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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 26, 2003)
Page A4 (Elje JJortlanh ODbseruer O pinion Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer ^P o rtlan d Observer S __________ USPS 959-680_________ T 3 E It I T O It - I N - C H I k I , P I Established 1970 A 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., F F Portland, OR 97211 March 26. 2003 I I I S H t K C H K t r i V t. D i * t c T o * Paul Neufeldt A s s u c ia t k Charles H. Washington E U I T U k Michael Leighton D l S T t l t V T I o n M I SI 4 M ark Washington E d it o * Wynde Dyer W H I T It * , C t¡ * P lIO T O n K s r H tH D avid Plech! P o s rm ts rc a: S e n d a d d re s s c h a n g e s to P o r t la n d O b s e r v e r PO B om 3 1 3 7 , P o r tla n d , OB 9 7 2 0 8 P e r i o d i c a l P o s t a g e p a i d In P o r t l a n d , OR i S u b s c r ip tio n s a re $ 6 0 .0 0 p e r y e a r 503-2880033 • FAX503-2880015 • EMAIL: r The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and w ill be returned i f accompanied by a self addressed envelope. A ll created design display ads become the sole property o f the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent o f the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition o f such ad. © 1996 T H E P O R T L A N D OBSERVER A I . L R IG H T S R E S E R V E D . R E P K f 3 D U C T IO N IN W H O L E O R IN P A R T W ITH < I I I I PER M IS S IO N IS PR( )H I B IT ED. The Portland O bserver-O regon's Oldest M u lticu ltu ra l Publication—is a member o f the National Newspaper Association—Founded in 1885. and The National Advertising Repre sentative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. New Y ork. N Y , and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. War and the Big Bully on the Block by R on W eber F or the P ortland O bserver High up in the air in a small guard tow er, I pondered why I was here. At 19 years old, I tunately, inevitable. But now it seem s like every som etim es have trouble reading books on the tim e we turn around, A m erica is once again history o f man. I see so much barbariariism it refereeing problem s or fighting in some small m akes m e sick. W hat gave us the right to m urder co m er o f the globe. scores o l innocent A m erican Indians ju st so we stared across a rocky terrain and straight into the W e have poor, sick, and starving people right face o f a North Korean solder about my age. We f passed our eight-hour shifts by yelling profanities ;----------------------------------------------------- It is a terrible thing to see men, women and children dying over politics. in both Korean and English. W hen we got bored we would point our rifles at each other. W hile the Korean W ar was over and the V ietnam W ar was in full swing, I stood in this four foot square tow er, som e 30 or 4 0 feet o ff the ground, wondering why I sat here guarding my little com er o f the D em ilitarized Zone. W hat was the purpose o f war anyw ay? 1 w anted to be hom e in could have "The land o f the free and the hom e of the brave?" And thank you to the m illions of A fricans w ho died w hile building a place where “All m en are created equal,” even though the Bill o f R ights said you w eren't. W ar m ay be, u n fo rtu n ately , n ecessary a, tim es. G o d b less all the so ld iers w ho fig h t for th e ir c o u n tries an d d ie in w ar. It is a terrib le th in g to see m en w om en and ch ild ren dying o v e r p o litics. 1 really do like A m erica and I’m “Proud to be college with my friends. In my o ff guard duty here in our country. W e are on the verge o f a an A m erican.” I ju st d o n ’t like the fact that we time I had a second job. If the N orth Koreans depression. Unemployment among African Ameri becam e so pow erful and affluent by “rem oving” were to com e across the DM Z, my secret clear cans is sham eful. S houldn’t we take care o f our the Indians and enslaving A fricans w hom we ance "allow ed m e” to open the safe and start ow n first? W hy do we have to anger the United referred to as “three-fifths” o f a person. burning sensitive docum ents until I was killed or N ations and go it alone (or with Britain) and once taken hostage. Clearly that never happened. If nothing else, I hope we learn from our m istakes. Since the 1960s, wars have taken on a new again show our position as the big bully on the block? m eaning to me. The world w ars seem ed, unfor- As a w riter and speaker on black history, I Ron Weber is a retired electrician andfrequent writer and speaker on African American history. We Must Safeguard the Minimum Wage inflation rates. According to the Oregon Center for Public Policy, 60 percent of minimum wage workers are women, 73 percent are 20 years or older and 25 percent are single parents. by D an G ardner Minimum wage workers include Oregonians who O regon L abor C ommissioner take care of ourclderly and disabled, provide childcare The Slate Legislature recently heard testimony on toour children, work in eating and drinking establish a bill to cancel the annual adjustment in the minimum ments and harvest the crops that we eat. wage that voters just approved in the last election. Raising the minimum wage with annual adjust What part of “yes” do they not understand? ments will by no means eradicate poverty across the Our lowest-paid workers state, but it will help tens are also under attack from o f thousands o f low- legislators and business in wage working families terests that are proposing put food on the table, laws to allow employers to pay rent and cover basic count workers' tips in eat essentials. ing and drinking establish Without this annual ments as part o f the mini adjustment, these fami mum wage, allow minors to lies will be forced again get a sub-minimum wage to rel y on the food banks and lower employment pro -O regon LaborCommlssionerDanGardner (w h o se su p p lies are tections and pay for farm quickly dim inishing), workers under 18 years o f age. churches and government programs. Passage of Measure 25 gave Oregon’s minimum Minimum wage increases for low-income workers wage workers their first raise in four years. The law have always been a political football. Unlike skyrock increased Oregon’s minimum wage from $6.50 per eting energy prices and healthcare costs, which hour to $6.90, requiring the Commissioner of the drastically and unexpectedly increase the cost of Bureau of Labor and Industries to calculate an an business, indexing provides small and predictable nual adjustment based upon any increase in the increases for businesses. Consumer Price Index. If the CPI does not change, the We live in a consumer-based economy, and busi minimum wage will remain the same. nesses are dependent on the purchasing power of Currently, with Oregon leading the nation in un minimum-wage workers. When the minimum wage employment and hunger rates, this modest increase increases, businesses experience higher profits be is being challenged by a coalition of legislators and cause workers have more money to spend. Low- corporate-backed special interest groups. If they wage workers pump every dollar o f their pay checks have their way, the annual adjustment to the voter- directly into the local economy by spending their approved increase will be overturned, and more low- money in their neighborhood stores, local pharma income working families will once again be forced to cies. and com er markets on food, medicine and choose between rent, food and other basic necessi clothing for their children. ties as their hourly wages fail to keep pace with Given our state’s economic crisis, protecting this Stop the attack on our lowest-paid workers Given our state ’s economic crisis, protecting this voter-approved increase is especially critical. It’s often easier to pick out the vehicle . . . voter-approved increase is especially critical. Use of the CPI adjustment fairly addresses the needs of working families living in poverty, promotes pur chasing power and offers businesses the ability to budget more effectively and accurately for increases in response to rising costs. The voters approved Measure 25 and our legisla tors should respect their vote and keep their hands off the wages o f our lowest paid workers. Support the Armed Forces Dear Portland-based members of the U.S. Armed Forces: As members of the Portland City Council, we would like to express our whole-hearted support as you bravely set out to serve in the United States Military. We are aware that the President has acti vated and deployed numerous men and women of the Armed Forces from Portland and Or egon to assignments and missions related to the ongoing global war on terror and the current crisis in Iraq. Regardless of our own personal views of the impending war with Iraq, the Portland City Council and the citizens of Portland have the deepest respect and concern for those ser vice men and women who are willing to risk their lives to protect the United States of America. The residents of this community have a deep awareness and appreciation for the unique personal pressures facing friends, fami lies and loved ones when military personnel are activated. In the days to come, we want you to know that our thoughts and prayers will be with you, the members of our Armed Forces who will be called into action and your families. The Portland City Council wishes you a safe and swift return from harm’s way. Vera Katz, Jim Francesconi, Kandy Leonard, Dan Saltzman and Erik Sten. At Bryan Bickmore Dodge we know you have choices when it comes to your automotive needs. We invite you to come and experience why so many choose to purchase and service their vehicles at Bryan Bickmore Dodge. 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