receipt
Michael Leighton
C
opy
E
d it o r
Joy Ramos
C
r e a t iv e
D
ir e c t o r
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<«
The Supreme Court, seat o f all American wisdom, recently knocked down
a Texas law which had allowed public prayer, after an affirmative vote by the
student body, at football games. They ruled that such a practice would promote
the religious beliefs o f some students over others.
The Supreme Court reached this decision in compliance (as they saw it) with
the First Amendment to the Constitution, which provides, in part, that
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment o f religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
In the earliest Civies classes I can recall, it was made clear to me, and remains
just as clear to this day, that the intent o f our forefathers (and, presumably, our
foremothers as well) was to prevent the establishment o f an official state
religion. This was one o f the conditions that prompted them to declare
independence from the British Crown, where if you were not an Anglican, you
were both politically and spiritually incorrect.
But clearly, there was no intended separation o f GOD and state.
The suggestion that this Amendment was directed against God is belied by
both the very first two sentences and the very last one o f the Declaration of
Independence itself. This revered document preceded the Constitution by
eleven years and the first ten amendments (our Bill o f Rights) by fully fifteen.
The first sentence refers to the “the Laws o f Nature and ofN ature’s God,”
and is followed by what is, perhaps, its most familiar language: “We hold these
Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights.”
The Declaration closes with “a firm Reliance on the Protection o f divine
Providence,” leaving no room for doubt about the fact that its authors wanted
God, but not any particular religious persuasion, to be very much a part o f life
in these United States.
Add to this the fact that our coinage and currency, including those funny
looking new bills, proclaim that “IN GOD WE TRUST," Consider, too, the
opening prayers that are intoned in just about all legislative bodies and judicial
proceedings at every level o f government. And how about those invocations
directed to the Almighty at banquets and other public gatherings?
What o f the reference in the second verse o f our National Anthem to “our
heaven-rescued land" and the almost ritual “and God bless America following
presidential speeches...even those o f W. J. Clinton, hardly a poster boy for
godliness (or moral cleanliness, for that matter).
One wonders why it’s okay to sing “God Bless America” and pledge
allegiance to the flag o P ’one nation under God at the same ball games in Texas
where direct petitioning is now verboten.
And what do you think those young jocks are up to in that pre-game huddle,
right in front o f a crowd that might include a number o f Atheists?
Truth to tell, kiddies, God is on the American scene to stay, albeit there is
disagreement among us on the Almighty’s location, intention, discipline,
vindictiveness and even gender. Almost all o f us feel that there is a Higher
Authority, over us AND the non-believers.
Sure, it might be awkward for a few anti-God folks when prayer becomes
public. Admittedly, it may make it necessary that they think o f godless things
for a few seconds, but it should be no more difficult for them to divert than it
is for those o f us whose skin crawls when rock stars shred the “Star Spangled
Banner" with their bizarre vocal tricks and shrill deviations. I figure it’spart of
the price I pay for living in a democracy.
Mind you. I’m appalled when, at a non-sectarian ftinction of any kind, the
speaker invokes divine assistance “through Christ, Our Lord,” or “in The
M aster's name," either o f which is almost as couthless an affront to non-
C hristians as saying “you Jew s and M uslim s are on your ow n!”
Anyway, while most o f the righteous leftists o f the Fourth Estate exult over
this latest Supreme Court assault on common sense and majority sentiment,
I find it difficult to discern any groundswell (or even minor tremor) of
resentment in the public arena over asking God, whoever and wherever He, She
or It may be in the minds and hearts o f those in attendance, to look with favor
on the proceedings, the participants and the observers.
Including, o f course, those who - despite holding that He, or Her, or It even
ex ists - find G od to be a threat to th e ir c o n stitu tio n a l rights.
To them, this message: Cut us a little slack, guys and gals. On the remotechance
that we might be right about this God thing, would it hurt you to make a few
points with the purported Deity.
Like, just in case?
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