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E It I T O It - I N - C H I k I , P I
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Portland, OR 97211
March 26. 2003
I I I S H t K
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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
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d it o
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W H I T It * ,
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P lIO T O n K s r H tH
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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.
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