September 18, 2002
(EFje Jlo rtian h 0% serti er
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O pinion
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E D I r O R -I N -C H I I E , P U B L I
Chartes H. Washington
The Portland Observer
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Iraq: Preemptive Attacks Would Set a Dangerous Precedent
condemned those who have acted in this fashion.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore.,
noconnection between Saddam Hussein and the terror
issued the follow in g response to President
ist attacks on the U nited States last year. At J ohannesburg
We have just begun this national debate in earnest. I look
Bush's speech before the United Nations
I heard first hand from our European allies, who were so
forward to doing my part as a m em ber ot the International
helpful after September 11th and who were part of the
Relations Com m ittee and will work to make sure that the
Desert Storm operation, that they are adamantly op
reservations and concerns I have heard from Oregonians are
posed to the United States taking action against Iraq at
reflected in this im portant national debate. Even the United
this time. The case has not been made either to the
States, as the w orld’s most powerful nation heading a m ulti
American public or toCongress, whose authorization
national coalition with almost universal world support, has not
would be required to engage in an act of war.
been able to stabilize Afghanistan. As some seek to expand our
last week calling f o r m ilitary action against
Iraq:
Like most people in our com m unity, I am
deeply troubled by proposals to launch a pre
emptive attack against Iraq. Saddam Hussein is
Rep. Earl Blumenauer
without question an evil and dangerous person
who has inflicted great harm on his own people. However, one
It is an extraordinarily dangerous precedent for the United
campaign to Iraq and perhaps beyond, we need to be especially
can have the lowest opinion o f Saddam Hussein and still have
States or any nation to attack another country without direct
careful to handle this unfolding situation with all the care and
great reservations about the calls for an attack. There is as yet
provocation. We have not done so in the past and we have
deliberation we can muster.
Spreading the Word About Good Health for African Americans
“Closing the Health Gap” is a new partner
ship between the federal government and vari
ous other organizations including the African
American Coalition of Portland and southwest
W ashington to spread the word about good
health and prevention directly to African-Ameri-
cancitizens.
African-Americans sufferdisproportionately
from diabetes, heart disease and other medical
problems.
A sa nation, we need to work aggressively
pared to 77.4 years for the whites, according to
to close this gap,” said Health and Hum an
Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson.
the latest-available statistics.
“The ‘Closing the Health G ap’ cam paign
The campaign is designed to inform, edu-
addresses the major health threatsconfronting
cate.challengeandem pow erAfrican-A m eri-
cans to change behaviors through providing
lifestyle tips and information on local sources ot
African-Americans, including diabetes, breast
cancer, heart disease and stroke, HI V/AIDS,
infant mortality, substance abuse, suicide and
v i o l e n c e ,” s a id
health care and public
health problems.
“Educating our commu-
Vie
nities to seek preventive
oc"o°
health care is critical," said
, Corliss McKeever, presi
h»vC‘
tr
a
CS*
dent of the African Ameri -
can Health Coalition. ‘ This
isaveiyimportantinitiative
forthe African-American
community, and I am
c a ll :
CREDIT SPECIALIST
“worfc with me one on one "
METRO
AUTO
WHOLESALE
•'THE FINANCING SPECIALIST”
Metro Auto Wholesale
7238 SE Foster Rd.
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(503) 317-3049
proud to play an active
M cKeever. “ It will
Educating our
communities to
seek preventive
health care is
critical.
also promote organ
donation and im
proved rates of child
and adult immuniza
tions, and address
health issues among
wom en and older
adults.”
Area residents are
— Corliss McKeever, president of the
African American Health Coalition.
role.”
HHS has made eliminating health disparities
encouraged to help
in this effort by at
tending the group’s 2002 W ellness Village,
affecting racial and ethnic minority populations
a critical goal o f Healthy People 2010, the
nation’s public health agenda for the current
Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Blazer
Boys & Girls Club on Martin Luther King Jr.
decade. For instance, African-Americans are
ings, free workshops and free health exhibits.
twice as likely to die from diabetes than whites.
Overall, the average life expectancy for Af
You can find more by going to the website at
w w w .aahc-portland.org or by calling Karen
rican-Americans at birth is 71.8 years, com -
Gress at 503-413-1850.
Blvd. The event will feature free health screen
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