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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 31, 2004)
PaseA4_______ ___ ______________________________ (Elie JJortlanò (JDbseruer____ ____________________ March31.2004 O pinion Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer 3 The Portland Observer ____________USPS 9 5 9 -6 8 0 __________ Established 1970 4 7 4 7 NE M artin Luther King. Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 9 7 2 1 1 E D I I O II - I N - C H i t f . P u lL IS H tK Charles H. Washington T A F F C 1 1 t n t e I) 1 1 1 i r o i Paul Neufeldt O ffic e M a n e o e e Kathy Linder E D I T O H Michael Leighton D llT IIIU T IO S H M 4 N 4 G Ï K e p o u r e ii Jaymee R Cuti Mark Washington P osthaste *: Send address changes to Portland Observer PO Box 3137 , Portland, OR 97208 Perio d ical Postage paid In P o rtlan d . OR ■ Subscriptions are $ 6 0 .0 0 per year 5 0 3-2 88-0 03 3 • FAX 5 0 3 2 8 8 -0 0 1 5 • EMAIL: news@Dortlandobsener.com subscnDtion@DortlandQb$ener,CQm asjS@BQrtland< Lack of progress in jobs, wealth, education and health • Earn a teaching license/m aster's degree • Part tim e schedule for working adults • Offered in Portland, Salem, and Redmond • Bachelor's d egree required How much closer is America to achieving equality between blacks and whites since the civil rights m o v em en t? N ot clo se enough, and black progress is precarious at best accord ing to a report released by the National Urban League, “The State of Black America 2004.” As part of the report on black progress, the league unveiled its first "Equality Index” a statistical measure ment of the disparities that e jis t betw een blacks and whites in economies, hous ing, education, health, social justice and ci vie engagement. The report found that despite substantial progress, the status of African Americans is 73 percent of white Americans. Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said African-American progress has been precarious since the civil rights era. “W hile there have been in creases in business form ation, home ow nership and educational C o n v e n ie n tly L o c a te d ! IN F O R M A T IO N M E E T IN G S AT 6 :3 0 P .M . M onday, A p r il 5 Mavwood Park Center: 10100 N.E. Prescott, Room 125, Portland htesday, A p r il 13 Portland Center: 12753 S.W. 68th Ave.. Room 260. Portland 503-554-2264 rnat.georgefox.edu M J Is voue d aw n chen rtî B e fo re y o u reach fo r th a t w e e d a n d fe e d , p le a se c o n s id e r th is: in se c tic id e s a n d h e rb ic id e s can h a rm p e o p le a n d p e ts. R a in can w a s h c h e m ic a ls o ff y o u r la w n a n d in to s to rm d ra in s a n d stre a m s. T h is p o llu te s th e w a te r th a t p e o p le a n d fish d e p e n d on. T h e g o o d n e w s — it's e a s y to h a v e a b e a u tifu l la w n w it h o u t w e e d a n d fe e d . • B u ild h e a lth y soil • U se o r g a n ic fe r t iliz e r s o r c o m p o st o n y o u r la w n Bo»dl#r FISH »<"""or|JS • W a te r d e e p ly b u t in fre q u e n tly • A e ra te , th a tc h , a n d rese ed w it h a N o rth w e s t g r a s s Portland Portland Nursery 503-788-9000 Ridgefield, WA Bird's English Garden & Nursery 360-887-3270 Tigard The Gardener's Choice, Inc. 503-684-2727 West Linn Bosky Dell Natives 503-638-5945 For in fo rm a tio n a b o u t a c h e m ic a l-fre e la w n , v is it w w w . c l e a n r i v e r s a n d s t r e a m s . o r g o r call 5 0 3 -234 -3000 P o rtla n d M etro o r 360-3 9 7 -6 1 1 8 e x t. 4 345 in W a s h in g to n . The Regional Coalition for Clean Rivers and Streams: Cities o f Gresham, Portland and Vancouver, Clean River Partners o f Clackamas County, Clean Water Services, Clark County, Multnom ah County and Metro. Disclaimer: The RCCRS does not make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assume any legal liability or responsibility for products purchased with this offer. 1 offer per customer. Offer expires June 30, 2004 0 0 0410 TALK RADIO with REAL W eekdays 7:30- 9 am PEOPLE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY R&B, SOUL & W eekdays 7- 9 p m HIP HOP JAZZ, AFR0TAINMENT, HIP HOP & MORE attainm ent, equality gaps remain between blacks and whites, par ticularly in the area o f econom ics," M orial said. "A s our nation becom es more racially diverse, we must work together to close these disparities. This iserucial if A merica is to maintain its posi tion as an econom ic pow er and world leader.” The urban league report found Urban League President Marc H. Morial that black economic status mea sures 56 percent of white counter parts, while blacks’ health status measures 78 percent of whites, and educational performance measures 76 percent as compared to whites When it comes to equality under the law, blacks’ status is 73 percent of whites. However, in civic en gagement - blacks out measure w h ites in v o te r re g is tra tio n , volunteerism, and government ser- viee at 1.08 percent. The report also surveyed the attitudes o f African Am ericans, Hispanic Am ericans and Asian Americans concerning quality of life, education, finances, discrimi nation and pertinent social is sues. It found 52 percent of minority respondents believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. The same figure rated public education as fair to poor. 55 percent of the minority respondents want voting bans forex-felons lifted and 88 per cent believe in alternatives to im prisonment for non-violent offend ers Forty percent of African Ameri cans believe "little progress” has been made since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the same amount of respondents feel ing “very little or no improvement” has been achieved in economies and social mobility. The Urban League said it is com mitted to filling the equality gaps through measures such asjob train ing and housing development as sistance. "The point is to keep our eyes on the prize of African Americans and al I people of color striving to achieve their full measure o f American citi zenship and opportunity,” Morial said. "It is time to dream bigger dreams”. Supreme Court Opens Itself to Corruption J udge G reg M athis Everyday in America, dozens o f low er court judges through out the country recuse th em selves from a case that may rep resent a conflict o f interest or give the appearance o f im propri ety. The judges withdraw from such cases voluntarily to avoid the em barrassm ent o f being o r dered o ff the ease by a higher court. C ourt rules and the law pro vide such protections in effort to avoid the possibility o f corrup tion in the justice system. U nfor tunately, the U.S. Suprem e Court, the highest court in the land, has no such safeguard against co r ruption. Suprem e Court Justices can not be forced to recuse them selves from a case that presents a conflict o f interest for them. The court rules and the law pro vides that only the Suprem e Com ! Justices them selves can decide w hether they should withdraw from a case, and if they decide for them selves that they have no conflict, their decision is final and they cannot be forcefully rem oved from the case. This lack o f safeguard in the U.S. Supreme Court is currently creating cause for concern be cause o f a case involving S u prem e C ourt Ju stice A ntonin Scalia and Vice President Dick Cheney. The case involves a lawsuit by the environment group SicrraClub by Buy organic this year! Bring in this ad for 20% o ff organic lawn product or native plant. Gresham Flat Creek Garden Center 503-663-4101 The Portland Observer-Oregon's Oldest Multicultural Publication—is a member of the National Newspaper Association—Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Repre sentative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. Equality Gaps Persist B ecom e a Teacher h/laybe it s h o u ld be. The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed env elope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 1996 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER A ll. RHiHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE ORIN PART W ITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. against Vice President Cheney in effort to force him to release information on private m eetings he held with energy executives w hile creating Federal energy policies. The Sierra C lub and many others believe that corpo rate executives from energy com panies may have unlaw fully in fluenced those energy and oil policies and want to force a re luctant Dick Cheney to disclose who was at his m eetings and what was discussed. The conflict for Cheney and despite calls for his recusal from law m ak ers, new s m edia and many in the legal community. Clearly Justice Scalia’s pres ence on this case creates a poten tial for corruption and certainly gives the appearance o f im pro p rie ty . N e v e rth e le ss, Ju stic e Scalia refuses to recuse him self from the case and there is noth ing in the law that can force him off the case. The only action possible is his impeachm ent and that can only occur if there is evidence that The conflict for Cheney and Justice Scalia occurred when the two o f them decided to go on a private hunting trip three weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the energy task force case involving the Vice President. Judge Greg Mathis Justice Scalia occurred when the two o f them decided to go on <a private hunting trip three weeks after the U.S. Suprem e Court agreed to hear the energy task force case involving the Vice President. The two o f them flew together in a governm ent plane accom panied by Justice Scalia’s sons. The tw o claim they did not discuss the upcom ing case and as a result. Justice Scalia refuses to remove him self from the case indicates he may have com m it ted a crime. His reluctance to remove him self from this case underm ines the credibility o f the U.S. Supreme Court. No w onder people are so suspicious o f our Justice System. It appears the highest Court in the land has the highest potential for corruption. Judge Greg Mathis is Chair man o f the Rainbow PUSH-Ex- cel Board and a National Board Member o f the Southern Chris tian Leadership Conference. S aturdays 4 -1 1 pm Advertise with diversity in O ffice : 503-231-8032 C all the DJ! 503-231-8187 C ommunity R adio W W W .KB00.FM ®*îl ^Jortlanh (©hserucr Call 5O3-288-OO33 ads@portlandobserver.com