Pa^ A4_________________________ ®tje $ortlani> © bsvruer____________________ November os. 2003 O pinion Thc Portland Observer Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of The Portland Observer C i n t i v i I) 111 c r u I Paul Neufeldt E d i t o a - i a - C h i î f . P v » l i s h c h S ___________ USPS 959-680__________ T A F F Established 1970 4 7 4 7 NE Martin Luther King. Jr. Blvd., Portland. OR 97211 ] Charles H. Washington EDITO» Michael Leighton n 4 Mark Washington St 4 D lS T K IB U T IO N ü i r i c r M A N A G £ K Kathy Linder R e ro K T K K Jaymee R. Cuti fi I » P ostmastcx : Send address changes to Portland Observer PO Box 3 1 3 7 , Portland, OR 9 7 2 0 8 P e rio d ic a l P o s ta g e p aid In P o rtla n d , OR i S u b s c rip tio n s are $ 6 0 .0 0 per year B i BEN OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,REPRODUCTION INWHOLEOR INPART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. 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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 TH E P O R T LA N D Protect the Rights of All Americans D|B/M i NI TEMAN M edia We need judges who uphold the laws of Congress not fully enforce the protection and ben IRAÌ efits provided by fed Just as the Con gress passes laws eral law. The Senate, and not that affect our daily lives in many ways, the House o f Repre sen tativ es, has the our federal courts duty to review the affect our lives by p re sid e n t's ju d icial in te rp retin g and nominations, and then ap p ly in g th o se approve or reject them. laws. But the Congres Their decisions impact the lives of all Americans. sional Black Caucus has made our They affect the safety of the air we voice heard, loud and clear, on ob breathe, the water we drink, the jectionable nominations. food we eat and the planes we fly. We have let Senators know how They protect citizens’ v, f AW- liberty and privacy from overreaching government officials. Say that Con l>le i i s c s e i i ( l y o i i r e ( l l i i r i n l i i i ; i l c i 'i ; i l gress enacts a law to pro to iR -u s t" |H ii1 la ii(lo lis c i \» r .id in tect your civil rights, your child’s education, or your retirement benefits, but then there's a lawsuit over how to apply it to a par ticular group o f people. As a feminist and m other of m ovem ent eag er to elim in ate subjugate women by any means If a very conservative four children, I am outraged and w o m en ’s freedom . T h eir m es necessary. judge, with views outside disappointed by the way the U.S. sage that w o m en ’s lives are not I call on all women and men the mainstream, interprets that law strongly we oppose judicial nomi government is interfering with the th e ir ow n is co nv ey ed through c o n c e rn e d a b o u t w o m e n ’s too narrowly, millions of African nees whose appointment would right to abortion. A bortion is a v arious m ethods, such as an rights to raise their voices and Americans, and others, will be de threaten the rights and benefits of necessary option for women and attack on rep ro d u ctiv e rig h ts, again make abortion a prime time, nied the protection that Congress African Americans and other con crucially important medical and govern m en t rew ard s for m ar front page issue. intended. stituents. personal decision. riage and the S uprem e C o u rt’s Real choice means safe, free, Our struggle to pass the law will The news now is full of com A bortion is a prerogative that refusal to hear the appeal o f a u n restricted ab ortion on d e have been ineffective. A judge who plaints that the Senate is unfairly allow s women to take charge of w om an convicted o f hom icide mand to women of all ages and would deny the full protection of blocking some of the President’s their own bodies and control an for drug use that led to a still abilities; free, safe birth co n our Constitution is even worse. So nominations, including some mi im portant part of their destinies. birth. trol; an end to forced steriliza it’s important foryou and your fam nority nominees. But Congress and President Bush The increased social pressure tion; guaranteed pre-natal care; ily that we reject judges who would Those nominees are examined afe -h e fb b m t on rem oving this on women to stay home, make free, 24-hour childcare and full right with th e“Partial Birth" Abor babies, care for parents and fill-in m edical coverage for all. tion Ban Act o f 2003. Nancy Dahlherg for de-funded public services, Public officials are represent makes it clear that the govern Radical Women ing the interests o f a rightw ing ment is acting on a mandate to 819 N. Killingsworth TfWS better to the <3üdit(?r Interference is Outrageous by U.S. R ep . J ohn C onyers J r . very closely, but they should be. If confirmed they hold the post for life, long after the president ap pointing them is gone and they wield immense power. They are blocked only after ex tensive debate by the full Senate. When President Clinton was in of fice, many exceptionally well-quali fied judicial nominees from my own state languished several years in committee without even receiving a hearing, let alone a committee vote or consideration on the Sen ate floor. M ore im portantly, it is not up to the p resid en t alone w ho will becom e federal ju d g e s. T he C o n s titu tion m akes the S enate a full p artn er in the p ro c e ss, n o t a ru b b e r stam p. Its role does not end m erely becau se the nom inee is a p racticin g atto rn ey o r sittin g ju d g e an d h a s no c r im in a l record. On the co n trary , th a t is w h e n th e S e n a te ’s role begins. The Senate must explore the nominees’ judicial temperament, their respect for precedent, and their fidelity to our Constitution’s great guarantees o f liberty and equality. ‘We oppose judicial nominees whose appointment would threaten the rights and benefits o f African Americans and other constituents.’ Rep. John Conyers Jr., D- Mich., is the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee and a member o f the Congres sional Black Caucus. Lives Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health A program of the African Amencan Health Coalition. Inc, Sponsored by the CDC (Centers lor Disease Control and Prevention) Wellness Within REACH Activity Calendar All classes are free of charge! Mon Malt Dishman 77 NE Knott Salvation Army 5325 N Wiliams. Whiaker Track Kflings worth Stretching Bods Stulpbng 10:00 11:00am 74« U 7-Sara ms Addo Tai fin Water Aerobics 6:30-7:30pm Contact AAHC Henry 503-413-1850 hies 5034131850 DameFs Memorial (lurch 12tUL!batswortb African Dame foga Bodv Conditioning 7:30-8:30« 7:30-830« » 3 0 -1 0 3 0 « ORoorke (T Rourke Nickerson Walking Croup Walkim liroap- Walking Croup- 600-7:00pra 6:00-7:0(1 pm 12:30« Woods Woods “ •MWiN Aerobics Aerobics Aerobics 5 30-6:20« 5 3 0 4 :2 0 « 5:30 6:20pm Cramile Ciamille GranviHr 6:307:30pm 630-7:30pm 6 3 0 -7 3 0 « Nickerson hickerson Nickerson Aerobics Aerobics Aerobics Aerobics Aerobics 6:00-7:00« 6:00-7:00pm 6:00-700« 6:00-7:00pm 6:00-7:00« Pierce Keller Pierce Keller Pierce WÌ Management Wt. Management Wt. Management (onditkmnit Conditioning II Cooditrniiog 9:00 • 10:00am 6:00 7:00am 9:00 10:00am What can we do to fight the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes? A researcher and a physician/ diabetes expert will share what we know at this free forum. N ovem ber 5, 7 p.m . Kaiser Permanente Tualatin Medical Office 19185 SW 90th Ave., Tualatin Hasan N ovem ber 11, 7 p.m. Walk Io Run 6:30pm (Some I1 1......'' 11111 N You're invited to a public forum fop Walk Io Run Irvington Covenant Qmrch 4008 NE M IX Bbd Sat Scuhriing tortaci AAHC 700 N Portland Fri Stretching Both Water Aerobics Peninsula Park. 4 2 n d II Th urs Salsa 3535 NE 15th. H «U ad United CfcrehofOrat 4635 NE 9th Ave. Wed 6 3 0 -7 -3 0 « Wild Oats Market Mallory Avenue Christian Church (Gym) 126NEAIw ta Tues 6:30 « Aerobics Aerobics 7:30 8 :3 0 « 8:00 »:O0ara KeSer Norris Kaiser Permanente Interstate Medical Office South* 3500 N Interstate Ave., Portland lew Imparl Call 503-528-3909 or 1-877-274-0824 to ensure a seat. Aerobics 7:15'8:13pm , , ______________ 1 1 "M u si be 21 or older to participate Please check with AAHC before showing up to the first class 503-413-1850 Please receive approval from your doctor before beginning exercise class * Walking group meets inside Lloyd Center in front of Sears African American Health Coalition, Inc. 2800 N Vancouver Ave Suite 100 • Portland OR 97227 • Phone 503-413-1850 E-mail kdempsey@aahc-portland org • Web www aahc-portland org ! For more information about weight management, visit the "For Our Members" section of kaiserpermanente.org. ‘ A healthy physical activity will be offered for children 6 and older. KAISER PERMANENTE ✓