Black History
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Nate King Cole
Inspired Generations
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see page B3, inside
See page A 10 for details
b (©bsertœr
City of Roses’
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Volume XXXIII • Number 5
.Week ¡n
TheReview
$2.4 Trillion
Budget Submitted
President Bush sent Congress a
$2.4 trillion election-year budget
featuring big increases for defense
and hom eland security and a
pledge to cut this year's projected
record deficit of $521 billion in half
by 2009.
Intelligence Failure Probe
President Bush, reversing field,
said he would order an indepen
dent investigation into intelligence
failures in Iraq. Trying to quiet
mounting election-year criticism
from Republicans and Democrats
alike, Bush confirmed reports that
he would establish such an in
quiry. The focus will be not only
on the Iraq problem, but also gaps
in other areas, such as secretive
regimes like Iran and North Korea
and stateless groups such as ter
rorists.
Jackson, Timberlake
Apologize for Flash
CBS, MTV, the NFL, Janet Jack-
son and Justin Tim berlake all
say th e y ’re sorry - but none o f
that is deterring the federal gov
ernm ent from looking into the
Super B ow l's too-revealing half
time show. See story on page
B8, inside.
Super Bowl Brawl
N ew E n g la n d P a trio ts fan s
turned rowdy after their team ’s
Super Bowl victory, overturn
ing cars and lighting small fires
as th o u s a n d s s w a rm e d th e
streets. One person was killed in
Boston when an alleged drunken
driver drove his sport utility
vehicle into a crowd.
Second Mars Rover Photo
NASA’s Opportunity rover sent
back its first 360-degree color pan
oramic image of the surface of
Mars, extendi ng a robotic arm that
will touch the planet's surface.
Mayor for Gay Rights
The m ayor called on voters to
repeal a 1993 city charter am end
ment that made C incinnati the
only U.S. city to ban enactm ent
or enforcem ent o f gay-rights
laws. M ayorC harlie Luken used
his annual State o f the City
speech to argue that tim es and
attitudes have changed and that
Cincinnati should rescind the
am endm ent to dem onstrate tol
erance.
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Wednesday • February 04, 2004
L iv in g
H istory
African-American
Senators revel in
where they are, how
far they’ve come
J aymee R. Cun
T he P ortland O bserver
the O regon Legislative Assembly
in 1984, she was the first and
only black w om an there. She
was also the first A frican-A m eri
can wom an ever to head a major
political party in the nation— as
state chair o f the O regon Dem o
cratic Party.
C arter, one o f the m ost well-
know n and loved politicians in
the state, is deeply com m itted to
her faith and her fam ily o f nine
children and 26 grandchildren.
As yet another way o f reaching
her com m unity, C arter has sung
the N ational A nthem at Portland
Trail Blazers game., for R a c k
History M onth. She plans to sing
again on Thursday, Feb. 12.
by
Beyond their wildest dream s,
three A frican-A m erican women
are making the tough decisions,
m anaging the budgets and ad
vocating for human dignity in
O regon as state senators.
In a state w here less than tw o
percent o f residents are A frican
A m erican, these women have
created a place for them selves
that d id n 't previously exist in
Senate cham bers.
S ta te s e n a to r s M a rg a re t
C a r te r , D -P o r tla n d , A v e l
G ordly, D -Portland and Jackie
W inters, R-Salem , know they
have made history.
/ think we have a moral
imperative to encourage, to nurture
and financially support more young
people to get involved in the
political process in the state.
-SenatorMargaret Carter, D-Portland
They say they lean on each
other and support other women
in the Senate as well, am ong an
institution that has hisorically
ieen ruled by w hite men.
A nd w hile they hold com
mon records o f achievem ent as
black women in politics. Carter,
G ordly and W inters are distin
guished by their issues, pas
sions and the direction their ca
reers have taken them.
W hen C arter talks about the
pork chops she cooked for din
ner last night, it’s easy to forget
this is the same woman who has
broken color and gender barri
ers in the state and the nation.
W hen C arter was elected to
C arter represents residents of
north and northeast Portland.
Am ong the m ajor issues affect
ing h e r c o n stitu e n c y , C a rte r
touches on hunger, affordable
housing, com m unity policing and
m ental health care, yet she can ’t
help but return to education and
leaving a legacy for children in
every discussion.
“I think we have a moral im
perative to encourage, to nurture
and finan cially support m ore
young people to get involved in
the political process in the state,”
said Carter, who spent 27 years
as a faculty m em ber at Portland
Com m unity College. “It has to be
a personal goal that we, as a
photo by
M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Oregon state senators Jackie Winters, R-Salem (from left), Avel Gordly, D-Portland, and Marga
ret Carter, D-Portland, hold common records o f achievement as African-American women in
state government.
nation o f people and A frican take care o f mentally ill, so we
Am ericans, to raise our ow n and either jail them or let them walk
support our ow n.”
around on the streets, being hom e
The com m on thread through less. T h a t’s unacceptable in a
C arter’s issues is hum an dignity. civilized society,” she said.
In a recent meeting with Gov.
The governor responded by
Ted Kulongow ski, she and W in creating a 19-m em ber m ental
ters asked that a statew ide m en health task force, with C arter
tal health system be established. and W inters joining caregivers,
“I strongly believe the m en mental health and law enforce
tally ill in O regon suffer from a m ent e x p e rts, re p re se n ta tiv es
lack o f dignity based upon how from the O regon Health and Sci
the cost o f m ental health is bud ences U n iv ersity and Sharon
geted in the state. T here’s not Sm ith, wife o f U.S. Sen. Gordon
enough m oney in the system to Sm ith, R-Oregon.
G ordly says being a black
woman in the senate makes
her feel em powered.
“ All the m em bers o f C on
gress com e with life experi
ences that are varied and rich.
I bring an added value to my
role, with a different lens in
looking at public policy m ak
ing,” she said.
She adds, “O ne o f the m ajor
reasons I’m here is so people
continued
on page A9
Community Silence Hinders Rash of Gunfire
Chief asks for
help after bloody
weekend shooting
c
o
00
www.portlandobserver.com
Established in 1970
Police Chief Derrick Foxworth was frus
trated with the lack of community coopera
tion after a rash of shootings left two men
dead, a 14-yearold girl in critical condition
and resulted in no arrests.
Foxworth discussed the need for wit
nesses to come forward with information
about five shootings this past weekend at
his C h ie fs Forum on Monday.
“This has simply got to stop," Foxworth
said. “You have a responsibility in keeping
your community safe and in doing so, you
have to share information. You have tocome
forward.”
Forum member Richard Brown said the
com m unity’s silence stems from a lack of
trust with police.
Junior Street at 1 a.m. Sun
"Police have a bad
day.
reputation in a lot of the
Police said someone at
communities and we need
the party was playing with
to overcom e that,” he
a gun and they believe the
said.
firing was accidental. A
The chief reassured
juvenile was taken into
citizens that Portland is a
custody, but no one was
safe city, but some citi
immediately charged.
zens are worried. Some
Police said a shooting
residents called for new
at 12:40 a.m. Monday on
enforcement o f curfew
Northeast Sandy Boule
laws for young people,
vard stemmed from “a love
better diversity educa
triangle”
fueled with alco
Police Chief Derrick Foxworth
tion in schools and more
hol, that resulted in a non
after-school activities. Others blame high life threatening wound to a 31-year-old
unemployment on the spike in youth crimes.
Asian man. The shooter was not identified
The wounded 14-year-old girl was a or taken into custody.
“straight A” Jefferson High School stu
On Saturday night, W inston Morris
dent, according to family and friends.
Moton II, a 29-year-old African-American,
Tyniece McConvey was shot at or near was found dead from a gunshot wound near
a party at the 1800 block of Northeast Northwest Fifth Avenue and Couch Street.
In a separate incident, four people were
wounded by gunfire Saturday night after a
fight involving an estimated 20 people at the
Club Vegas parking lot on Northeast 75,h
Avenue and Killingsworth. The conditions
and names of those injured have not yet been
released. The victims were reportedly four
African-American men.
Earlier Saturday, the body of Jamal Wells,
23, was found on the side walk at the intersec
tion of Northeast 18,h Avenue and Mason
Street. He had been shot several times.
Foxworth said the shootings do not ap
pear to be related.
In urging witnesses to come forward with
information, the chief vowed that police
would do all they could to protect them. He
said it was likely the suspects would commit
other crimes if not caught.
Those who know anything that could
help the investigation were urged tocall 503*
823-0457or503-823-0451.