Women in Careers
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‘City of Roses’
Volume XXXV, Number 17
Established In 1970
w ww.portlandobserver.com
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Wednesday • April 27, 2005
Drug Free
Zones
Upheld
-...Week ¡n
TheReview
Despite minority
over-representation
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Reaches Out to Muslims
A day after reaching out to other
Christians and to Jews in his in­
stallation Mass, Pope Benedict
XVI met Monday with members
of the Muslim community, assur­
ing them the Catholic church
w anted to continue building
“bridges of friendship" that he
said could foster peace in the
world.
Terrorism Tripled in 2004
The U.S. count of major world
terrorist attacks more than tripled
in 2004, a rise that may revive
debate about whether the Bush
administration is winning the war
on terrorism, congressional aides
said Tuesday.
Train Wreck Leaves 78 Dead
Rescuers pulled two survivors -
but also more bodies - from the
gnarled wreckage of Japan' s worst
train crash in decades Tuesday,
and investigators raided the rail
operator's offices for clues about
why the train skidded off the tracks,
killing at least 78 people.
Bush Urges Saudis Oil Boost
President Bush prodded Saudi
A rabia’sCrow n Prince Abdullah
on Monday to help curb skyrock­
eting oil prices, and the White
House expressed hope that the
kingdom ’s plans would ease U.S.
gasoline prices that have shot
above $2.20 a gallon.
Troops Leave Lebanon
Syria ended its 29-year military
domination of Lebanon on Tues­
day as soldiers flashing victory
signs completed a withdrawal
spurred by intense international
pressure and massive Lebanese
street protests against a force
that once numbered 40,000.
Senators Begin Social
Security Hearing
President Bush kicked off a na­
tional debate about Social Secu­
rity in his State of the Union ad­
dress in February. Now it is up to
Congress to see if it results in any
changes. The Senate Finance
Com m ittee opened a hearing
Tuesday on the proposal.
Jackson Legal Team Splits
Michael Jackson’s legal team said
in a one-sentence notice that one
of his attorneys was leaving the
singer’s child molestation trial.
Departing attorney Brian Oxman
had an animated conversation
after court Monday with lead
Ja c k so n a tto rn e y T h o m as
Mesereau Jr.
photo by N icole
H oopf . r /T he P ortland O bserver
Georgia Alexander stops by the Lloyd Center Torrid plus-size store and finds a lime green baby doll outfit.
Large and in Charge
Couple plans
big party fun
in Portland
by N icole H ooper
T he P ortland O bserver
Tom and Karla don’t feel there is a
reason to be ashamed of their size. There
are many plus-sized people that feel the
same way.
With media showing constant images
of what is considered beautiful and a
society that puts down or makes big people
feel guilty, it’s people like Tom and Karla
Truxton that fight back.
The couple has founded Oregon BBW
(Big Beautiful Woman), a safe haven for
those who feel scrutinized for their body size
or are physically attracted to those of sub­
stance. But more than being activists, the
goal of this group is to have fun.
On Saturday, April 30, a pajama party wi 11
be held for socializing, dancing and relaxing
in an environment of plus-size people who
look just like them or their admirers. The
gathering will be the first of what is expected
to be many Oregon BBW events.
Similar social affairs are held all over the
world. New York’s Club Curvz attracts over
300 people at their larger events, no pun
intended. Not only are there dances, but also
fat awareness rallies and fun cruises.
The Truxtons are fashioning their organi­
zation after BBW Northwest, a plus-size
community group that ’ s been active for eight
years in Tacoma, Wash.
“The options are limited in Portland be­
cause nothing like that goes on here and
some think it’s too far away to drive up to
Tacomaevery month,” KarlaTruxton said.
After a year of preparation and failed
attempts by others to start a local group,
the couple has committed a personal in­
vestment of over$ 1,000to make their dream
a long-term reality. They’ve paid for the
hall, food and deejay for Saturday’s enter­
tainment; started a website; and have a
budget for promotion.
“We are not expecting to make a profit.
We just hope to break even,” said Tom
Truxton.
Saturday’s gathering is designed to help
larger people feel comfortable and intimate,
a major difference from regular clubs.
“T here’s not going to be that guy
looki ng down on you saying, ‘Fat people
d o n ’t belong in a place like th is,” ' Karla
Truxton said. “I have flat out been told
that I do n ’t belong in certain places
continued
yf
on page A3
A Multnomah County Circuit Court judge
has ruled against two local African Ameri­
cans who claimed they were unfairly tar­
geted by law enforcement under Portland’s
Drug Free Zones.
T he law suit brought by the public
defender’s office claimed African Ameri­
cans were targeted for exclusion in certain
neighborhoods more often than whites.
One motion before Multnomah County
Circuit Court Michael Marcus claimed that
out o f 800 cases where suspects were ac­
cused to violating exclusion orders, nearly
60 percent were African American.
Marcus said he did not have the authority
to dismantle the drug free zones, but he did
direct Portland to make adjustments in the
way such cases are prosecuted, discussing
the fine line between regulation of drug
trafficking and kicking out poor, homeless
and mentally ill citizens.
In a statement, Marcus scoffed at the lack
of police enforcement against white citizens
dressed up as professionals discreetly sell­
ing powder cocaine.
The judge said police officers only need
a reasonable suspicion of drug activity to
issue an exclusion citation, which can lead to
sweeping j udgments over who is real ly break­
ing the law.
He stated that this practice is similar to
“totalitarian approaches to social control.”
Located in the Beech neighborhood of
northeast, dow ntow n from northw est 23rd
Avenue to the W illam ette River, and from
Portland State to U nion Station, the drug-
free ordinance has been in place since
N ovem ber 2002 w ith the idea o f prevent­
ing drug trafficking in high drug crim e
areas.
When issued a citation, punishment can
mean a few days of community service or a
fine.
Although Marcus upheld the drug ordi­
nance. lawyers representing those making
the allegations don’t see it as a total loss,
noting his order directed officials to make
adjustments in how cases should be handled
to protect Constitutional rights.
Racial Lines Crossed with Art, Education
Police brutality
study fuels
college degree
It’s not often that you come across a guy
like Drew Shoals.
Without missing a beat, Shoals goes
from being adrum virtuoso to writing poetry
on Portland’s race relations to forming the
very first African American studies majorat
W ashington’s Whitman College.
H e’ll soon be honored for his work with
Whitman associate professor of history
Nina Lerman for “The Reality of Police
Brutality: Poems about Agency and Activ­
ism in Portland, O regon's, Black Commu­
nity.”
Shoals is the first African-American Stud­
ies major at Whitman whose senior project,
the capstone to his individually planned
studies, is a non-traditional performance
piece that is a comparative analysis of race
relations in Portland in the 1960s, early
1970s and today.
He specifically looks at the Black Pan­
ther Party for S elfD efense'sactivism inthe
Civil Rights era and how that informs cur­
rent black community activism against
police brutality in the aftermath of prob­
lematic deaths of two African Americans in
their 20s by white police officers during
PHOTO BY L EN E ! PARISH
Portland native Drew Shoals plays drums with many different projects, including touring with Botswana's best known jazz
band-Ndingo Johwa. 4 student at Whitman College, he has become the school's first African-American studies major and is
being honored for works on race relations in Portland.
traffic stops.
A lthough Shoals says he originally
planned a more conventional major in eco­
nomics or politics his interest in studying
race, class and the African American experi­
ence grew.
“1 realized these were the classes than
pushed me. I felt something urgent about
studying them and I found that there were
more than enough courses to make up a
major-my major is 46 credits, while the aver­
age is only 32.”
Beyond academics, Shoals said he is most
at home when playing music.
His liquid style and obvious enjoyment of
the music he plays make him a staple of the
continued
on page A6