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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2002)
Page A4 Jurtlnub !$i Q ftbarrurr February 06, 2002 (Elje IJnrtlanb ©bseruer O pinion Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f (Tlfe |Jo rtlan h (Pbseruer 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 W HOLE OR IN PART W ITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. 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 Y ork, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. 5 0 3 -2 8 8 0 0 3 3 • FAX5 0 3 -2 8 8 0 0 1 5 • EMAIL: news@Dortlandobserver.com subscriDtion@Dortlandobserver.com , National Security is Not Just About Investing in the Military by M aki an W right E delman C hildren ’ s D eeen . se F in d The C h ild ren ’s Defense Fund understands and sup ports the need for hom eland security. We also understand the im portance of protecting the nation from enem ies that would do us harm. But na tional security is not just about investing in the m ilitary; it is about investing in children and families. We want every child and family in Am erica to be safe and secure. But too many fam ilies are threatened by a terror that comes from losing a jo b , from not know ing where the next meal is com ing from or whether they’ll have a roof over their head. The President’s proposals to fight the recession at home do not go nearly far enough. T h ey do not do eno u g h to help the neediest A m eri cans. We applaud his com m it m ent to education and im proving Head Start and hope his budget will reflect his stated com m itm ent. We ap plaud the restoration o f food stam ps for many legal im m i grants. But there is so much more he can do to improve the liv e s o f m any m ore Am ericans. There are nearly 12 m illion children living in p o v e rty in A m e ric a. We worry that num ber will grow given the econom ic down turn. The President’s economic plan so far has favored the w ealthiest one- percent of A m e ric a n s . T h is n a tio n should not give another tax break to the wealthy or cor porate Am erica or make per m anent existing tax breaks for the wealthiest individuals and com panies until there are no more hungry, homeless, poor children. For the annual cost of what the President has already ap proved in tax cuts to the top one percent of taxpayers, we could pay for child care, Head Start, and health care for all o f the children who still need it— as proposed in the com prehensive Act to Leave No C hild Behind (S.940/H .R. 1990). More and more working fam ilies are losing their jobs and showing up in greater num bers in em ergency food lines and hom eless shelters all across this nation. We must stop making it so difficult for low-income working families to be self-sufficient. President Bush’s budget should help working families keep their jobs by providing childcare and health care. If he is serious about leaving no child behind, then his budget should reflect it. He should put considerable investm ent in the Child Care and D evel opment Block Grant this year so that two m illion m ore children in working fam ilies can have quality, affordable, safe child care and enter school ready to learn and succeed. If he is serious about leav ing no child behind, he should put considerable investment in the reauthorization of Tem porary A ssistance for Needy Families so working families can get the help they need to keep ajob and lift themselves and their fam ilies out o f pov erty. It is one thing to say the words, it is quite another to do what it takes to really Leave No Child Behind. We hope he will make good on his prom ises. Avoid Cuts That Hurt America's Most Vulnerable Citizens Ecum enical M inistries of Oregon is a statewide asso ciation o f 17 Christian de nom inations including Prot estant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox bodies working to gether to improve the lives of Oregonians through theologi cal education and dialogue, public policy advocacy and com m unity m in istry p ro grams. In considering the various proposals to rebalance the irre n t state b u d g et, the ioard calls on state leaders to avoid program cuts that hurt O regon’s most vulner able citizens. The group is strongly urg ing state leaders to preserve the safety net of services that ensure the well-being and future of all Oregonians and believes that a long-term approach to O regon’s fiscal and tax policies is critical in resolving the current budget deficit. The board also cautions against cuts or the use of one-tim e funds that exacer- We have the obligation to act in a way that does not place short term political gains over long term needs. — David I^slie, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. bate O regon’s recession and prolong its fiscal and social problem s. It calls on state leaders not “to rob Peter to pay Paul” by cutting educa The leader of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organiza tion is helping raise awareness about the hiv / aids epidemic in the African Am eric.n community ers who have also signed on as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day spokesper sons, including radio show equity and equality f„r African Americans hosts Tom Joyner and Con gresswoman Maxine Waters. ceo of the naacp has endorsed includes healthcare. Support for an important Feb. 7 as Black HIV/AIDS Aware- — Kweisi Mfume, NAACP health initiative such as Na ness Day, a nationwide community president and CEO. \ tional Black HIV/AIDS Aware- mobilization effort to emphasize t h e ----------------------------------- --------------- ■ ness Day is in keeping with “state of emergency” the health the NAACP’s mission of pro crisis has brought to African Americans. tecting and enhancing civil rights for African The objectives of the campaign are to en Americans and other minorities. courage individuals to get educated about HIV/ “The fight for equity and equality for African AIDS, to get tested and to get involved in Americans includes healthcare,” Mfume says. advocating for the resources to fight the dis “The NAACP is committed to mobilizing our ease. people to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Mfume joins an impressive list of Black lead Black community.” and we are supporting him. Join us. Bernie Giusto, Candidate for Sheriff, thanks the following for endorsing his candidacy: Hud Lasher Multnom ah County District Attorney Mike Schrunk Homer W illiam s Senator Ginny Burdick Pat McCormick Senator Kate Brown Fred Bruning Senator Rick Metzger Mike Lindberg State Representative Laurie Monnes Anderson Ron Sunseri Multnom ah County Chair Diane Linn Fred Sanchez M ultnom ah County Commissioners: tion to fund human services or vice versa. “Unless the state’s fiscal and tax system is overhauled for long term stability, the resources and conservation will decrease the need for oil, minimizing the need to drill in the Arctic National W ildlife Refuge. E cum enical M inistries of O regon believes that the re ligious p rin cip les of stew a rd sh ip and ju s tic e calls people o f faith to preserve the environm ent and pro tect this area o f A laska that is c o n s id e re d s a c re d by G w inch’ in Indians of north east A laska and northw est C anada. Get Involved to Stop HIV/AIDS i The fight for T here ’ s going to be a new S heriff in M ultnomah C ounty Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers V state’s most vulnerable citi zens will continue to be at risk to cuts in critical ser vices,” said David Leslie, executive director. “W e have the obligation to act in a way that does not place short term political gains over long term needs.” The board also stated its opposition to drilling in the Arctic National W ildlife Ref uge. It believes that the de velopm ent o f enhanced en ergy efficient products; utili zation of renew able energy Dick Stagg Lonnie Roberts Vern Alm on Serena Cruz Roger McDowell Maria Rojo de Steffey Richard Dixon Lisa Naito David Eichner Portland C ity Commissioners: OREGC S SM0KEFREE WORKPLACE Lloyd Culbertson Jim Francesconi Kevin M inkoff Dan Saltzman Jerry Davis Portland School Board Member Lolenzo Poe Debra Yandell Gresham Mayor Charles Becker Ray King Former Gresham Mayor Cussie McRobert David Hendley Troutdale Mayor Paul Thalhofer Pamela Griswold Metro Councilors for Multnom ah County: Terry McCall David Bragdon L A NEW LAW EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2 0 0 2 Norm Monroe Rod Park Gary Walker Aldo Rossi M ultnom ah County Deputy Sheriffs Association M ulltnom ah CoLnty Correction Officers Association Portland Fire Fighters Association Gresham Police Officers Association AFSCME Local # 88 Northwest Labor Council Amalgamated Transit Union II UNDER OREGON'S NEW LAW MOST WORKPLACES ARE REQUIRED TO BE SMOKEFREE. paid for by Bernie Giusto for Sheriff experience ♦ c o m m itm e n t ♦ For more information about the law, contact: www.healthoregon.orft/tobacco or call toll-free 1-866-621-610? leadership PO. Box 1815 * Gresham. Oregon 97030 Á J
