Pa^ A4_________________________ ®tje $ortlani> © bsvruer____________________ November os. 2003
O pinion
Thc Portland Observer
Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or
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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
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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
✓