Jlortíanh (Observer
Page A 6
September 17, 2003
Punch Ballots Sidetrack California Recall Election
Decision faces
appeal to U S
Supreme Court
tices in a position to influence yet
another m onum ental election.
The three-judge panel did not
set a new date for the recall elec­
tion, but backed a suggestion
from the American Civil Liberties
U nion that the balloting be held
during the March 2 presidential
primary.
“ It is virtually undisputed that
... punch-card voting system s are
significantly more prone to e r­
rors that result in a v o te r's ballot
not being counted than the other
voting system s used in C alifor­
nia,” the judges w rote.
The 9th Circuit is the nation’s
largest and most liberal federal ap­
peals court. It was the 9th Circuit
(AP) — A federal appeals court
in
S an
F ra n c is c o
th re w
C a lifo rn ia 's tum ultuous recall
cam paign into com plete turm oil
M onday, postponing the Oct. 7
election because several coun­
ties planned to use the punch-
card ballots that made such a mess
in Florida three years ago.
The decision by the 9th U S .
C ircuit C ourt o f A ppeals is cer­
tain to be appealed to the U S.
Suprem e C ourt, putting the ju s­
H e lp u s
California governor Gray Davis (left) a n d Lt. Governor Cruz
B u sta m a n te a tte n d a school dedication honoring form er presi­
d e n t Bill Clinton in Com pton, Calif. A c o u rt d ecisio n M onday
p o stp o n e d th e governor 's recall electio n until March. (AP photo)
Prevent cangeri
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Sickle
Cell
Telethon
Saturday
lb find out if you or
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800-677-6752
(x-66267)
www.cropor.org
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For Moro Information, cofi ( 5 0 3 ) 2 4 9 - 1 3 6 6
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th
4:00— 9:00 pm
Channels 21 and 11
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The disease is hereditary caus
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Those w ishing to donate m ay
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J
last year that declared the reciting
o f the Pledge o f Allegiance in pub­
lic schools unconstitutional be­
cause o f the words “under God.”
M onday’s ruling was the last o f
about a dozen legal challenges to
the attempt to unseat Democratic
Gov. Gray Davis. Several candi­
dates are running to replace him,
including Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz
Bustamante, action star Arnold
Schwarzenegger and conservative
state Sen. Tom McClintock.
Davis would probably benefit
the most from the ruling ifthe elec­
tion were held in March, because
the presidential primary is expected
to bring a large number o f Demo­
crats to the polls. It could also give
2800 N Vancouver Ave . Suite 100 • Portland. OR 97227 • Phone:503-413-1850
E-mail kdempsey@aahc-portland org • Web www aahc-porhand.org
Davis more time to address the
sta te 's budget crisis and force
Schwarzenegger, the GOP front­
runner, into a longer campaign.
T h e a p p e a ls c o u rt u n a n i­
m ously ruled it is unacceptable
that six California counties would
be using outdated punch-card
ballots - the same system at the
center o f the recount furor that
erupted in Florida after the 2000
presidential election.
The six counties include the
sta te ’s m ost populous, Los A n­
geles, as well as Sacram ento and
San Diego counties. A ltogether
they co n tain ed 44 p ercen t o f
C a lifo rn ia ’s reg istered v o ters
during the 2000 election.
Morrison
Writing
Book on
Segregation
(A P) — N obel laureate Toni M orrison is w ork­
ing on a ch ild ren ’s book about Brown v. Board o f
Education, the Suprem e C o u rt’s landm ark ruling
against segregation.
“ Rem em ber: A Pictorial Tribute to the Brown v.
Board o f Education Suprem e C ourt D ecision” will
be published in 2004, com m em orating the 50th
anniversary o f the co u rt’s unanim ous order for
public schools to be integrated.
“Ms. M orrison has collected a treasure chest o f
archival black-and-w hite photographs that depict
the historical events surrounding the Suprem e
Court case and school desegregation,” publisher
H oughton M ifflin said.
“ T h ese u n fo rg e tta b le im ag es serv e as the
in sp iratio n fo r M s. M o rriso n ’s tex t - an im a g i­
n ativ e ren d e rin g o f the d ialo g u e an d em o tio n s
o f th e ch ild ren w h o liv ed d u rin g th e era o f
se p arate -b u t-e q u al sc h o o lin g ,” th e sta te m en t
said.
M orrison is best know n for novels such as
“Sula,” “Song o f Solom on” and the Pul itzer Prize­
w inning "B eloved.” She has also w orked on the
ch ild ren ’s books “The Big Box” and “The Book o f
M ean People.”
C -O If
Liberia: The Oldest
o f A f r ic a
Republic in Africa
Toni Morrison
by R on W eber
But the transition from America to Africa was not-
T he P ortland O bserver
without challenges. British and American govern­
Once considered A frica's most prosperous, stable, ment officials negotiated with tribal chiefs in the area
and peaceful country, Liberia is one o f only two to expand the territory and to allow white settlers in
countries on the continent that were not colonized by both Liberia and Sierra Leone. As rich white landown­
a European country.
ers came to the area, those who returned to Africa
Freed African-American slaves such as Marcus began to see history repeating itself. Whites built
Garvey sailed to Liberia and founded a country o f their huge plantations and lived in great wealth while
own. The republic o f Liberia remained for over 130 blacks again worked the land. The only difference in
years, until 1980 when it was overthrown during a Liberia was they were paid small stipends and told
military coup. Since then, political unrest and continu­ they were free. White power continued to rule the
ous insurrections have kept the county in a constant land.
state o f turmoil.
Christianity also be­
L IB E R IA
L iberia P resident
came a difficult issue.
•Voinjama
Kolahuna
C h a rles T a y lo r re ­
While many Africans
ERRA
GUINEA
cently resigned under
EONE
re je c te d
re lig io n ,
allegations that he was
whites built churches
Y e k s p a a a G oo dho use H ill
behind the killings o f
and sent missionaries
• G b am g a
1362m
Borni
th o u sa n d s
of
throughout the land.
Hills
Liberians over the past
As the country grew,
Tubman burg«
LIB E R IA
few years. The United
L ib e ria ’s new re si­
We*
• Kakata
States has sent in a
d en ts b ecom e e d u ­
Ta p p ««*
Monrovia O
p eacek eep in g force
cated and gradually
•Zwadru
hoping to help the
moved into better em ­
Buchanan*
country rebuild itself.
ploym
ent. M any o f
• Pynetown
A ro u n d th e 15"’
Rheara
them accepted Chris­
ATLANTIC
Putu
OCEAN'
Can
Range
Century, gold, spices
tianity on the basis that
and ivory brought trad­
their lives were improv­
ers to this ocean bor­
ing.
Saaatown a
dered area. As the ship-
Unfortunately, the
p in g tra d e g rew ,
new
p o p u la tio n
Liberian ports also be­
b ro u g h t resen tm en t
came involved in the slave trade. Tribes went inland from true Liberian people who began feeling like the
and raided neighboring villages, stealing not only lower class. Rebellion often took place between
goods but also men, women and children.
Liberians and the Liberian-Americans.
In the early 1800s, when Britain outlawed slavery,
In 1926, A m erica’s Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.
nearly 2,000 freed British slaves were settled in Sierra set up a huge operation in Liberia. This opened up
Leone, a country that bordered Liberia. Meanwhile, many opportunities for employment and advance­
abolitionists in America formed the American Coloni­ ment. But in 1929, the company was investigated by
zation Society helping free blacks move back to Africa. the Am erican-led League o f Nations regarding
Just nine years after Britain freed its slaves, the Liberian government-tolerated forced employment
group began sending Africans from America to Liberia and the country’s president Charles D.B. King was
and Sierra Leone. By selling annual and lifetime mem­ forced to resign. This led to improved wages and
berships to the ACS, they were able to finance their working conditions.
operations. Although many free blacks chose to stay
T oday, after decades o f turmoil Liberia finds itself
in America, others were grateful to return to their war-ravaged and dependant on foreign aid for food.
nation o f origin.
Former Liberian President Charles Taylor resigned
Slavery opponents spoke out against the idea, but last month and positive changes are expected. The
abolitionists convinced the government to help their Atlantic Ocean air from the west breathes new hope
cause. By 1839, more than 3,000 former American for those who have lived so long in terror and vio­
slaves and descendents o f slaves lived in Liberia and lence. Liberians and their new leaders feel their once
a republic was formed with a constitution based on rich fertile lands will again lead this to country peace
that o f the United States.
and prosperity.
Ï
7
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