Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, March 03, 2004, Page 5, Image 5

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    March 03.2004____________________________________________
Drug Card
Scams Reported
Area residents should be skep­
tical of anyone trying to sell them
so-called drug discount health
cards, warns Jerry Cohen, the Or­
egon director of AARP
The recently enacted Medicare
legislation authorizes the use of drug
discount cards front June 2004
through 2005 to provide olderadults
with some transitional help until the
full drug benefit begins in 2006.
“The real Medicare drug cards
can’t be marketed until May, but it
seems that scam artists are busy
exploiting the new Medicare law
by pushing phony discount cards
now, said Cohen. "There are cur­
rently no approved Medicare dis­
count card sponsors. When Medi­
care does approve a card, the spon­
sor will be using an approved Medi­
care seal.”
Oregon consumers who are ap­
proached with offers to buy Medi­
care drug cards now should report
the activity to the Oregon Attorney
General's Consumer Hotline at 1-
877-8779( tol 1 free) from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
(Till' 'JflortlattÒ (jObôTrUer______ ______________________ Page AS
Farrakhan Advances Reparations
Islam leader speaks in
worldwide broadcast
Farrakhan accused Bush o f wanting to go to war with
Iraq from his first day in office, and o f knowing Saddam
Hussein didn’t have w eapons o f mass destruction.
(A P) — In a speech peppered with criticism s o f
Form er chief w eapons inspector David Kay has con­
President Bush, Nation o f Islam leader Louis Farrakhan
cluded Iraq didn’t have w eapons o f mass destruction.
on Sunday pressed for A m erica and England to grant
Bush has defended his decision to go to war, saying
slave reparations.
Saddam was a threat.
Farrakhan, speaking during a worldwide satellite
Speaking for about three hours, Farrakhan, 70, said
broadcast at the final session o f the Nation o f Islam ’s
A m erica and Great Britain need to recognize their roles in
annual m eeting, also voiced support for M ichael
the slave trade. He urged Congress to consider a bill
Jackson and warned blacks against supporting the
sponsored by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. that would
front-runner for the D em ocratic presidential nom ina­
establish a com m ission to study slavery.
tion, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
“Black people are so angry with President Bush that
Farrakhan said whites fail to realize they hold privi­
leged positions in A m erica because o f slavery.
they’re w illing to give Sen. Kerry a free ride,” he said.
“If America is not w illing to look a t ... what happened
"G etting rid o f Bush and getting John Kerry ... will
to us as a people, there will never be a chance for good
mean y o u 'll get more o f the sam e.”
relations between blacks and w hites,” he said.
Farrakhan said blacks should consider supporting
Farrakhan said he believes Michael Jackson is inno­
candidate A1 Sharpton to give that candidate more
cent o f charges he com m itted lewd acts on a child.
pow er to prom ote black issues.
Nation o f Islam chief o f staff Leonard F. M uhammad has
W hile calling Sharpton “brilliant,” Farrakhan told
the crowd: “You know, I know and he knows that he
been working with Jackson, and other mem bers o f the
group are providing security for the pop star.
ain ’t going to be no president.”
Nation o f Islam leader M inister Louis Farrakhan
addresses those gathered at the annual Saviours'
Day on Sunday in Chicago. (AP photo)
EMB
M arch 12 8 13 • 8pm
Nike Honors Minority Contributions
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Willie Gregory, N ike's director o f community and business relations in Memphis, Tenn., was
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At irs.gov, taxpayers will find
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o f the "marriage penalty," new in­ “forms and publications.”
come limits for earned income tax
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