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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 2002)
Page A4 January 23,2002 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f 3>ije^Jnrtlanb (©bseruer The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed 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 PARI W ITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. 5 0 3 -2 8 8 0 0 3 3 • FAX5 0 3 -2 8 8 -0 0 1 5 • EMAIL: news@Dortlandobsener.com subscriDtion@portlandobsener.com ads@porttandobsener.com The Portland Observer--Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication-is a member of the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Repre sentative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. We Must Fulfill Dr. King’s Vision The H ouse D em o cra tic L eader, R ic h a r d A. G ephardt, released the f o l low ing sta tem en t in hon o r o f M o n d a y ’s na tio n a l h o li day honoring the Rev. M a r tin Luther K ing Jr: Dr. K ing represented the A m erican nation and the A m erican people at their bright, shining best. He was a voice for hope for millions o f hum an beings. He stood strong in the face o f oppression and injustice with an unflagging comm itm ent to non-violence. He challenged us all to reach higher, tapped the “better angels o f ou r na ture,” in Lincoln’s memorable p h rase, and c h a n g ed the ‘ We, as Americans, have an obli gation to serve our communites to help others fulfill their potential as people; to work to ensure justice and equality fo r all; and to strive for a more blessed democracy in which all participate and in which all feel a part o f the whole. course o f A m erican history. O n this day o f rem em brance and tribute to his life time o f achievements, it is im portant for all A m ericans to recall his spirit and w ork to w ards achievem ent o f “the beloved community.” Dr. King above all believed in service and in equality o f opportunity. H e laid his body and his life on the line repeat edly in order to create a better w orld for al 1 our chi Idren. W e, as Am ericans, have an o b lig a tio n to s e rv e o u r communites to helpothers fulfill their potential as people; to w ork to ensure ju stice and equality fo r all; and to strive for a m ore blessed d em o c racy in w hich all participate and in w hich all feel a part o f the w hole. This is Dr. K ing’s vision - and we m ust w ork to fulfill itbecauseitis profoundly im portant to the future o f our great nation. Dr. K ing is o n e o f m y he roes. L et his heroic sacrifice and c o m m itm e n t to ju stic e continue to inspire all Am eri cans as w e m ove forw ard in th is tim e o f n a tio n a l c h a l lenge. « Prudential Wortbwwt PtofMrtws “I ’m on YOUR side." Call or email “Valerie Scott” today 503-256-1234 503-450-9524 t=ï & Call NOW to Sell Call NOW to Purchase Ask about Financing, Marketing and the “Home-Link” Program a Homes Estate Probate Divorce Invest la n d VA AFFORDABLE JJ LOCK & KEY 503-284-9582 FULL LOCKSMITH - SERVICE RE-KEY AND INSTALL LOCKS LOCKED OUT?-WE MAKE KEYS FROM SCRATCH HOUSE, OFFICE OR CAR Black Hawk Down Perpetuates Stereotypes Movie depicts Somalis as savages without human element (A P) — Som ali leaders have called for a boycott o f the m o v ie “B la c k H aw k D ow n” because it depicts Som alis as savages and could create abacklash against refu gees w ho fled to the U.S. “ W e d o n ’t know w hat Am ericans will think o f us So m alis after they w atch this m ovie,” said O m ar Jam al, ex ecutive director o f the Som ali Justice A dvocacy C enter in St. Paul, M inn. A M inneapolis new spaper invited about a dozen people from the A dvocacy C enter to see the m ovie in advance o f Friday’s nationw ide release. Jam al said they all left in shock. The film was confusing and d id n ’t have a story or m essage, he said. “The Somali people are de picted as very savage beasts without any hum an elem ent,” Jam al said. “It’s ju st people shooting each other.” The m ovie is an attem pt to portray the 1993 firefight in Somalia that left 18 American soldiers dead and m ore than 70 wounded. The mi litary mis sion to M ogadishu w as to capture two top lieutenants o f w arlord M oham ed Farrah Aidid. In C olum bus, O hio, Abdi M oham ud, a board m em ber o f the C ouncil o f A m erican- Islamic Relations, said he had not heard about a boycott, but added that people should know the m ovie perpetuates stereotypes. “I found the m ovie to sen sationalize the whole issue and to put the Som alis in one cat egory,” said M oham ud, who em igrated from Som alia and becam e a U.S. citizen. “There were many Somalis against the w arlords.” M any in the Colum bus So I mali community, second in size to M inneapolis, are w orried about the tim ing, M oham ud said. “M ost o f the Som alis in O hio and here in C olum bus have family members, people they care about, in Som alia,” he said. “T hey'retiredofw ar.” Som e also fear a backlash here, M oham ud said. “T h e re ’s a segm ent o f so c ie ty th at tak es m o v ie s fo r re a lity ,” he said. U .S . S o m ali g ro u p s h av e w o rk ed h ard to show th ey su p p o rt th e w ar a g a in st terro rism , Jam al said. 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