Jlurt lattò ®b»erUCr ________________________ |une2S’ 2003 Page A4 O pinion Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer E d i t o r -I N-C H i e r . P u i i i s H C » 1,16 Portland Observer 55 __________ USPS 959-680_________ r C i i i n n O r r I c i M a n a a c » Kathy Linder E d it o » Established 1970 M ichael Leighton 4 7 4 7 NE Martin Luther King. Jr. Blvd., B it n iiv r io s M a n a Mark Washington i Portland. OR 97211 t) 11 e c m i Paul Neufeldt Charles H. Washington c The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and w ill be returned if 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. S u b s c rip tio n s are $ 6 0 .0 0 p e ry e a r__________ 503-2880033 • FAX503-2880015 • EMAIL: news&DortlandobsetyeL£SHl subSSnption&oortland QtiseryeFCOni adi&KftlandQtlS SÜSLOäin Youth Overexposed to Alcohol The m arketing o f alcohol in A f­ rican-A m erican com m unities has stirred national controversy in the past. N ow, the C en ter on A l­ cohol M arketing and Y outh at G eorgetow n U niversity has re ­ leased the first system atic review o f alcohol advertising d irected to A frican A m ericans. “A frican-A m erican com m uni­ ties across the country have been increasingly concerned that the alcohol industry view s our c h il­ dren a sju st another m arketplace,” said R everend Jesse B row n, ex ­ ecutive directo r o f the N ational A ssociation o f A frican A m eri­ cans for Positive Im agery. “The C enter’s report will give A frican- A m erican com m unities the infor- m ation they need to help our youth grow up safe and h ealth y .” In auditing the exposure o f A f­ rican-A m erican youth, ages 12 to 20, to alcohol advertising in maga­ zines and on television and radio in 2002, the C enter found that alcohol advertising w as placed on the television program s m ost p opular with A frican-A m erican y o u th . A lc o h o l a d v e rtis e rs sp e n t $11.7 m illion in 2002 to place ads on all 15 o f the program s m ost po p u lar with A frican-A m erican youth, including Bernie Mac, The Sim psons, K ing o f the H ill, My W ife and K ids, and The W onder­ ful W orld o f D isney. C o m p ared to n o n -A fric a n - American youth, African-Ameri­ can youth saw 66 percent more beer and ale advertising and 81 percent more distilled spirits ad­ vertising in magazines in 2002, and 45 percent more advertising for “low-alcohol refreshers.” “T his report clearly show s that A frican-Am erican youth are b eing overexposed to alcohol a d v e r t i s i n g ,” s a id D a v id Jem ig an , research directo r for the Center. “ In previous reports, we found significant ov erexpo­ sure o f all youth to alcohol ad­ vertising in m agazines and on television and radio. T his new report gives parents o f A frican- A m e ric a n y o u th c a u s e fo r co n cern .” You Owe It To Yourself! Association * Serving Portland and Vancouver. Roadblocks to Justice Bush and Congress attack poor children and working families by M arian W right E delman So many Americans have been preoccupied with the war in Iraq, the war on terrorism, and their struggles to hold on to or get a job in this period o f economic dow n­ turn, that they are unaware o f the other w ar underway that will affect everybody living in America for decades to come. It is the Bush adm inistration’s and C ongress’ radical w ar on p o o r ch ild ren an d w o rk in g families, which will dism antle the role o f gov­ ernment as we know it in m eet­ ing the needs o f th e p o o r, th e young, the dis­ abled, and work­ ing families. It is an unprecedented, across-the-board assault, which seeks to starve the federal govern­ ment o f resources to m eet our children’s needs. Providing massive tax cuts to therichin2001 and 2003 while dis­ mantling child investments like Head Start, health care, child care, and education will leavem illionsof children behind. And the reckless tax cuts enacted by Congress in 2003 and signed by President Bush Marian Wright Edelman last month amidst economic down­ turn and growing deficits will pro­ vide nothing to millionsoffam ilies, including a majority o f Black and Latino children. However, these children will disproportionately suffer from callous and huge bud­ income children in hard working civilian and military families. In an unjust, callous last minute act, help to fam ilies with incomes between $ 10,500 and $26,600 was eliminated. Yet every millionaire will get a $93,500 tax break this year. A fter a huge public outcry, this flagrantly unjust action was swiftly corrected by the Senate by a vote o f 9 4 - 2 w ithout adding to the deficit. The House should do the same immediately. Y et H ouse leaders are putting up roadblocks and trying to give still m ore tax break s to higher incom e fam ilies by insisting on a $82 billion bill to correct a $3.5 billion injustice. Poorchildren in working families should not be held hostage to more political shenani­ gans. Quick action is essential to help excluded low -in­ come families. 1 h o p e th e W hite House and C o n g re s s io n a l leaders will correct the gross injustice d e n y in g h a r d ­ working families like these child tax credit refunds while lavishing hun­ dreds o f billions o f dollars on m il­ lionaires. The White House and the House o f Representatives should see that the Senate version o f the child tax credit is passed now so that fam i­ lies w ho need help most will get it w ithout further enriching families w ho need help least. Marian Wright Edelman is presi­ dent andfounder o f the C hildren‘s D efense Fund. Providing massive tax cuts to the rich in 2001 and 2003 while dismantling child investments like Head Start, health care, child care, and education will leave millions o f children behind. \ D E A L E R S H IP S Save Time, Save Money! DO IT NOW! CALL 1-877-432-5394 Bad Credit? Get Pre-Approved, We offer all of the best rates available for your situation! NO GIMMICKS Be treated with respect. FREECREDIT ANALYSIS! Good Credit? Get Pre-Approved, We offer all of the best rates available whether through Credit Union Direct, Manufacturers, or any of our other lenders! Call For Your Best Deal! National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Repre­ sentative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, N ew York, N Y , and The West Coast Black Publishers get cuts and freezes. The most egregious tip o f the huge iceberg o f unjust budget pri­ orities occurred in the child tax credit provisions o f the 2003 Bush tax cut bill. In the $350 billion tax cut bill, which will mostly benefit the w ealthiest A m ericans, congres­ sional leaders with W hite House approval, elim inated a $3.5 billion provision to immediately extend the child tax credit to 12 million low- fitters fJa ffhe (Svitar P olice A ction w as In h u m an e ^ o r t l a n h (© b seru er On'Web E ditor's note: The follow ing is Kendra James. We are outraged by Club. The Eastside Democratic C lub an o p e n le tte r d e liv e r e d Io police brutality and inhumane treat­ M ultnomah County D istrict A ttor- ment towards bleeding victims. We meets the first Tuesday o f every ney M ichael D. Schrunk by the dem and a change in police training month at N ature’s on Northeast Eastside D em ocratic Club with and procedure to reduce violent 15* and Fremont, providing a forum for local, state, national and inter­ copies to local elected officials in interaction. We will continue to be in contact national issues. W e believe in the protest o f the M ay 5 police shoot­ with your office as well as that o f dem ocratic process for open dis­ ing o f Kendra James. M ayor Katz until such change is cussion and debate with the best Dear Mr. Schrunk: The Eastside Democratic Club enacted. Forthcoming will be a list interests o f the citizens o f Portland joins the chorus o f voices in pro­ o f suggestions from the m em ber­ and Multnomah C ounty in mind. test over the recent shooting o f ship o f the Eastside Democratic w w w .p o r t l a n d o b s e r v e r . c o m As it quickly becomes more and more an electronic world, The Portland Observer endeav­ ors to meet the needs o f our readers and advertisers by going online. With the capabil­ ity o f the Internet, the Portland Ob­ server now reaches a broader audience, and thus sets your business in fron t o f a new generation. rje c« yww .. fgraiU t loan Mil» Volarne XXXU, Hvmb.r 14 . ____________ A m tl.M M ^.1 n rt kn ib (Dbaeruer T o r Stftrtwv Adam * High A w bte W recking Ball M etro Sports Ea ra« Health Opkrton íO P o N ca /V attc aa va r R eligion The Portland School District has proclaimed that there be a new Whitaker Mickle School to replace die empty and former Adams High School at 5700 N E 39th Ave Ot course the new building w il look very different and vttl bring new housing with it — something that makes nearby ensflng neighbors a Hite nervous O b se rv a dur Fund O regon’s V ital Services Some Legislators, in particular Sen. Avel Gordly are now talking about the Legislature's constitu­ tional responsibility to provide the revenue necessary to run our state effectively. Yes! I hope that the Legislature will stop this short-sighted slash­ ing and return to reasonable dis­ cussions about what is important to Oregonians and how to fund it. A prime example would be to­ bacco prevention. O reg o n ian s know it is a smart investment to keep kids from smoking and to help tobacco users quit. Voters have acted responsibly, tw ice voting for an effective, cost saving tobacco prevention program and providing the revenue to fund it via cigarette taxes. Earlier this year, the legislature broke faith with the voters and m oved the money for tobacco pre- vention to general fund, even though the tobacco industry con­ tinues to spend m illions o f dollars to target our communities. I thank Sen. G ordly for her clear thinking in these hard economic tim es and encourage the Legisla­ ture to listen to voters and fully fund tobacco prevention. Debbie Kaufman Northeast Portland G o n er oi Nov»« © |r JJorthmò (ßtwnwr t ortoct IH ora paoptewTth banner ede cell 503 288 0033 K e e p in g a C í e t e E y e O n C rim e D««p4e progrom cult end budget «KorttaX«. rotu/rung Northeast Pobce Precinct Commende» Bruce Pnmb re potane the commwrty he tabe home •*» cortame to moka etrrtee ■ Spraying Mabe« Propre«« in M o tp u ile Fight Take a e«gh of rebel MuXnomah County haabh oXkiaH are reporting «ucceot m the bght to rrt your backyard of WBI From border te barter, bom coati io coeet hare ere tom e of nCDreW * * making new« armoa the United Stale« and bam TU E Rt y 111 W Low-Cost Medical Help Welcome My 72-year-old father recently learned he has osteoporosis. We both took advantage o f a low-cost bone scan clinic offered by Dr. Will Harden in southwest Portland. I learned that my bone m ass is only slightly less than average for a woman my age. However, my father’s results were much more dramatic. The good news is he can change his diet and do more exercise to help turn his condition around. Because there is a genetic aspect to os­ teoporosis, I will also be watching my diet to make sure I take enough calcium. I want to thank Dr. Harden for making low cost bone density Dexa scans available. These tests are an im portant first step to prevention o f osteoporosis. honnelxipez-R om ana Portland Advertise in ",e Portland Observer eall 503.388.0033 or email: ads(otportlandobserver.eom