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luly 30. 2003
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Jackson Applauds Decision To Fine Lions’ Millen Katz
Jesse L. Jackson Sr.,
founder and president o f
the Rainbow /PU SH C oa­
lition, praised the National
Football L eague’s deci­
sion to fine D etroit Lions
team president Matt Millen
for violating league policy
by failing to interview a
m inority candidate for the
head coaching position.
T h e N F L in fo rm e d
M illen by letter that he
Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
must pay a $200,000 line
for failing to follow league
guidelines after the firing
o f M arty M om hinw eg
Millen subsequently hired
Steve M ariucci as Lions
head coach w ithout in­
te rv ie w in g a m in o rity
candidate.
“ I ap p lau d th e N FL
for its actio n reg ard in g
M illen and his d e lib e r­
ate circu m v en tio n o f the
Don’t Weaken Head Start
House measure
cuts vital services
to low-income
children
Oregon Congressmen Earl Blumenauer
and David Wu issued statements in reac­
tion to last w eek’s vote in Congress to
dramatically alter the popular Head Start
program.
Both Democratic lawm akers voted
against the Republican-sponsored legis­
lation, arguing that it will significantly
weaken this highly successful early child­
hood education program. The legislation
would allow states to lower standards for
Head Start programs and cut vital services
for low-income Children and their families.
“It makes no sense to gamble with Head
Start when we know the program works,”
said Blumenauer. “Across the country,
states are dealing with an economic crisis
and cutting back on services. The finan­
cial outlook in Oregon is already bleak.
This legislation would further jeopardize
families who are already losing services.
“By approving this legislation I fear that
the leadership in the House is taking a
gamble withourchildren,” Blumenauer said.
Wu said Head Start has proven its
ability to improve the lives o f disadvan­
taged kids.
“I have personal experience with the
program — my wife was a Head Start
teacher for seven years at the Creston
School and I have visited Head Start class­
rooms throughout the First Congressional
District.
We said despite the success, only 54
percent o f qualified 3 to 4 year-olds are
able to participate and take advantage o f
Head Start. For the 9,000 Oregon kids in
Head Start, there are about 9,000 others
who qualify but can’t participate.
“I opposed the House bill because it
does not help increase the number o f
quali tied kids who can participate in Head
Start,” Wu said. "Rather, it seeks to experi­
ment with the program by allowing eight
states to receive block grants to adminis­
ter the program. Instead o f experimenting
with something that already works, we
should be focusing on allowing all quali­
fied children to reap the benefits o f Head
Start.”
league ‘s d iv e rsity g u id e lin e s,” Jack-
son said. “ H o p efu lly , th is w ill send a
clea r m essag e to h irin g ag e n ts for pro
team s that they w ill be held a c co u n t­
able. T he N F L to o k th e first step in
the rig h t d ire c tio n by ad o p tin g the
g u id elin es, b ut the ru les m u st be re­
sp ected and ad h e red to .”
T he L ions o rg an iz atio n ap p a ren tly
w o n ’t be fin ed o r su ffe r th e loss o f
d raft picks. T h e L io n s, at the tim e
M ariucci w as h ired , c o n ten d e d they
had attem p ted to in terv iew b lack c a n ­
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The Portland Observer is Oregon s
Oldest and Largest M ulti-Cultural Newspaper.
American Hero Pursued
soon follow.
Now information has surfaced that Miss
Nineteen recently overdosed on pills in
the wake o f a breakup with a boyfriend and
the death o f another close friend. The
episode \flas described as a calling out for
help! Did she pursue a lifestyle that tran­
scended her earnings? Did the prosecu­
tion know o fh e r fragile mental anteced­
ents when urging media to respect her
privacy?
Kobe is certainly remiss in his indiscre­
tion. But a man with money needs to adopt
an ethical code o f conduct and practice
that removes one from compromising po­
sitions. A celebrity must never find him­
self alone with a stranger.
K.TaylorCurry
Portland
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Another Forum with Police Needed
1 h o u ran d 4 5 m inutes to the com m unity
m eant that people who cam e on tim e
were forced to w ait a long time with their
e m o tio n s in ch e c k . Is th is C h ie f
K roeker's prom ise o f “ intense com m u­
nity debate?"
Let’s have another community forum—
for us, the people. We in the white commu­
nity— especially those in the outlying
suburban areas, need to hear w hat
Portland’s communities o f color have ex­
perienced at the hands o f the police.
We need to hear first-hand about the
brutality, the injustice, the harassment
and the intimidation. Then all o f Portland
can understand the injustice o f not only
this latest deadly event, but the historical
record o f racism in “the city o f roses”.
Linda Kanzinger
P o rtla n d S ta te U n iversity
P resident D aniel O. B ernstine
released the fo llo w in g sta te ­
m ent regarding M ayor Vera
K a tz ’s decision last week not
to seek a fo u rth term in office:
M ayor V era Katz has left an
indelible mark on Portland State
University. She has been an out­
standing advocate for the univer­
sity, as well as the city, and we
have grow n stronger because o f
her leadership.
M ayor K atz has w orked har,d
to m ake PSU a great university
for this great city o f Portland.
When she leaves office, Mayor
Katz’ s legacy on this campus wi 11
be reflected in the Urban Center,
the Sim on B enson H ouse, the
Streetcar, the form ation o f the
University District and our soon
to be constructed N orthw est
C enter for Engineering, Science
and Technology building.
She has m ade the strongest
com m itm ent o f any Portland
m ayor to Portland State U niver­
sity and we will m iss her when
she leaves office.
You Probably Saw It In ì,!r ^ o rtla n ò (©bseruer
betters to the (SLditer
I would think a “community forum”
would be a place where the community
could speak.
In a city our size, one would expect it to
take some time forcommunity members to
voice their thoughts and feelings, espe­
cially when so many people feel that the
death o f Kendra James at the hands o f
police was a ‘straw that broke the cam el’s
back.’
Sgt. Brian Schmautz, a police spokes­
man, fretted that Rev. Roy Tate inter­
rupted the detective’s presentation “after
less than one hour.” Taken out o f context,
this forgets that for the two months, yes,
60 days, the community “w aited" for an
opportunity to express their feelings and
frustrations in the case.
The forum s’ format, giving the first 3
hours and 15 m inutes to police and then
Leadership
Will be
Missed
If It’s New or Informative,
■MMWHMMMMMMHMMNMMI
Kobe Bryant, with all ofhis accomplish­
ments, finds himsel f through the crosshairs
o f a Colorado prosecution. Whether he
was courting adultery or practicing a one-
night stand, his lapse o f prudence results
inconvenience, ordeal and expense.
We do not know whether the alleged
victim expected an ongoing involvement,
the romance ofherdream s, ascribed social
contacts or an opportunity at fame. Is
Miss Nineteen so naive that she expected
to be kept? Nonetheless a respectable
hotel may not only suspend but also ter­
minate an employee who is fraternal with
hotel guests. A business must avoid any
appearance o f impropriety or suspicion o f
allowing ladies o f the night on its payroll.
For where there is vice and narcotics,
extortion, robbery and white slavery will
d id a te, but w ere reb u ffed b ecau se o f
th e w ell-k n o w n b e lie f th at M illen had
alre ad y d ec id e d to hire M ariucci.
“Token interviews are unacceptable,”
Jackson said. “W e ca n ’t allow black
coaches to be used as paw ns to satisfy
a rule that m ust have real teeth. A
$200,000 fine is a m outhful o f teeth and
adds a significant bite to the N F L ’s
guidelines. W e certainly expect to see
m ore m inority interview as tim e goes
on, and subsequently, m ore m inority
co ach es.
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